Brian Conneely's 26-year career in employment law in many ways has paralleled the exploding growth of the field itself. The 51-year-old Massapequa native has represented and advised clients on virtually every conceivable type of workplace-related dispute or litigation. Conneely has built his record and reputation in the field and currently is the head of the Labor and Employment Law Group at Rivkin Radler LLP. Like many of the best attorneys, Conneely obtained valuable experience early after law school when he was selected for a coveted clerkship with the Honorable Robert R. Merhige, Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, placing Conneely in the middle of several high-profile and multi-district litigations. Returning to New York, Conneely joined a prestigious Park Avenue law firm whose partners gave him the freedom to litigate a variety of labor and employment law cases. At that time, there was a significant amount of union organizational activity and labor disputes involving hospitals and manufacturers and employment discrimination was beginning to explode. "Employment litigation has not subsided." Moreover, Conneely says, a variety of new employment statutes and regulations have subsequently been enacted. In the late 80's and throughout the 90's, Conneely helped a small firm on Long Island grow from 7 to 50 attorneys. Three years ago, his labor and employment group joined Rivkin Radler, the largest firm on LI with over 140 attorneys and a national practice with offices on Long Island and in New York and New Jersey. Amiable and knowledgeable, Brian remains a hands-on professional who works closely with his clients whether they are Fortune 500 employers for whom he interacts through general counsel, or smaller employers for whom he serves as primary legal advisor. Brian Conneely has also received an AV rating, the highest rating, from Martindale-Hubbell, based on confidential opinion and information obtained from other attorneys.