Maureen S. Binetti

Maureen Binetti is Co-Chair of Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A.’s Employment Law practice and has been a Shareholder since 1990. Her areas of focus include litigation, arbitration, negotiation, mediation, and investigation of employment law disputes, as well as employment advice to both employees and employers. Ms. Binetti also handles public accommodation discrimination cases.

Litigation: Trial and Appellate Practice; Arbitration

One of the very few female employment attorneys certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Civil Trial Attorney, Ms. Binetti has handled both sides of employment disputes for more than three decades in the New Jersey state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration. These disputes involved claims of harassment and discrimination based on age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, religion, and physical, psychological, and learning disabilities; whistleblower and other retaliation claims; claims involving restrictive covenants and employment contracts, including high-level executive compensation and termination claims; and wage and hour and other class actions.

Although the majority of her litigation practice is on behalf of employees, Ms. Binetti regularly represents small to medium-sized employers and professional groups in litigation, as well as providing them day-to-day employment advice.  She has tried numerous cases to verdict, and has argued multiple times before the New Jersey Supreme Court, often resulting in the creation of new laws in the employment arena.  Ms. Binetti is perhaps best known for her representation before the New Jersey Supreme Court of the plaintiff in the seminal case of Fuchilla v. Layman, a sexual harassment and civil rights action, and for securing a $1 million verdict in a retaliation case that involved the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD). Results achieved in prior matters are not meant to be a guarantee of success as the facts and legal circumstances vary from matter to matter. She has tried cases to verdict under the NJLAD, the CEPA, and the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), and has handled proceedings before the Office of Administrative Law, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, as well as arbitration proceedings.

In addition to her jury trial and administrative hearing experience, Ms. Binetti has handled, and currently handles, substantial cases in arbitration, both as an advocate and as an arbitrator, through the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and otherwise. These cases include several involving termination claims of high-level executives, including presiding over such a matter as a member of a three-arbitrator panel, statutory discrimination claims, retaliation claims under CEPA, and salesmen commission claims involving novel legal issues.

Neutral Services

Ms. Binetti’s experience in managing both sides of employment disputes uniquely qualifies her to perform neutral services. Therefore, in addition to her litigation practice, Ms. Binetti often serves as an independent investigator of internal employee complaints, and as a state-approved mediator and arbitrator of employment claims.  She has investigated all types of internal workplace complaints for more than 30 years, often resulting in the amicable resolution of potential legal issues.  In addition, she has successfully mediated more than 1300 employment law claims over the past 22 years, many pursuant to the early mediation requirement of all employment disputes by the New Jersey state courts, thereby helping parties avoid costly, risky, and emotionally exhausting trials by resolving the majority of the disputes at an early stage, prior to discovery.

The majority of these disputes involved substantial damages, allegations of intentional harm, and complex legal and factual issues, in addition to high levels of emotion on both sides.  Ms. Binetti has a track record of handling and settling both single and multi-plaintiff cases raising all types of statutory and common law claims.  Examples of cases Ms. Binetti has successfully mediated include: a nine-plaintiff workplace dispute involving alleged claims of multiple types of harassment by different plaintiffs; an age discrimination and breach of contract dispute by a former partner against a law firm; a variety of CEPA claims against hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, accountants, and other businesses; and multi-plaintiff cases involving allegations of severe sexual harassment and assault in the workplace. Ms. Binetti is listed on both the mediation and arbitration rosters of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). 

Ms. Binetti has received numerous recognitions and awards, including the 2018 Trial Bar Award, presented by the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey in “recognition of excellence, given by peers to trial attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the cause of justice.” She has been consistently selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America list in the practice areas of Employment Law - Individuals and Litigation - Labor and Employment since 2007, including as "Lawyer of the Year" for Employment Law - Individuals in 2020, 2022, and 2025 as well as "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation - Labor & Employment in 2024. She has also been selected for inclusion in the New Jersey Super Lawyers list since 2005, including in the "Top 10" list in 2021 and 2022, the "Top 50 Women" list for 2008-2016 and since 2020, as well as the "Top 100" list for 2009-2012, 2014-2015 and since 2020. She is the author of numerous articles and other publications on employment law developments that impact the workplace. She is also a recurring speaker at the American Bar Association (ABA) and the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE), among others, and has given numerous trial advocacy and mediation seminars. 

The National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (https://www.nadn.org) is an invitation only membership limited to professional mediators and arbitrators. See the membership criteria and requirements at: https://nadn.org/membership.

Super Lawyers® (http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process_detail.html) is published by Thomson Reuters.

Best Lawyers in America® (https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology) is published by Best Lawyers.

A description of the selection processes may be accessed via the above links. The aforementioned organizations are private peer review organizations, not court-specific, public certification vehicles. No aspect of this advertisement has been submitted to or approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Reported Cases:

• Battaglia v. United Parcel Services, Inc., 214 N.J. 518 (2013)
• Fitzgerald v. Stanley Roberts, Inc., 186 N.J. 286 (2006)
• Zubrycky v. ASA Apple, Inc., 381 N.J. Super. 162 (App. Div. 2005)
• Ford v. Schering-Plough Corp., 145 F.3d 601 (3rd Cir. 1998)
• Mortgagelinq Corp. v. Commonwealth and Title Ins. Co. et al, 142 N.J. 336 (1995); 275 N.J. Super. 79 (App. Div. 1994)
• Neil S. Sullivan Associates, Ltd. v. Medco Containment Services, Inc., 257 N.J. Super. 155 (Law Div. 1992)
• Fuchilla v. Layman, 109 N.J. 319 (1988)