Steve Gerber has practiced management-side employment and labor law, focusing on litigation and arbitrations, for three decades. His practice also includes complex commercial litigation, complex tort defense litigation, and internal investigations. He began his career as an associate in an international AmLaw 100 firm’s New York and Washington, D.C.’s offices and then was a law clerk for the late Chief U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey. From 1980 through 1984, Steve served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Criminal Division, and then returned to private practice.
Steve represents clients in many sectors and has long-standing experience in representing clients in the following areas: healthcare (hospitals and research centers, and physical/occupational and rehabilitation therapy in-patient and out-patient providers); educational institutions (public and private secondary schools, charter schools, colleges and universities); skilled nursing, assisted living and independent senior living facilities; transportation; logistics; retail; manufacturing; financial services; pharmaceuticals; public sector entities; and a variety of not-for-profit corporations and foundations.
Steve has been included on the New Jersey Super Lawyers® list and the New York Metro Area Super Lawyers® list, Best Lawyers in America, New York and New Jersey list, and America’s Most Honored Lawyers list. He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Early in his private practice career, Steve became active in the Defense Research Institute – Lawyers Representing Business™ (“DRI”), the 22,000+ member international association of attorneys devoted to the defense of civil litigation. Steve is a past Chair of DRI’s Employment & Labor Law Committee. He also has been privileged to serve as a member of DRI’s Board of Directors and its Law Institute.
In addition, Steve serves on the American Arbitration Association’s National Roster of Employment Arbitrators and Mediators, as well as on its Consumer Law Roster of Arbitrators in the New York metro area. He also has been appointed by the New Jersey Superior Court, Chancery Division as a Special Discovery Master in complex real estate partnership/joint venture litigation.
In addition to his DRI membership, Steve is a member of the select Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) and is a past Chair of the FDCC’s Employment and Workplace Law Section. He also is a member of the select Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey, the New Jersey State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Steve was also one of the founding “Benchers” of New Jersey’s Sidney Reitman Employment Law American Inn of Court, the first American Inn of Court in the country dedicated to employment law practice.
Active in community affairs, Steve currently serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Passaic County, Inc. and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Passaic County Community College Foundation. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Kampfe Lake Association, Inc. and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Lafayette Condominium Association, Inc.
Education
- J.D., University at Buffalo School of Law, 1978, magna cum laude, Articles Editor of the Buffalo Law Review
- B.A., State University of New York at Albany, 1974, cum laude
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New York
- Georgia
- U.S. District Court of Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court of New Jersey
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- Quoted in the national and legal media on employment discrimination trends
- Co-author of several articles on jury attitudes towards businesses in employment discrimination litigation
- Co-author, “No One-Size-Fits-All: Investigating and Addressing Complaints of Historical Sexual Harassment and Abuse,” DRI In-House Defense Quarterly, Spring 2017
- Lawyers of Distinction, 2024
- Top Lawyers in the New York Area, 2024
- New York Metro Area Super Lawyers, 2013-2023
- New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2017-2024
- Best Lawyers in America, New York and New Jersey, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2018-2025
- America’s Most Honored Lawyers, 2020-2023
- America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators, 2020-2023
- Top Attorneys, New Jersey, 2017-2019 and 2023 and 2024
- May 2022, DRI Employment & Labor Law Seminar: co-presenter, “The New Normal — What Every Employment Lawyer Needs to Know About Arbitrations”
- May 2018, DRI Employment & Labor Law Seminar: co-presenter, “IP or Not IP – Is that the Question? Intellectual Property for the Employment Lawyer — “Litigating Claims of Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Theft of Intellectual Property”
- May 2013, DRI National Employment & Labor Law Seminar: co-presenter, “Pitfalls and Tips: Arbitration of Employment Discrimination and Retaliation Claims”
- May 2016, DRI National Employment & Labor Law Seminar: co-presenter, “It Ain’t What It Used To Be – Practicing in Era of AFAs & RFPs”
- Senior Law Clerk to The Honorable James A. Coolahan, late Chief U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey (1979-1980)
- National Roster of Employment Arbitrators and Mediators, American Arbitration Association
- Consumer Law Roster of Arbitrators, NYC metro area, American Arbitration Association
- Appointed by the New Jersey Superior Court, Chancery Division, as a Special Discovery Master in complex real estate partnership/joint venture litigation
- One of the founding “Benchers” of New Jersey’s Sidney Reitman Employment Law Inn of Court, the first American Inn of Court dedicated to employment law practice
- Member, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC)
- Past Chair, Employment and Workplace Law Section, FDCC
- Member, 2023 Seminar Planning Committee, Defense Research Institute – Lawyers Representing Business™ (“DRI”)
- Past Chair, Employment & Labor Law Committee, DRI
- Member, Board of Directors, DRI (2002-2005)
- Member, Law Institute, DRI (2005-2008)
- Member, Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
- Member, Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey
- Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Board of Directors, United Way of Passaic County
- Member, Board of Trustees, Passaic County Community College Foundation
- Member, Board of Trustees, Kampfe Lake Association
- Member, Board of Directors, Lafayette Condominium Association, Inc.
More About
Having been raised in New York City and residing in New Jersey for a number of decades, Steve is an avid baseball (New York Mets) and basketball fan (Brooklyn Nets). He enjoys studying and reading about American history. Steve also enjoys playing bridge and using his lake pontoon boat with family and friends.
