Robert Stroup - Levy Ratner

Robert H. Stroup

Partner

Bob represents employees in disputes with their employers, both in individual cases as well as class actions. He has many years of experience representing employees in litigation of their claims of discrimination, harassment or other unlawful treatment in the workplace. He is also experienced in the negotiation of individual employment agreements as well as separation or severance agreements. His extensive experience in class wide litigation on behalf of groups of individuals has involved such issues as failure to properly pay wages and overtime, discrimination in hiring, pay and promotions arising from a wide range of discriminatory practices involving race, sex, religion, and national origin discrimination and hostile work environments. Bob represents individuals and labor unions in the mediation, arbitration, and litigation of disputes. He also provides counsel to individuals and labor unions concerning workplace investigations of sexual harassment and other workplace controversies.

Practice Areas

Race and National Origin Discrimination and Harassment

Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination

Age Discrimination

Religious Discrimination

Transgender Rights

Family Medical Leave and Paid Family Leave Act

Wage Theft: Unpaid Minimum Wage and Overtime

Employment and Separation Agreements

Case Highlight

Lewis v. Governor of Alabama, 896 F.3d 1282 (11th Cir., July 25, 2018) The Court of Appeals ruled in our favor in our challenge to the State of Alabama’s nullification of the City of Birmingham’s minimum wage law, holding that the district court improperly dismissed our complaint. The 11th Circuit Court, en banc, voting 7-5, concluded that our clients did not have standing to challenge the law.

Vulcan Society and the United States v. City of New York The District Court for the Eastern District of New York found that the City of New York unlawfully discriminated against black and Hispanic applicants for the firefighter job, and awarded class wide relief in the form of priority hiring of rejected applicants, monetary relief to rejected applicants totaling nearly $100 million, and development of a new hiring exam under the supervision of a court monitor

Wright v. Stern The District Court for the Southern District of New York approved a classwide settlement in excess of $20 million to African-American class members denied equal treatment by the New York City Parks Department regarding pay and promotions

Thompson v. HUD, District Court of Maryland After trial, the District Court found that HUD had violated the Fair Housing Act with respect to its practices affecting public housing residents within the City of Baltimore and ultimately approved broad relief in the form of an enhanced housing voucher program providing opportunities for class members to access housing in areas with improved housing, school, and employment opportunities

Keeler v. Hills, District Court of Georgia After class certification, approving a settlement offering relief to female employees of HUD in the Southeastern Region of HUD, at grade levels GS-5 and above, who were denied promotion and advancement opportunities on the basis of sex

Reeves v. Eaves, Northern District of Georgia Granting relief to a class of African-American applicants for police officer positions with the City of Atlanta, including development of a new hiring exam and monetary relief to rejected members of the applicant class

Awards, Honors & Recognition

2015 Civil Rights Milestone Award.
Presented by the State Bar of Georgia and the Center for Civil and Human Rights, for contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and the struggle for equality of African-American citizens in the State of Georgia

2012 – present Bob has been named a “super Lawyer” in Labor and Employment law every year since 2012

2010 Social Change Award.
Presented by the Center for Constitutional Rights, for landmark victories in representing the Vulcans Society and black firefighters in litigation against the City of New York for racially discriminatory hiring practices

1998 Thurgood Marshall Award.
Presented by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, for serving as counsel to Warren McCleskey, a human being under sentence of death

1986 Distinguished Service Award.
Presented by the Afro-American Patrolman’s League, for assistance and counsel in litigation against the City of Atlanta concerning discriminatory hiring practices in the Atlanta Police Department

Education

Emory University, School of Law, LLM 1988

University of Pennsylvania Law School, JD 1974

Indiana University, MA, History, 1968

Hiram College, BA, history and economics, magna cum laude, 1967

Admissions

State Admissions

New York

Georgia (Emeritus)

Court Admissions

United States Supreme Court

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York