Debbie D. Cannavino has been practicing labor and employment law since 1990. She represents clients in a wide variety of matters, including the defense of:

• Employment and housing discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Breach of contract
• Common law tort claims

She has appeared before all Connecticut state and federal courts, as well as administrative agencies in Connecticut and New York. She has tried matters before arbitration panels and the National Labor Relations Board. She also has been retained by employers to conduct independent internal investigations of employee complaints against ranking executives.

In addition to defending employment claims, Deborah regularly counsels employers on compliance with state and federal laws, including those regarding:

• Wage and hour
• Family and medical leave
• Disability
• Discrimination
• Housing
• Labor

She also conducts training sessions for supervisors and frequently presents seminars on employment-related topics, such as:

• Preventing and investigating complaints of sexual harassment
• Effective employee discipline
• Accommodating employees with disabilities
• Conducting pre-employment inquiries
• Avoiding discrimination complaints

Among her notable career accomplishments, Deborah was appointed by the State Department to the 2001 and 2002 United States delegations to the International Labor Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, where she represented the U. S. employer position in the Application of Standards and the Resolutions Committee. In 2004, she was appointed as an expert on workplace violence by the International Organization of Employers and represented U.S. business interests in developing an international code of practice, which was subsequently adopted by the International Labor Organization.

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

• President, Fairfield County Bar Association
• Former chair, Labor and Employment Committee - Fairfield County Bar Association