Related Practices

• Labor and Employment

Cohen & Grigsby announced today that it has added significant strength and capability to its Labor & Employment Practice Group by adding three partners to the Firm, all resident in its Pittsburgh offices. The three partners join Cohen & Grigsby from the Pittsburgh office of Reed Smith.

• Cathy Bissoon focuses her practice on employment discrimination and harassment litigation and has first-chair jury trial experience along with extensive pretrial litigation experience.  She represents unionized and non-unionized employers in a wide range of employment-related lawsuits in federal and state courts around the country and before local, state and federal agencies.  She also dedicates a smaller portion of her practice to representing employers in traditional labor matters such as arbitrations and collective bargaining.  A frequent speaker, trainer and counselor regarding employment law compliance, Bissoon has been named one of the “Best Lawyers in America,” one of Pennsylvania’s “Super Lawyers,” and is one of only a few Pennsylvania employment lawyers to be ranked by Chambers USA.  Prior to joining Cohen & Grigsby, Bissoon was a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Group at Reed Smith in Pittsburgh.  She also served as the firm’s Director of Diversity and was the former firm-wide head of Reed Smith’s Employment Group.  Bissoon has a B.A. in political science, summa cum laude, from Alfred University and a J.D. from Harvard University.  A native of New York, N.Y., Bissoon, her husband and two children live in Mt. Lebanon, PA. 
• Robert B. Cottington is an experienced labor and employment lawyer, representing employers in collective bargaining, labor arbitration, and litigation involving a wide array of employment claims, including discrimination, harassment, FMLA, wrongful termination, non-competes and breach of contract.  He devotes a substantial portion of his practice to counseling management clients and defending them in cases involving wage and hour claims.  He has successfully defended retail and healthcare clients in nationwide and regional wage and hour class action lawsuits.  Cottington has also been named one of the “Best Lawyers in America” and one of Pennsylvania’s “Super Lawyers.”  Before joining Cohen & Grigsby, Cottington was a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Group at Reed Smith in Pittsburgh.  Cottington earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Bucknell University and a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University.  He and his family reside in Cranberry Township, PA. 
• Robert F. Prorok represents employers in the full range of employment and labor law matters, including litigation in federal and state court and adjudication before various state and federal agencies.  A former adjunct professor at St. Francis University, Prorok regularly presents continuing legal education seminars for both the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the National Business Institute.  He has also been appointed as a qualified mediator, early neutral evaluator and arbitrator for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania’s Alterative Dispute Resolution Program.  Prior to joining Cohen & Grigsby, Prorok was a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Group at Reed Smith in Pittsburgh.  Prorok received his undergraduate degree in rhetoric and political science from the University of Pittsburgh and his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.  He and his family currently reside in Upper St. Clair, PA. 

 We are very optimistic that the deep experience these three attorneys will bring to Cohen & Grigsby’s Labor & Employment Group will enhance our ability to provide quality legal service to our clients in these important areas,” said Jack Elliott, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Cohen & Grigsby.  “All three individuals understand the complex competitive environment in the legal services industry.  This environment is driving clients to seek high quality, face-to-face service delivered from more cost-effective platforms.  I am certain that Cathy, Rob and Bob will thrive in their new environment.”

 With the addition of Bissoon, Cottington and Prorok, Cohen & Grigsby’s Labor & Employment Group now consists of 15 attorneys.  The group has extensive experience providing counsel and representation to unionized and non-unionized companies, healthcare institutions, financial companies, service businesses and high technology firms.