Emily A.
Vance

Emily Vance is a partner in the Litigation Department whose practice focuses on employment litigation, internal and regulatory workplace investigations and employment-related counseling. She represents major public companies, media and entertainment companies, healthcare and higher education institutions, and private equity sponsors in matters involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, workplace misconduct, employment policy and compliance issues, and trade secrets. Emily has litigated employment matters in federal and state courts, including at trial and on appeal, and has represented clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the New York State Division of Human Rights. She also represents clients in other complex commercial litigation matters, government investigations and regulatory enforcement actions. Emily is recognized by Lawdragon as one of the “500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers” (2026-2027).

Emily’s employment and workplace-related litigation matters include representing:

• Atos in high-stakes trade secrets litigation against Cognizant Technology and its subsidiary TriZetto Group, including securing a favorable jury verdict in a four-day damages trial resulting in an award representing a fraction of the amount sought at trial.
• Pfizer in securing the voluntary dismissal of a reverse-discrimination lawsuit in connection with its early career pipeline program after previously winning dismissal in the district court and affirmance in the court of appeals.
• NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in a broad range of employment litigation and other matters arising from its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, including lawsuits in state and federal courts, agency charges and threatened claims, notably defeating multiple requests for injunctive relief and winning a significant Second Circuit appeal, which Emily argued.
• The Regents of the University of California in connection with litigation brought by former patients of physicians at UC member hospitals, including UCLA and UC Berkeley, involving allegations of inappropriate touching and sexual assault and claims that the UC system was vicariously liable due to negligence.
• World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and TKO Group Holdings in high-profile litigation alleging systemic sexual abuse and negligent hiring and retention of employees arising from alleged misconduct over several decades.
• A private equity firm in separation and compensation-related disputes and allegations of discrimination and a hostile work environment.

Emily’s employment and workplace-related internal investigations include representing:

• CS Disco, a legal technology company, in a review of the company’s workplace policies and procedures and pre-existing investigations following the resignation of its founder and former CEO.
• A global technology company in a sensitive internal investigation of its wholly owned subsidiary regarding internal hotline complaints against senior leadership involving allegations of retaliation, bullying, bypassing procurement policies, conflicts of interest and cultural issues related to company vaccine mandates. 
• Multiple healthcare systems in connection with internal investigations related to allegations of inappropriate conduct by physicians and other staff.

Emily’s employment and workplace-related regulatory investigations include representing:

• A client in a multi-state attorneys general investigation concerning allegations of employment discrimination and a hostile work environment.
• A healthcare system in connection with federal, state, and local law enforcement investigations related to allegations of inappropriate conduct by hospital physicians.
• A regional hospital in a joint Southern District of New York and New York Attorney General investigation concerning potential violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law and False Claims Act arising from financial relationships with a physician practice group. 

Emily also regularly handles other complex commercial litigation, white collar defense and regulatory enforcement matters. Her experience includes high-stakes breach of contract litigation, IP disputes, and investigations and enforcement actions by federal and state regulators. Her matters include representing:

• CNA Financial Corp. in an insurance coverage dispute with the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan arising from the university’s settlement of numerous sexual abuse claims against a former university employee, including seeking interlocutory appellate review of rulings concerning CNA’s principal coverage defenses. 
• World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in a breach of contract and IP infringement suit seeking emergency injunctive relief against Panini S.p.A. related to Panini’s use of WWE’s IP on trading cards, stickers and games.
• A prominent hospital in a state attorney general consumer privacy investigation.
• A healthcare system in connection with a state attorney general investigation into patient elopement and potential violations of federal and state law governing the provision of emergency behavioral health treatment.
• A publicly traded manufacturing company in the first “rounding up” accounting fraud investigation conducted by the SEC and related litigation.
• A former employee of a currency exchange business in an Eleventh Circuit appeal of a criminal conviction for mail fraud, wire fraud and making false statements to federal agents. 

Emily maintains an active pro bono practice focused on disability rights, prisoners’ rights and criminal defense. She achieved a victory in New Jersey state court on behalf of a pro bono client in an appeal of a criminal conviction.

Emily has worked as an adjunct professor of legal writing at Fordham University School of Law and serves as a junior board member at Family Legal Care. Prior to her legal career, Emily was a Teach For America corps member and taught middle school mathematics in St. Louis, Missouri.