Where strategy and law meet.

High-level expertise
powered by tenacity.

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Legal counsel you can trust.

Focus, strategy, results.

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Your success, our commitment.

We care,
we prepare, we win.

LEARN MORE

Where strategy and law meet.

High-level
expertise
powered by
tenacity.

LEARN MORE

Legal counsel you can trust.

Focus,
strategy,
results.

LEARN MORE

Your success, our commitment.

We care,
we prepare,
we win.

LEARN MORE

Click Here for Updates on Trief & Olk’s Electric Zoo Litigation

Trief & Olk is a versatile litigation boutique located in New York & New Jersey whose attorneys have broad expertise in matters ranging from complex commercial litigation to employment, personal injury, and insurance cases.

Our attorneys have the trial skills necessary to withstand pressure to settle cases early, along with the talent to steer complex cases from beginning to end.

Due Diligence

We invest our high levels of time and energy in-depth analysis and discovery from the very beginning of any case to ensure positive results.

Expertise

We’ve gained extensive experience since 1987 through numerous complex jury and judge trials in federal and state courts.

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Practices

Link to: Class Action Litigation

Class actions

We handle class (or collective) actions to allow an entire group of victims to sue the wrongdoer for the same type of damages so that all members of the class can receive compensation for their injuries.

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Link to: Commercial Litigation

Commercial litigation

We represent individuals who have suffered damage or injury in areas of partnership, real estate, law firm and construction defects.

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Link to: Personal Injury Litigation

Personal injury
and medical malpractice

We represent individuals clients who have suffered damage or injury in areas such as medical malpractice, products liability, construction, negligent security, pharmaceutical litigation and more.

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Link to: Life Insurance Litigation

Life insurance litigation

We specialize in representing beneficiaries of life insurance policies in disputes relating to these policies.

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Link to: Insurance Coverage Litigation

General insurance
litigation

We handle disputes related to insurance coverage, bad faith, or fraudulent practices with respect to insurance policies.

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Link to: Employment Litigation

Employment
matters

We represent employees and employers in actions under brought under the federal Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and similar state laws.

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Link to: Restaurant Representation

Restaurant representation

We represent restaurants, both fine dining and casual establishments, in an array of matters, providing guidance in transactional work and acting as litigation counsel.

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Successes

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome

Successes

Class Actions

• $137.5 million class action settlement against national bank
• Approximately $8 million settlement for a group of employees of Darden Restaurants
• $5 million settlement in wage/hour litigation against Defenders, Inc.
• $4 million settlement in wage/hour case against staffing agency

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Personal Injury Litigation

• $4 million product liability settlement against meat processing plant
• $3.3 million construction accident from falling object
• $2.6 million product liability action against manufacturer
• $2.5 million against NYC Transit Authority relating to subway accident
• $2.6 million medical malpractice arising from failed surgery

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Insurance Coverage Litigation

• $3 million (plus interest) verdict after trial against William Penn Life Insurance Company
• $1.5 million (plus interest) improper denial of life insurance benefits
• $1.2 million pay-out of full policy owed due to Primerica’s improper cancellation of policy

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Commercial Litigation

• $13 million representing purchaser of commercial realty
• Successful arbitration for restaurant owner in dispute with landlord/business partner
• Settlement in favor of entrepreneur seeking compensation for breach of licensing agreement
• Settlement of employment dispute on behalf of CEO of publicly traded company

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Perspectives

Perspectives

Trief & Olk is routinely contacted by the news media to comment on legal issues. View our recent news and events here.

Aug 20, 2024

Settlement with Wilton Reassurance Life Company of New York on Behalf of Beneficiary, Widow of Deceased Insured

On March 24, 2024, Trief & Olk commenced a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against Wilton Reassurance Life Company of New York on behalf of Kathy Parnass to recover the benefits of a flexible premium adjustable life insurance policy that had insured the life of her late husband.   The Complaint filed in […]

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Oct 06, 2023

Trief & Olk Files Electric Zoo Class Action Complaint

Our clients purchased tickets for three days of a festival featuring elaborate sets, lighting, and special effects.  Not only did they not get what they paid for, but what they did get was: cancellation of the first day’s performances; a two-hour delay in opening the gates on the second day; excessive lines to enter the […]

Read More

Mar 08, 2023

New York Labor Law Section 241(6) Protects Construction Workers

For anyone working on construction sites, knowing how the law protects you is important. Construction sites are, by their very nature, dangerous. Workers are constantly exposed to dangerous working conditions, including defective power tools, fall hazards, insufficient safety devices, falling objects, and electrical hazards. When a worker gets injured and cannot work, New York’s Labor […]

Read More

Mar 08, 2023

Expansion of Damages In Wrongful Death Awaits NY Governor Hochul’s Approval

Historically, New York State has not permitted recovery for grief and sympathy for the family members that have lost someone due to any form of negligence. This may be changing. The New York Senate and Assembly recently passed Bill S74A, also known as the Grieving Families Act, and it is hoped and expected that Governor […]

Read More

Jan 03, 2023

U.S. Department of Labor reviews independent contractor rule

In recent years, many employers have decided to misclassify certain workers as independent contractors, rather than employees. Doing so allows companies to save significant expenses such as payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, and other expenses typically paid by employers.  Additionally, misclassifying workers as independent contractors enables the employers to avoid various obligations they […]

Read More

Nov 08, 2022

Trief & Olk Prevail at Trial on Minimum Wage & Overtime Claims

After a bench trial presided over by Magistrate Judge Roanne Mann in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Trief & Olk was victorious against a Brooklyn-based supermarket, 5th Ave. Kings Fruit & Vegetables Corp. (known as 5th Ave. Kings Supermarket) and its owner, winning minimum wage and overtime back-pay […]

Read More

Oct 12, 2022

Security Technicians Reach $5 Million Settlement for Unpaid Wages, Negotiated by Trief & Olk Team

We recently reached a $5 million settlement in a collective action on behalf of a group of approximately 550 alarm installation technicians (known as Security Advisors) in a suit against Defenders, Inc., in which the employees alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by failing  to properly track their work time, resulting in improper overtime compensation. 

Read More

Jul 12, 2022

Trief & Olk Secures A $2.5 Million Settlement For Injured Plaintiff

Trial attorneys Ted Trief and Jason Kaufer, on the morning of trial, negotiated a settlement of $2,500,000 for a plaintiff who had his right leg amputated below the knee after being struck and run over by a New York City subway. 

Read More

Apr 26, 2021

Trief & Olk negotiates a $650,000 settlement for 2 minutes of conscious pain and suffering

Trief & Olk secured a settlement of $650,000 for the family of a warehouse worker that was killed by the collapse of an industrial shelving unit. The decedent was working for an auto parts store in its warehouse in Bronx, New York.

Read More

See All

Aug 20, 2024

Settlement with Wilton Reassurance Life Company of New York on Behalf of Beneficiary, Widow of Deceased Insured

On March 24, 2024, Trief & Olk commenced a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against Wilton Reassurance Life Company of New York on behalf of Kathy Parnass to recover the benefits of a flexible premium adjustable life insurance policy that had insured the life of her late husband.   The Complaint filed in […]

Read More

Oct 06, 2023

Trief & Olk Files Electric Zoo Class Action Complaint

Our clients purchased tickets for three days of a festival featuring elaborate sets, lighting, and special effects.  Not only did they not get what they paid for, but what they did get was: cancellation of the first day’s performances; a two-hour delay in opening the gates on the second day; excessive lines to enter the […]

Read More

Mar 08, 2023

New York Labor Law Section 241(6) Protects Construction Workers

For anyone working on construction sites, knowing how the law protects you is important. Construction sites are, by their very nature, dangerous. Workers are constantly exposed to dangerous working conditions, including defective power tools, fall hazards, insufficient safety devices, falling objects, and electrical hazards. When a worker gets injured and cannot work, New York’s Labor […]

Read More

Mar 08, 2023

Expansion of Damages In Wrongful Death Awaits NY Governor Hochul’s Approval

Historically, New York State has not permitted recovery for grief and sympathy for the family members that have lost someone due to any form of negligence. This may be changing. The New York Senate and Assembly recently passed Bill S74A, also known as the Grieving Families Act, and it is hoped and expected that Governor […]

Read More

Jan 03, 2023

U.S. Department of Labor reviews independent contractor rule

In recent years, many employers have decided to misclassify certain workers as independent contractors, rather than employees. Doing so allows companies to save significant expenses such as payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, and other expenses typically paid by employers.  Additionally, misclassifying workers as independent contractors enables the employers to avoid various obligations they […]

Read More

Nov 08, 2022

Trief & Olk Prevail at Trial on Minimum Wage & Overtime Claims

After a bench trial presided over by Magistrate Judge Roanne Mann in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Trief & Olk was victorious against a Brooklyn-based supermarket, 5th Ave. Kings Fruit & Vegetables Corp. (known as 5th Ave. Kings Supermarket) and its owner, winning minimum wage and overtime back-pay […]

Read More

Oct 12, 2022

Security Technicians Reach $5 Million Settlement for Unpaid Wages, Negotiated by Trief & Olk Team

We recently reached a $5 million settlement in a collective action on behalf of a group of approximately 550 alarm installation technicians (known as Security Advisors) in a suit against Defenders, Inc., in which the employees alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by failing  to properly track their work time, resulting in improper overtime compensation. 

Read More

Jul 12, 2022

Trief & Olk Secures A $2.5 Million Settlement For Injured Plaintiff

Trial attorneys Ted Trief and Jason Kaufer, on the morning of trial, negotiated a settlement of $2,500,000 for a plaintiff who had his right leg amputated below the knee after being struck and run over by a New York City subway. 

Read More

Apr 26, 2021

Trief & Olk negotiates a $650,000 settlement for 2 minutes of conscious pain and suffering

Trief & Olk secured a settlement of $650,000 for the family of a warehouse worker that was killed by the collapse of an industrial shelving unit. The decedent was working for an auto parts store in its warehouse in Bronx, New York.

Read More

See All