Carmen "Jack" Giordano

I am a licensed attorney in New York, including the Federal District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the Federal Court District of Connecticut, and Vermont. I hold an L.L.M. in Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence from New York University School of Law. I have been honored with the Super Lawyers Award for twelve consecutive years from 2013 to 2025 and am recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Attorneys in New York State.

In 2000, I founded Giordano Law Offices Personal Injury & Employment Lawyers, driven by a passion to assist a diverse clientele across various practice areas. My legal career is extensive, beginning as a Rackets and Homicide Prosecutor where I led investigations and trials involving organized crime, white-collar crime, public corruption, and homicide cases. My experience also includes serving as Legislative Counsel for U.S. Senators, including Senator Joe Biden, and committees in the U.S. Senate. Prior to establishing my own practice, I was a Senior Trial Specialist for the NYC Corporation Counsel’s Special Litigation Unit, where I handled some of the city’s most significant lawsuits, including wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. I also acted as lead counsel in federal and state litigation involving catastrophic tort and employment discrimination cases on the corporate law side.

At Giordano Law Offices, we have secured millions of dollars in settlements and trial victories for our valued clients. I am acknowledged by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Civil Trial Lawyers in New York, a highly prestigious accolade in the United States. Most recently, I was selected to be a 2025 New York Metro Super Lawyer, one of the highest honors in the legal profession. Our firm works tirelessly for our clients: With Us, It's Personal.

New York University School of Law

LL.M. (1989) | Constitutional Law & Jurisprudence

1988 - 1989

Honors: magna cum laude

New York Law School

J.D. (1985)

1982 - 1985

Principal Attorney

Giordano Law Offices Personal Injury & Employment Lawyers

2000 - Current

Co-Founder

Video Extraction Inc

2015 - 2017

Lead Counsel

Levy Phillips & Kongisberg

1996 - 2000

Senior Trial Specialist

City of New York

1992 - 1996

Legislative Counsel

UNITED STATES SENATE

1990 - 1992

Assistant District Attorney

Kings County District Attorneys Office

1985 - 1990

Civil Rights Litigation and Attorney Fees Annual Handbook

Thomson Reuters

2017

'Nobody Escaped This Nightmare': NYLJ Readers Recall 9/11

New York Law Journal

September 8, 2016

Silent Witness Authentication of Video Evidence

New York Law Journal

November 16, 2015

Defamation in Emails: The Judicial Privilege

New York Law Journal

May 22, 2014

Injuries, Death and Deprivation of Medical Care While in Custody, Michael Hardy Legal Night, The National Action Network

July 25, 2024

The National Action Network

Attorney Giordano speaks on Prisoners Rights at the National Action Network's Michael Hardy Legal Night.

Free Speech: The Cornerstone of Our Democracy, Michael Hardy Legal Night, National Action Network

May 29, 2025

The National Action Network

Attorney Giordano will speak on free speech rights.

Video Evidence: Legal Standards & Practical Consideration, Brooklyn Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Brooklyn Bar Association

January 18, 2017

Brooklyn Bar Association

Attorney Carmen “Jack” Giordano will teach a Continuing Legal Education course at The Brooklyn Bar Association on January 18, 2017 at 6 PM. The course, entitled Video Evidence: Legal Standards & Practical Consideration, will cover legal issues regarding video evidence, authentication of videos into evidence and more. Legal Theory in addition to practical considerations in obtaining, using, and precluding video evidence will be discussed in the CLE.

New York Bar Association, 16 Hour Bridge The Gap: Practical Skills, Ethics, and more, NYC Bar Association

October 12, 2017

Video evidence will only increase in importance in the digital age that we all live in. The prevalence of cell phones and other mobile devices with cameras has drastically changed the legal landscape. Attorney Giordano will address the legal ramifications of the increased use of digital media and will detail specific case-law that relates to different areas of law.

LL.M. in Constitutional Law & Jurisprudence

New York University School of Law

1989

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

New York Law School

1985

Super Lawyers Award

Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers

2025

Awarded from 2013-2025.

Top 100 Trial Attorney

National Trial Lawyers

2025

Awarded from 2020-2025.

Top Rated New York Personal Injury Law Firms

Top Locals

2025

2018-2025

Nation's Top One Percent

National Association of Distinguished Council

2024

2024-2025

Top NYC Lawyers

New York Magazine

2020

Recognized as one of the top attorneys in New York Magazine for multiple years.

National Lawyers Guild

Member

Current

National Police Accountability Project

Member

Current

The New York Bar Association Tort Litigation Committee

Member

Current

The National Action Network

Member

Current

The American Bar Association

Member

Current

Connecticut

State of Connecticut Judicial Branch

New York

New York State Office of Court Administration

ID Number: 2030351

Since 1986

Vermont

Vermont Supreme Court

9th Circuit

Federal Circuit

• Free Consultation
  We do not charge you anything for an initial consultation.
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Contingent Fees
  If you have been involved in an accident or if you know someone who has been injured, you pay nothing unless and until we recover money for your case, our fee being contingent on your recovery.

Q. Denied necessary accommodation at work for disability.

May 21, 2025

A: Given that your employer was aware of your disability and provided an accommodation for you, hopefully the failure to provide the chair at this particular NASCAR event was a one time anomalous mishap, ie, improper failure to accommodate, assuming the provision of the chair with rest time for the event would not have imposed an undue hardship on your employer. I would document a cordial request to HR and/or your manager, describing the incident with neutral language and asking for assurance that this won't happen again. It may be time for your employer to revisit the interactive process that is supposed to transpire when you raise an accommodation request that is reasonable. If you do not get a reasonable response and collaborative approach to move forward, contact a NC attorney or reach out to us. ... Read More

Q. Is asking for an ADA accommodation enough to meet the standard under federal and state law in employment?

May 18, 2025

A: We are located in New York, but here are a few things to consider under federal law. You say that your employer claims that the federal ADA and State law do not apply to them. Note generally speaking, once you make an accommodation request, your employer:

      •   Must engage in a good faith interactive process.

      •   May request reasonable documentation of the disability and need for accommodation.

      •   Cannot flatly deny the request without exploring possible solutions.

   •   Claiming exemption from ADA or state disability laws in general (for the FLA FCRA - check with a Florida attorney) is not valid unless:

      •   Under federal law, the employer has fewer than 15 employees (ADA threshold).

      •   Florida law, and the FCRA, may have a similar threshold and be exempt if your employer has fewer than 15 employees. (Check with a Florida attorney again.)

Assuming you have been employed there for 12 months or longer (another ADA threshold) keep in mind the following: Under the Federal: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., (check Florida: Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA), Fla. Stat. § 760.01 et seq. by consulting a FLA attorney), employment discrimination based on disability is prohibited and require reasonable accommodations. ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can qualify as disabilities under both federal and state laws if they substantially limit major life activities (e.g., concentration, communication).

Supporting documentation (e.g., diagnosis, medical provider statement) is not always required up front but may be requested by your employer to substantiate your disability and need. You have to inform your employer of the disability and request a specific accommodation. The request does not need to be in writing, and does not need to use legal terms but you should have your medical providers give you a a clear understanding of what accommodations you need and communicate that specific request to your employer. Simply making a clear request is generally enough to trigger the employer’s duty to engage in the “interactive process.”

I’m not entirely clear on what you mean by “privacy concerns,” (your privacy or private proprietary information of your employer?) Generally speaking, privacy may be a concern, but not a blanket excuse to deny an accommodation request. Sharing meeting notes with you is typically not a privacy violation if it pertains to your own work. If these notes you requested apparently as part of your accommodation request are arguably subject to proprietary IP employer restrictions or concerns, consider an alternative accommodation request if your exact request did pose a legitimate privacy or an operational issue.

If your employer refuses to engage in the interactive process or provide reasonable accommodation, you can file a charge with the EEOC (federal) or Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) (again check with a local attorney). You have 300 days under federal law.

Again, just asking for an accommodation is generally sufficient to invoke protections under the ADA and Florida’s FCRA. The employer’s blanket refusal and claim of legal exemption, without engaging in the interactive process or requesting documentation, may be a violation of the law if that is indeed what happened here. ... Read More

Q. Reported for sexual harassment after joking with coworker for years, legal grounds?

May 16, 2025

A: It would be wise to refrain from such further banter. Once your employer is on notice of what might be considered a "hostile environment" or unwanted discussion or behavior of a sexual nature, even if intended in the most innocent manner and not unwelcome by other colleagues, the employer is legally obligated to make a reasonable effort to address the matter. Your employer may take disciplinary action against you, admonish you or otherwise endeavor to put an end to it. It is also possible that the coworker who finds the banter objectionable may take further action against you and your employer.