We are pleased to announce that Koehler & Isaacs LLP has added three new partners and will now be known as Isaacs Devasia Castro & Wien LLP. At this time, with mixed emotions, we also announce the retirement of Founding Partner, Richard J. Koehler from the firm.
The new partners are long-time associates Cynthia Devasia, Liam Castro and Howard Wien who have a collective sixty years of litigating, mediating, and negotiating legal issues affecting workers and public and private sector labor unions and employee fringe benefit funds. All three have extensive experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements and conducting hundreds of labor arbitrations litigating disciplinary charges, contract grievance violations and line of duty injury benefits. They also advise our union and employee benefits clients in corporate governance and regulatory compliance matters. In their own way, each has been an indispensable asset to the firm and our clients:
Our clients have benefited from Ms. Devasia’s extensive federal court practice entailing novel Constitutional claims, civil rights (plaintiff and defense), and employee benefits litigation including ERISA delinquency actions leading to the collection of millions of dollars in plan assets. Ms. Devasia is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law where she has taught doctrinal law and legal writing, research, and lawyering skills.
Our clients have found Mr. Castro’s representation in state court matters essential to obtaining injunctive relief protecting against excessive work hours and preserving worker’s pay, leave time, and health benefits. He also has a successful track record in appellate advocacy arguing in three of the four Appellate Divisions and also before the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, where he was victorious each time.
Our clients have thrived under Mr. Wien’s guidance in forming local and national level labor unions, protecting the rights of public sector supervisory workers to organize, running successful union organizing campaigns, and navigating the intricacies of internal union disputes. Mr. Wien is a former Commissioner of the Yonkers Commission of Human Rights and also a trained mediator and experienced arbitrator.
“Cynthia, Liam, and Howard epitomize the dedication and exemplary service our firm provides. They are exceptionally talented, have been an integral part of our long-standing success and we look forward to continuing the same high-caliber and innovative legal representation we have provided for over 20 years,” said Founding Partner Steven A. Isaacs.
The firm was founded under the Koehler & Isaacs moniker in 1999 by Mr. Isaacs and Richard J. Koehler, a longtime labor relations advocate and former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction and New York City Police Department Chief of Personnel, as a unique, full service law firm designed to meet the legal needs of working families, their unions and their employee benefit funds. The firm has represented clients in various public and private sector industries including law enforcement, security, transportation, education and construction. During this time, Mr. Koehler has been our captain, guiding force, and a man widely respected for his service to his clients, the legal profession, his City and Country. We wish him the very best and thank him for his stewardship and, more importantly, the many years of friendship.
More information about Isaacs Devasia Castro & Wien LLP can be found at www.idcwlaw.com.