Sabrina Presnell Rockoff focuses her practice on advising on employee relations issues, developing human resources practices and policies, defending employment discrimination lawsuits, and representing employers in union matters. Chair of the firm's Employment and Labor Law Team, Sabrina was named to Business North Carolina magazine’s 2013 Legal Elite list of the top lawyers in North Carolina in the Employment category.

Sabrina assists organizations in matters including:

• Labor and Employment
• Employment Counseling
• Employment Litigation and Class Actions
• RIFS and Severance Plans
• Wage and Hour Issues
• Class Actions
• Consumer Product Safety
• Employment Litigation
• AAP, Compliance and OFCCP Audits

Experience Highlights:

• Disability Discrimination Suits: Successfully defended one of the largest U.S. forest products manufacturers in a disability discrimination lawsuit brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including successfully arguing an issue of first impression under the ADA before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling resulted in summary judgment for the client on all claims and an award of litigation and appellate costs against the plaintiff.


• Sex Harassment and Discrimination Suits: Successfully defended a Fortune 500 retailer in a lawsuit filed by a former employee alleging retaliation and wrongful termination arising out of sexual harassment allegations.


• Race Discrimination Suits: Successfully defended a Fortune 100 pharmacy retailer against a lawsuit brought by a former employee alleging race discrimination, retaliation and constructive discharge. The case ended with award of summary judgment for the client on all claims and award of litigation costs against the plaintiff.


• Preparation of Employment-Related Agreements and Policies: Has assisted many corporations, large and small, in the preparation of employment agreements, severance agreements, employee handbooks and other related policies.


• Largest proposed OSHA fine in North Carolina history: Involved in representation of a large manufacturer in the largest Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine in North Carolina history. Successfully negotiated a fine reduction from $1,000,000 to $110,000 paid over twelve months. Subsequently, the client was defended in a suit brought by seventy-one individual plaintiffs/former employees seeking class action relief alleging various injuries from mercury poisoning.


• Employee and employee benefits advice for non-profit organizations: Has represented and assisted multiple non-profit organizations with employment and employee benefits advice, with an understanding of the issues specific to many non-profit employers.

Regulatory Work: Represented over a dozen non-profit mental health providers in opposing North Carolina's decision to cut the rate of Medicaid reimbursement by one-third for mental health services. The reduced rate was eventually increased.

Community Service: Sabrina has served as a Board Member of Community Partnerships, Inc. and as an Executive Board Member and Chair of the Human Resources Committee for the Triangle Chapter of the American Red Cross, both in Raleigh. She is a graduate of Leadership Raleigh.