Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti PC

5 Best Lawyers awards

Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti PC logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Civil Rights Law Employment Law - Individuals Litigation - Labor and Employment

Biography

A repeated recipient of Best Lawyers of America’s “Lawyer of the Year”, a member of the Executive Board of the National Employment Lawyers Association, a past president of the Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association, and a graduate of Yale Law School, Nina represents individuals in employment and civil rights litigation and negotiation.

She is well versed in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination (on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, religious creed, marital status, pregnancy, or national origin), sexual harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, contract disputes (including those involving restrictive covenant agreements), FMLA and related leave of absence issues, unpaid wages, severance agreements, and whistleblower claims.

Nina Pirrotti has received many honors for her advocacy on behalf of employees. She was elected as a Fellow to the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (CLEL) Class of 2023, one of only two Connecticut lawyers to receive the honor that year. She was named by Best Lawyers of America as its 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Employment Law- Individuals in New Haven, Connecticut and received that same honor in 2020.

Nina has also been honored by Super Lawyers every year since 2013. In 2022, she was featured on the cover of Super Lawyers Magazine. She received one of Super Lawyers’ highest honors, a Top 50 Connecticut Super Lawyer recognition, in 2014, 2022, 2023, and 2024, placing her among the Top 50 lawyers of the state. She was also selected as one of the Top 25 Women Connecticut Super Lawyers in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Before she began empowering employees, Nina empowered survivors of physical violence at the Queens County District Attorneys’ office’s Career Criminal Major Crimes bureau where she prosecuted homicides, gang assaults and other violent crimes. Nina is an experienced trial advocate, having served as lead counsel in approximately 25 jury trials and 50 bench trials. She taught Trial Advocacy at the New York Prosecutor’s Training Institute, the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, and the New York City Law Department, and trial practice at Quinnipiac Law School as an adjunct professor.

Nina is a fellow of the American Bar Association (ABA), has served as a liaison for the ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law’s Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee and as a Track Coordinator. She is a Co-chair of the Employee Privacy subcommittee of the ABA’s Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee. In 2015, Nina was appointed by the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut to serve as a member of the Local Civil Rules Advisory Committee, which advises the Court concerning the rules for civil litigation. In 2021, Nina was elected to the Connecticut Bar Foundation 2021 James W. Cooper Fellows Program. Fellows are nominated by their peers based on their outstanding service to the profession and larger community.

Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti PC

5 Best Lawyers awards

Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti PC logo

Overview

  • English
  • Italian

  • Wesleyan University, BA
  • Yale University, J.D., graduated 1991

  • Connecticut, 2006

  • College of Labor and Employment Lawyers Class of 2023 (Induction in 2024) - Fellow
  • American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section’s Trial Advocacy Competition Committee - Vice Chair
  • American Bar Foundation - Fellow
  • College of Labor and Employment Lawyers - Fellow
  • Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association - Past President
  • Employee Privacy subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee - Co-Chair
  • National Employment Lawyers Association - Executive Board Member
  • English
  • Italian
  • Connecticut, 2006
  • College of Labor and Employment Lawyers Class of 2023 (Induction in 2024) - Fellow
  • American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section’s Trial Advocacy Competition Committee - Vice Chair
  • American Bar Foundation - Fellow
  • College of Labor and Employment Lawyers - Fellow
  • Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association - Past President
  • Employee Privacy subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee - Co-Chair
  • National Employment Lawyers Association - Executive Board Member
  • Wesleyan University, BA
  • Yale University, J.D., graduated 1991

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Employment Law - Individuals Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Employment Law - Individuals
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Employment Law - Individuals, New Haven (2023)
  • Employment Law - Individuals, New Haven (2020)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Employment Law - Individuals
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Civil Rights Law
Special Focus:
  • Whistleblowers
Awards:
  • 2025 Best Lawyers - Employment Law – Individuals; and Litigation – Labor and Employment

  • 2024 Top 50 Connecticut Super Lawyer

  • 2024 Top 25 Women Connecticut Super Lawyer

  • 2024 Super Lawyers

  • 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Guide - Employment & Civil Rights Litigation

  • 2024 Best Lawyers

  • 2023 Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year

  • 2022 Best Lawyers

  • 2022 Top 50 Connecticut Super Lawyer

  • 2022 Top 25 Connecticut Woman Super Lawyer
  • 2021 Best Lawyers
  • 2020 Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year
  • 2020 LawDragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyer
  • 2019 LawDragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyer
  • 2017 Top 25 Connecticut Woman Super Lawyer
  • 2015 Top 25 Connecticut Woman Super Lawyer
  • 2015 Top 50 New England Woman Super Lawyer
  • 2014 Top 50 Connecticut Super Lawyer
  • 2014 Top 25 Women Connecticut Super Lawyer
  • 2014 Top 50 Women New England Super Lawyer
  • 2014-2022 Connecticut Super Lawyer
  • 2010 Connecticut Law Tribune Women in the Law High Achievers

Additional Information

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Case History

Cases
  • Title IX/Title VII $1.75 Million Settlement Against CCSU
Obtained $1.75 million settlement in 2020 against a major university following litigation of Title IX and Title VII claims on behalf of an employee who had been sexually harassed and assaulted in the workplace.
  • Equal Pay Act/Gender Discrimination Claim
Obtained mid-six figure settlement in 2018 following litigation of Equal Pay Act and gender discrimination claims on behalf of a female physician leader who was paid significantly less than her male counterpart.
  • Sexual Harassment and Assault $1 Million Settlement
Achieved $1 million settlement on behalf of an employee who had been sexually harassed and assaulted by a co-worker. The settlement included this major employer’s commitment to revamping its sexual harassment training, investigation and response to those who report it.
  • Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Settlement Against Major Connecticut Employer
Represented five plaintiffs (three members of management and two staff members) in sexual harassment and retaliation claims against a major Connecticut employer, resulting in a settlement in excess of $1 million.
  • Sexual Harassment/Retaliation Settlement Against Major CT Employer
Represented five plaintiffs (three members of management and two staff members) in sexual harassment and retaliation claims against a major Connecticut employer, resulting in a settlement in excess of $1 million.

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