Chelsea Brener Cusimano has a substantial litigation practice and client base after a decade of work with her family firm and public officials.
Chelsea is the daughter of the late Lisa Brener who began her trailblazing civil rights and employment practice in New Orleans in the 1980s. Chelsea is a fourth-generation New Orleans lawyer.
Chelsea has successfully litigated Collective Actions under the FederalFair Labor Standards Act, including managing a Collective Action with over 90 Plaintiffs from 2018-2020.
Chelsea is a member of both the Louisiana and Georgia bars, and holds an LL.M. from George Washington University in National Security and International Affairs. She graduated from the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2012.
Chelsea’s government experience includes legislative drafting and representation before governmental bodies. Notably, in 2020 Chelsea assisted a bipartisan group of legislators to pass the “Ka’Mauri Harrison Act,” which revised student discipline in the age of virtual instruction. Chelsea also represented Ka’Mauri in his lawsuit against the Jefferson Parish School Board when he was suspended because after his brother moved a bb-gun in the background of his room while in the
- Employment Law
- Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, ERISA, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
- Civil Rights
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Discrimination, Employment, Fair Housing, Police Misconduct, Privacy Law
- Education Law
- Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence Criminal Defense, Domestic Violence Restraining Orders, Victims Rights
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Contingent Fees
- Georgia
- State Bar of Georgia
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- Louisiana
- Louisiana State Bar Association
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- Attorney, Partner
- Sternberg, Naccari and White, LLC
- - Current
- Partner
- Brener & Kraus, LLC
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- In-House Counsel, Employment
- St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office
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- Worked in house counsel for the Sheriff's office as the sole in house legal counsel working in the areas of employment law, litigation management, 1983 actions, government purchasing, and contracts.
- George Washington University - Mount Vernon campus
- LL.M.
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- Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
- J.D.
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- Cure Champion
- American Cancer Society
- Leadership in Law
- New Orleans City Business
- Rising Star
- SuperLawyers
- Millennial of the Year, Honoree
- Biz New Orleans
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- New Orleans Bar Association, Bench Bar Conference, Bench Bar Conference, Fairhope, Alabama
- New Orleans Bar Association
- Round Table discussion on ethics and professionalism in the area of Employment law in the State of Louisiana.
- The Laws Governing Remote Employees, New Orleans Bar Association, Procrastinator's Program, New Orleans
- New Orleans Bar Association
- The Laws Governing Remote Employees: Technology allows many businesses to look far and wide for the best talent for open positions regardless of location. But many companies have found themselves facing expensive litigation because of a lack of awareness of laws governing the relationship. In fact, over the last 20 years, most new laws governing employees have been enacted at the state and local level and they vary widely depending on where an employee is physically working.
- Q. Can an employer change an offer letter 1 year after employment?
- A: The answer would depend on the employment laws of the State of Wisconsin. It would be important for the employee to look into the laws in Wisconsin to determine if it is an "at-will" employment state. It would further be important to look at the contract to determine if it is for a term, and if it is binding in terms of status/duties. The entire answer would depend on the ability to bind the company on an Offer Letter in a State that has "at-will" employment. I would urge employee to reach out to an attorney in the State of Wisconsin for further information.
