Collins, W. E. (Gene)

PRIMARY AREAS OF PRACTICE

Ms. Parikh specializes in the areas of employment law, civil rights litigation, general liability, premises liability, insurance defense, and the representation of public entities in both State and Federal Court. These cases typically involve a wide variety of issues including claims of general negligence, student-on-student harassment, labor and employment law issues, and matters alleging violations of 42 U.S.C. §1983. Her labor and employment law experience includes all aspects of labor and employment litigation, including LAD, CEPA, Title VII, ADA, along with wrongful discharge and retaliation claims.

Ms. Parikh also has extensive expertise and knowledge in the handling of cases on behalf of governmental entities and officials under Title 59, including the various defenses and immunities available under the Act to public entities and school boards. In this regard, Ms. Parikh has successfully prevailed on numerous pre-trial motions for summary judgment, as well as on appeal on behalf of school boards and other public entities.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Ms. Parikh has represented and performed services on behalf of Scottsdale Insurance Company, Summit Risk Insurance Company, Allstate Insurance Company, Selective Insurance Company, and Western Heritage Insurance Company.

Ms. Parikh has successfully defended municipalities, school boards, police departments and a variety of other public bodies in numerous Title 59 cases. In this regard, Ms. Parikh has been successful in obtaining dismissals or resolving cases on behalf of Warren Hills Regional Board of Education, Union Township Board of Education, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional School District Board of Education, Mount Olive Board of Education, Phillipsburg Board of Education, Hackettstown Board of Education, West Windsor-Plainsboro Board of Education, the Township of Tewksbury, Borough of Keansburg, Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, Township of Manalapan, Vernon Township, Township of Weehawken, and Jefferson Township, among others.

Ms. Parikh has also successfully handled a variety of employment-related cases involving claims of hostile work environment, sexual harassment, disability discrimination, whistleblower liability, and retaliation. Ms. Parikh has also obtained numerous favorable decisions and dismissals in a variety of civil rights cases brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983.

Most recently, Ms. Parikh participated in the representation of a Board of Education in connection with a student's allegations of improper treatment by a coach that allegedly resulted in the student's eating disorder. Ms. Parikh participated in the appeal of the matter, which was ultimately heard by the New Jersey Supreme Court.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ms. Parikh graduated cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1999, and received a Bachelor's degree in 1996 from Rutgers University. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Stephen F. Smith, Jr., J.S.C., in Morris County, NJ, and was admitted to the bar of the state of New Jersey in 2000. Ms. Parikh joined Gebhardt & Kiefer in 2001, and became partner in 2013.