Parkes, Thomas J.

HARD WORKING AND TENACIOUS ADVOCATE 

Sandra D. Parker has been practicing law for more than 25 years.  Throughout the 25 years Ms. Parker has worked hard for each and every client, leaving no stone unturned in her unwavering quest to prevail in every case.  She does not back down when faced with belligerent or aggressive adversaries, or complex cases.  Clients receive her unfaltering commitment to see a case through to a successful conclusion, battling and overcoming all obstacles placed in her path by her adversaries, no matter their size, power or wealth.

Proving that a good offense is the best defense, Ms. Parker opened the Law Office of Sandra D. Parker after more than a decade of honing and refining her commercial, business, insurance, employment, litigation and appellate skills, as attorney for a major municipal law department, a large multinational corporation and a not-for-profit company.   The firm's roster of present and past clients include scores of individuals fighting large and powerful corporations and governmental entities, small and mid-size businesses, entrepreneurs, not-for-profit corporations, art institutions, large companies and a major transportation system.

EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF DEFENSE STRATEGIES

Ms. Parker began her career as a lawyer representing the City of New York and its various agencies and departments, including the Department of Personnel and the Office of the Comptroller, in lawsuits brought by corporations and individuals in federal and state courts.
Among the myriad of issues she has litigated are breach of construction contracts, commercial leases and other commercial agreements, the award of New York City contracts to the lowest responsible bidders, violation of the Civil Service Law, the discipline, suspension or termination of probationary, provisional and permanent employees, employment discrimination and violation of the Environmental Protection Law.
  
She then moved into the practice sector, working as counsel for Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where she negotiated commercial contracts with Fortune 500 companies and small businesses.  Sandra D. Parker also sued Fortune 500 companies and small businesses for breach of insurance contracts, computer software licensing agreements, fraud,  breach of construction contracts, commercial leases and other commercial agreements.  She also instituted collection actions against companies who were delinquent in payment of premiums for group insurance contracts, and established a 100% success rate of recovery from those companies. 

Thereafter, Ms. Parker became in-house counsel for MetLife, where she further developed her skills and expertise in insurance law, litigation and appellate practice.  Her work included defending benefit decisions made by fiduciaries of ERISA benefit plans, regarding life insurance, disability benefits, health insurance and other employee benefits. The ERISA plans covered employees and retirees of multinational corporations, including General Motors Corporation, General Electric, Mobil Oil and others, who filed lawsuits in federal and state courts throughout the United States. Ms. Parker also defended benefit decisions made on claims filed by New York State employees under the Empire Plan.

FEDERAL AND MULTISTATE EXPERIENCE

Sandra D. Parker has a strong commitment to her clients, vigorously representing them throughout the United States, in federal and state trial and appellate courts.  She is admitted to practice before courts of the  State of New York, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York.  Ms. Parker also is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.  Ms. Parker is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Federal Bar Council, the National Association of Employment Lawyers (NELA/NY), and the Association of Black Women Attorneys. 
  
She also is a Public Arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), ruling on cases brought by investors against brokers and brokerage companies for fraud, churning, misrepresentation, unsuitable investments, and other issues.  Ms. Parker's extensive knowledge, experience, hard work and tenacity have paid off for her clients, as demonstrated by some of the many successful results she has achieved and continues to achieve for her clients.