Get a Free Consulation

The Lacy Employment Law Firm: Elite Trial Results & Proven Client Success

Get trusted legal support from experienced Pittsburgh employment lawyers at The Lacy Employment Law Firm. We specialize in employment law, including wrongful termination and discrimination cases, ensuring your rights are protected.

Get a Free Consulation
A city skyline is reflected in a body of water, showcasing the stunning urban landscape.

Why The Lacy Employment Law Firm Stands Above

The Lacy Employment Law Firm (LELF) delivers what most employment law firms cannot: Ivy League training, Big Law strategic rigor, proven courtroom victories, and appellate success—all with the personal attention and fierce advocacy of a boutique practice.
Led by Andrew Lacy, President of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter, LELF has achieved in four years what many firms fail to accomplish in forty: nearly $10 million recovered for workers, multiple seven-figure settlements, jury trial victories in state and federal courts, and successful appeals at the highest levels.
Contact Us

Leadership That Commands Respect Across the Employment Law Community

NELA Chapter President After Only 10 Years in Practice

Andrew Lacy serves as President of the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), representing nearly 100 plaintiff-side employment attorneys in the Philadelphia region. NELA is the premier national organization of over 1,000 employment lawyers who represent workers.
Being elected to this leadership position after only a decade of practice is extraordinarily rare. It reflects the deep respect Lacy has earned from fellow attorneys for his litigation skill, trial success, ethical standards, and commitment to advancing workers’ rights.
When employment lawyers across Pennsylvania need guidance on complex cases, trial strategy, or navigating difficult litigation, they turn to the attorney leading LELF.
A city street with tall buildings in the background.
A gavel rests on a table in the foreground, with two people shaking hands in the blurred background, symbolizing an agreement or legal decision expertly guided by an NJ employment lawyer.

Ivy League Education Meets Big Law Excellence

Cornell Law School & Reed Smith Training Applied to Every Case

Andrew Lacy graduated from Cornell Law School, one of the nation’s most prestigious Ivy League law schools, where he:
  • Made Dean’s List his first semester
  • Graduated toward the top of his class
  • Earned recruitment by Reed Smith, a global AmLaw 100 firm with over 3,000 lawyers worldwide
At Reed Smith, Lacy gained the kind of elite litigation training most employment lawyers never receive. Big Law firms typically handle corporate defense work—but Lacy took that world-class preparation and redirected it entirely toward fighting for workers.
What makes LELF different: Every attorney at the firm is trained using the same rigorous standards Lacy learned at Reed Smith. Clients receive Big Law-quality legal work—meticulous research, sophisticated motion practice, strategic discovery, and polished trial presentation—combined with the personal attention, responsiveness, and client-first values of a boutique firm.
This is not common. Most firms offer either elite training or personalized service. LELF delivers both.

Defeating Summary Judgment at Rates Far Above National Averages

Keeping Cases Alive When Others Lose

Summary judgment is where most employment cases die. Nationally, employers win summary judgment motions over 50% of the time—and in some courts, the rate is much higher.

LELF’s summary judgment success rate: over 60%, approaching 70%.

This means LELF keeps cases alive, forces employers to face the risk of trial, and positions clients to achieve favorable settlements or jury verdicts.
Defeating summary judgment requires meticulous factual development, sophisticated legal briefing, and deep understanding of employment law standards. LELF has successfully opposed dozens of summary judgment motions across multiple federal and state courts.

When a case survives summary judgment at LELF, employers know they’re facing a firm with the skill to go the distance. 

Contact Us
Small town shops

Trial-Tested: Multiple Jury Verdicts in State and Federal Courts

Winning Cases Other Lawyers Won’t Touch

Employment cases are notoriously difficult to win at trial. Many employment lawyers settle every case and never step into a courtroom. LELF is different.

Lacy’s trial career includes:

  • First jury trial victory at age 26 while at Reed Smith—a prisoner’s rights deliberate indifference case that went past summary judgment with no discovery. Other attorneys refused the case. Lacy took it to trial and won.
  • Multiple jury verdicts in both Pennsylvania state court and federal district court
  • Mid-six-figure jury verdict demonstrating ability to secure substantial damages for clients
  • Requested by other employment attorneys to second-chair or assist at their trials—testament to Lacy’s courtroom reputation

Trial victories matter because they demonstrate a firm that employers must take seriously. LELF doesn’t just threaten litigation. The firm wins in court.

Contact Us

Appellate Success at the Highest Levels: Third Circuit and Pennsylvania Superior Court

Winning Where Reversal Rates Are Only 10%
Most employment lawyers never handle appeals. Appeals are expensive, time-consuming, and difficult—with national reversal rates around 10%.

LELF has won appeals in both federal and state appellate courts:

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

  • Walker v. SEPTA – Won reversal of district court decision
  • Third Circuit reversals demonstrate elite legal analysis and sophisticated appellate briefing
  • Very few employment firms can claim appellate victories at the federal circuit level

Pennsylvania Superior Court

  • Successfully won appeal on behalf of client in state appellate court
  • Demonstrated mastery of Pennsylvania employment law and appellate procedure

Pro Bono Appellate Defense

  • Defended a favorable judgment on appeal for an indigent plaintiff
  • Successfully preserved trial victory against employer’s challenge

Appellate success proves LELF can handle the most complex legal issues and win at every level of the judiciary—from trial court through the highest appellate courts.

A view of the city from the top of a building.
Bronze statue of Lady Justice, echoing the dedication of an NJ employment lawyer, holds a sword and balance scales, symbolizing law and fairness.

Seven-Figure Settlements and Exceptional Client Results

$10 Million Recovered in Just Four Years

While all settlement terms remain confidential, LELF has achieved exceptional results for clients:
  • Achieved substantial results for clients in employment discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination matters—outcomes that are exceptionally rare in employment law.
  • Mid-six-figure jury verdict at trial
  • Nearly $10 million total recovered for workers in just four years of operation
Most employment law firms do not see these results in 40 years. LELF achieved this level of success in four.
These outcomes reflect thorough case preparation, aggressive litigation strategy, skilled negotiation, and willingness to take cases to trial when necessary.

National Media Coverage of
High-Impact Employment Cases

When Major Cases Make Headlines, LELF Is Leading Them

LELF’s cases have been featured by major news outlets across Pennsylvania and nationally:

WPXI Pittsburgh – Featured LELF’s case against the Pennsylvania State Police
WPXI Pittsburgh – Featured LELF’s case against Allegheny Health Network (AHN), which made national news
Philadelphia Tribune – Published feature story on Andrew Lacy examining systemic problems within large law firms
Tribune coverage – LELF’s involvement in high-profile Roberto Clemente litigation 

This level of media attention is rare for employment law firms and reflects the significance, complexity, and public importance of the cases LELF handles. When workers face powerful institutions, LELF has the courage and capability to take on fights that draw national attention.
Contact Us
An ornate staircase.

Training the Next Generation of Trial Lawyers

Teaching Employment Law Litigation Across the Country

LELF doesn’t just practice employment law—the firm shapes how employment law is practiced.

National teaching and speaking engagements include:

  • NELA National Trial Bootcamp instructor – Invited to train trial lawyers from across the United States on courtroom strategy and trial techniques
  • Maximum Lawyer Podcast – Featured guest discussing law firm management, client service excellence, and building high-performing legal practices
  • Frequent CLE speaker on employment law topics, motion practice, and trial advocacy
  • Trial consultant for other firms – Other employment attorneys regularly ask LELF to assist with their cases at trial 
When employment lawyers need to improve their trial skills or handle complex litigation, they turn to the attorneys at LELF for guidance.
Contact Us

Admitted to Practice in All Major Pennsylvania Courts

Full Federal and State Court Access Throughout Pennsylvania

LELF attorneys are admitted to practice in:

  • All U.S. District Courts in Pennsylvania (Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts)
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • All Pennsylvania state courts, including Superior Court
This comprehensive admission allows LELF to handle cases from initial filing through trial and appeal without transferring the case to outside counsel. Clients work with the same attorney team throughout the entire process.
A tall building with a green light in front of it occupied by an employment lawyer.
The aerial view showcases modern high-rise buildings in the city, with a river winding peacefully in the background. It's a clear day, an inspiring scene that mirrors the aspirations of an NJ employment lawyer navigating the complexities of urban professional life.

Commitment to Justice Beyond Paying Clients

Pro Bono Service and Community Impact

LELF’s commitment to justice extends beyond fee-paying clients:
  • Andrew Lacy taught legal education classes to incarcerated individuals while in law school, empowering them with knowledge of their rights
  • Successfully handled pro bono appeal, defending favorable judgment for indigent plaintiff
  • Provides pro bono consultations to workers who cannot afford representation
  • Active in community education about workers’ rights 
Excellence in law must be paired with integrity, empathy, and service to the broader community.

Recognition by the Legal Community

Peer-Voted Honors and Professional Distinction

LELF has earned recognition from judges, fellow attorneys, and legal organizations:

Super Lawyers Rising Star (2025) – Selected as top 2.5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania
Elected NELA Chapter President by nearly 100 fellow employment lawyers
Trusted by peers as a trial consultant, co-counsel, and mentor
Frequent speaker at legal conferences and continuing legal education programs

When attorneys, judges, and legal organizations look for excellence in employment law, they recognize LELF.
Contact Us
A building with flags in front of it in the fall, representing a law firm specializing in employment.

A Decade of Practice, A Lifetime of Impact

10 Years of Litigation Success

In just ten years of practice, Andrew Lacy and LELF have:
  • Won multiple jury trials in state and federal court
  • Won appeals at both Third Circuit and Pennsylvania Superior Court levels
  • Defeated summary judgment at rates far exceeding national averages
  • Recovered nearly $10 million for workers
  • Earned national media coverage for high-impact cases
  • Trained trial lawyers across the country
  • Built a reputation for excellence, preparation, and fierce client advocacy

This is not the end. This is just the beginning. 

Contact Us

When Your Career, Reputation, and Financial Security Are at Stake

Choose the employment law firm with:

✓ Ivy League and Big Law training applied to every case
✓ Proven jury trial victories in state and federal courts
✓ Appellate success at the Third Circuit and Superior Court
✓ Seven-figure settlements and exceptional client results
✓ Summary judgment success rates far above national averages
✓ National media coverage and recognition
✓ Leadership of Pennsylvania’s employment law community
✓ Commitment to justice, integrity, and client service

Choose The Lacy Employment Law Firm.

The entrance to a hotel.

Worried About Costs? You Might Not Have To Be.

We take many cases on a contingency basis—so you don’t pay unless we win. Reach out and let’s see what’s possible for your situation.

Request a Free Case Review
Skip to content