Phillips & Associates Lead Counsel Admitted to United States Supreme Court Bar

Marjorie Mesidor

New York, NY (Law Firm Newswire) May 13, 2014 – Marjorie Mesidor has been admitted to the Supreme Court Bar, the highest Bar in the United States. Mesidor is the Lead Counsel at Phillips & Associates, a New York employment law firm.

On May 4, 2014, Mesidor traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Supreme Court’s announcement of its decision in Town of Greece v. Galloway. Following the announcement, Mesidor and 20 other members of the Brooklyn Bar Association were admitted to the court on motion. All 21 attorneys took an oath to confirm the motion, and Justices Alito and Ginsberg spoke with the group after the induction ceremony. Later in the day, Mesidor attended a historical lecture and posed for a photo with the group on the courthouse steps.

Now that Mesidor has been sworn in, she is qualified and certified to argue cases in the highest court in the nation. The honor is an important one for her. “Now,” she said, “I can argue my case all the way to the Supreme Court if need be. No matter the circumstances, I can pursue the case as far as necessary to find justice for my clients.”

Mesidor’s work focuses on discrimination in the workplace. In 2013, Super Lawyers recognized Mesidor as a “Rising Star.” She graduated from Touro Law Center (Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center) in 2004 and was admitted to the Connecticut Bar the same year. She gained membership to the New York Bar in 2005. Since then, she has received a variety of awards, including an award for Exceptional Service to the Public and Community and an award for Service to the Bar.

Marjorie Mesidor Admitted to United States Supreme Court Bar

Mesidor has more than nine years of experience defending victims of sexual harassment and discrimination due to race, gender and disability. Mesidor has also been admitted to practice in the Circuit Court of Appeals — a threshold necessary to qualify for admittance at the United States Supreme Court. Since that time, she has maintained a clear professional record and an extremely high standard of legal practice. The U.S. Supreme Court accepted Mesidor’s nomination on the basis that she possesses the morals and character required for admission, and two current members of the Supreme Court Bar sponsored her application.

Town of Greece v. Galloway concerned public religious expression at legislative meetings in Greece, New York. Galloway and her supporters argued that the Town Board’s specifically Christian prayers violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. However, the court ruled that such prayers are lawful and permissible — as long as no discrimination exists in the choice of faith or philosophy offered and as long as no one is coerced into participating in them.

Under the decision, the Town Board (and groups like it) will be able to offer prayers from a specific religion. They will not be required to attempt neutral expressions that go against no religion, nor will they have to abstain from such expressions entirely. “This ruling examined the interesting balance between the freedom to exercise one’s religious beliefs and the legislative traditions in this country. This was no easy task for the court. However, it does confirm how important it is to protect against discrimination or exclusion because of differing beliefs,” Mesidor commented.

Phillips & Associates, Attorneys at Law, PLLC
45 Broadway, Suite 620
New York, NY 10006
Tel: (212) 248-7431
Fax: (212) 901-2107
http://www.newyorkcitydiscriminationlawyer.com/