The New York City Employment Law Firm

of Akin & Smith represents clients in all matters of the workplace including discrimination based on pregnancy, gender, race, age or disability. Our experienced labor attorneys are knowledgeable about the complex range of Federal, State and New York City laws and policies surrounding employment discrimination and can offer you a full evaluation of your case

Zafer A. Akin, Partner, received his J.D. law degree at Hofstra University and is a member of New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA), National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) as well as National Employment Lawyers of New York (NELA/NY). He is admitted to the bars of the states of New York and New Jersey and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. Akin is an experienced litigator particularly in the areas of discrimination, sexual harassment, civil rights litigation and employment law.

Derek T. Smith, Partner, received his law degree after attending Dickinson School of Law and studied at the Université de Droit, d""Economie, et des Sciences d'Aix-Marseille in Aix-en-Provence, France.  He is a member of the NYSTLA, NELA and NELA/NY.  Smith was admitted to the state bars of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Smith has personally litigated and resolved numerous high profile cases against multi-billion dollar corporations and practices in both the New York and Philadelphia offices of Akin & Smith.

Ismail S. Sekendiz, Associate. He attended Marmara University (Istanbul) and Temple University Beasley Schools of Law.  He holds membership in the Istanbul Bar, the New York State Bar Association and the Turkish Bar Association. He was a lieutenant law lecturer at the Military Police School of the Turkish Army from 1999 to 2000 and was formerly with the Aksan Law Office in Turkey. Sekendiz expertise focuses upon practice in the areas of civil litigation, personal injury, discrimination and sexual harassment.

Bryan S. Arce, Associate. Our newest addition.  He received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School.