Grace A. Byrd is Of Counsel to the Sills Cummis & Gross Employment and Labor Practice Group.

Ms. Byrd has worked with business owners, executives and other professionals to develop and execute well–thought–out and practical legal strategies to effectively achieve their litigation and business goals. She counsels with an eye towards helping clients meet their business objectives while remaining legally compliant.

She has represented corporate clients from a range of industries, including financial services, health care, pharmaceutical, hospitality and manufacturing, among others, in connection with employment disputes before federal and state courts and agencies.  In addition to her litigation practice, Ms. Byrd frequently counsels management regarding the implementation of employment policies and personnel issues that arise in the workplace, such as family and medical leave eligibility, disability accommodations, wage and hour matters, reductions-in-force, and hiring and discharge of personnel.

She provides training to employees and management level personnel on various topics including anti-harassment, diversity, ethics and whistleblowing.  Ms. Byrd also conducts in-house harassment investigations, drafts and updates personnel policies and employment handbooks, and drafts and negotiates separation agreements and employee contracts.

Ms. Byrd is a recognized leader in the New Jersey legal community. She is currently serving a two year term as a Co-Chair of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association (NJWLA) Gala Committee.  She has also provided her mentorship to students in NJ LEEP’s four-year college bound program, which rigorously prepares students in the greater Newark area to attend a four-year school after graduation.

Ms. Byrd currently serves on the Firm’s Professional Relations Committee and co-chairs the Firm’s Diversity Committee.  Ms. Byrd graduated magna cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law where she was elected to the Order of the Coif.  During law school, Ms. Byrd also participated in Seton Hall’s Civil Litigation Clinic. She also participated in Seton Hall’s Center for Policy and Research, where she is currently a Senior Research Fellow.

Practices

  • Employment and Labor
  • Health Care
  • Litigation
  • Cannabis

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Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York

Newsroom

Presentations

Publications

Client Alerts

Rankings and Recognition

  • Selected for inclusion in:
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America* 2021-2024, Labor and Employment Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • New Jersey Law Journal®* "New Leaders of the Bar" 2015
  • New Jersey Super Lawyers®* "Rising Stars" 2017-2023, Employment & Labor: Employer
  • The National Law Review* "Go-To Thought Leaders" 2020, Employment Law

* See Award Methodology. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Affiliations

  • Member, American Bar Association

    — Member, Labor and Employment Law Section

  • Member, New Jersey State Bar Association

    — Executive Committee Member, Labor and Employment Law Section
    — Co-Chair, Summer Institute Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section

  • Member, New Jersey Women Lawyers Association

    — Co-Chair, Gala Committee
    Former Co-Chair, Women’s Leadership Committee
    — Former Co-Chair, Young Lawyers Committee

  • Mentor, New Jersey Law and Education Empowerment Project (NJ LEEP)

  • Pupil, Sydney Reitman Employment Law American Inn of Court


Education

  • J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif
  • M.P.A., Clark University
  • B.A., Clark University, magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

  • New Jersey
  • New York