Laura A Panos

I consulted with Laura during an employment and disability situation and valued her thoughtful guidance. She listened closely, explained the legal issues clearly and practically, and helped me see my options without making me feel stressed or pressured. What stood out most was her ability to break... down employment and benefits issues so they were easy to understand. This helped me make good decisions. Her advice was practical, realistic, and always aimed at helping me get through a tough time with confidence. I’m thankful for her professionalism and insight, and I would recommend her to anyone who needs an employment attorney who is knowledgeable, responsive, and honest.

I will always be profoundly grateful for the invaluable help Laura Panos provided to me when—at age 61 and after more than 20 years of dedicated and well-regarded service with a company—“my position was eliminated.” (I love how they phrase that: They’re not casting out a human being, just eliminating... a position! It’s strictly a business decision, with no moral ramifications.) It feels like a mugging. You are afraid, angry, diminished, and vulnerable, and amid this sudden torrent of emotion, they thrust incomprehensible legal documents at you with imminent deadlines to sign them. Panos was like a fierce gunslinger that stood between me and a remorseless corporate lynch mob. She was expert in the legal rights that I didn’t know I had, as well as the tactics the company was using to circumvent them. She clearly explained strategies to me with no bullshit, gave me options, and then completely took charge of negotiations. The lawyers and human resources personnel at my company were arrogant and efficiently heartless. The bottom line was all. But she extracted significant concessions in severance pay and health benefits that really helped reduce a lot of financial trauma. But more than that, she also extracted a bit of justice. She represented me as a person. Throughout the entire grueling process, she was always available. She listened with great patience, kindness, and caring. She held a mirror up to the corporate types, constantly reminding them that a human being was involved. She recognized how important it was to stand up for that. And that reminded me that I was a worthwhile human being—a feeling that my employers had squeezed out of me and that she helped restore.

At the end of August, I was confronted with termination for the first (and hopefully last!) time in my career- an unsettling situation at best. I was faced with a short term need to make rapid, high stakes decisions, all of which were wrapped into a complex legal document that I did not fully unders...tand. I was unclear on how to approach negotiations, reasonable norms for compensation and other severance terms, etc. I sought Attorney Panos’s services after quickly coming to the conclusion that I lacked the knowledge and experience to confidently negotiate an effective outcome on my own. In Attorney Panos, I found an extremely experienced attorney who acted as a true partner throughout the severance negotiation process. She is an excellent listener, and made sure to carefully understand my situation prior to providing guidance. Her strong knowledge of employment issues enabled her to advise me on terms that were likely to be acceptable to both sides given current market conditions and on the overall negotiation process. Attorney Panos always gave me her direct opinion in a way that was never overbearing- a combination I find both invaluable and rare in advisors. Last, but certainly not least, Attorney Panos was extremely responsive. She understood the importance of my situation and consistently acted with a sense of urgency. In the end, Attorney Panos helped me negotiate a severance package that was much more favorable than the original offer, yet still fair to both sides. This improved outcome was directly related to the understanding and confidence I gained through Attorney Panos’s advising. Based on my experience, I can say Attorney Panos is a passionate, driven professional who genuinely took on my interests as her own. I strongly recommend Attorney Panos for employment situations and would certainly use her again. In fact, I already have. I was fortunate to receive an offer for a new career opportunity approximately five weeks after being terminated and immediately sought Attorney Panos for review and advice. Her services are simply invaluable.