Joseph S Brown

Mr. Brown concentrates his practice in employment and general business litigation. He regularly defends private and public sector employers in disputes involving harassment, discrimination, wage & hour claims, restrictive covenants, employment contracts, whistleblower claims, defamation, and other tort claims. Mr. Brown also advises clients on a broad array of employment matters and strategies to avoid litigation.

In addition to his employment practice, Mr. Brown has experience litigating complex business disputes as well as representing municipalities, public officials, and school districts in matters involving civil rights claims, First Amendment retaliation, NY Education Law, Article 78 proceedings, and other municipal law matters. He has tried multiple cases and successfully briefed and argued nearly 20 appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and numerous appeals in state appellate courts.

Prior to joining Hurwitz & Fine, Mr. Brown was a partner in the business litigation group at Buffalo’s largest law firm, where he co-chaired the employment litigation practice and served as the firm's diversity partner. He started his legal career as an associate in the litigation group of an international law firm in Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.

Mr. Brown is a leader in the community and legal profession. He is the immediate past president and a director for the Minority Bar Foundation and serves as the vice president of the Summit Foundation. He previously served as vice president of the Buffalo Prep and Neighborhood Legal Services boards, past president of the Minority Bar Association of WNY, and an elected member of the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates. Mr. Brown has received several honors, including the National Federation for Just Communities Community Leader Award and Buffalo Business First's 40 Under Forty Award.

Mr. Brown graduated magna cum laude from the University of Rochester and received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.