“I’m passionate about helping employers with employee issues, and I know how to defend employment claims.”
Ivo is a partner in Obermayer’s Labor Relations & Employment Law Department. He focuses his practice on representing employers, including advising companies on how to handle employee issues, and defending employee claims when they are filed.
Ivo draws on his experience defending employee claims to anticipate potential areas of risk and make sure the client is aware of those risks. He and the client then collaboratively arrive at a solution that minimizes the risk of claims, while taking the needs of the business into account. Ivo’s goal in litigation is always to uncover all of the hidden strengths and weaknesses of both sides of the case as soon as possible, enabling his clients to make informed decisions.
As a litigator, Ivo aggressively defends his clients when an employee files a claim in state or federal court, in private binding arbitration, or before agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). His goal is to promptly assess the value of these claims and the client’s potential exposure.
When Ivo is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, camping and spending time outdoors, long-distance running, competing in triathlons, stand-up comedy, and playing guitar.
Ivo has significant experience defending lawsuits and charges brought by employees under a variety of federal and state laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and public policy wrongful discharge and workers’ compensation retaliation claims.
Ivo is also the editor-in-chief of the firm’s HR Legalist blog, where he writes about traditional employment law topics such as discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful discharge from a management perspective. He also tracks new developments such as wage and hour regulations, paid leave and criminal conviction laws, and employee social media use. He uses his legal knowledge and litigation experience to help organizations minimize the risk of employee lawsuits and claims.
Prior to joining the firm, Ivo served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Employment Litigation Section of the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General – Division of Law, in Trenton, New Jersey. As a Deputy Attorney General, he represented various state agencies through all phases of litigation in federal and state courts, including trial and appellate work.
Ivo’s most notable work includes:
- Handled New Jersey whistleblower (CEPA) claim against a prominent hospital, including some politically-sensitive allegations, which Ivo co-chaired all through trial and obtained a defense verdict;
- Handled sexual harassment retaliation claim in federal court against a large national employer, which Ivo first-chaired all the way through closing arguments, leading to a favorable settlement well below the plaintiff’s pretrial settlement demand;
- Handled a successful wrongful termination claim decision through binding arbitration;
- Has written articles and presented on the following topics: employee social media use, medical marijuana in the workplace, respect in the workplace, avoiding workplace retaliation, mandatory sick leave, and reasonable accommodations for disabled employees.
Recognized by his peers for his work, Ivo was named to the list of “Pennsylvania Rising Stars” in 2017, and from 2020 – 2022 by Super Lawyers, a publication of Thomson Reuters which recognizes only 2.5% of attorneys. In addition to his law practice, he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Camden County Chamber of Commerce. While in law school, Ivo served as the Internet editor for the Rutgers Law Journal. After law school, he served as a law clerk for the Hon. Amy Piro Chambers in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.
Ivo is a volunteer running coach and committee member for the American Cancer Society’s “DetermiNation” program in Philadelphia, helping athletes run their best and raise money to fight cancer. Several years ago, Ivo started a stand-up comedy event, “Comics vs. Cancer” which benefits a local charity, the Peggy Spiegler Melanoma Research Foundation. He is the event planner, and also a performer. Ivo also volunteers for his fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi, on the chapter and national level, including mentoring and advice.
Awards Won*
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