If you’re being mistreated at work, you don’t have to stay silent. At Cowen & Jacobs, our employment lawyers in Garfield help workers across the city and the neighboring Passaic River towns of Lodi, Elmwood Park, and Saddle Brook fight back against discrimination, retaliation, and unfair treatment, whether you’re on a warehouse floor off Route 46, in a healthcare role at a nearby hospital, or behind the counter at a family business in town.
Our women-owned law firm brings decades of experience, clear guidance, and a no-nonsense approach to protecting what matters most: your job, your reputation, and your future.
Why clients trust Cowen & Jacobs:
The longer workplace misconduct goes unaddressed, the harder it gets to fix: evidence fades, filing deadlines pass, and a bad situation starts to feel normal. The moment your job, income, or reputation is on the line, it’s worth finding out where you stand.
So we move quickly. Whether you teach in the Garfield schools or commute to a hospital in nearby Teaneck, we assess what happened, explain your rights under New Jersey employment law, and map out a plan in plain language. The sooner we talk, the more options you usually have.
Every case is different, but our mission stays the same: protect your rights and help you move forward.
A workplace claim isn’t only about being proven right, it’s about what you walk away with. Depending on your situation, we pursue:
We’ll tell you early what a realistic outcome looks like for your case, with no inflated promises.
Ready to discuss your case? Give us a call.
At Cowen & Jacobs, you work directly with Barbara or Sara, and we favor whatever path resolves your case with the least time, cost, and stress, backed by the courtroom strength to escalate when it’s needed. Here’s how that works:
New Jersey has strong employment laws—but most workers don’t realize how protected they are until something goes wrong.
It depends on the law behind your claim. Many New Jersey claims are heard in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, while federal claims like Title VII go to U.S. District Court in Newark. We file where your case is strongest.
It varies by claim. Discrimination claims under New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination generally allow two years, while CEPA whistleblower claims allow only one. Talk to us early, these deadlines move fast.
Generally no. In a community as diverse as Garfield, national-origin and language discrimination are real issues, and New Jersey law protects you from being targeted for either. Write down what happened and reach out.
Yes. What matters is where you work and where the mistreatment happened, not your home address. We regularly represent commuters who work in Garfield, neighboring Clifton, and across Bergen County.
Your first case review is free. Many employment cases can be handled so you pay nothing unless we recover for you. We’ll explain your options clearly before you decide anything.
Contact Our Legal Team Today
"They made me feel empowered in a situation where I felt powerless. I always knew they had my back."
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A New Jersey attorney since 1981, Barbara E. Cowen began her career clerking for a Superior Court judge in the Bergen County Law Division, the same courts where she has litigated ever since. Decades of high-stakes disputes have given her sharp courtroom instincts and a real feel for how cases move through the Bergen County system. She also serves on the county’s Ethics Committee.
Sara Jacobs concentrates on employment and workplace disputes: wrongful termination, sexual harassment, severance, and discrimination based on age, race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation. She spent fourteen years as an arbitrator at Superior Court Bergen County, has served as an independent arbitrator on employment cases, and co-chaired the county’s ADR Committee, so she knows firsthand how these claims are weighed and resolved here. She is also a member of the Women Lawyers in Bergen County.
Your Employer Has a Team Protecting Them. Who's Protecting You?
The hardest part is usually the first call, when you’re worn down, second-guessing yourself, and not even sure whether what happened counts. To us, it counts. One honest conversation will tell you where you stand and what your options are, with no pressure and nothing owed just to find out. Reach out to Cowen & Jacobs and let’s get you back on solid ground.
Let’s talk about your rights. Schedule a consultation with Cowen & Jacobs and get real legal support from a team that puts you first.
We are here for you and ready to help you resolve your legal issue. For a consultation discussing your case, call Cowen & Jacobs today.
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