Christopher A. Costain counsels private sector employers, including health care organizations, multinational corporations, and manufacturers in employment law and human resource workplace matters. He also defends employers before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
Employment Counseling, Compliance + Training
Chris advises employers in all areas of employment law, including employee performance management, wage and hour compliance, separation and discrimination issues, family and medical leaves and reasonable accommodations, and severance and separation agreements. He has experience drafting employee separation agreements and reviewing and revising employee handbooks and workplace policies. Chris also trains HR professionals on employment issues, including managing employee leaves of absence and avoiding discrimination claims.
Employment Litigation + Administrative Advocacy
Chris defends employers before state and federal courts and administrative agencies against claims involving discrimination, retaliation, and harassment. He also regularly defends employers in administrative agency matters before the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and federal and state Departments of Labor. Chris also represents businesses in alternative dispute resolution and mediations before federal and state and private mediators.
Pro Bono
Chris performs pro bono work on behalf of Connecticut non-profit organizations including providing advice and counseling as well as drafting agreements and other documents.
He regularly writes and presents on employment law matters on trending employment topics and key court decisions.
During law school, Chris served as the Comments and Notes editor for the New England Law Review, where he authored and published a note on autonomous driving technology. He also served on his law school’s Discipline Committee as the Committee’s student representative.
