“She read every text I'd saved and built a timeline I couldn't have built myself. I knew where things stood the whole way.”
Marcus T.Wrongful termination client
Employment lawyer · Pittsburgh
Fired, shorted or pushed out? Make them answer for it.
I represent employees, never employers, in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, unpaid wage and retaliation cases. Tell me what happened, and I'll tell you plainly whether I think you have a case.
Sample results
What workers have recovered
$84,000
Settlement, wrongful termination
A warehouse lead fired two weeks after reporting a blocked fire exit.
2025 · Sample matter
$41,500
Unpaid overtime
Nine months of off-the-clock prep shifts at a restaurant, paid back.
2024 · Sample matter
$120,000
Settlement, pregnancy discrimination
An office manager let go a month after telling her boss she was pregnant.
2024 · Sample matter
These are sample matters. Every case is different, and past results don't guarantee a similar outcome in yours.
Cases I take
When work goes wrong
If any of this happened to you, write down the dates and names while they're fresh.
- 01
Firing and retaliation
Fired, demoted or cut from the schedule after you complained, took leave, filed a claim or refused to break the law.
Read about firing and retaliationFiring after a complaint or report
Punished for medical or family leave
Severance agreements read before you sign
- 02
Discrimination and harassment
Treated worse because of race, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, religion or national origin, or harassed while the company looked away.
Read about discrimination and harassmentPregnancy and disability accommodations
Harassment by a boss or coworker
Age and race in layoffs and promotions
- 03
Unpaid wages and overtime
Paid for less than you worked: off-the-clock time, missing overtime, tips kept back, a final check that never came.
Read about unpaid wagesOvertime and off-the-clock work
Misclassified as a contractor or manager
Withheld tips and final paychecks
Clients
In their words
“I thought nobody would believe me about my supervisor. Denise did, and she told me straight what it would take.”
Alicia R.Harassment client
“My overtime had been shorted for two years. She walked me through the math in one meeting, and I finally understood what I was owed.”
Tony V.Unpaid wages client
Every client's case is different. These comments don't mean yours will turn out the same way.
Your lawyer
One lawyer, start to finish
You won't be handed off. I take your first call, and I'm the one beside you at mediation.
Denise Okafor
Employment lawyer
Denise represents only employees, from the first call to a settlement or a jury. She grew up in Homewood and knows what a lost paycheck does to a household.
Before you call
What workers ask first
Do I have a case?
Maybe. Being fired unfairly isn't always illegal, but being fired for a protected reason is: because of your race, sex, age, disability or religion, or for complaining, taking protected leave or reporting a violation. Tell me what happened and I'll give you a straight answer.
What does it cost?
Most of my cases are on contingency: my fee is a share of what you recover, and if you recover nothing, you owe no fee. Case costs, like filing fees and deposition transcripts, are separate, and the agreement says in writing who pays them and when, before you sign.
How long do I have?
Not long. Some discrimination charges have to be filed with a government agency within months of what happened, and wage claims have their own limits. Call as soon as you can, even if you still work there.
Should I sign the severance agreement?
Not before someone reads it. Severance usually asks you to give up your claims in exchange for the payment. I'll tell you what you'd be giving up and whether there's room to ask for more.
What should I bring to the first call?
Anything in writing: your offer letter, pay stubs, schedules, reviews, the termination letter, and texts or emails with your manager. Don't take company documents you weren't allowed to have.
Tell me what happened
Bring the dates, the names and what was said. I'll tell you in plain words where you stand.
Contingency cases: no fee unless you recover. Case costs, like filing and transcript fees, are separate, and the agreement says in writing who pays them.