New York, N.Y. – June 27, 2016 – The law firm of Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C. announced today that Bert H. Ware has joined the firm as a principal in its Labor and Employment practice.

For the past 19 years, Mr. Ware has been Assistant General Counsel & Senior Vice-President in the Legal department at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and its predecessors.  He will work with the firm's Labor and Employment team as a principal in the New York office.

"We are thrilled to be bringing aboard an in-house attorney with the breadth of knowledge and experience that Bert has developed over nearly 20 years at Bank of America," said Bressler New York Office Managing Principal Andrew Sidman.  "Our clients will be enriched by having him join our team of litigators and counselors."

At Bressler, Mr. Ware will focus his practice on providing strategic and tactical advice and counsel to company executives and human resources professionals principally on employment-related issues.  He will counsel clients on litigation filed against employers in federal and state courts, and before arbitral panels.  He will be responsible for the defense of single and multi-party lawsuits and serve as a strategic and legal advisor and counsel, providing employment-related advice and guidance to the Firm’s clients.

"I am thrilled to be joining Bressler and returning to an outside counsel role, providing clients with practical, strategic and tactical legal advice," said Mr. Ware.  "The teams with which I’ll be working are among the very best and effective that I’ve seen over my many years of in-house practice.  I look forward to giving clients advice as a trusted outside counsel – with the perspective of nearly 20 years of practical in-house experience viewing and resolving risks associated with employment and related litigation matters."

“Carole Miller and I look forward to working with Bert.  His extraordinary breadth of experience in labor and employment law is a welcome addition to the group," said Jed Marcus, co-chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment practice.

While at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and its predecessors, Mr. Ware served as global strategic and tactical legal advisor and counsel within the Employment Litigation team.  Mr. Ware managed the defense of all employment-related litigation and managed outside counsel in coordinating the defense of an active portfolio of more than 150+ active employment-related cases filed within the U.S.  He also managed the defense of high-risk class actions regarding deferred compensation claims by former employees.
Mr. Ware joined Bank of America predecessor Fleet Financial Group in 1997 and served in a series of general counsel positions in the Legal department for that bank, FleetBoston, Bank of America and later for Bank of America Merrill Lynch.  Prior to joining Fleet Financial, he worked as an associate at two law firms – Mintz Levin in Boston from 1990 to 1996, and Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (formerly LeBoeuf Lamb) in New York from 1984 to 1990.

Mr. Ware earned a B.A., cum laude, in history and political science from Tufts University in 1981 and a J.D. from NYU School of Law in 1985.