Sherri A. Affrunti, Esq.
Sherri A. Affrunti is an accomplished and pragmatic employment lawyer who regularly partners with human resources representatives, executives, in-house counsel, business owners and managers, and other clients to provide legal guidance and strategic advice for compliance and risk mitigation on a broad spectrum of employment law matters. She routinely assists clients to identify creative, practical and cost-effective solutions for their workplace and business concerns, and provides litigation defense for employers, businesses and executives at a more economical level with strategies aimed to limit legal spend and liability exposure.
Sherri was born and raised in southern New Jersey. As a child, she spent considerable amounts of time helping in her Grandmother’s small grocery store and laundromat. Her Grandmother instilled in her a strong work ethic, and the values of hard work, assertiveness, diligence and a little spunk – qualities that set a foundation for her mindset of service, compassion and diversity. Sherri also cherishes her small-town background – and her experiences working as a teenager packing blueberries on a blueberry farm in Hammonton, New Jersey (the “Blueberry Capital of the World”).
Years in Big Law helped her to understand the intricacies, processes and dynamics of large corporations and other larger business entities, and to refine the skills and services she now delivers on a more personal platform. Working on secondment in-house during a fraction of those years for a large global banking institution also gave her unique insight to the internal workings and pressures in business.
Through the years, Sherri’s primary focus has always been on delivering the best services and quality possible for her clients. Every business relationship, whether large or small, matters to her. She takes time to assure she understands each client’s business, so she can provide advice and work product that is not only legally compliant, but also practical, timely and suitable for their business needs and cultures. Her work is infused with and driven by her intellectual curiosity, creativity and empathy.
When Sherri is not working, she can often be found near the ocean, or in nature enjoying activities with friends such as hiking, biking and gardening. Sherri also enjoys a variety of arts and crafts, repurposing found objects, and baking and cooking. She regularly practices yoga and pilates, and has a deep affection for all animals, most particularly her own fur-babies.
During the pandemic, beginning right before her 50th birthday, Sherri challenged herself to finally learn to swim. She has found that experience not only to be rewarding in learning the skills of the sport of swimming, but realizing the practicalities of navigating life’s challenges.
Sherri treasures each and every business relationship—clients, colleagues, mentors, referral sources and theall-around great people with whom she feels truly honored to partner and collaborate with in business.Both before and throughout the pandemic, Sherri has found it awe-inspiring to witness so many businesses and employers grow, strengthen, pivot, enhance and extend in ways previously unimagined, and feels privileged to serve as a trusted advisor and be a part of those processes for her clients.
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New Jersey
Pennsylvania
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All State Courts – New Jersey
All State Courts – Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court – Western District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court – District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court – Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court – Southern District of New York
U.S. Court of Appeals – Third Circuit
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Recognized in 2013 by the International Law Office and Lexology as a partner who excels in client care and provides high quality service. A description of the selection methodology can be found at lexology.com.
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Recognized in 2009 by the New Jersey Law Journal as within the top "Forty Under 40" young professionals in New Jersey's legal community. A description of the selection methodology can be found at njlawjournal.com.
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Temple University Beasley School of Law, 1999, LL.M.,
Trial AdvocacyVillanova University School of Law, 1996, J.D.
Editor of Student Works for the Villanova Sports & Entertainment Law JournalQuarter-finalist in Villanova’s Reimel Competition in Oral Advocacy
Named in Who’s Who Among American Law Students, 1995 and 1996
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 1993, B.A., Political Science and Sociology; Certificate in Criminology
Graduation with High HonorsPhi Beta Kappa Honor Society Member
Golden Key National Honor Society Member
Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society Member
Douglass College Red Pine Honor Society Member
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Reed Smith LLP
Employed in the firm’s Litigation Department, Labor & Employment Law Practice Group
Partner – Jan. 2006 to Jan. 2019
Associate – Jan. 2002 to Dec. 2005
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Seconded to assist RBS’s Regional Head of Policy & Employment and Head of Employment Law
during Reed Smith EmploymentTechnical Partner, Policy and Employment, Legal Secondee – Jan. 2010 to Sept. 2010
Fox Rothschild LLP
Employed in the firm’s Litigation Department, Labor & Employment Law Practice Group and Commercial Litigation Practice Group
Associate – May 1998 to December 2001
Crawshaw, Mayfield, Turner, O’Mara, Donnelly, Thomas & McBride, P.C.
Employed in the firm’s Litigation Group
Associate – Sept. 1997 to May 1998
Superior Court of New Jersey
Employed in the Civil Division, Atlantic County
Law Clerk to the Hon. Michel Winkelstein, J.S.C. – Sept. 1996 to Aug. 1997
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Atlantic County Bar Association
Voted to Board of Directors, 3 Terms (Secretary), Newtown Grant Homeowners’ Association, Ravens’ View I
Appointed in past as Member and Chair of the New Jersey District VII Fee Arbitration Committee
Appointed in past as Member and Chair of the New Jersey District I Ethics Committee