Irene Thomas

Irene Thomas is an Adjunct Professor of Labor and Employment Arbitration Law at Fordham University School of Law, combining academic teaching with a prominent legal career in labor and employment litigation. She specializes in areas such as religious discrimination, wage and hour law, and employment disputes, with extensive experience in federal and state courts and administrative agencies like the EEOC and NLRB.

Her professional journey spans roles as a labor organizer, union president, and General Counsel for the National Union of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America. She founded Thomas & Associates and later the House of Labor and Employment Law, emphasizing advocacy for workers' rights and resolving complex legal cases. Notably, she secured a landmark religious discrimination victory against the City of New York, upheld by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ms. Thomas also contributed to legal education by teaching at Fordham Law and serving as a Mediator in the EEOC's Pilot Mediation Program in Philadelphia. Her work bridges legal practice, arbitration, and academic instruction, focusing on systemic labor issues and civil rights.