Myrna B. Forney

Myrna Forney is a Partner with Abrams Fensterman, LLP. Ms. Forney’s practice focuses on labor and employment, compliance, and school law/education law. She also has significant experience in matters regarding organizational compliance, governance, arbitration and litigation.

Ms. Forney has represented clients in all facets of education law, labor law and employment law and compliance. She has prosecuted tenured employee disciplinary matters, non-instructional disciplinary matters, labor grievances, arbitrations, student disciplinary matters, special education impartial hearings and matters before the Public Employment Relations Board, Office of Civil Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ms. Forney provides advice and assistance to clients to ensure that processes and procedures are in place to facilitate compliance with applicable laws, regulations, rules and policies. Ms. Forney has experience advising clients on matters relating to compensation, performance evaluation, Title IX/discrimination matters, disability/ADA matters, leaves of absence, wages, labor negotiations and collective bargaining. She has participated in the collective bargaining process including negotiations, fact finding and mediation. She provides guidance to clients in their review of policy, procedures, regulations, rules and employment practices to ensure compliance with laws, statutes and best practices. Ms. Forney has extensive experience in the area of special education, which includes attending Committee on Special Education meetings and addressing matters of compliance with federal and state law. Ms. Forney works with clients to help avoid litigation by providing customized and timely professional development/training for administrators and staff regarding compliance with the IDEA, Section 504 as well as Title VII and Tile IX. Ms. Forney understands the difficult dynamics that exist between the client’s resources, its legal obligations, and the ongoing relationship between management and staff. She focuses on providing pragmatic advice to assist in arriving at early resolutions. M. Forney is regularly involved in advising on legal questions that arise during the course of day-to-day activities. This includes advising clients with regard to issues arising in connection with all facets of management including employment matters, labor relations, and aspects of policy development.

Prior to joining Abrams Fensterman, Ms. Forney was an Attorney at firms and not-for-profit organizations in Manhattan, Elmsford and Harrison, New York as well as Los Angeles, California. Ms. Forney’s earlier practice concentrated in the fields of commercial litigation, bankruptcy and matrimonial law as well as mediation. Ms. Forney served as an Attorney For the Child in Family Court in Westchester, Putnam and Orange County. In addition to her Juris Doctorate and MBA, Ms. Forney has a Bachelor of Business Administration with a dual degree in Accounting and Spanish. Ms. Forney has extensive background in youth development and mediation.

Ms. Forney earned her Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University’s Law School and her Masters in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

Ms. Forney is admitted to practice in New York, California and the District of Columbia.

Ms. Forney is fluent in Spanish and is a Vice President on the Board of Directors of the Westchester Children’s Association.