Ashley L. Matias

Ashley L. Matias concentrates her practice on labor and employment. Ashley represents employers and individual employees in the private and public sector in matters involving state and federal claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblowing, and wage and hour violations. Ashley specializes in matters involving pregnancy discrimination and assists employers and employees in navigating federal and state leave laws and requests for pregnancy-related accommodations. Ashley has appeared before state and federal agencies, including the Division on Civil Rights (“DCR”) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and has participated in mediations to amicably resolve employment matters of all kinds.

Ashley uses her litigation experience to counsel employers across numerous industries on state and federal employment law compliance, policy drafting and implementation, as well as the enforceability of employment agreements, including restrictive covenants. Ashley takes a proactive approach to counsel clients on employee onboarding, training, discipline, leaves of absence, and separation and assists in the preparation of offers of employment, employment agreements, and severance packages. Ashley also conducts internal investigations of workplace complaints and counsels clients on effective strategies to respond to and remediate workplace issues.

Ashley graduated summa cum laude from Montclair State University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Justice Studies and an ABA approved Paralegal Certification. Upon graduation, Ashley worked as a paralegal for a New Jersey law office.

Ashley obtained her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, and Trial Advocacy Certification from New York Law School, where she was a member of the Dean’s Leadership Council and runner up in the American Association for Justice’s Student Trial Advocacy Competition. While attending New York Law School, Ashley co-founded the Women’s Rights Coalition, served as President of the Anti-Trafficking Law Student Association, and served as Vice Justice and Chair of the Academic Success and Professional Development Committee of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International. Ashley also served as the chairperson for Outlaws and the New York Law School Democratic Society. During law school, Ashley worked as a Constitutional law teacher’s assistant and a clinical mediator for New York Small Claims. Ashley also interned for the Honorable Christine M. Vanek, J.A.D. in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Hudson County Vicinage.

Upon her graduation from New York Law School, Ashley received a Public Interest Certificate and was awarded the Dr. Max Reich Award for Excellence in Civil Trial Advocacy and the Professor Robert R. Rosenthal Award for Excellence in New York Practice.

Ashley clerked for the Honorable Peter J. Melchionne, P.J.F.P. (Ret.) in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County Vicinage, where she served as a Court Certified Mediator on small claims matters and matrimonial matters involving child custody, child support, and parenting time issues. Prior to joining Brach Eichler, Ashley worked for a mid-size law firm in Hudson County, representing public entities and state government officials.

Ashley has been included in Thomson Reuters’ “New Jersey Super Lawyers® Rising Stars“* list since 2022.

*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
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