Raymond A. Kresge

Member

Raymond A. Kresge has extensive experience in litigation and counseling on a wide variety of labor and employment matters, including a wide range of employment and benefits litigation.

Ray’s employment litigation experience includes defending multiple discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims under federal and state law (in all EEO areas, including disability, age, sex, race, national origin and religion); defending FMLA claims; defending collective wage and hour claims; bringing and defending claims involving restrictive covenants; defending breach of contract claims and related claims of detrimental reliance and promissory estoppel; defending wrongful discharge claims; and defending general employment tort claims, from invasion of privacy to emotional distress to defamation to tortious interference. His litigation experience also extends to traditional labor matters, including representation of management in multiple labor arbitrations and multiple unfair labor practice proceedings.

Ray has also defended companies, plans, and insurance carriers in individual and class action ERISA cases. His ERISA litigation experience includes retirement, disability, health and life benefit denial cases; breach of fiduciary duty claims; equitable estoppel claims; claims of interference with protected rights; and monetary penalty claims.

Ray's litigation practice and experience has a broad geographical scope, extending beyond Federal and State Courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to representing his clients' interests in Texas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and North Carolina.  Ray has appeared before the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal for the Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Circuits.

Ray has been recognized for years by Chambers USA as a leading lawyer for Labor and Employment, and is consistently recognized as a "Pennsylvania Super Lawyer" by Philadelphia Magazine and Law & Politics and as a "Best Lawyer" by the peer review guide, Best Lawyers in America.

Ray is a 1981 graduate of Haverford College, Phi Beta Kappa and a 1984 cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School. 

Experience

News

Nearly 100 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 27 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2024 Guide

June 10, 2024

Chambers USA rankings are based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.” In order to be ranked in the guide, lawyers and firms must demonstrate “sustained excellence.”

Eighty-eight Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 23 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2023 Guide

June 05, 2023

Of the 88 lawyers ranked, 17 lawyers have been recognized nationally, and eighteen were recognized in Band 1. Eight of the firm's practice areas have been recognized nationally, and nine were ranked Band 1.

Chambers Ranks 86 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 22 Practice Areas in Chambers USA 2022 Guide

June 02, 2022

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 86 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2022 edition.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

47 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

May 28, 2021

Super Lawyers has selected 47 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to the 2021 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 20, 2020

Best Lawyers selected 200 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

Fifty-Eight Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

June 05, 2020

Super Lawyers has selected 58 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to the 2020 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

64 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

May 21, 2019

Super Lawyers has selected 64 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to the 2019 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Fifty-four Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2018 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

June 12, 2018

Super Lawyers has named 54 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2018 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

2019 Labor and Employment Law Update

June 20, 2019 - Philadelphia, PA

2018 Labor and Employment Law Update

June 13, 2018 - Philadelphia, PA

2017 Health Law Year In Review

December 06, 2017 - Philadelphia, PA

Critical Employment Law Issues for 2015

November 05, 2014 - Philadelphia, PA

Education

  • Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1984
  • Haverford College, B.A., 1981

Awards & Honors

Selected to Chambers & Partners USA 2007-2019 and 2022-2024 lists. This award is conferred by Chambers & Partners. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Selected to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers 2004-2022 lists. This award is conferred by Super Lawyers. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • Pennsylvania Supreme Court
  • Supreme Court of New Jersey
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court -- New Jersey