Cornell University Board of Trustees Election

Paul Salvatore BS '81 (ILR), JD '84

Alumni-elected trustee, 2009

Paul Salvatore is co-chair of Proskauer Rose's global labor and employment law department, representing employers in employment law and litigation, as well as union/management relations and collective bargaining.

Cornell Service

Salvatore was elected by the alumni to the Cornell University Board of Trustees in 2009. He serves on the Academic Affairs Committee, Student Life Committee, and Audit Committee. He is a member of the Cornell University Council, past chair of the ILR Advisory Council and past president of the ILR Alumni Association. Salvatore was recognized by ILR with the Judge William B. Groat Award in 2002, the school's highest honor for those working in the labor relations field.

Professional Career

Salvatore is widely recognized as one of the leading U.S. labor and employment lawyers. In addition to being highlighted in many publications and rankings, such as Chambers and US Legal 500, in 2010 The National Law Journal selected Paul for its list, "The Decade's Most Influential Lawyers." He was one of only three selected from the labor and employment law field. Superlawyers ranked him as one of the top 100 lawyers in New York City.

During the U.S. Supreme Court's 2009 term, Salvatore argued and won the case 14 Penn Plaza LLC v. Pyett. In a landmark 5-4 decision of importance to employers, the court held that a collective bargaining agreement that explicitly requires union members to arbitrate employment discrimination claims is enforceable, modifying 35 years of labor law.

An active speaker and writer on labor and employment law issues, Salvatore is frequently quoted in the business media. He counsels business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Society for Human Resource Management. He also is the longtime legal columnist for Human Resource Executive Magazine.

Mr. Salvatore and his wife, Pamela F.P. Salvatore, have a daughter, currently attending Cornell, and a son. They reside in Bedford Corners, New York.