Overview
Helene Hechtkopf is a litigation partner at Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP. She focuses on employment and commercial litigation, and her clients include entities large and small, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Metro-North Railroad. She often defends her clients in employment cases alleging discrimination and retaliation under a variety of state and federal statutes, including race and gender discrimination, disability discrimination, and whistleblower laws. Helene also defends her clients in class actions alleging civil rights violations and discrimination.
Helene works with her clients to avoid litigation where possible, and where that isn’t possible, to get to the best outcome – whether by settlement, winning on a motion, or winning at trial.
Helene has been recognized by New York Law Journal with the Rising Star award, which recognizes the region's most promising lawyers under age 40. She has been named a New York “Super Lawyer” several times, and is a leader in the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial and Federal Litigation Section.
Recognition
- Named to the New York Law Journal’s 2020 Rising Stars
- Shortlisted for Euromoney Legal Media Group’s Americas Rising Star Award for Best in Litigation: General Commercial 2019
- New York Super Lawyers "Super Lawyer" in Civil (2018-2024)
- New York Metro Super Lawyers “Rising Star”- General Litigation, Criminal Defense: White Collar and Appellate Litigation, 2014 – 2018
- Profiles in Diversity Journal's 2018 Women Worth Watching list
- Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under Hot List, 2022
- Benchmark’s Litigation Future Star, 2024-2025
- Benchmark’s Litigation Labor & Employment Star, 2024
- Benchmark’s Litigation 40 & Under List, 2023-2024
- Named one of 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers by Lawdragon, 2025
Leadership
New York State Bar Association, Committee on New York’s Civil Practice Law and Rules
New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, subcommittee on New York’s Civil Practice Law and Rules
American Bar Association
Experience
Experience
First-chaired a trial in the Southern District of New York representing the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority in a lawsuit brought by an MTA police officer who claimed to have been injured on the job while making an arrest. Won a defense verdict at trial.
Currently representing New York City Transit in a class action alleging that its elevators are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Representing a state agency in a multimillion-dollar software and construction litigation against a defense contractor in the Southern District of New York, culminating in a five-week bench trial.
Defending a state-employed psychiatrist in a Section 1983 and tort claim brought by the family of a deceased prisoner.
Obtained a rare defense win on summary judgment on behalf of a public railroad against Federal Railroad Safety Act whistleblower claims.
Won a motion to dismiss on behalf of Metro-North Railroad in a claim brought by a passenger under the Americans with Disabilities Act claiming that Metro-North was in violation of the law for failing to provide a wheelchair to the passenger upon his arrival at Grand Central Terminal. Obtained a decision of first impression from the court, holding that railroads are not required by the ADA to provide wheelchairs to customers.
Won summary judgment on an employment discrimination claim brought by an employee and successfully defended the subsequent appeal to the Second Circuit.
Won summary judgment on a claim brought against a state agency by an employee under the Federal Employers Liability Act.
Successfully concluded a bench trial in the Southern District of New York on a multimillion-dollar claim involving disputed ownership of property.
Successfully represented a state agency in several criminal mental health proceedings.
Submitted a brief on behalf of a foreign energy company to the New York State Court of Appeals.
Representing an international testing company in a class action litigation brought in the District of Puerto Rico involving an oil facility explosion.
News
News & Insights
Admissions
Admissions
- Bar of the State of New York
- Bar of the State of New Jersey
- U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York and Eastern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Publications and Presentations
Publications and Presentations
- “Recognizing that protections for the accused vary is critical in representing clients facing transnational criminal investigations,” the International Bar Association’s Criminal Law and Business Crime Newsletter, Volume 8 Number 1, May 2015, co-authored with John Curley.
- “What Public Safety Officials Need to Know About Technology Contracts & Disputes” presented at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials’ (APCO) Atlantic Conference, October 2015.
- “Beyond Daubert: How to Exclude An Expert Witness,” published in Law360 on August 25, 2016.
Practice Areas
Education
University of Virginia (B.A. 2004)
- with High Distinction
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (J.D. 2007)
- cum laude
- Order of the Coif
- Cardozo Law Review
- Dean’s Distinguished Scholar