Attorney Articles
Law360 Features Meer and Sekerka Article Analyzing EEOC Subpoena Powers Amid Renewed Enforcement Focus
March 31, 2026 - Law360
Angela McManus Sekerka specializes in employment and housing law. Angela has successfully defended numerous employers, property managers and management companies in litigation before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Circuit Court of Cook County as well as the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Angela also defends employers and property management companies before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the New York State Division of Human Rights and other state agencies throughout the country. She has obtained dismissals in hundreds of cases and has achieved favorable settlements for the firm’s clients at mediations in court and at the EEOC, HUD and various state agencies.
Employment
Angela’s employment work involves race, color, sex, national origin, age and religious discrimination, sexual harassment, disability discrimination and equal pay violations. Angela also provides advice and counseling to clients on all aspects of employment law, reviews and drafts employee handbooks, and conducts internal employment investigations and sexual harassment training.
Housing
Angela’s housing work includes defending property managers and management companies against discrimination and harassment complaints as well as providing fair housing training. Angela also handles discrimination cases in public accommodations and accessibility litigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Angela operates a Discrimination Hotline and is co-editor of a Fair Housing Newsletter for a major insurance company.
Angela McManus Sekerka specializes in employment and housing law. Angela has successfully defended numerous employers, property managers and management companies in litigation before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Circuit Court of Cook County as well as the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Angela also defends employers and property management companies before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the New York State Division of Human Rights and other state agencies throughout the country. She has obtained dismissals in hundreds of cases and has achieved favorable settlements for the firm’s clients at mediations in court and at the EEOC, HUD and various state agencies.
Jonathan Meer (Partner-New York, NY) and Angela Sekerka (Of Counsel-Chicago/New York, NY) secured dismissal of a disability discrimination housing claim before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. The charge, brought by the tenants' children, arose from a request to modify the tenant’s shower in the unit to accommodate a disability. During its investigation, the Commission found that the respondents permitted the requested modification, provided the tenant covered the cost, as required under applicable law. When the tenant indicated they could not afford the modification and instead requested early termination of the lease, the respondents also granted that request, allowing termination without a penalty. As such, the Commission found that the allegations of disability discrimination were unsupported and dismissed the charge.
Jonathan E. Meer and Angela M. Sekerka
Angela Sekerka (Of Counsel-Chicago/New York, NY) and Jonathan Meer (Partner-New York, NY) secured dismissal of a claim alleging national origin discrimination in housing before the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In this matter, HUD found no probable cause that national origin was considered in the respondents’ handling of the claimant’s maintenance requests or his concerns regarding unauthorized vehicles in his assigned parking space. HUD noted that even if the comment “go back to your country” was made, this single isolated comment did not rise to the level of harassment or discriminatory intent in connection with the respondents’ processing of the claimant’s maintenance requests. HUD also noted that additional maintenance requests could not be completed because the complainant refused to grant access to his unit. With respect to the parking issue, HUD found insufficient evidence of discriminatory motive based on national origin, observing that the respondents attempted to locate the vehicle owner parked in the complainant’s spot and, when unsuccessful, offered the claimant’s monetary compensation for the inconvenience.
Angela M. Sekerka and Jonathan E. Meer
Jonathan Meer (Partner-New York, NY) and Angela Sekerka (Of Counsel-White Plains, NY) secured a no probable cause determination for a landlord client in a housing discrimination matter before the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. The complainant tenant alleged that our client/respondent discriminated against her based on disability and source of income, as well as claiming retaliation. The investigation established that the respondent lacked knowledge of the complainant’s physical disability and determined that the only request for reasonable accommodation by the complainant included documentation exclusively supporting the need for an emotional support animal (ESA). The complainant, however, asserted that she requested accommodation for a severe breathing disorder, while our client maintained that no such request or medical documentation of a respiratory condition was ever received. While the complainant successfully obtained accommodation for her mental health needs, no evidence supported the existence of a formal request concerning a physical breathing disability. The investigation concluded that the respondent did not treat the complainant differently from other tenants or subject her to harassment based on her disability or source of income.
Jonathan E. Meer and Angela M. Sekerka