Scheinman Institute Board Member Kenneth Kirschner To Receive Prestigious Groat Award
Distinguished attorney Kenneth Kirschner ‘75 will receive ILR’s 2026 Groat Award at the Groat and Alpern Awards on March 26 at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The Groat and Alpern gala is the pre-eminent ILR alumni event attended annually by over 400 alums, friends of ILR and ILR faculty and staff.
Harry C. Katz, Jack Sheinkman Professor and Director of The Scheinman Institute stated, “It is with great pleasure that I congratulate Ken for this most deserved honor recognizing his outstanding contributions.”
Alex Colvin, Ph.D, ‘99, Kenneth F. Kahn ‘69 Dean and Martin F. Scheinman ‘75, M.S. ‘76, Professor of Conflict Resolution noted that Kirschner is an “accomplished alum, strong supporter of the ILR School, and very deserving winner of this year’s Groat Award.”
“Ken has had a most distinguished career as an employment and labor law practitioner. I have very much appreciated his insights and the thoughtfulness of his advice as we seek to ensure that ILR continues its leading role in educating future practitioners in the field,” Colvin said.
Kirschner is a partner at Hogan Lovells in New York City, where he focuses on management-side litigation, arbitration and employment. He has represented clients in many industries, including manufacturing, non-profit, utilities, educational institutions, financial institutions, healthcare, professional services, real estate, hospitality and retail.
Widely recognized as a leader in employment and traditional labor law, Kirschner has been involved in three cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and has won numerous summary judgment motions in federal court pertaining to various workplace discrimination cases. Over the years, he has been recognized by Chambers and The Legal 500, New York Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers, among others.
Kirschner earned both his J.D. and Master of Laws in Labor Law degrees at New York University School of Law in 1978 and 1981, respectively.
An active member of the Scheinman Institute Board of Advisors since 2018, Kirschner lives in New York City and Norwalk, Connecticut, with his wife, Andrea Chase ’79. The couple’s daughter, Samantha, graduated from ILR in 2022.
About the Judge William B. Groat Alumni Award
Judge William B. Groat (1899-1986) served as counsel to the New York State Joint Legislative Committee on Industrial and Labor Relations, where he played a pivotal role in founding the ILR School and drafting its charter.
The Groat Alumni Award was established in 1971 in honor of Judge Groat's vision and in tribute to his professional accomplishments, which culminated in appointment as justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Eleventh Judicial District.
