Keya C. Denner

Keya is a seasoned litigator who focuses on labor and employment law, helping employers navigate complex workplace challenges and reduce risk. With over 20 years of experience, he guides clients through a wide range of employment matters, from day-to-day compliance to high-stakes disputes.

Keya represents employers in discrimination, disability, wage and hour class actions, non-compete, and trade secret cases. He also advises on compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, offering practical counsel to help clients avoid litigation. Keya works closely with leadership teams, HR, and managers, delivering customized training on harassment prevention and best practices for managing teams.

Keya also co-chairs the firm’s Cannabis & Employee Substance Abuse practice group. He is a leading resource on how evolving cannabis laws affect the workplace, and he helps clients develop policies that align with state and federal requirements. Keya regularly counsels Fortune 500 companies in retail, hospitality, and global logistics on building compliant programs in the face of shifting regulations. He is a frequent speaker and trainer on cannabis issues and workplace substance policies.

Honors & Recognition

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America^® for Labor & Employment - Management (2026)
• New Jersey Rising Stars honoree, Super Lawyers magazine (2015-2018)
• "New Leader of the Bar", New Jersey Law Journal (2017)

About Me

Keya is an avid musician and in his earlier years, was an Emmy award-winning child actor.

Representative Matters

• Obtained favorable settlement of wage and hour class action/PAGA lawsuit on behalf of national restaurant chain. 
• Prevailed in a multi-week arbitration hearing in New York City as lead trial counsel for a large hotel chain faced with a wrongful termination claim. 
• Successfully represented one of the largest privately held non-bank mortgage lenders in the country, as co-lead counsel in companion cases venued in New Jersey federal court and Colorado, against a group of former employees and their new employer for breach of several post-employment restrictive covenants, theft of trade secrets, and other claims. 
• Obtained summary judgment in New York federal court on behalf of one of the nation’s largest hotel chains in an employment discrimination lawsuit alleging national origin discrimination, among other claims. 
• Second-chaired a multi-week arbitration hearing in New York City in defense of national hotel claim facing discrimination, retaliation, failure to accommodate, and FMLA interference claims. 
• Defended an expanding fast food restaurant franchisor against wage and hour claims in New York federal court, obtaining a favorable settlement before trial. 
• Obtained a favorable settlement at mediation for a nation-wide restaurant chain faced with claims of racial discrimination. 
• Obtained a favorable result at New Jersey arbitration for a 113-year-old steel galvanizing business in a shareholder dispute over control and ownership, and defeated application for injunctive relief sought by claimants after the arbitration concluded. 
• Successfully tried a contested guardianship proceeding on behalf of large regional hospital. 
• Acted as lead trial counsel for the power of attorney and trustee in a contested guardianship proceeding, and obtained a favorable result at mediation. 
• Obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of a major hotel chain in a public accommodation case in New Jersey federal court. 

Education

Seton Hall University School of Law

• J.D., cum laude, 2004

Boston University

• B.A., cum laude, 2000

News

Events

Constangy Streaming

Civic

• Community Visiting Nurse Association, Board Member  
• YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge, and South Amboy, Personnel Committee  

Professional

• New Jersey State Bar Association, Member of Cannabis Committee, L&E Subcommittee  
• Past Chair of the Somerset County Bar Association's Labor and Employment Committee 
• Past Host of the Somerset County Business Partnership's monthly Human Resources Roundtable