Law Office of Peter Henner

Law Office of
Peter Henner

(518) 423-7799

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Peter Henner

CIVIL RIGHTS

Peter has been an active advocate for civil rights, and has a long history of litigation in federal and state courts to vindicate the constitutional rights of people, especially in a workplace setting. He was a member of the Board of the Capital District Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union from 2005 through 2007, has handled several legal matters for the Chapter and is also an active member of the Legal Committee.

In 1984, Peter brought his first case under 42 USC § 1983, successfully challenging the reapportionment of the Greene County legislature. He has a long history of vigorously advocating for the constitutional rights of public employees and has handled a number of cases involving their First Amendment rights, including several cases before federal appellate courts. In 2007 he was able to obtain a $180,000 settlement for the former Rensselaer County Director of Real Property Services, who had been terminated after 27 years of County employment after criticizing illegal practices of the County. The First Amendment retaliation case had survived two motions for Summary Judgment, including a motion to dismiss on the basis of the 2006 United States Supreme Court decision in Garcetti v. Ceballos.

In 2002, Peter wrote an amicus brief for the National Employment Lawyers Association in Burns v. City of Detroit, 660 N.W.2d 85 (Mich. App. 2002), arguing against the so-called “First Amendment” defense for sexually harassing speech.

Peter has also handled a number of cases involving allegations of excessive force utilized by corrections officers and police officers. He has an extensive record of successfully representing correction officer defendants in such cases, as well as representing individuals who have been victims of improper uses of force by law enforcement employees.

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