Eliza Estrella

Associate

Recent Publication:

Speech Beyond the Classroom: The Third Circuit’s Decision in Jorjani v. New Jersey Institute of Technology [Alert]

Janice Agresti, Eliza Estrella, and Aaron Holt discuss Jorjani v. New Jersey Institute of Technology, in which the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the public university's non-renewal of a lecturer's contract, based on his controversial off-campus speech, violated the First Amendment.

Eliza focuses her practice in labor and employment law, specifically employment litigation, workplace investigations, and traditional labor law. She has defended employers against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, and also has experience handling discovery and responsive pleadings in these cases. Additionally, Eliza has assisted clients with collective bargaining agreement negotiations. She has also been involved in internal and workplace investigations.

Before joining Cozen O'Connor as an associate, Eliza participated in Cozen O'Connor's summer associate program in 2022, where she gained experience researching complex legal issues, assisting in document review, and drafting memoranda. She also assisted in preparing the firm's amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court of the United States on behalf of the National Council of American Indians in the landmark voting rights case, Merrill v. Mulligan.

Eliza earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School, where she was an executive notes editor for the Brooklyn Law Review. She earned her B.A. from the University of Delaware.

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Experience

Obtained partial dismissal of a putative class action filed against Touro College and University System in which the plaintiffs sought to recover unrefunded tuition and fees paid after the school closed its campus, and moved to remote instruction, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, brought claims of breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and deceptive practices and false advertising under Sections 349 and 350 of the New York General Business Law, seeking damages allegedly incurred across a broad class of plaintiffs. Our motion to dismiss was granted in large part, dismissing all claims except for the unjust enrichment claim, dramatically narrowing the allowable class of plaintiffs to those individuals enrolled in one particular school, and significantly reducing recoverable damages to tuition and fees paid for a single semester.

News

Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Support Critical Voting Rights Cases

November 01, 2022

We celebrate National Pro Bono Week by sharing the high-impact work of Cozen O’Connor attorneys who have contributed to critical voting rights cases.

Publications

Speech Beyond the Classroom: The Third Circuit’s Decision in Jorjani v. New Jersey Institute of Technology [Alert]

September 23, 2025

Janice Agresti, Eliza Estrella, and Aaron Holt discuss Jorjani v. New Jersey Institute of Technology, in which the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the public university's non-renewal of a lecturer's contract, based on his controversial off-campus speech, violated the First Amendment.

Massachusetts Enacts New Pay Transparency Requirements for Employers [Alert]

September 03, 2024

Eliza Estrella and Walter Foster discuss Massachusetts' new pay transparency law and what employers need to know.

Education

  • Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 2023
  • University of Delaware, B.A., 2017
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of New York