D. Maimon Kirschenbaum is hardly a household name, but that’s not true of the chefs and restaurants he regularly sues.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, BLT, Nobu and Red Lobster, to name a few, have collectively forked over millions of dollars to the lawyer and his clients, who are restaurant workers.
Mr. Kirschenbaum has filed more than 100 lawsuits—mostly over how restaurants pay out tips to employees and calculate wages. In the process, he has carved a lucrative niche for himself and his six-attorney firm, Joseph Herzfeld Hester & Kirschenbaum, garnering more than $20 million in settlements.