About Tenley Mochizuki

Tenley Mochizuki’s deep experience in complex commercial litigation provides a unique perspective and skill set that helps her counsel clients on employment law matters and the design, implementation and administration of employee benefit plans.

ERISA and employment advice through a litigation lens

Having spent numerous years litigating contractual and business disputes, Tenley understands the importance of precise drafting, documentary and regulatory compliance, and practical solutions. Her practice centers on health and welfare and fringe benefit plans, voluntary employees’ beneficiary associations (VEBAs) and employment law counseling. Tenley regularly drafts plan and trust documents and amendments, summary plan descriptions, other required plan notices and employee handbook policies. She also reviews and advises on various types of contracts, from administrative service agreements to municipal cooperative agreements and separation agreements. Tenley has also spent several years focusing on issues involving public and independent K-12 educational institutions. For every project she handles, her goal is to prevent clients' problems before they arise and to troubleshoot efficiently and gracefully if or when they do.

Although Tenley primarily works on employee benefits and employment matters, she has maintained a practice in e-discovery, with a particular focus on cases involving large volumes of data and short timeframes. She often assists the firm’s general counsel team as well as the antitrust and competition practice in responding to various requests for information, including federal and state investigations. Because she has managed the collection, review and production of millions of documents for multiple, complex matters, Tenley has extensive experience with different technologies and strategies to ensure the e-discovery process is streamlined yet thorough and supports the overall needs of each case.

Tenley has completed several internal and external leadership programs and is committed to the firm’s pro bono efforts. She has enjoyed the opportunity to mentor underrepresented students by coaching the Townsend Harris High School moot court and mock trial teams every year since joining the firm.

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Practice Focus

  • Employee benefits plan design
  • Health and welfare and fringe benefit plan compliance, administration and funding
  • Data privacy and security
  • Litigation

News

Publications

Practices
Education
  • University of Virginia School of Law, JD
  • Yale University, BA, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions
  • New York
Court Admissions
  • US District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • US District Court, Southern District of New York
Languages
  • Spanish
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Empire State Counsel®
    Pro Bono Honoree, 2014, 2016
  • National Law Review
    Go-To Thought Leader Award - Litigation, 2022
Award Methodologies