Michael K. Fortunato is a Partner at Deutsch Atkins & Kleinfeldt, P.C.  His practice focuses on employment litigation and counseling for employees and executives, including matters involving discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, whistleblower claims, severance negotiations, employment agreements, and restrictive covenants.

Michael represents clients in litigation and administrative proceedings involving state and federal employment laws including the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD), Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and other state and federal employment laws.  He also advises clients regarding workplace disputes, severance packages, non-compete agreements, non-solicitation agreements, and other employment-related agreements.

Before joining Deutsch Atkins & Kleinfeldt, Michael represented individuals in employment matters in New Jersey state and federal courts, including at a plaintiff-side employment law boutique.  Earlier in his career, he practiced at two regional defense firms, where he represented businesses and public entities in employment litigation, employment law counseling, and complex commercial disputes involving New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA).  In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, he represented insurance policyholders impacted by the storm, working to maximize their insurance recoveries.

Michael was selected to the New Jersey Super Lawyers list in 2026 for Employment Litigation: Plaintiff, after previously being selected to the New Jersey Rising Stars list.  He also serves as a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court’s District Ethics Committee for District V-C.

Michael is admitted to practice in New Jersey and before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.   He earned his J.D. from Rutgers Law School and his B.A. from Cornell University.