2022 NELA Annual Convention Program Guide

2022 CONVENTION PROGRAM GUIDE

WE RISE. WE LEAD.

In Loving Memory of

Tom Henderson June 2, 1952 - October 3, 2021 Painting by Chloe Prendergast

Tom Henderson was a civil rights warrior from the 1970s until the day he died in October 2021. He led the kind of life in the law that most of us dream of when we first decide to go to law school. He knew what he was committed to and never once wavered in that commitment. Tom was on the front lines fighting—fighting for voting and consumer rights, fighting against discrimination in housing and education, and fighting against environmental degradation and the impact of it. While Tom loved fighting for his clients and causes that matter, what he enjoyed most was mentoring junior lawyers and staff, strategizing with them, guiding them, and urging them on to fight the good fight.

Therefore, we are pleased to name our Tom Henderson Civil Rights Fellowship in honor of Tom’s activism and the counsel, camaraderie, collegiality, and friendship he showed so many.

www.sanfordheisler.com

Dear Workers’ Rights Champions:

After too long of a hiatus, welcome to We Rise. We Lead. — our first in-person National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention since 2019.

We are delighted you could join us for the largest gathering of plaintiffs’ employment lawyers on the planet. We extend our thanks to the members of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA) for their warm and generous hospitality. We invite you to visit CELA’s exhibit table for information about attractions, restaurants, and activities in the surrounding area.

If it is not yet on your calendar, please plan to join us for We Rise. We Lead. We Celebrate! — NELA’s Annual Gala Fundraiser on Saturday, July 2 from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. The Gala is our yearly celebration of our collective accomplishments and the power of our voices when we unite to protect and promote workers’ rights on Capitol Hill and in courtrooms across the nation. The Gala fuels our Amicus, Judicial Nominations, and Legislative & Public Policy Programs, including the initiatives of our Washington DC Office.

We wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of retiring NELA Board members Katherine L. Butler, Phillis h. Rambsy, and Dara S. Smith. We salute their leadership, commitment, wisdom, and passion in advancing the cause for all workers.

The 2022 NELA Annual Convention Committee, along with our Convention moderators and speakers, have worked hard over the past several months to bring you extraordinary programming throughout the next three days. The 2022 NELA Annual Convention offers you the opportunity to meet and collaborate with the best plaintiffs’ employment lawyers in the country. We hope you will learn, celebrate, connect, and rejuvenate and then return to your office equipped with new ideas, tips, and strategies that you can immediately apply to your practice.

On behalf of the Board and Staff of the National Employment Lawyers Association, thank you for joining us and for all you do to advance equality and justice in the American workplace.

Linda M. Correia President

Jeffrey A. Mittman Executive Director

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We applaud NELA’s steadfast commitment to fight for workers’ rights and the advancement of workplace equality.

“Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. Often times, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table.”

—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Employment Lawyers & Advocates for Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity * Sexual Harassment—What To Do When It’s You * Complaint Resolution: Proactively Addressing Discrimination * Negotiation of Protective Employment and Separation Contracts * Demanding and Securing Equal Pay * Confronting, Combatting, and Eliminating Gender Biases Sue Ellen Eisenberg & Associates, P.C. Sue Ellen Eisenberg & Kerry K. Cahill 33 Bloomfield Hills Parkway, Suite 145 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304 (248) 258-5050

TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome..............................................................................................................................................................................................................3 NELA & Institute Staff & Volunteers.............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Welcome To San Francisco, California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA)............................................................................... 11 NELA Board...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 National Institute for Workers’ Rights Board................................................................................................................................................ 13 Breakfast with the Institute............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 NELA History & Today.................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 NELA Affiliate Representatives..................................................................................................................................................................... 16 2022 Annual Convention Keynote Speaker: Derrick Palmer....................................................................................................................17 2022 Annual Convention Sponsors & Exhibitors....................................................................................................................................... 18 2022 Annual Convention Committee.......................................................................................................................................................... 19 Workers Rising: NELA 2022 Courageous Plaintiffs................................................................................................................................... 21 We Rise. We Lead. We Celebrate! 2022 NELA Gala Fundraiser........................................................................................................... 23 We Rise. We Lead. We Celebrate! 2022 NELA Gala Honorees............................................................................................................ 24 We Rise. We Lead. We Celebrate! 2022 NELA Gala Sponsors.............................................................................................................. 25 Meeting Room Wi-Fi and Convention Materials Information.................................................................................................................30 San Francisco Marriott Marquis Meeting Room Maps.............................................................................................................................. 31 2022 Annual Convention Program.............................................................................................................................................................. 33 2022 Institute Impact for Workers Award...................................................................................................................................................48 Faculty Biographies..........................................................................................................................................................................................50 NELA Calendar Of Events.............................................................................................................................................................................73 2023 Convention Call for Proposals.............................................................................................................................................................73 NELA Champion, Defender, Advocate, Sustaining & Contributing Members.....................................................................................74 NELA Donors...................................................................................................................................................................................................75 The Paul H. Tobias Attorney Fellowship Program........................................................................................................................................77 National Institute for Workers’ Rights Donors.............................................................................................................................................78 National Institute for Workers’ Rights Visionary Circle.............................................................................................................................. 81 The Power of Cy Pres to Advance Workers’ Rights..................................................................................................................................... 82 In Memoriam.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 86 Greetings & Advertisements...........................................................................................................................................................................87

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Thank you Kathy Butler for Your Years of Dedication to NELA

ALEXANDER MORRISON + FEHR LLP

www.amfllp.com

Employee Justice.

1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 900 Los Angeles, California 90067

T: 310.394.0888 F: 310.394.0811

NELA STAFF & VOLUNTEERS

NELA STAFF

NELA STAFF

Tacarra L. Andrade Membership Director

Leah A. Hofkin Director of Development

Jeffrey A. Mittman Executive Director

Alicia Battle Events Coordinator

Karen Maoki Director of Strategy & Operations

Pedro A. Valverde Digital Communications & Technology Manager

Laura M. Flegel Legislative & Public Policy Director

Lauren McCormick Database & Administrative Assistant

Ashley O. Westby Program Manager

NELA VOLUNTEERS Tomi Akande Correia & Puth, PLLC

Shanisha Cooper HMC Civil Rights Law

Karla Pathmann Nichols Kaster, PLLP

Kieran Barasch Schall & Barasch, LLC

Patricia Losacker Tobias, Torchia & Simon/ Freking, Myers & Reul, LLC

Erica Runnels HMC Civil Rights Law

Daniela Bernstein Correia & Puth, PLLC

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correia & puth ad

A rising tide lifts all boats May fair winds always be at your back, NELA CELA congratulates Menaka Fernando on the well-deserved honor of receiving the NELA Spotlight award California Employment Lawyers Association Fighting for Employee Rights www.cela.org www.cela.org

The California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA) is pleased to welcome you to the 2022 NELA Annual Convention – live and in-person – in the great state of California. Among sunshine, beaches, grueling traffic, and celebrity culture, the Golden State is proud to be known for its robust workers’ rights laws, thanks largely to one of the most deserving celebrities, labor organizer Cesar Chavez, whose birthday the state honors on March 31 each year. CELA is proud to do its part to build on the legacy of Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and all the countless, nameless advocates for workers’ rights. CELA’s Legislative Counsel & Policy Director (and 2019 NELA honoree) Mariko Yoshihara, Policy Associate Ken Wang, and CELA Legislative Committee member volunteers work relentlessly on behalf of California workers to strengthen and expand workplace protections.

The California legislature spent much of the last two years struggling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on California’s working families. CELA fought to expand supplemental paid sick leave to ensure workers can take time off for COVID-related reasons. CELA supported several other pandemic-related bills signed into law in 2021, including important measures to provide pandemic exposure notification and protections for workers (AB 654) and to create new rights for hospitality industry employees laid off because of the pandemic (SB 93).

On the heels of the #MeToo movement, CELA co-sponsored the landmark “Silenced No More Act” which limits nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) and non-disparagement clauses in settlement and severance agreements (SB 331). CELA also sponsored legislation to create health and safety standards for domestic workers (SB 321), and to strengthen procedural safeguards for workers forced into arbitration (SB 762). This bill expanded prior CELA-backed legislation making a failure to pay arbitration fees within 30 days of the due date a breach of the arbitration agreement, allowing the worker to go to court and have their case heard by a jury. It also includes a provision for an award of sanctions including attorneys’ fees.

This year, we have yet another full slate of important bills, covering a wide range of issues affecting California workers. CELA is co-sponsoring SB 1162 to enhance California’s existing pay data reporting framework. The bill will require employers to provide a salary range on all public job postings, and to announce promotional opportunities to all employees before any promotion decision is made. Employers with 250 or more employees must publicly report aggregate pay data broken down by race, ethnicity, and sex for both direct employees and employees hired through a third-party staffing agency. We are backing legislation to expand California’s leave laws to create a right to five days of job-protected bereavement leave (AB 1949) and to broaden the definition within those laws to include care for chosen family (AB 2182).

We are also sponsoring legislation to prohibit discrimination based on family caregiving responsibilities (AB 1041) and to prohibit the unwarranted disclosure of immigration status in open court proceedings (SB 836). Finally, we are working in close partnership with a broad coalition of worker and consumer advocates to introduce landmark legislation that will create new rights for workers over electronic monitoring and AI management systems at work (AB 1651).

The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected all our lives. We are excited NELA has chosen California to host the first in-person Convention in three years. This year, CELA is delighted to see one of its Executive Board members and Legislative Committee co-chair, Menaka Fernando, honored with the NELA Spotlight Award. Menaka’s significant contributions and passion for workers’ rights inspire hope for a brighter future. Please join us in congratulating Menaka on this well-deserved honor!

While you’re in San Francisco, we hope you will enjoy some of the beauty the city offers. Whether you are strolling in one of the many parks, admiring the murals of the Mission District, or exploring the variety of global cuisine San Francisco is known for, we invite you to revel in the Golden City.

In solidarity,

Laura Horton, CELA Chair 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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NELA BOARD NELA BOARD MEMBERS

Linda M. Correia President Correia & Puth, PLLC Washington, DC Carla D. Brown First Vice President Charlson Bredehoft Cohen Brown & Nadelhaft, PC Reston, VA Karla Gilbride Vice President of Public Policy Co-Director, Access to Justice Project Public Justice, PC Washington, DC M. Nieves Bolaños Vice President for DEI Fish Potter Bolaños, PC Chicago, IL Katherine L. Butler Secretary Butler & Harris Houston, TX Deborah H. Karpatkin Treasurer Law Office of Deborah H. Karpatkin New York, NY Wade B. Cowan Immediate Past President Nashville, TN

Bernard Alexander Alexander Morrison + Fehr, LLP Los Angeles, CA Heather M. Collins HMC Civil Rights Law Brentwood, TN Christine T. Elzer Elzer Law Firm, LLC Pittsburgh, PA Amanda A. Farahany Barrett & Farahany Atlanta, GA Mark Hanna Murphy Anderson PLLC Washington, DC Maureen Truax Holland Holland & Associates, PC Memphis, TN Ben Lebsack Lowrey Parady Lebsack, LLC Denver, CO Summer H. Murshid Hawks Quindel, SC Milwaukee, WI Rosemary Orsini Orsini Law LLC Littleton, CO

RETIRING NELA BOARD MEMBERS

The National Employment Lawyers Association applauds our retiring Board Members for their tireless service.

Thank you for inspiring us all to Rise and Lead!

Katherine L. Butler Phillis h. Rambsy Dara S. Smith

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2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

Nina T. Pirrotti Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti, PC New Haven, CT Scott M. Pollins Pollins Law Firm Swarthmore, PA Phillis h. Rambsy Rambsy Law PC Nashville, TN Donna Williams Rucker Tully Rinckey, PLLC Washington, DC Dara S. Smith AARP Foundation Litigation Washington, DC Rachhana T. Srey Nichols Kaster, PLLP Minneapolis, MN Jeffrey Neil Young Solidarity Law Cumberland Foreside, ME Paul H. Tobias Founder, In Memoriam

INSTITUTE BOARD NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR WORKERS’ RIGHTS BOARD MEMBERS

Diane S. King Acting President & Treasurer King & Greisen, LLP Denver, CO

Patricia A. Barasch Immediate Past President Schall & Barasch, LLC Moorestown, NJ

Alicia K. Haynes Secretary Haynes & Haynes, PC Birmingham, AL

Linda M. Correia Correia & Puth, PLLC Washington, DC

Bruce A. Fredrickson Webster & Fredrickson PLLC Washington, DC Maria Price The Raben Group Washington, DC

RETIRING INSTITUTE BOARD MEMBER

The National Institute for Workers’ Rights thanks retiring Board President Rebecca L. Salawdeh for her leadership and commitment to the Institute and workers’ rights.

Breakfast With The Institute Sunday, July 3, 2022 8:00–9:00 a.m.

Salons 1-3 Join Executive Director Jeffrey A. Mittman, present and former Institute Board Members, and fellow Convention attendees to learn more about the valuable work of the National Institute for Workers’ Rights. Hear more about our vision for the upcoming year and how you can get involved!

Founded in 2008, the Institute is the related charitable public interest organization of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA).

Working hand in hand with NELA, the Institute aspires to a future in which all workers are treated with dignity and respect; workplaces are equitable, diverse, and inclusive; and the wellbeing of workers is a priority in business practices.

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New York  San Francisco  Washington, DC outtengolden.com  844.468.8836

NELA HISTORY & TODAY

“We have influenced life in America, our organization. There is no question that the work that our lawyers have done has made an impact on employees—workers—all over the country for the last years. For a little organization of 2,000 members, that is something to be proud of.”

– PAUL H. TOBIAS, NELA FOUNDER

In

In March 1985, a dozen plaintiff employment lawyers from nine states attending the ABA’s Labor and Employment Law Section meeting in Wesley Chapel, Florida decided to form the Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association (PELA). Led by Paul H. Tobias, the founding members envisioned that this new organization would provide the assistance and information sought by attorneys representing individual employees, particularly in wrongful termination cases. It would develop the professional network necessary for effective sharing and support of ideas, successes, problems, and frustrations.

PELA also would serve as an instrument for advancing public policy and legislation affecting the rights of employees. In this regard, the founding members of PELA contemplated a publication, which later would be called The Employee Advocate, a membership directory, a brief bank, educational programs uniquely designed for plaintiff employment lawyers, and the development of state and local PELA groups around the country.

In 1990, PELA changed its name to the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) to represent the growing national scope of its membership and held its first Annual Convention.

In the thirty-seven years since its founding, NELA has gained a reputation for providing exceptional educational programs for plaintiff employment lawyers.

Its substantive law committees and practice groups provide technical support to NELA members and keep them abreast of recent developments, and the NELA Exchange provides a forum for members to share strategies, resources, and encouragement. With the assistance of dozens of volunteers, the organization has participated as amicus curiae in significant employment cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and Circuit

Courts of Appeals since 1985. NELA is at the forefront of major employment issues, including banning forced arbitration of employment claims, resisting reforms to the civil justice system that would make it more difficult for workers to vindicate their rights, and ensuring a fair and diverse judiciary. At the circuit, state, and local levels, NELA Affiliates across the nation are supporting workers’ rights advocates in their communities and adding their voices in NELA’s advocacy initiatives.

The cornerstone of NELA is, and always has been, community.

In 2008, NELA created a related charitable policy and advocacy organization, now known as the National Institute for Workers’ Rights (Institute). The Institute advances workers’ rights through research, thought leadership, and education for policymakers, advocates, and the public, and is NELA’s indispensable partner in pursuing our shared vision for the world: A future in which all workers are treated with dignity and respect; workplaces are equitable, diverse, and inclusive; and the well-being of workers is a priority in business practices.

The cornerstone of NELA is, and always has been, community. Among the original goals set at the inaugural meeting of PELA is the “PELA Pledge”: Members agree to receive calls from fellow members and render assistance. The devices used to share information have changed since 1985, but the guiding principle remains the same: NELA’s greatest strengths are the generosity and collective power of our community of workers’ rights advocates.

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NELA AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVES Eighth Circuit NELA Jill A. Silverstein Alabama NELA-Alabama Heather Newsom Leonard Arizona AzELA Jeffrey A. Silence California California Employment Lawyers Association Laura L. Horton Bay Area Cabal Patrice L. Goldman Traci M. Hinden LEFTJAW Thomas W. Falvey Sacramento Employment Lawyers Association Christopher H. Whelan Colorado Colorado PELA Emily R. Stevens Connecticut Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association Amanda M. DeMatteis District of Columbia Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association Omar V. Melehy Florida Florida NELA Michelle E. Nadeau Georgia NELA-GA Teresa Saggese Mills Hawaii NELA-Hawaii Elbridge W. Smith Illinois NELA-Illinois Chiquita Hall-Jackson

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Indiana NELA-Indiana Tae Sture

Nevada Nevada NELA Joshua D. Buck

Rhode Island Rhode Island NELA Charles S. Kirwan

Iowa Iowa NELA Thomas Bullock

New Hampshire New Hampshire NELA Benjamin T. King

Tennessee TENNELA Anne Hunter

Kentucky Kentucky Employment Lawyers Association Barbara D. Bonar

New Jersey NELA-New Jersey Evan L. Goldman

Texas Texas Employment Lawyers Association David L. Wiley

Louisiana Louisiana Employment Lawyers Association J. Arthur Smith, III Baton Rouge NELA J. Arthur Smith, III

New York NELA/New York Laurie E. Morrison North Carolina NELA-North Carolina Faith Herndon

Dallas/Ft. Worth NELA Corinna Chandler El Paso/West Texas Employment Lawyers Association Christopher Benoit

Maine Maine-NELA David G. Webbert

Ohio Ohio Employment Lawyers Association Neil E. Klingshirn

Maryland Maryland Employment Lawyers Association Neil R. Lebowitz

Paul H. Tobias Cincinnati Employment Lawyers Association Randolph H. Freking

Massachusetts Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association David I. Brody

Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association Kami D. Brauer

Utah Utah Employment Lawyers Association Galen T. Shimoda

Oklahoma Oklahoma Employment Lawyers Association Amber L. Hurst

Vermont Vermont Employment Lawyers Association Roger E. Kohn

Tulsa Employment Lawyers Association Jonathan E. Shook

Virginia Virginia Employment Lawyers Association Matthew B. Kaplan

Michigan Michigan Employment Lawyers Association Sarah S. Prescott Minnesota Minnesota NELA Lucas Kaster Employee Lawyers Association of the Upper Midwest Leslie L. Lienemann

Oregon Oregon Employment Lawyers Association Beth Creighton

Missouri Kansas City NELA Phillip M. Murphy II

Pennsylvania NELA-Eastern Pennsylvania Michael Filoromo

St. Louis NELA Jessica M. Scales

Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association Christine T. Elzer

Nebraska Nebraska NELA Joy Shiffermiller

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

Houston Employment Lawyers Association Jacqueline A. Armstrong San Antonio Employment Lawyers Association Philip J. Moss

Washington Washington Employment Lawyers Association Beth Terrell West Virginia West Virginia Employment Lawyers Association Laura Davidson Wisconsin Wisconsin Employment Lawyers Association Jeffrey S. Hynes

KEYNOTE SPEAKER 2022 NELA Annual Convention Keynote Speaker: Derrick Palmer

NELA is honored to welcome Derrick Palmer as our keynote speaker.

Derrick Palmer is the Vice President of the Amazon Labor Union, the first union representing Amazon workers in the United States. He started working at Amazon’s EWR4 facility in Robbinsville, NJ in 2015. He’s worked as an Amazon ambassador and trained over 1,000 new associates from two different Amazon facilities. In September of 2018 Derrick was selected by Amazon to train new hires at the newly built facility JFK8 in Staten Island, NY. He relocated an hour away from Plainsboro, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ to be closer to the Staten Island warehouse. As Derrick trained more associates, he quickly became very popular around the building and has consistently been one of the top performers in his department.

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Derrick began raising concerns about Amazon’s poor response to the crisis. He and his co-workers began to organize and protest when Amazon did not take steps to protect the workers at JFK8. In the summer of 2020, Derrick was a named plaintiff in a public nuisance lawsuit against Amazon, Palmer, et al. v. Amazon.com Services LLC, which helped bring more attention to the working conditions of Amazon’s warehouse workers. Over a period of two years, he and his colleagues have built a powerful movement and won a momentous victory that has electrified the nation and spurred worker organizing around the globe.

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SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS

CONVENTION SPONSORS

AARP LOGO Dundon Advisers LOGO Morgan & Morgan LOGO

California Employment Lawyers Association Correia & Puth, PLLC HMC Civil Rights Law Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation National Institute for Workers’ Rights Nichols Kaster, PLLP Schall & Barasch, LLC Tobias, Torchia & Simon/Freking, Myers & Reul, LLC

CONVENTION EXHIBITORS

Balanced Bridge Funding Bardwell Consulting Casetext EmployStats JS Held Marble Miles Mediation & Arbitration Phillips & Associates Scorpion Stand Up for Workers Steno Stratejic Relationships Workplace Fairness 18

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CONVENTION COMMITTEE

NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION 2022 ANNUAL CONVENTION COMMITTEE Co-Chairs M. Nieves Bolaños Fish Potter Bolaños, PC Chicago, IL

Deborah K. Marcuse Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP Baltimore, MD

Members Heather M. Collins HMC Civil Rights Law Brentwood, TN

Kristi L. Kingston Employee & Labor Law Group of Kansas City, LLC Overland Park, KS

Linda Correia (NELA Board President) Correia & Puth, PLLC Washington, DC

Jennifer L. Liu Liu Peterson-Fisher LLP Menlo Park, CA

María G. Díaz Allred, Maroko & Goldberg Los Angeles, CA

Karen Maoki Director of Strategy & Operations National Employment Lawyers Association Concord, CA

Reena I. Desai Nichols Kaster, PLLP Minneapolis, MN Loren Donnell Burr & Smith, LLP Saint Petersburg, FL Joseph D. Garrison Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti, PC New Haven, CT Chiquita Hall-Jackson Hall-Jackson & Associates Chicago, IL Daniel M. Hutchinson Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP San Francisco, CA

Jeffrey A. Mittman Executive Director National Employment Lawyers Association Concord, CA Ashley O. Westby Program Manager National Employment Lawyers Association Washington, DC Chauniqua D. Young Outten & Golden LLP New York, NY Rasha Zeyadeh The Law Office of Rob Wiley, PC Dallas, TX

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NELA 2022 COURAGEOUS PLAINTIFFS Owen Diaz Diaz v. Tesla Inc. Represented by Bernard Alexander and Lawrence A. Organ

Owen Diaz is 53 and was born and raised in San Francisco. He went to work at Tesla’s Fremont, California factory in June 2015 with dreams of helping to end global warming. He was hired as an elevator operator and was quickly promoted because of his hard work ethic. His dream turned into a nightmare having been called the N-word on a near daily basis. His hope is that his lawsuit will change Tesla’s behavior towards its Black workers and that it will deter other companies from allowing such racist conduct to occur in the future.

Stephanie Edwards Doe v. Central Connecticut State University et al.

Represented by Nina T. Pirrotti

Stephanie Edwards is a veteran of the U.S. military, serving in the Navy from 1985–1995, active duty as a medical corpsman. After leaving the Navy, Mrs. Edwards returned to Connecticut with her three young daughters. She continued to work in the medical field until 1999, when she was hired by the State of Connecticut Department of Children and Families where she worked with families and children in crisis. She also worked as a Police Officer for the State of Connecticut, where she trained to work with individuals struggling with mental illness and addiction. In 2010, Mrs. Edwards joined the Police Department at Central Connecticut State University. The position appealed to her because, as the mother of three then-close-to-collegeaged daughters, she felt a university police force would be a perfect fit for her skills and interests. Each day, she sought to preserve the safety of the campus, utilizing the community policing approach of engaging with students, faculty, and staff. Her positive impact soon became widely known throughout campus. The opportunity for Mrs. Edwards to share her poetry presented itself, and in her spare time she did so at various student events and speaking engagements. Professors and students requested her to share her experience as a female officer from time to time. As an Officer, she would often find herself counseling, encouraging, giving advice, a hug or helping

a student in need. Several students would address her as “Mama Mac” as she would go out of her way to assist. Mrs. Edwards has a strong faith and took classes in Ministry whenever she could. After her lawsuit concluded, Mrs. Edwards received her Minister’s license and is continuing her classes to become ordained. She also volunteers with United Ministries Crisis Center and continues to share her poetry with others. Her desire is to reach lives, making an impact, leaving lives in a better place. Mrs. Edwards personal declaration is “if I could reach just one person’s heart each day, I have done something right.”

Charlotte Newman, MBA Charlotte Newman v.

Amazon.com, Inc. et al.

Represented by Lawrence M. Pearson

Charlotte Newman is a global business development leader in technology and an advocate for workplace equity. She works at the intersection of art, policy, and technology.

Over the course of a career spanning nearly two decades, Ms. Newman has moved seamlessly between the private and public sectors. Her career began in politics and policy; subsequently, she served as an advisor for four members of Congress, including U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Chris Murphy. She draws on her experiences as an entrepreneur and an advisor on economic policy to lead a global team as the Head of Underrepresented Founder Startup Business Development at Amazon Web Services. She previously founded an online sports news and lifestyle website to highlight female athletes. She also is an avid art collector and in 2021 was recognized

by Artsy as one of the 16 Black art collectors shaping the future of the art world. In March 2021, Ms. Newman filed a federal lawsuit against Amazon alleging not only sexual assault by a manager and disparate treatment based on race and gender, but that the tech giant has a widespread practice of shutting Black professionals out of high-level corporate roles through a process known as “downleveling.” Ms. Newman’s case received global media attention and inspired hundreds of Amazon employees to protest the company’s handling of discrimination and harassment complaints. After Ms. Newman chose to assert her rights in court, Amazon vowed to double the number of Black employees in senior roles and launched an internal investigation into allegations of systemic discrimination and retaliation at AWS. 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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AARP Foundation and NELA Together in Defending Workers’ Rights AARP Foundation applauds and supports NELA’s efforts to: age discrimination in the • Fight workplace • Empower workers’ rights attorneys for laws and policies that • Advocate level the employment playing field • Promote a fair and diverse judiciary AARP Foundation is proud to have Dara Smith on NELA’s Board of Directors.

We look forward to working together with NELA and its members to level the playing field for workers in the years to come.

Contact us about trial & appellate ADEA, ADA, ERISA, FMLA, FLSA, and related state law matters. To learn more, visit www.AARPFoundation.org/litigation or call (202) 434-2060.

William Alvarado Rivera

Dan Kohrman

Dean Graybill

Elizabeth Aniskevich

Senior VP for Litigation

VP for Litigation (employment & consumer)

Dara S. Smith

(Member, NELA Board)

(former Member, NELA Board)

(Member)

gala design

WE RISE. WE LEAD. We Celebrate!

NELA’s 2022 GALA FUNDRAISER San Francisco Marriott Marquis

NELA’s 2022 Gala will be a special celebration of our community as we come together for our first in-person Convention in three years. We will gather to toast another inspiring year of strong advocacy and celebrate the accomplishments of our members, including those we are honoring this year for their distinguished service to our community.

AWARDS PRESENTATION Friday, July 1 5 p.m.

Salon 7–8 Included with Convention Registration

GALA DANCE PARTY Saturday, July 2 8–11 p.m.

Salon 9 Separate Ticket Required

NELA lawyers are heroes—standing up for the working people of our country even when the odds seem insurmountable. All are welcome as we honor your colleagues Joseph D. Garrison (CT), Victoria W. Ni (CA), and Menaka N. Fernando (CA) for their inspiring commitment to NELA and the cause of justice for workers.

Please join us as we celebrate our community— together again after three years!

The evening includes music, dancing, and other treats. Every Gala attendee will receive two complimentary drink tickets courtesy of Drop in anytime!

We also will take a moment to pay tribute to the members of our community we have lost in the last three years.

In addition, the National Institute for Workers’ Rights will be presenting their inaugural Impact for Workers Award to the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation.

NELA’s 2022 Gala Fundraiser strengthens NELA’s mission of empowering workers’ rights attorneys, promoting a fair judiciary, and leveling the playing field for workers.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Gala sponsors for building NELA’s influence in our nation’s capital, courtrooms, and everywhere we can make a difference.

Tickets are still available and may be purchased in advance at the Registration Counter or at the door.

2022 NELA GALA HONOREES Please join NELA in honoring three of your colleagues for their inspiring commitment to justice for workers.

The Awards Presentation takes place on Friday, July 1 at 5 p.m. in Salons 7–8.

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[Insert Garrison photo]

[Insert Ni photo]

[Insert Fernando photo]

NELA is privileged to recognize Joseph D. Garrison for a lifetime of distinguished service to our community. It is impossible to overstate the significance of the contributions Joe has made to NELA and the field of plaintiffs’ employment law throughout his career. Joe served on the NELA Board for 15 years, including three years as President (1994–1996).

As a longstanding member of the Annual Convention Committee, he plays a leadership role in ensuring that NELA’s CLE programs fulfill the needs of workers’ rights attorneys, while meeting the highest standards of excellence.

Joe is NELA’s representative to the Federal Rules Advisory Committee, and as an elected member of the American Law Institute, was substantially involved in drafting the Restatement (Third) of Employment Law, published in 2014. As the senior partner of Garrison, LevinEpstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti, PC, the firm he founded in New Haven in 1977, Joe has received nearly every award and honor available to a trial lawyer and increasingly focuses his current practice on mediation and arbitration.

We are proud to honor Victoria W. Ni for her distinguished leadership within the NELA community and in recognition of the contributions she has made to workplace justice as a public interest lawyer. During her 12year tenure on the NELA Board, she took on key leadership roles, serving both as Treasurer (2012–2015) and Vice President (2015–2018). Vicky was the Co-Chair of the Amicus Advisory Council for nine years, guiding NELA in deciding which amicus briefs would best further NELA’s priorities and have the greatest impact in advancing the law.

She also was a member of several ad hoc Board committees, including Strategic Planning and the Executive Transition Committee. Since 2000, she has worked at Public Justice, a national public interest law firm, in senior roles including Managing Attorney, Deputy Director, and her current role as Director of Finance & Administration. Vicky has litigated a wide range of cases focused on protecting and ensuring the rights of consumers, workers, victims, and individuals with disabilities; free speech; and equal opportunity for women in athletics and in the workplace.

NELA is delighted to present our second annual Spotlight Award, which recognizes a NELA leader who represents our future, to Menaka N. Fernando, a partner in the San Francisco office of Outten & Golden LLP. Her dedication to justice and leadership in advancing workers’ rights in California have been and will continue to be essential to NELA’s mission. She is a member of the Executive Board of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA) and Co-Chair of CELA’s Legislative Committee.

A policy crusader, Menaka regularly lobbies and testifies before the California legislature to improve the state’s employment laws. She also serves on the boards of Open Door Legal, which strives to eradicate poverty through universal access to legal aid, and the Stand Up For Workers Political Action Committee, which seeks to elect Congressional candidates who prioritize workers’ rights.

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

2022 NELA GALA SPONSORS It is with gratitude that we acknowledge our generous sponsors of this year’s Gala Fundraiser.

Drink tickets graciously provided by CHAMPIONS OF JUSTICE

NELA-NJ

Public Justice

Outten & Golden LLP

Ritz Clark & Ben-Asher LLP

Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers

Donna Williams Rucker

Texas Employment Lawyers Association PRESIDENT’S CABINET Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing (AZA)

BENEFACTORS

Williams Law Firm, PC ADVOCATES

Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, PLLC

Barrett & Farahany

Stephen R. Bruce Law Offices

Creighton & Rose, PC

Katherine L. Butler

Florida NELA

NELA COMMUNITY LEADERS

Schall & Barasch, LLC

Alden Law Group, PLLC

Alexander Morrison + Fehr, LLP

Nichols Kaster, PLLP

Salawdeh Law Office, LLC

California Employment Lawyers Association

Colorado PELA

Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP

Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP

Wade B. Cowan Fish Potter Bolaños, PC Freking Myers & Reul LLC Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti, PC Gilbert Employment Law, PC

Altshuler Berzon LLP Beck & Eldergill, PC Noelle Brennan & Associates, Ltd. Butler Curwood PLC Carmen Comsti Coyle & Benoit, PLLC

Kator, Parks, Weiser & Harris, PLLC King & Greisen, LLP Madsen, Prestley & Parenteau, LLC Karen Maoki Marek, Griffin & Knaupp NELA-Alabama NELA-Eastern Pennsylvania NELA-GA NELA/NY NELA St. Louis New Hampshire NELA Neyhart, Anderson, Flynn & Grosboll Oklahoma Employment Lawyers Association Pollins Law Firm

The Employment Law Group

Powers, Jodoin, Margolis & Mantell LLP

Fiedler Law Firm

Rambsy Law PC

Fitzgerald Law, PLLC

Rizio Lipinsky Law Firm

Laura M. Flegel & Mary Farmer

The Sanford Firm

Friedman & Houlding, LLP The Gittes Law Group

Robert W. Schmidt

HMC Civil Rights Law

Law Offices of Janice Goodman

Shellist | Lazarz | Slobin LLP

Hawks Quindel, SC

Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho/ Barry Goldstein & Sandy Goldstein

Andrew Schmidt Law, PLLC

Sherin and Lodgen LLP

Hill & Associates, PC

Dara S. Smith

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE

Kaplan Law Firm

Leah A. Hofkin

Smith Law Firm

Law Offices of David C. Holmes

Solidarity Law

Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA)

Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym Ltd.

Tanner and Associates, PC

Minnesota NELA

JML Law, APLC

Tennessee Employment Lawyers Association (TENNELA)

JMW Settlements LLC

Upton & Hatfield, LLP

Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch, PC

Virginia Employment Lawyers Association

Charlson Bredehoft Cohen Brown & Nadelhaft, PC Filippatos PLLC

Bailey & Glasser LLP Getman, Sweeney & Dunn, PLLC Haynes & Haynes, PC HKM Employment Attorneys LLP

Gillespie Sanford LLP

Liu Peterson-Fisher LLP Lowrey Parady Lebsack

James H. Kaster & Joellen M. Kaster

Jeffrey A. Mittman

McCracken Law Office

NELA-Illinois

Murphy Anderson PLLC

Impact Fund

The Spiggle Law Firm

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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2022 NELA GALA SPONSORS Webster & Fredrickson, PLLC

Green Savits, LLC

SUPPORTERS

Werman Salas PC

Halunen Law

Aiello Law

Hammons, Hurst & Associates

Apollo Law

Holland & Associates, PC

Bennett & Belfort, PC

Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association Wienand & Bagin Winebrake & Santillo, LLC Wisconsin Employment Lawyers Association The Wood Law Office, LLC PARTNERS Accountability Ignited/ Paula Brantner Arizona Employment Lawyers Association (AzELA) Bantle & Levy, LLP Law Offices of Scot D. Bernstein, A Professional Corporation Betz + Blevins Blanchard & Walker PLLC Buchanan Angeli Altschul & Sullivan LLP

Houk Law Firm, PLLC Hynes & Kreuser, SC Toni Jaramilla, A Professional Law Corporation Law Office of Deborah H. Karpatkin Matt Koski LEGARE, ATTWOOD & WOLFE, LLC Law Office of David Lichtenstein, LLC Law Office Of Guy D. Loranger Maine Employee Rights Group Murray, Plumb and Murray Ogborn Mihm, LLP Patricia A. Podolec, Attorney at Law

Cashdan & Kane, PLLC

Pontikes Law, LLC

Center For Employment Law

Ray Legal Group, LLC Mark Risk, PC

V. James DeSimone Law

Schwartz Perry & Heller

Deutsch Atkins & Kleinfeldt, PC

Seldon Bofinger & Associates, PC

Dow Golub Remels & Gilbreath, PLLC

Siegel Law Group

Eisenberg & Schnell, LLP ELZER LAW FIRM LLC Empower Legal Group LLC Bruce A. Fredrickson & Kristin K. Fredrickson Gardner Employment Law Karla Gilbride Gordon Law Group, LLP

Skelton, Taintor & Abbott Sud Law PC Geraldine Sumter Trytosettle.com

by Nancy Richards-Stower ®

Thomas A. Warren Law Offices, PL Zipin, Amster & Greenberg, LLC

Kelly Applegate Law Richard K. Blundell Law Firm Brown & Curry, LLC Employee & Labor Law Group of Kansas City, LLC Patrick M. Flynn, PC Jamie S. Franklin, C-K Law Group—The Law Offices of Chicago-Kent Frumkin & Hunter Law PC Gasiorek, Morgan, Greco, McCauley & Kotzian Gaul and Dumont Golden Law, LLC Charles E. Guerrier Mark Hanna Hommel Law Firm Horne Daller LLC Law Office of Susan E. Jewell Dan Kohrman Dolores Y. Leal Chet Levitt Fund for Employment Law Law Offices of Glen D. Mangum Marsili Mediation Inc. Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association

Law Office of Robert S. Notzon Orsini Law LLC Nina T. Pirrotti Kathryn S. Piscitelli Gregory A. Rich Scott Law Firm PLLC Strindberg Scholnick Birch Hallam Harstad Thorne Swain Law, LLC Pedro Valverde In Honor of Rick Seymour Venick Austin & Rosen, PLLC Cathy Ventrell-Monsees Ashley O. Westby & Sean P. McKee Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein LLP Zuckerman Law FRIENDS Allen Law Firm Bracker & Marcus LLC Deats Durst & Owen PLLC Brian East Law Firm of Rosalind Fink Elizabeth Jubin Fujiwara Law Office of Lenore C. Garon, PLLC Law Office of Steven Granberg, PA Kontnik | Cohen, LLC Robert B. Landry, III, PLC Lubin & Enoch, PC

McKinney Law Firm, PC

Merrick Law Firm LLC

Robert E. McKnight

Law Offices of Richard J. Murray

Messing, Rudavsky & Weliky PC

Schorr & Associates, PC

Nareeya Nalivka & JP Nalivka

Stuckey & Garrigan Law Offices, PLLC

The Noble Law

Steve Wilson Firm

Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the individuals, firms, and organizations acknowledged here.

We apologize for any errors or omissions. Sponsors as of May 31, 2022.

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2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

Garrison,garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti levin-epstein etc ad Is Delighted to Share in the Celebration of Its Founder, Joseph Garrison

Joe: We honor you for your brilliant skills as an employee advocate, mediator, negotiator and litigator; your fierce dedication to your clients; and, just as importantly, as an invaluable mentor to your colleagues.

We are all better advocates because of you.

We join the NELA community around the country in expressing our gratitude for your immeasurable contributions toward empowering employees and fighting the good fight.

GARRISONLAW.COM 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT | 203-777-4425

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LIEFF CABRASER PROUDLY SUPPORTS NELA We salute the righteous protection of employees

Rachel Geman

Dean M. Harvey

Daniel M. Hutchinson

Nigar A. Shaikh

Anne B. Shaver

Frank J. White

Lin Y. Chan

Jallé H. Dafa

Kelly M. Dermody

Michelle A. Lamy

Michael Levin-Gesundheit

Jessica A. Moldovan

NASHVILLE SAN FRANCISCO NEW YORK MUNICH lieffcabraser.com

Tiseme G. Zegeye

CONVENTION INFORMATION

NELA Convention meeting rooms Wi-Fi

Network Name: NELA Password: nela2022

Wi-Fi

2022 Annual Convention Materials and Microsite The written materials for the Convention are available for download at www.nela.org/22attendees. Wi-Fi is available in all guest rooms and Convention meeting rooms at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, but we encourage you to download the materials in advance of the sessions you will be attending. In addition to the written materials, Convention attendees can start or continue a discussion, set up an outing, or simply say hello on the attendee discussion list.

The online directory allows you to see who is at the Convention.

The Convention Program Evaluation is easily accessible from the navigation menu. If you would like to print materials (at your own expense), you may visit the hotel’s business center. Please note that a valid email address must be provided in order to access the online Convention materials.

Session Recordings Hungry Mind Recordings (HMR) will professionally record the Convention’s plenary and concurrent sessions.

Individual audio MP3 files will be available for purchase at the HMR table in the Grand Assembly. Audio recordings and accompanying written materials of all plenary and concurrent sessions will be available for online purchase at www.nela.org/seminarweb after the Convention.

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2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

CONVENTION MEETING ROOMS LOWER B2 LEVEL Convention Registration (North Registration) Receptions (Grand Assembly) Plenaries and Concurrents, (Salons 1-8 and Salons 10-13) Breaks, Meals, Members Forum, and Gala (Salon 9) FOURTH STREET

HOWARD STREET LOADING DOCK

FREIGHT DOOR 10’ HEIGHT x 10.6’ WIDTH

SERVICE CORRIDOR

SALON 15

SALON 14

SALON 2

SALON 13

SALON 3

SALON 12

SALON 4

SALON 11

SALON 5

SALON 10

SALON 9

SALON 8

TO GOLDEN GATE BALLROOM

A

B

NORTH REGISTRATION

A

NOB HILL A

NOB HILL B

NOB HILL C

ELEVATOR NOB HILL D

SOUTH REGISTRATION

SALON 6

SALON 7

YERBA BUENA GRAND ASSEMBLY B

ASSEMBLY

ASSEMBLY

HOWARD STREET

SALON 1 ALL DOOR DIMENSIONS 7.5’ HEIGHT x 6’ WIDTH

YERBA BUENA GARDENS

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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CONVENTION MEETING ROOMS 4th Floor Pacific Conference Suites/5th Floor Sierra Conference Suites Committee & Practice Group Meetings

PACIFIC (FOURTH LEVEL)

J

SIERRA (FIFTH LEVEL)

H

I

G

K

J

I

H

G

GARDEN DECK ELEVATORS ELEVATOR

ELEVATORS

COR HEALTH AND FITNESS

COR HEALTH AND FITNESS

F

ATRIUM

F

E

ATRIUM

E

D

A

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B

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

C

D

A

B

C

THURSDAY PROGRAM Program subject to change without notice.

Please note: Sessions marked in red are mask optional events where food and beverages will be available.

Attendees are encouraged to remain masked when not eating or drinking.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2022 9:00–9:45 a.m.

2022 Affiliate Leadership Workshop Registration & Networking Breakfast (By Invitation Only) Nob Hill C-D Foyer

9:45 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

2022 Affiliate Leadership Workshop & Forum (By Invitation Only) Nob Hill C-D

2:00–8:00 p.m.

2022 Annual Convention Registration North Registration

4:00–6:00 p.m.

NELA Law Students & New Lawyers Program Pacific I Speakers: Joseph W. Gibson & Austin Webbert Law students, recent law graduates, and those new to plaintiffs’ employment law are invited to join NELA and the National Institute for Workers’ Rights for an engaging and interactive discussion on how a career in plaintiff-side employment law offers a unique and meaningful way for new lawyers to use their skills to drive progressive social change. Experienced employment law practitioners will discuss their work as advocates for workers’ rights and how it intersects with and advances other social justice issues including civil rights, immigration, environmental justice, LGBT rights, and gender equality. The panelists also will address how to enter the plaintiffs’ employment law field and what skills and experience can help law students be successful advocates as they begin their legal careers.

6:30–8:00 p.m.

President’s Welcome Reception Grand Assembly Convention participants are invited to join NELA President Linda M. Correia, the NELA Board, and the 2022 Annual Convention Committee for an informal gathering to celebrate 37 years of workers’ rights advocacy, renew friendships, and make new ones. First-time Convention participants are especially encouraged to attend.

The President’s Welcome Reception is generously co-sponsored by AARP Foundation Litigation & the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA)

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FRIDAY PROGRAM FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 7:00–9:00 a.m.

2022 Annual Convention Registration North Registration

7:00–9:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast Salon 9 Continental breakfast is available to Convention registrants only.

8:30–9:15 a.m.

Paul H. Tobias Roll Call of the States & Opening Remarks Salons 7-8 Linda M. Correia, NELA President, Carla D. Brown, NELA First Vice President & Jeffrey A. Mittman, NELA Executive Director

9:15–10:30 a.m.

Workers Rising: Honoring Courageous Plaintiffs Salons 7-8 Moderator: Linda M. Correia Courageous Plaintiffs: Owen Diaz, Stephanie Edwards & Charlotte Newman Advocates: Bernard Alexander, Lawrence A. Organ, Lawrence M. Pearson & Nina T. Pirrotti The Convention’s opening plenary session will bring to life the stories of three remarkable individuals who stood up to their employers and held their ground in the face of immense adversity, not only to vindicate their own rights, but to improve the lives of others as well. Our honorees embody the change we want to see in the American workplace, and their courage to rise to the challenge will inspire us to continue the fight for equality and justice for all.

Their lawyers will share their legal theories and litigation strategies that led to their clients’ extraordinary victories.

10:30–10:45 a.m.

BREAK Salon 9

10:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Litigation Strategy & Damages

Countering the Latest in the Defendant’s Bag of Tricks Salons 1-3 Moderator/Speaker: Brian P. Sanford Speakers: Toni J. Jaramilla & Michael Levin-Gesundheit How can you stay ahead of the latest from opposing counsel? This panel will examine emerging defense tactics and give practical advice for countering these tactics.

Cutting Edge Employment Litigating Intersectional Employment Discrimination Claims Law Salons 4-6 Moderator/Speaker: Clare J. Horan Speakers: Deborah K. Marcuse, Professor Kimberly J. Norwood & Phillis h. Rambsy Intersectionality can be a vitally important (but often overlooked) part of a discrimination claim. Our experts will examine the roots of intersectionality and examine strategies for bringing intersectional employment discrimination claims.

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2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

FRIDAY PROGRAM 10:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS (continued)

DEI/Implicit Bias

Diversifying the Plaintiffs’ Bar Salons 7-8 Moderator: Rasha Zeyadeh Speakers: Chiquita Hall-Jackson & Lisa P. Mak The legal profession has a diversity issue, and so too does the plaintiffs’ bar. Many NELA members represent those who have been discriminated against because of race or disability, but we oftentimes don’t look like or share the same life experiences as those we represent. This panel will explore how to better recruit, retain, and mentor diverse attorneys.

Litigating Worker Misclassification Claims Salons 10-12 Moderator/Speaker: Rachhana T. Srey Speakers: Clif Alexander & Mark Hanna Join our experts as they share strategies for how to best litigate misclassification claims, addressing what factors should be considered when taking a case. The panelists will also discuss current trends in misclassification litigation and what changes we can expect in the future.

Arbitration Strategies in Employment Cases Salons 13-15 Moderator/Speaker: Karla Gilbride Speakers: Caroline E. Bressman, Adam L. Koshkin & Christian Schreiber Join our panel of experts as they discuss the best ways to arbitrate on behalf of your clients.

Panelists will discuss mass employment arbitrations, emerging legislative trends, and tips and tricks to make the most out of arbitration.

12:00–1:30 p.m.

Annual Luncheon & Keynote Address Salon 9

2:00–3:15 p.m.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Litigation Strategy & Damages

How to Draft a Great Demand Letter to Get Your Opposing Counsel to Settle the Matter Prior to Litigation Salons 1-3 Moderator: María G. Díaz Speakers: Paige Fiedler, David L. Lee & Rasha Zeyadeh How can you make such a persuasive argument that opposing counsel has no choice but to settle? Join our experts for an in-depth look at the components of a great demand letter in employment cases.

Cutting Edge Employment Negotiating Company Practice Changes Law Salons 7-8 Moderator: M. Nieves Bolaños Speakers: James M. Finberg, Anna Y. Park & Rebecca Peterson-Fisher In many cases, money is not enough to truly remedy the harm caused by an employer. This session will join experts from high-profile cases as they discuss the ins and outs of negotiating company practice changes, including during class and collective action litigation. Panelists will also address how to enforce practice changes once they are agreed upon.

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FRIDAY PROGRAM 2:00–3:15 p.m.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS (continued)

Ethics

Ethical & Practical Considerations When Stepping Away from Your Law Practice Salons 4-6 Moderator: Joseph D. Garrison Speakers: Ida Abbot & Nicholas J. Enoch At some point all of us will step away from our law practice. Whether for illness, retirement, parental leave, or just to take a break, there will come a time when you need to know how to take that step back. Join our practitioners for tips and strategies to ensure you are prepared for the ethical and practical challenges that might arise when you step away.

California/9th Circuit Law

Defamation in Employment Cases Salons 10-12 Moderator: Kirby F. Cañon Speakers: Hilary P. Hammell, Noah D. Lebowitz & Vincent Tong Discrimination in the workplace often also involves defamation claims. This panel of expert practitioners will provide an overview of defamation torts and defamation claims under California law in the employment context.

Whistleblower & Retaliation Lawsuits Salons 12-13 Moderator: Ann Lugbill Speakers: John W. McKnight & Alexis H. Ronickher Join our panel of experts as they take you through the nuts and bolts of whistleblower and retaliation claims. From the statutes that cover whistleblowers to the common elements of retaliation claims, this panel will ensure you can represent the next whistleblower who walks through your door with confidence.

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3:15–3:30 p.m.

BREAK Salon 9

3:45–5:00 p.m.

(Not So) Historical Racism: How Institutionalized Prejudice Impacts Workers Salons 7-8 Moderator/Speaker: Anna P. Prakash Speaker: Professor Sherry D. Soanes Too often we think of historical racism and exploitation as something we have overcome and can examine through an academic lens. However, the same insidious stereotyping and prejudice from the very beginning of our history as a country continues to impact today’s workforce. This panel will discuss how historical and institutional racism continues to create disparities in the workplace and how plaintiffs’ employment lawyers can look past the black letter of the law and be creative when addressing these issues on behalf of their clients.

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

FRIDAY/SATURDAY PROGRAM 5:00–6:00 p.m.

We Rise. We Lead. We Celebrate! 2022 Gala Awards Presentation Salons 7-8 All are invited to help us honor three of your colleagues for their inspiring contributions to the NELA community and the cause of justice for workers. In addition, the National Institute for Workers’ Rights will be presenting their inaugural Impact for Workers’ Award. We also will take a moment to pay tribute to the members of our community we have lost in the last three years.

NELA Honorees: Menaka N. Fernando, Joseph D. Garrison, & Victoria W. Ni Institute Honoree: Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation Speakers: Katherine L. Butler, Linda M. Correia, Diane S. King, Karen Maoki, Jeffrey A. Mittman & Nina T. Pirrotti

6:00–7:00 p.m.

Annual Reception Grand Assembly The Annual Reception is included in the registration fee for Convention registrants only. Guest tickets for the Annual Reception may be purchased at the Registration Booth or at the door.

The Annual Reception is generously sponsored by Morgan & Morgan

SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2022 7:00 a.m.

Tobias 5K Run Meet in Hotel Lobby

7:30–9:00 a.m.

2022 Annual Convention Registration North Registration

7:30–9:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast Salon 9 Continental breakfast is available to Convention registrants only.

8:00–9:15 a.m.

Members Forum Salon 9 Join NELA President Linda M. Correia and Executive Director Jeffrey A. Mittman for a discussion on ideas for further strengthening the NELA community and to share your recommendations.

There will also be a special presentation on NELA’s Judicial Nominations efforts, including how you can be a part of shaping the federal judiciary.

9:30–10:45 a.m.

But-For Causation After Bostock Salons 7-8 Moderator: Linda M. Correia Speakers: Charles E. Guerrier, Neelima Vanguri & Professor Deborah A. Widiss This panel will analyze the various Supreme Court cases that have set forth the “but-for” causation standard of proving discrimination and will consider whether McDonnell Douglas even makes sense in a post-Bostock world.

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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SATURDAY PROGRAM 10:45–11:00 a.m.

Ethics & Sanctions Committee Presentation Salons 7-8

11:00–11:15 a.m.

BREAK Salon 9

11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS

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Litigation Strategy & Damages

Staying Organized Before & During Litigation Salons 1-3 Speakers: Laura C. Mattiaci, Marjorie M. Mesidor & Brian T. Rochel Often the key to a good trial is good organization. Our panelists will share their tips and tricks for staying organized during the litigation process from prep to trial day.

DEI/Implicit Bias

Identifying & Overcoming Biases Salons 4-6 Moderator/Speaker: Bryan J. Schwartz Speakers: Cristal L. Cabrera, Christina Cheung & Professor Joan C. Williams This panel of experts will help advocates re-examine our own practices and biases, both in client representation and firm culture. From client intake and selection to which attorneys are speaking during staff meetings, it’s time for all of us to unlearn our biases and take a closer look at how we can make the legal profession more equitable for clients and attorneys.

California/9th Circuit Law

As California Goes, So Goes the Nation?

Salons 7-8 Moderator: Paul Falabella Speakers: Menaka N. Fernando, Kevin Kish & Mariko Yoshihara California is home to many new pieces of progressive legislation at both the state and local levels that protect workers. From the Silenced No More Act and lower standards for equal pay claims to upcoming legislation on caregiver protection, California is paving the way. California has also faced pushback, however, including a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) challenge before the U.S. Supreme Court. Our panelists will discuss what is working (and what isn’t) and provide a guide for advocates in other states who want to help support positive legislative changes in their states.

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

SATURDAY PROGRAM 11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CONCURRENT SESSIONS (continued) Litigating Leave Cases: Interference and Retaliation Claims Salons 13-15 Moderator/Speaker: Rebecca G. Pontikes Speakers: Patricia A. Barasch & Adria L. Silva The FMLA and state counterparts provide employees with robust—and often underutilized— protections against interference and retaliation for exercising (or attempting to exercise) their rights to take leaves of absence. In particular, interference claims can be particularly powerful because they do not require proof of discriminatory intent. This panel will cover the many often over-looked situations in which employees can bring claims for interference and retaliation, how interference and retaliation claims differ, and the remedies available in leave cases.

12:45–2:15 p.m.

Boxed Lunch Pickup Salon 9

1:00–2:15 p.m.

NELA Committee & Practice Group Meetings Age Discrimination Practice Group Pacific A Class & Collective Actions Practice Group Pacific B Disability Rights Practice Group Pacific C EEOC Working Group Pacific E Employee Benefits Practice Group Pacific F Ethics & Sanctions Committee Pacific H Family Responsibilities Discrimination Practice Group Pacific I Federal Workers Practice Group Sierra A Trial Advocacy Practice Group Sierra B Wage & Hour Practice Group & DOL Working Group Sierra C

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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SATURDAY PROGRAM 2:15–3:30 p.m.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Litigation Strategy & Damages

Tesla & Other Large Recoveries for Workers Salons 7-8 Moderator/Speaker: Bernard Alexander Speakers: David A. Lowe, Lawrence A. Organ & Elizabeth “BB” Sanford Hear from some of the top experts about what worked (and what didn’t) in big trial wins for workers, including the record-breaking Tesla trial.

Cutting Edge Employment Law

Working With the Press in Litigation Salons 1-3 Moderator/Speaker: Dara S. Smith Speakers: Darci E. Burrell & Jennifer Mondino To give the interview or not? What ethical rules are implicated when discussing a case with the press? Will this help my client? How much should my client say? Will this article help or hurt our case? These are just some of the questions that lawyers and clients grapple with when deciding whether or not to engage the media during litigation. Featuring experienced attorneys who regularly and successfully navigate the media, this panel will inform lawyers on how to use the media to advance their client’s case in an impactful and ethical manner.

Appellate Employment Practice Salons 4-6 Moderator/Speaker: Michael C. Subit Speakers: Jennifer Bennett, Allison Ehlert & Adam Hansen Most employment law practitioners will wind up in appellate court at some point. This panel of both federal and state experts will share tips and strategies on how to preserve issues for appeal, how to create a sound record, and most importantly, when to ask for help.

Equity Compensation 101 & Beyond Salons 10-12 Speakers: Rob Depew, Nora C. Ostrofe & Jennifer Schwartz Whether negotiating an offer letter or litigating a wrongful termination case, understanding equity compensation is key to ensuring that clients receive the compensation they are due. This panel of equity compensation experts will walk through the most common forms of equity compensation (stock options and RSUs), contractual provisions that can protect a client’s equity compensation, how to calculate damages in cases involving unvested equity, and important tax considerations that every attorney dealing with equity compensation should know. This session will address beginner and intermediate equity compensation topics.

Employment Class Actions—What You Need to Know from the Experts Salons 13-15 Speakers: Cyrus E. Dugger, Byron R. Goldstein & Sabine Jean Class actions are a powerful tool to hold employers accountable for workplace violations. This panel will guide practitioners through strategies, pitfalls, and tips to bring successful class action suits in employment cases. From those who are just starting to take class actions to those who want to refine their skills, this panel will cover both wage and hour and discrimination claims.

3:30–3:45 p.m.

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BREAK Salon 9

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

SATURDAY PROGRAM 3:45–5:00 p.m.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Litigation Strategy & Damages

Evidence in Summary Judgment v. Trial Day Salons 1-3 Moderator: Amanda A. Farahany Speakers: James H. Kaster & Christine E. Webber You’ve survived summary judgment; now how do you make sure you know what evidence you can use at trial?

Cutting Edge Employment Law

COVID-19 Claims for Workers Salons 4-6 Moderator/Speaker: Denise M. Clark Speakers: Phillip M. Kitzer, Kendall N. Onyendu & Roberta L. Steele The COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on workers and the state of work in general.

This session will examine the many unique claims that advocates may start to litigate as the pandemic enters new phases.

Ethics

Ethical Issues in Contacting Witnesses Salons 7-8 Moderator/Speaker: Deborah H. Karpatkin Speakers: Ben Lebsack & Ellen J. Messing The ethics rules on interviewing defendant’s employees and ex-employees can be confusing.

Can you interview current employees, even if defense lawyers say they are represented? What about retired executives and HR managers? Come to this session to learn how to keep on the right side of the ethics line, while advancing your client’s goals.

False Claims Act for Employment Lawyers Salons 10-12 Moderator/Speaker: Renée Brooker Speakers: Rebekah L. Bailey, Jacklyn N. DeMar & Darth M. Newman This presentation will guide workers’ rights advocates through the basics of bringing a False Claims Act (FCA) case against a company on behalf of the government. How does a company violate the False Claims Act? What’s in it for the whistleblower and their employment counsel?

Join this FCA 101 panel to get all the answers.

Litigation Strategy & Damages

Making the Most of Expert Testimony in Employment Litigation Salons 13-15 Moderator/Speaker: Lauren A. Khouri Speakers: Dr. Robert A. Bardwell & Laura L. Noble Experts can be a vital part of any litigation strategy, but how do you find the right expert? What case is the right one for an expert? This panel will address the best ways to select and prepare expert witnesses and identify non-traditional experts that can be of use in employment cases.

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SATURDAY/SUNDAY PROGRAM 8:00–11:00 p.m.

We Rise. We Lead. We Celebrate! 2022 Gala Dance Party Salon 9 Please join us for this special celebration of our community—together again after three years!

The evening includes music, dancing, and other treats. Every Gala attendee will receive two complimentary drink tickets courtesy of Dundon Advisers LLC. Drop in anytime.

The Gala requires a separate ticket to attend. Tickets may be purchased at the Registration Counter or at the door.

SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2022

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7:30–9:00 a.m.

2022 Annual Convention Registration North Registration

7:30–9:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast Salon 9 Continental breakfast is available to Convention registrants only.

8:00–9:00 a.m.

Breakfast With the Institute Salons 1-3 Grab your breakfast and head to Salons 1-3 to learn about the work of the National Institute for Workers’ Rights, NELA’s related charitable policy and advocacy organization, and how you can get more involved.

9:00–10:15 a.m.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Litigation Strategy & Damages

Hiring Jury and Trial Consultants in Employment Cases Salons 1-3 Moderator/Speaker: Benjamin F. Westhoff Speakers: Ed Chapin, Harry Plotkin & Bobby Shukla Jury and trial consultants can provide valuable insight for workers’ rights advocates headed to trial. This panel will discuss the latest, greatest, and most cost-effective options (e.g., mailed questionnaires, virtual focus groups, in-person focus groups, mock trials, etc.) to prepare for trial. Want to know when to hire a consultant or when to use a focus group? Join our panel of experts to find out.

California/9th Circuit Law

“I Object”: Objections in Wage and Hour Class Action Settlements Salons 4-6 Moderator: Cornelia Dai Speakers: Valerie Brender, Todd Jackson & Beth Terrell Two of the most challenging situations that arise in wage and hour practice are dealing with objectors to a class settlement and responding to a settlement in a competing case. This panel of experts will address the most common issues that arise when objectors become involved in a class settlement: evaluating the adequacy of a settlement, reverse auctions, the first-filed rule, motions to intervene, and objector discovery.

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

SUNDAY PROGRAM 9:00–10:15 a.m.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS (continued) The Employee Who Stays: Representing Current Employees Salons 7-8 Moderator: Kristi L. Kingston Speakers: Hillary Benham-Baker, Parisis G. “Gerry” Filippatos & Rebecca L. Salawdeh One of the most challenging situations that advocates face is how to advise an employee who is still employed. Difficult choices abound, such as whether to advise the client to report unlawful treatment, how and to whom they should report, whether and how they should participate in the employer’s investigation, how to deal with active retaliation, and what to do if the employer does not take the corrective action that the employee wants.

What about the employee who needs accommodations? This panel will discuss the most common legal and strategic concerns that face an employee who remains in the workplace after raising legal claims.

Choice of Law and Forum Selection Clauses in Employment Cases Salons 10-12 Moderator/Speaker: Carla D. Brown Speakers: Daniel S. Brome & Christine T. Elzer What do we do when we represent a worker employed in our state who has a contract governed by state law in a state 1500 miles away? Is there a difference if an arbitration clause contains the inconvenient forum choice? Practically speaking, what is the best choice? If we choose to dispute the forum selection or choice of law clause, where do we do it? Do we file the case in our home state anyway? Can the client be sued for breach of contract? We have all been confronted with these problems and we will now get some expert advice on solving them.

10:15–10:45 a.m.

BREAK Salon 9

10:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

The Year in Review: Significant Developments in Employment Law Salons 7-8 Moderator: Ashley O. Westby Speakers: Heather Newsom Leonard, Professor Eric Schnapper & Dara S. Smith The 2022 Annual Convention will close with a robust discussion of the employment cases decided by the U.S. Supreme Court during its 2021–2022 term, significant appellate court, legislative, and state law developments, as well as emerging issues in plaintiffs’ employment law.

12:30 p.m.

Convention Adjourns

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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IMPACT FOR

WORKERS AWARD

The National Institute for Workers’ Rights, NELA’s sister organization, is proud to present our inaugural Impact for Workers Award to the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation for its longstanding support of the Institute’s Workers’ Rights Advocacy Scholarship Program. The Scholarship Program broadens access to NELA’s CLE programs, including this Convention.

The Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation generously has provided funding for the Scholarship Program every year since the Program’s inception in 2007. Since then, the Foundation’s leadership support has made it possible for nearly 300 workers’ rights advocates to attend one of NELA’s CLE programs. Scholarship recipients include public interest and legal services attorneys who represent workers, law students who are deeply committed to practicing plaintiffs’ employment law, and attorneys in private practice who are dedicated to the field and have demonstrated financial need.

Established in 1994 and located in Oakland, CA, the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation has disbursed over $20 million in grants to a wide array of community and civic organizations. Its mission is to benefit the public through grants to organizations and individuals in order to: support research into causes of, treatment for, and prevention of occupational and environmental diseases; increase and improve public awareness about workplace health and safety, and public health; enhance access to, participation in, and education about the legal system and governmental processes; advance programs that provide services which lessen the burdens of government and/or provide relief to the poor, distressed, or under-privileged; and combat community deterioration and lessen neighborhood tensions. Its expenses are defrayed by the Oakland-based law firm of Kazan, McClain, Satterly & Greenwood.

J.S. Held is a global consulting firm that provides technical, scientific, and financial expertise to organizations facing high-stakes events demanding urgent attention. Our economic and valuation experts offer a wide range of expertise in valuing labor and employment litigation damages.

LABOR & EMPLOYMENT DAMAGES • WRONGFUL TERMINATION / BREACH OF CONTRACT

• EQUITY VALUATION: SHARES, OPTIONS, RSUs & ASUs

• DISCRIMINATION

• TAX NEUTRALIZATIONS CALCULATIONS

• CLASS ACTION • FAIR PAY ACT / EQUAL PAY ACT

• WAGE & HOUR VIOLATIONS & PENALTIES

• PENSION VALUATION Visit JSHELD.COM to learn more about our expertise or contact Nora Ostrofe at nostrofe@jsheld.com or 510-388-4415. ®

HERE TO HELP

NELA MEMBERS!

Helping to ensure fairness in the workplace by supporting important cases to protect employee rights.

Interest-Free Grants for EMPLOYMENT Litigation Expenses

The Chet Levitt Fund is committed to ending employment discrimination by providing financial and other support for important employent rights litigation.

CHET LEVITT, an attorney at the Washington, DC firm of Cashdan & Kane, was deeply committed to his work in employment and civil rights law. In 1996, a senseless act of violence took his life.

Chet’s friends and family created the Chet Levitt Fund for Employment Law to honor his life and work in pursuit of equal rights in the workplace.

Chet Levitt Fund for Employment Law 2502 CLIFFBOURNE PLACE NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20009 PHONE: 202-862-4330

For more information or to apply, visit:

www.chetlevittfund.org

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Ida Abbott is a retirement strategist who helps clients design creative, purposeful, and dignified retirements.

She is an internationally recognized expert on talent and career development, especially mentoring, advancing women, and retirement. Ida has counseled lawyers and firms since 1995 and was a trial lawyer for 20 years before that. In recognition of her lifetime contributions to the legal profession, she was elected a Fellow of both the American Bar Foundation and the College of Law Practice Management. She is an advisor, coach, speaker, and author of several seminal books, including Retirement

by Design, named one of the six best retirement books of 2020 by The Wall Street Journal. More information about Ida and her practice can be found on her website, www.

IdaAbbott.com.

Contact: ida@idaabbott.com; (510) 339-6883 Bernard Alexander prosecutes demanding private and public sector employment cases. He has tried over sixty cases to verdict with seven- and eight-figure judgments for claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on gender, race, age, sex, sexual orientation, and disability, among other things. His verdicts include: (1) $3 million for a security guard terminated for “job abandonment” after he took emergency leave from work to care for his school age daughter (February 2018); (2) $5.3 million for a 25-year FedEx employee fired after not having his disability accommodated (March 2019); (3) $1.3 million for CFRA retaliation, for a 29-year employee terminated before his return from leave (April 2019); and $100,000 in a Title IX retaliation case where a girls’ soccer coach complained of unequal treatment compared to boys sports (Sept 2019). Board Member of the National Employment Lawyers Association; Past Chair of the California Employment Law Association; 2016 CELA Joe Posner Award Recipient; 2019 Top 100 Attorneys in California; Top 75 California Labor and Employment Lawyer (2012 to present); Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers (2015 to present); American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA): Associate 2013.

Contact: balexander@amfllp.com; (310) 394-0888 Clif Alexander is a South Texas native and co-founder of Anderson Alexander, PLLC, which is based in Corpus Christi, Texas. Mr. Alexander’s practice focuses on pursuing wage and hour violations on behalf of employees across the United States in individual and large-scale collective/class actions under the Fair Labor Standards 50

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Act and related state wage and hour laws.

Contact: clif@a2xlaw.com; (361) 947-2543 Rebekah L. Bailey is a partner at Nichols Kaster, PLLP, in Minneapolis where she represents employees, students, and consumers in class actions and relators in qui tam litigation. She is a founding member of the firm’s civil rights and impact team and consumer class action group, and she has served on the firm’s national wage and hour team. Rebekah chairs her firm’s eDiscovery committee, developing and implementing internal eDiscovery policies, procedures, and tools. Rebekah is a member of the steering committee for the Sedona Conference’s Working Group 1, the board for the Complex eDiscovery Litigation Forum (CLEF), the global advisory counsel for EDRM (Electronic Discovery Reference Model), and the advisory board for the Advanced eDiscovery Institute at Georgetown. Rebekah has spoken at national conferences on various topics such as eDiscovery, arbitration, class actions, equal pay, and various wage and hour issues.

Contact: bailey@nka.com; (612) 256-3287 A staunch advocate for employee rights on both the state and national level, Patricia A. Barasch has helped to build Schall & Barasch into one of the preeminent plaintiffs’ employment-rights law firms in the state. Throughout her nearly 30-year career, she has represented employees in cases involving all types of unfair and illegal employment practices including claims involving race, sex, age, and disability discrimination, sexual harassment, reasonable accommodation, the Family Medical Leave Act, wrongful termination, breach of contract, retaliation, and noncompete agreements. From June 2010 to June 2013, Ms. Barasch was honored to serve as President of the National Employment Lawyers Association, the largest organization of plaintiffs’ employment lawyers in the United States.

Contact: pbarasch@schallandbarasch.com; (856) 914-9200 Dr. Robert A. Bardwell has over 30 years of experience consulting and providing expert witness testimony in statistics, probability modeling, demographics, econometrics, and computer algorithms. Dr. Bardwell has been retained by government agencies, corporations, and plaintiffs and defendants, and has testified as an expert in numerous United States District Courts and state and county courts. Dr. Bardwell has provided expert

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES testimony in large class actions in employment and other litigation, including the computation of lost earnings.

Entertaining examples of recent large class actions include testimony in a case against Apple that resulted in a $95M settlement (https://casetext.com/case/ maldonado-v-apple-inc-3), and novel cases contesting internet privacy, the first of which resulted in a $25M settlement (https://casetext.com/case/umg-recordingsinc-v-grande-commcns-networks-llc-9).

Contact: andy@bardwellconsulting.com; (720) 219-3627 Hillary Benham-Baker is the Principal Attorney at Benham-Baker Legal. Hillary is proud to have dedicated her career to representing employees and civil rights litigants. Hillary is a frequent speaker on employment law topics and has recently spoken on California disability accommodation law, equal pay litigation, employee leave laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and prelitigation strategies. Super Lawyers magazine named Hillary a “Rising Star” among Northern California attorneys annually between 2011 and 2021 and a “Super Lawyer” for 2022.

Contact: hillary@benhambaker.com; (415) 373-1828 Jennifer Bennett is a principal at Gupta Wessler PLLC, where she heads the firm’s San Francisco office and focuses on cutting-edge public interest and plaintiffs’side appellate litigation. Her practice covers a wide range of issues including civil rights, consumer protection, constitutional law, workers’ rights, and government transparency. Jennifer has been counsel in several significant cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including recently arguing and winning a landmark victory on behalf of transportation workers challenging forced arbitration in New Prime Inc. v. Oliveira (2019)—the first case in over a decade in which the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the party challenging arbitration. In addition to her U.S. Supreme Court litigation, Jennifer regularly handles appeals in both state and federal court on behalf of workers and consumers fighting forced arbitration and other barriers to access to justice. She frequently represents journalists, media organizations, and nonprofits challenging government secrecy, recently winning a groundbreaking case in the Ninth Circuit vindicating the public’s right to access court records.

And she regularly represents plaintiffs in civil rights cases involving difficult or novel legal issues.

Contact: jennifer@guptawessler.com; (203) 645-8983

Maria de las Nieves (Nieves) Bolaños was influenced from a young age by the work and activism of her single mother, who worked to provide health care and educational services in Central Washington’s Yakima Valley, including through work with migrant farmworkers and community organizations. It was this background that created Nieves’ interest in employment law and drew her to her first legal job with mentor and workers’ rights activist Robin Potter, who later became her law partner.

Nieves represents workers in wage and hour, False Claims Act, and employment discrimination and retaliation litigation. She has significant litigation experience at the state and federal level, as well as with local administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board. Nieves’ experience includes representation of single plaintiffs, class and collective actions at all stages of litigation, and she has litigated False Claims Act cases and large class action cases with exceptional results. She serves on the Board of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) and is VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on its Executive Committee. She also chairs NELA’s Low Wage Worker Practice Group and serves on its Legislative Action Committee and is a member of NELA’s Illinois affiliate, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the National Lawyers Guild’s Chicago Labor and Employment Committee. Nieves serves on the ARISE Chicago Legal Advisory Board and serves on the Board for In These Times Magazine.

Contact: nbolanos@fishlawfirm.com; (312) 224-2423 Valerie Brender is a partner at Rukin Hyland & Riggin LLP. She litigates class and collective action employment law cases, including misclassification, wage and hour, and discrimination cases. She also advises executives on employment and severance agreements during job transitions and litigates individual civil rights, wrongful dismissal, and whistleblower cases. Prior to joining the firm, Valerie was a research fellow at Human Rights Watch. Valerie graduated from New York University School of Law where she worked on human rights litigation as a summer law clerk at Schonbrun DeSimone Seplow Harris & Hoffman, LLP in Los Angeles, and at the ACLU’s Center for Democracy in New York. Prior to law school, Valerie was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama and a Fulbright Scholar in Spain. She earned her B.A. from Wake Forest University.

Contact: vbrender@rukinhyland.com; (415) 421-1800 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Caroline E. Bressman is an associate attorney at Nichols Kaster, PLLP, where she practices wage theft and ERISA litigation. Caroline primarily represents workers in class and collective actions who have been denied proper wage and hour protections or whose retirement savings have been diminished because of excessive fees, imprudent investments, or employer self-dealing. In addition to her experience with group litigation in federal courts, Caroline has represented individual claimants with wage and hour claims who have been forced to arbitration.

Caroline graduated cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School and served as the Symposium Editor of the Minnesota Law Review. Caroline’s pronouns are she/her/hers.

Contact: cbressman@nka.com; (612) 256-3200 Daniel S. Brome fights for employees’ rights to hardearned wages as part of Nichols Kaster’s National Wage and Hour Litigation Team. Focusing on class and collective actions, Daniel represents workers seeking recovery of minimum wage, overtime, commission payments, and improper meal and break deductions. He has dedicated his legal career to representing workers and consumers, and ardently advocates for his clients and for their just claims to unpaid wages.

Contact: dbrome@nka.com; (415) 277-7235 Renée Brooker is a Partner at the Washington, D.C. plaintiffs’ law firm of Tycko & Zavareei LLP representing whistleblowers throughout the United States. Renée is the former Assistant Director for Civil Frauds at the United States Department of Justice, the office that supervises False Claims Act cases in all 94 federal district courts. In her official capacity, Renée had oversight for hundreds of recoveries, with nearly $6 billion in False Claims Act recoveries. While at DOJ, Renée was the chief architect of the Big Lender Initiative under President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force; led trial teams to a successful False Claims Act jury verdict against a national health care provider and a civil RICO verdict against the tobacco industry after 3-month and 9-month trials; and litigated cases against Big Pharma in the “Average Wholesale Price” MDL. Her extensive fraud enforcement experience with whistleblowers cuts across all industries from health care to the government contracting space to the financial industry. Renée received numerous Justice Department awards for fraud prevention, including the Attorney General’s highest award for sizeable recoveries against the pharmaceutical industry.

Contact: reneebrooker@tzlegal.com; (202) 288-1295 52

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Carla D. Brown is admitted to practice in state and federal courts throughout Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland. In 2014, MWELA recognized Ms. Brown as a “Lawyer of the Year—In recognition of outstanding dedication to Civil Rights, Equality, and Justice.” In 2015, 2017, and 2018 the Washingtonian rated Ms. Brown “Top Lawyer” in Plaintiff’s Employment Law. In 2018, Lawdragon selected Ms. Brown as a top 500 Plaintiff Employment Lawyer. In 2018, Ms. Brown was selected a member of Virginia’s Legal Elite.

Ms. Brown was recognized as a rising star in Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine 2009–2012, a Super Lawyer 2013–2019 (one of the Top 50 Women in Virginia 2015 and 2019), a Washington, D.C. Rising Star in 2013, and a Super Lawyer 2014-2015 and 2017-2018. In 2013, Ms. Brown was invited to membership in The National Trial Lawyers Organization, Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Civil Plaintiff Law. Contact: cbrown@charlsonbredehoft.com; (703) 318-6800 Darci E. Burell is a partner of Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP. Darci has practiced civil rights and public interest law since she graduated from UCLA Law School in 1995, beginning with a year serving as the Ruth Chance Law Fellow with Equal Rights Advocates. Darci then joined the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in Los Angeles as a staff attorney. Darci returned to the Bay Area in 1998 to serve as a Civil Rights Attorney with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, enforcing laws against discrimination in education on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, gender, and disability. Two years later, she joined Goldstein, Demchak, Baller, Borgen & Dardarian as a civil litigator involved in a variety of employment discrimination and wage and hour class action lawsuits.

Prior to forming LVBH, she was a senior associate with the employment practice group of Boxer & Gerson LLP. Contact: darci@levyvinick.com; (510) 318-7700 Cristal L. Cabrera has dedicated her practice to employment litigation including wage and hour disputes and claims of wrongful termination, and family law matters including divorce, paternity, and restraining order cases. Originally from the State of Indiana, she graduated in 2009 from Indiana University-Bloomington where she double-majored in Chemistry and Spanish and obtained a minor in Biology. She graduated in 2012 from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. Since graduating law school, Cristal obtained her license to practice law in 2012 from the State of

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Indiana and in 2013 from the State of California, where she has been practicing ever since. Cristal has resolved countless cases for divorce, actions to establish paternity, and employment disputes regarding payment of wages and wrongful termination. Cristal is fluent in English and Spanish and serves a diverse client base throughout Southern California.

Contact: ccabrera@cristallawoffices.com; (213) 325-3080 Kirby Fernando Cañon’s practice focuses on protecting wrongfully terminated workers and those experiencing harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or sexual abuse.

He fights powerful individuals, private companies of all sizes, and public employers in pre-litigation matters, state or federal courts, and arbitrations. Mr. Cañon is bilingual in English and Spanish. He is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), the National Employers Lawyers Association (NELA) and the Fresno County Bar Association. In CELA, he is a Board Member, the Co-Chair of the Arbitration Committee, and a former chair of the Immigrant Employee Rights.

Mr. Cañon received a Super Lawyer Rising Star every year since 2018. He also earned several awards for his work and contributions to CELA. Mr. Cañon is the proud son and brother of two amazing, dedicated mothers. He was born in the beautiful San Andres Islas in Colombia and immigrated to the United States in 1998. In his spare time, Mr. Cañon enjoys reading and spending time with his family. He is an avid soccer fan who enjoys cooking and eating food from around the world and keeping up with current events.

Contact: kcanon@amglaw.com; (323) 653-6530, Ext. 314 *Chelsy Castro is CEO and Founder of Castro Jacobs Psychotherapy and Consulting (CJPC), a firm specializing in lawyer well-being. An attorney turned psychotherapist and performance coach, Chelsy counsels individuals, small groups, and the organizations they work for on how to achieve their goals in healthy and productive ways. Chelsy’s publications and trainings focus on science-based skills and strategies for improving performance and increasing well-being in high-pressure professions. Her book, 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers, launches in May 2022. After practicing law as a multilingual attorney in the field of international regulatory compliance, Chelsy later earned her clinical degree at the University of Chicago and shifted her focus to lawyer well-being. Prior to launching CJPC, Chelsy

designed, developed, and managed clinical programs for the legal profession, and provided evidence-based psychotherapy and training for lawyers, judges, and law students.

Contact: ccastro@castrojacobs.com; (312) 766-4612 Ed Chapin is a Partner at Sanford Heisler Sharp and Chair of the firm’s Trial Practice Group. Since joining Sanford Heisler Sharp, Ed has continued to be recognized in the legal community as a premier trial attorney.

At Sanford Heisler Sharp, Ed’s practice has involved representing individuals and classes in employment and consumer protection matters, as well as individuals in commercial and personal injury cases. Ed received his law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Missouri State University. Between college and law school, Ed served as an Infantry officer for four years in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of Captain, including a tour of duty during the Vietnam War where he was decorated for valor twice. A member of the California bar, Ed has served as a panelist at many professional seminars on topics pertinent to his areas of practice and in leadership roles in multiple local, state, and national organizations. Before joining Sanford Heisler Sharp, Ed was a named equity partner in three San Diego firms where he gained substantial experience in civil trials and served as a leader in multiple professional organizations. When Ed is not lawyering, he enjoys reading, music, and his family of two adult sons and his teenage granddaughter, spending time at the Missouri farm where he was born and raised, and communicating with some members of the unit he led in combat in Vietnam.

Contact: echapin@sanfordheisler.com; 619-577-4251 Christina Cheung is a Partner with Allred, Maroko & Goldberg and actively practices in California and New York.

Ms. Cheung specializes in the areas of sexual harassment, sexual assault, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination on behalf of employees. Ms. Cheung also specializes in representing minors who are victims of sexual abuse by teachers, coaches, police officers, etc. Ms. Cheung joined Allred, Maroko & Goldberg in September of 2011. She also has worked for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division—Employment Litigation Section. Ms. Cheung has successfully recovered millions of dollars on behalf of her clients across the United States.

She cares deeply about her clients and will fight vigorously to protect her client’s privacy rights in litigation. Ms. Cheung graduated from Georgetown University where she 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service. Ms. Cheung then graduated near the top of her class from the UCLA School of Law. While at UCLA Law, Ms. Cheung was mentored by Vicki Schultz, a renowned scholar in employment discrimination and sexual harassment law. Ms. Cheung has been named a Super Lawyer Rising Star every year since 2017. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. An avid yogini, Ms. Cheung is a certified 200-hour yoga instructor.

She incorporates her yoga training and legal experience representing hundreds of sexual harassment/sexual assault victims over the years to approach her clients with a trauma-informed practice.

Contact: ccheung@amglaw.com; (323) 556-3446 Denise M. Clark is the founder of Clark Law Group, PLLC in Washington, DC, where she practices employee benefits and employment law. Ms. Clark’s practice focuses on litigation in disability discrimination, retaliation under several employment statutes, wage payment violations, and ERISA pension and disability claims. Ms. Clark is a fellow of the American College of Employee Benefit Counsel and a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.

She currently serves on the Board of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association. She has served on the Council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Labor and Employment Law. She has contributed to several legal treatises, including Bloomberg BNA’s Employee Benefits Law, ERISA Litigation, The Fair Labor Standards Act, and The Family Medical Leave Act. Ms. Clark earned her LL.M. in taxation and labor, specializing in employee benefits law, at Georgetown University Law Center. She earned her J.D. at North Carolina Central University School of Law. She was a senior editor of the North Carolina Central University Law Review and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree at Marquette University.

She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Indiana, and Illinois and numerous federal district courts and circuit courts.

Contact: dmclark@benefitcounsel.com; (202) 293-0015 Linda M. Correia is a civil rights attorney who has represented employees in employment discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblower cases for 29 years. A founding member of Correia & Puth, PLLC, Ms. Correia has focused her practice on cases involving sex discrimination, sexual harassment, race discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation, 54

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and Title IX, under state and federal civil rights statutes.

She also counsels employees on executive compensation agreements and in severance negotiations. Super Lawyers ranks Ms. Correia as one of the top 50 women lawyers in Washington, DC Best Lawyers has recognized Ms. Correia as among the highest peer-rated plaintiff employment lawyers in the Washington, D.C. area since 2009 and as “Lawyer of the Year” in 2020 among Civil Rights lawyers.

Washingtonian Magazine also selected Ms. Correia among its “Top Lawyers” for more than a decade. Ms. Correia also is ranked among the Lawdragon 500 for her work in employment law. Ms. Correia currently serves as President of the National Employment Lawyers Association and has been a member of its Board of Directors since 2014.

She served as President of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association from 2004 to 2007, where she continues to serve on the Board of Directors.

She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Foundation, and the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, DC. Contact: lcorreia@correiaputh.com; (202) 602-6500 Cornelia Dai is a partner at Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP, a private plaintiff-side law firm in Southern California. She specializes in employment, wage and hour, and civil rights law, with a focus on class actions and complex litigation. Ms. Dai has successfully litigated a wide range of matters on behalf of workers, involving wage and hour violations, workplace harassment and discrimination, whistleblowing/retaliation, and wrongful termination. For the years 2017, 2019, and 2022, Ms. Dai was selected as Lawyer of the Year in Southern California by Best Lawyers for Litigation – Labor and Employment (Pasadena). In 2018, she was selected as Lawyer of the Year in Southern California by Best Lawyers for Employment Law – Individuals (Pasadena).

In addition, she was again selected for the year 2021 as one of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers and one of The National Trial Lawyer’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Ms. Dai has been named to the Southern California Super Lawyers® list as a Rising Star or Super Lawyer each year since 2005, and she has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2012.

She serves on the Board of the California Employment Lawyers Association, the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section, and the Board of the Foundation for Advocacy, Inclusion and Resources.

Contact: cdai@hadsellstormer.com; (626) 585-9600

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Jacklyn N. DeMar is the Director of Legal Education at Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund, where she began as the staff attorney in August of 2014. In her capacity as Director of Legal Education, Jacklyn works with whistleblowers, their counsel, and government attorneys on various False Claims Act matters, as well as matters involving other whistleblower programs. She files amicus curiae briefs in courts across the country – including the U.S. Supreme Court – and serves as editorin-chief of TAFEF’s legal periodical, the False Claims Act & Qui Tam Quarterly Review. She is also responsible for coordinating the TAFEF Annual Conference, the nation’s largest annual conference focused on whistleblower programs curated for relators, their counsel, and the government. Jacklyn has focused on False Claims Act and other fraud practice for most of her career, since graduating cum laude from American University’s Washington College of Law in 2009. She has experience practicing at large Washington DC defense firms, is a member of the Maryland and DC bars, and serves as a Vice Chair for the American Bar Association’s Health Law Publications Editorial Board.

Contact: jdemar@taf.org; (202) 296-4826 María G. Díaz has dedicated her legal career to representing workers in employment cases. She is the founder of THE DIAZ LAW FIRM and serves as “Of Counsel” to the law firm of Allred, Maroko & Goldberg.

Ms. Díaz focuses her practice exclusively on representing workers in a range of employment matters including defamation, whistleblowers, sexual harassment, gender/ pregnancy discrimination, disability discrimination, and wrongful termination. She has expertise navigating leave laws, including those related to pregnancy, disability, and family medical leave. Ms. Díaz is bilingual in Spanish and English. She has a broad range of experience in federal court, state court, and arbitration. Ms. Díaz litigates, tries cases in state and federal court, arbitrates cases, and does appellate work. She has negotiated millions for her clients in a multitude of employment claims against a wide range of companies, individuals, and public entities.

Contact: mdiaz@amglaw.com; (323) 653-6530 Cyrus E. Dugger is the Principal of The Dugger Law Firm, PLLC. He has represented hundreds of employees in employment discrimination and wage and hour matters, including complex class and collective action litigation against major U.S. corporations and governmental entities including the City of New York. Mr. Dugger has

worked on some of the most cutting-edge cases in the employment field. Mr. Dugger’s practice involves all areas of discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour law, including failure to provide reasonable disability accommodations, protected leaves of absence from work under the ADA, FMLA, NYPFL, NYSHRL, and NYCHRL, harassment, stereotyping, and other forms of discrimination including sex, race, pregnancy, color, and sex-plus discrimination, as well as independent contractor misclassification, unpaid overtime, and wage notice.

Contact: cd@theduggerlawfirm.com; (646) 560-3208 *Sue Ellen Eisenberg is the Founder of Sue Ellen Eisenberg & Associates, P.C., which celebrates its 33rd anniversary this year. Prior to founding her firm, Sue Ellen served as the Special Assistant to the General Counsel of the EEOC where she was instrumental in drafting the agency’s first Guidelines on Sexual Harassment. Sue Ellen has chosen to focus her practice on identifying and remediating workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. She has received numerous awards and accolades, chief of which was the Champion of Justice Award from the State Bar of Michigan. She serves on the University of Michigan Depression Center’s National Advisory Board and has served as President of the International Women’s Forum. Last year, she was named one of Crain’s Notable Women in Law. She balances her scales of justice with time spent with her adult children, her Labrador retriever, and the wildlife in her backyard.

Contact: see@seelawpc.com; (248) 258-5050 Allison Ehlert is a partner with Ehlert Hicks LLP in Berkeley, California where she maintains a diverse appellate practice focused on workers’ rights, civil rights and liberties, and consumer-protection law. She has won precedent-setting victories in the Ninth Circuit, the California Courts of Appeals, the New York Court of Appeals, and the Ohio Supreme Court. She also maintains an active amicus practice and has served on the amicus committee of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA). Before starting her own firm, Allison was a trial and appellate lawyer at a San Francisco law firm and clerked for the Honorable R. Guy Cole, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the Honorable Algenon L. Marbley of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. She obtained her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and her undergraduate degree from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Contact: aehlert@ehlerthicks.com; (415) 828-5350 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Christine T. Elzer is the founder of Elzer Law Firm, LLC in Pittsburgh. She primarily represents employees in employment matters throughout Pennsylvania. She has been involved in numerous federal and state court trials, and is especially experienced in defeating motions for summary judgment. She has been selected as a Rising Star

by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers each year since 2011. Since 2020, she has served a member of NELA’s Board. She also serves on NELA’s Judicial Nominations Committee.

She is the Chair of the Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association (WPELA), a NELA affiliate, and is also a member of NELA-Eastern PA. Christine is also a trained mediator. She mediates employment disputes for her local federal court’s ADR program, as well as pro bono for the EEOC. She is member of the Board of Directors of the Mediation Council of Western Pennsylvania, and serves as its Information Officer. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and was selected to the Order of the Coif. While in law school, Ms. Elzer served as the Senior Topics Editor for the University of Pittsburgh Law Review. She also graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh School of Arts and Sciences, where she earned a B.A. in Sociology and Spanish, and a Certificate in Latin American Studies.

Contact: celzer@elzerlaw.com; (412) 230-8436 Nicholas J. Enoch is a partner with the law firm of Lubin & Enoch, P.C. In addition to a traditional labor side practice, Mr. Enoch has an active, multi-state wage and hour practice focusing on claims arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and analogous state laws.

Mr. Enoch has been court-approved as lead plaintiffs’ counsel in a number of FLSA-collective and Rule 23 class actions. Mr. Enoch is admitted to practice in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and numerous federal courts including, inter alia, the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Enoch is also an adjunct faculty member at the Pennsylvania State University’s School of Labor Studies and Employment Relations and he serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.

Contact: nick@lubinandenoch.com; (303) 595-0008 Paul M. Falabella is a partner with Butler Curwood, PLC. He concentrates his practice primarily in the areas of employment discrimination, employment and business torts, civil rights, and employment contracts.

Mr. Falabella has been named to the Virginia Rising Stars list in the field of Employment & Labor by Super Lawyers and the Legal Elite list by Virginia Business Magazine in the 56

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field of Labor/Employment Law. He has served on the Board of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocating for pro-employee legislation since 2017.

Contact: paul@butlercurwood.com; (804) 402-4816 Amanda A. Farahany’s work on behalf of employees has been widely recognized, and she is the recipient of numerous awards and achievements. She has been named to the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

In June of 2020, Amanda was elected a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Attorneys. In July, she was elected to the Board of Directors of Stand Up for Workers (SU4W), a political action committee dedicated to the needs and concerns of American workers. Before these elections she was named “2019 Lawyer of the Year – Employment Law for Individuals” by Best Lawyers and was also listed in the “Top 50 Women in Georgia”

by Super Lawyers. She has been nominated to Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Georgia, the National Advocate’s Top 100 Lawyers, and many other organizations for her work in Labor and Employment. She is also AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Through Amanda’s leadership, Barrett & Farahany has been recognized as a “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report and “Best Litigation Firm of the Year” by the Fulton County Daily Report.

Contact: amanda@Justiceatwork.com; (404) 214-0120 Menaka N. Fernando is a partner at Outten & Golden’s San Francisco office and focuses her practice on gender-based issues in the workplace, including sexual harassment, gender and race discrimination, and family and pregnancy leave, among other claims. Menaka is the Co-Chair of the California Employment Lawyers Association’s Legislative Committee and serves on the boards of CELA, the Stand Up For Workers PAC, and Open Door Legal, an SF-based legal aid organization.

Contact: mfernando@outtengolden.com; (415) 710-0713 Paige Fiedler works in Des Moines, Iowa, at Fiedler Law Firm, PLC, the firm she founded in 2001. The firm has nine attorneys and represents plaintiffs with employment and civil rights claims in Iowa and Nebraska. Paige is a 1987 graduate of Simpson College and a 1994 graduate of Drake University Law School. Her accomplishments include 38 jury trials and 60 reported cases.

Contact: paige@employmentlawiowa.com; (515) 254-1999

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Parisis G. (“Gerry”) Filippatos is the Founding Partner of Filippatos PLLC. Mr. Filippatos is a seasoned and versatile labor and employment attorney with nearly three decades of experience in the field. He has represented thousands of employees in legal matters involving employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on gender, pregnancy, race, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity; separation and severance agreements; executive compensation; restrictive covenants; and whistleblower retaliation. He is also a highly adept negotiator, having successfully represented countless individuals in matters involving executive compensation, employment contracts, and severance agreements.

Contact: pgf@filippatoslaw.com; (914) 984-1111, ext. 500

three years as President of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) and was a Charter Fellow in the Board of Governors of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, later serving as its national President. As an elected member of the American Law Institute (ALI), Joe was substantially involved in drafting the highly-influential Restatement (Third) of Employment Law, which was published in 2014. He is also a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. For the past 30 years, Joe has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America that honors the top 1% of attorneys in the country. He increasingly focuses his practice on mediation and arbitration.

Contact: jgarrison@garrisonlaw.com; (203) 777-4425

James M. Finberg is a partner at Altshuler Berzon LLP in San Francisco, where he specializes in employment discrimination and wage/hour class actions. Mr. Finberg received a B.A. in 1980 from Brown University and a J.D. in 1983 from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was Executive Editor of the University of Chicago Law Review. From 1997 to 1998 and again from 2008 to 2010, he served as Co-Chair of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area.

In 2005, he served as President of the Bar Association of San Francisco. He served on the Board of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) from 2011 to 2013. Since 2005, he has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Labor and Employment Law, and since 2018 for Class Actions. In 2014, Best Lawyers named him the Lawyer of the Year in San Francisco for Labor and Employment. Mr. Finberg was listed as one of the Top 100 “Super Lawyers” in Northern California from 20052013, and has been listed as a Super Lawyer since 2005.

In 2009, he was named a “California Lawyer of the Year”

by California Lawyer Magazine in the field of civil rights. In 2018 and 2019, The Daily Journal selected him as one of the Top Labor and Employment Lawyers in California. In 2020, he was named in the Legal 500 “Hall of Fame” in the field of Plaintiff Labor and Employment disputes.

Joseph W. Gibson is the founder and Managing Attorney of the Employment Law Center of Maryland, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal aid organization which represents economically distressed Maryland workers in discrimination, harassment, and wage litigation in state and federal court. Joe’s legal career began in 2014 at the American Red Cross, where he developed and deployed law of war programs in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. His shift to employment law took place in 2018, when he joined the Employment Law Group, P.C. as a Litigation Law Clerk, cutting his teeth on Title VII and qui tam cases while attending night classes at the American University Washington College of Law. In 2021, following his clerkship for the Hon. Harry C. Storm, he combined his interests in employment law and nonprofit services, launching the Employment Law Center of Maryland, a “low bono” employment law firm that leverages novel technologies and alternative fee structures to provide affordable employment law services in Maryland. The Employment Law Center of Maryland’s focus on legal technologies is reflected in its grantors, which include, among others, Google and Clio, a leading practice management software provider. Joe is passionate about legal ethics, and currently serves on NELA’s Ethics & Sanctions Committee, which provides ethics assistance to NELA members and other workers’ rights lawyers. He lives in Frederick, Maryland, with his wife.

Contact: jfinberg@altshulerberzon.com; (415) 421-7151

Contact: jgibson@elcmd.org; (202) 302-4660

Joseph D. Garrison is the senior partner at Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti, P.C., in New Haven, Connecticut, where he practices employment law on behalf of employees. Joe is an elected member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates. He served for

Karla Gilbride is a senior attorney at Public Justice in Washington, DC and currently serves as co-director of its Access to Justice Project. The Access to Justice Project uses litigation, advocacy, and organizing to help people harmed by corporate or governmental abuses by fighting against procedural and structural barriers that prevent 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES them from seeking systemic change and vindicating their rights in transparent and publicly accountable forums.

Karla’s litigation focuses on challenging forced arbitration provisions and class action bans, and she has successfully briefed and argued cases involving forced arbitration before several federal and state appellate courts. Before coming to Public Justice in 2014, Karla represented workers in wage and hour and employment discrimination cases as an associate at Mehri & Skalet PLLC, as well as handling consumer class actions and cases brought under the Fair Housing Act. She previously spent three years at Disability Rights Advocates in Berkeley, CA, bringing disability discrimination class actions and representing disabled consumers before the California Public Utilities Commission. Karla graduated with honors from Georgetown Law in 2007 and clerked for Judge Ronald Gould on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Contact: kgilbride@publicjustice.net; (202) 797-8600

Contact: chj@hall-jacksonandassociates.com; (312) 255-7105

Byron R. Goldstein is a partner at Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho, where he litigations Title VII, equal pay, overtime, and other wage and hour class actions, as well as privacy class actions. Mr. Goldstein regularly presents on class actions representing workers, and he is a Senior Reviewer of the chapter on Class Actions in the ABABNA Employment Discrimination Law treatise (7th Ed., forthcoming). Before GBDH, Mr. Goldstein served as a clerk for Judge UW Clemon in the Northern District of Alabama and worked in the Juvenile Rights Practice at The Legal Aid Society.

Hilary P. Hammell is a feminist lawyer who is proud to represent women and other vulnerable clients whose rights have been violated by their employers or other powerful institutions. She was a William H. Gates Public Service Law scholar at the University of Washington Law School, from which she graduated in 2012. After serving as a law clerk to Judge Stephanie Seymour on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, she has practiced public-interest law in California ever since. From 2018 to 2022 she was an associate attorney at the all-women employment law firm of Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP, and launched her own practice in March 2022.

Contact: brgoldstein@gbdhlegal.com; (510) 287-4324

Contact: hilary@hammell.law; (510) 250-3175

Charles Guerrier is Of Counsel with the firm of Haynes & Haynes, P.C. Mr. Guerrier earned his BA degree from Western Reserve University and his JD from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Prior to joining Haynes & Haynes, he spent 29 years at the EEOC. Mr. Guerrier also served as an adjunct professor of law at his alma mater for 25 years. He is admitted to the bars of the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Ohio, the Supreme Court of Alabama and various federal district courts and courts of appeal.

Mark Hanna is a founding partner of Murphy Anderson PLLC. He has a diverse labor and employment law practice representing whistleblowers alleging fraud, lowwage workers in class and collective actions, and labor unions. Mark has successfully represented qui tam relators (whistleblowers) in False Claims Act cases concerning health care, construction, and procurement fraud. Mark is adept at working in the unique procedural framework of the False Claims Act, including working with the Department of Justice and United States Attorneys.

Contact: ceguerrier@haynes-haynes.com; (205) 879-0377

Contact: mhanna@murphypllc.com; (202) 223-2620

Chiquita Hall-Jackson concentrates her practice on protecting whistleblowers, those who have experienced workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on a protected class. She also represents those 58

who have been passed over for promotions and those who are negotiating a severance agreement. In addition, Chiquita assists buyers and sellers throughout the real estate closings process. She is actively involved in NELA-Illinois Legislative Committee and its efforts to introduce bills to protect employees’ rights alongside other Illinois Employment Law Attorneys. She currently serves as NELA-Illinois President. Chiquita received a B.A. in Political Science-Public Law, with a minor in Communication Studies, from Northern Illinois University. She earned a J.D. from Southern University Law Center where she served as SULC’s Law Clinic Extern and studied abroad in International Criminal Law and Constitutional Law. Chiquita is registered to practice in the State of Illinois.

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Adam Hansen is the founder of Apollo Law, a private public-interest law firm with a mission to help advance the rights of employees and consumers in appellate litigation.

Contact: adam@apollo-law.com; (612) 927-2969

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Clare J. Horan is an Associate at Sanford Heisler Sharp.

At Sanford Heisler Sharp, Clare’s practice has focused on employment discrimination and harassment litigation as well as criminal/sexual violence litigation, representing both individuals and proposed classes. Clare received her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law (Order of the Coif) and her undergraduate degree from Smith College. While at the University of Iowa, Clare was the Senior Articles Editor of the Iowa Law Review, research assistant to Professor (now Dean) Angela Onwuachi-Willig, and was awarded the ABA/Bloomberg Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law and the Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement. Clare is a member of the Maryland bar, as well as the Iowa bar (voluntary inactive status). Before joining Sanford Heisler Sharp, Clare completed clerkships for the Honorable Karen Nelson Moore of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the Honorable Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. When Clare is not lawyering, she enjoys baking and exploring Baltimore on walks with her dog.

Contact: choran@sanfordheisler.com; (410) 834-7421 Todd Jackson is a partner in the firm of Feinberg, Jackson, Worthman & Wasow LLP. Mr. Jackson represents employees in class action cases involving overtime pay, pension benefits, and employment discrimination. He has successfully served as lead counsel or co-lead counsel in numerous class actions, including class cases against IBM, Computer Sciences Corporation, KBR, Perdue Chicken, Masco Contractors, Farmers Insurance, American Families Insurance, Kelly Moore Paint Company, Corrections Corporation of America, the Tribune Company, and Wells Fargo Bank, collectively resulting in over $250 million in recovered wages and benefits. He is an experienced mediator whose areas of focus include complex class and collective actions in both the employment and employee benefits areas, as well as individual cases across the employment law spectrum. Mr. Jackson is recognized as a national leader in class actions, ERISA law, and wage and hour practice and is a frequent speaker at legal conferences on those topics. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Jackson was a shareholder at Lewis, Feinberg, Lee & Jackson, P.C. He served as a law clerk to Judge Judith Keep of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

Contact: todd@feinberg jackson.com; (510) 269-7998

Toni J. Jaramilla is an employment and civil rights attorney and past Chair of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA) and co-founder and past President of the Foundation for Advocacy Inclusion and Resources (FAIR), a non-profit organization with the mission to increase cultural and gender diversity in the Plaintiffs employment law bar. Since 1994, on behalf of workers only, she has successfully litigated hundreds of cases of discrimination, racial and sexual harassment, wrongful termination, disability accommodations, leave law violations, retaliation/whistleblower, and wage and hour claims resulting in multi-millions of dollars in settlements, verdicts, and arbitration awards. She is a frequent speaker at seminars and on radio shows and has been a guest lecturer at law schools. She has led several legal bar organizations as the first Pilipina woman to fill such leadership roles while advocating for improved cultural and gender diversity in the legal profession. She lobbies and testifies at the California State Capitol and helps draft stronger legislation to protect California workers, particularly on the issues of sexual harassment and gender equality, several of which have been signed into law by Governors Brown and Newsom (SB 1300 and AB 9).

Contact: toni@tjjlaw.com; (310) 551-3020 Sabine Jean is an associate at Outten & Golden LLP in New York, NY and is a member of the firm’s Class Action Practice Group. She represents employees in a wide range of class action discrimination cases and wage and hour lawsuits. Her practice includes cases challenging age- and gender-based discrimination and wage theft claims on behalf of workers required to work off the clock, wrongly classified as exempt from overtime protections, and improperly treated as independent contractors. Ms. Jean received her B.A. from Smith College, her M.S.T. from Fordham Graduate School of Education, and her J.D. from UCLA School of Law, where she specialized in Critical Race Studies and Public Interest Law and Policy.

During law school, Ms. Jean worked on civil rights and employment matters at Schonbrun Seplow Harris & Hoffman, LLP and Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai, LLP, and on issues related to campus pregnancy and parenting accommodations at the UCLA Title IX/Sexual Harassment Prevention Office. She also served as a Managing Editor on the UCLA Law Review and the National Black Law Journal. Prior to law school, Ms. Jean worked as an English as a Second Language teacher in New York through Teach for America. Currently, she serves as a Director on the Alumnae Association of Smith College 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Board of Directors. Ms. Jean has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star for 2021.

Contact: sjean@outtengolden.com; (646) 935-9424 Deborah H. Karpatkin is a New York City-based solo practitioner, serving clients in a wide range of litigation and transactional workplace matters. Her diverse clients include lower wage workers and executives in transition; and clients in a range of industries, including health care, law, journalism, and faith-based organizations, and who work in corporations, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations; the military and the government; technology and finance; and academia and the media.

Her practice areas include discrimination, retaliation, breach of contract, and other workplace-related legal claims. Ms. Karpatkin is a trusted advisor to her colleagues and to nonprofit organizations. She serves on the board of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), is a member of NELA’s Ethics and Sanctions Committee, and from 2013-2020, she served on the board of NELA/NY. She is co-General Counsel to the New York Civil Liberties Union (ACLU of New York.) A member of the NYC Bar Association, she serves currently on its Military Affairs and Sex and Law Committees. A graduate of Columbia Law School, Ms. Karpatkin is regularly invited to teach in her areas of expertise. In addition to teaching Employment Discrimination Law at Touro Law School (since 2018), she presents at programs for employment rights lawyers on a range of practice issues; for military rights lawyers and counselors about conscientious objector law; and for seminary graduates about clergy contracts. She has published articles on Conscientious Objector law, and on the applicability of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, after the Hobby Lobby decision, to the rights of military conscientious objectors.

Contact: deborah.karpatkin@karpatkinlaw.com; (646) 865-9930 James H. Kaster is an experienced trial lawyer who concentrates on representing plaintiffs in employment cases. He has received multi-million-dollar verdicts for individual plaintiffs, including the highest award in Minnesota for emotional distress in an individual employment discrimination case. He also obtained the highest reported settlement for an individual sexual harassment client in state history. He is one of only a few plaintiffs’ lawyers who are members of both the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers, a group limited to one percent 60

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of America’s trial attorneys. Mr. Kaster was given the highest ranking possible by Chambers, USA, which ranks lawyers throughout the nation. He has also argued cases before the state’s and nation’s highest courts, including Kasten v. Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation, which resulted in a new standard for FLSA retaliation cases. Mr. Kaster takes his greatest pride in serving the best interest of his clients. He has also been a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education seminars and has been active in bar activities, including serving as President of the National Employment Lawyers Association.

Contact: kaster@nka.com; (612) 256-3200 Lauren A. Khouri is a Partner at Correia & Puth, PLLC, dedicating her practice to the civil rights of individuals in the workplace and in schools. Lauren’s work includes fighting employment-based discrimination and retaliation of all kinds. Lauren litigates a broad range of claims under Title IX, representing survivors of sexual violence, pregnant and parenting students, and school employees who experience retaliation after taking a stand for their students’ rights.

Since 2019, Best Lawyers has recognized Lauren as a leader in civil rights law and SuperLawyers has recognized Lauren as a Rising Star in employment law. Lauren received her law degree from American University Washington College of Law. She is President-Elect for the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA).

Contact: lkhouri@correiaputh.com; (202) 602-6500 Kristi L. Kingston owns and operates the Employee & Labor Law Group of Kansas City, LLC. She is a current member of NELA’s Annual Convention Committee, a past Eighth Circuit representative to NELA’s Affiliate Relations Committee, a past President of Eighth Circuit NELA, and a past President of the Kansas City Chapter of NELA. Kristi has been recognized each year since 2008 as a Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyer in the field of labor and employment law. She has also been identified

by Super Lawyers Magazine as one of the top 50 female lawyers in Missouri and Kansas, one of the top 100 lawyers in the states of Missouri and Kansas, and one of the top 50 lawyers in Kansas City, Missouri.

Contact: kristi@elgkc.com; (913) 286-5200 Phillip M. Kitzer represents employees in claims involving whistleblower retaliation, qui tam, and False Claims Act, discrimination, workers’ compensation retaliation, FMLA retaliation, severance negotiations, and executive compensation. He has successfully litigated and negotiated

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES severances for clients in a wide range of industries, including pharmaceutical, medical device, banking, health care, insurance, and manufacturing. From 2013-2015, he served as President of the Minnesota affiliate of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA).

He also served as ex officio on the MN-NELA Board of Directors and is a member of the MN-NELA legislative committee. Phillip has appeared before the Minnesota Supreme Court as a member of MN-NELA’s amicus committee. In 2018, Phillip was named a Board Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association and has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers every year since 2012. Phillip graduated cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School where he was a managing editor for the Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology and was a participant in the Duberstein Moot Court competition. Phillip enjoys distance running, camping, traveling, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.

Contact: kitzer@kitzerrochel.com; (612) 767-0527 Kevin Kish is a civil rights attorney whose career has been dedicated to public service and advancing justice for disadvantaged communities. He was appointed

by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. as Director of the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) in February 2015 and confirmed by the California Senate in January 2016. He was reappointed to the position

by Governor Gavin Newsom in February 2020. DFEH is the largest state civil rights agency in the nation and is the institutional centerpiece of California’s commitment to protecting its residents from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations and from hate violence and human trafficking.

Contact: kevin.kish@dfeh.ca.gov; (916) 917-9489 Adam L. Koshkin is an associate at Outten & Golden LLP, and a member of the firm’s Class Action Practice Group. Adam has experience litigating a wide range of wage and hour and discrimination cases in both California and federal courts, with an emphasis on California wage and hour claims. He has also represented large numbers of clients in mass arbitrations. Prior to joining the firm in 2018, Mr. Koshkin clerked for the Honorable Judith E. Levy of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2017.

Contact: akoshkin@outtengolden.com; (415) 638-8800

Noted bon vivant and man about town (thanks for everything, Rick), Ben Lebsack represents employees on sexual harassment and unpaid wage claims and advises and represents lawyers on ethics issues. He’s on the NELA Board of Directors and a Co-Chair of NELA’s Ethics & Sanctions Committee. He also serves on the Colorado Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association Board and Colorado Bar Association’s Ethics Committee.

He recently built the Lego Seinfeld set and plans to do the Sesame Street one soon.

Contact: ben@lowrey-parady.com; (303) 593-2595 David L. Lee has practiced and taught law for forty-five years, the last thirty-seven of which he has concentrated on representing employees. David was President of NELA from 2013 to 2015, was a Hearing Officer for the Cook County Commission on Human Rights from 1992-2015, is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, is rated AV by MartindaleHubbell, has been on the Labor and Employment Law advisory committee for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and has been named a “Leading Lawyer” and a “Super Lawyer” in the field of employment law. From 1984 to 1991, David was a full-time clinical professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law’s nationally-recognized clinic on employment discrimination with fellow NELA members Richard Gonzalez and Ron Schwartz. David speaks frequently to lawyers and human-resources personnel on employment law and has published many seminar papers and some law review articles on that topic. David graduated from Northwestern University School of Law in 1977 magna cum laude and Order of the Coif. David also attended Northwestern University for undergrad, where he claims to have majored in the game of chess and ended up rated an “expert” by the U.S. Chess Federation, but actually graduated with a B.A. in History.

Contact: d-lee@davidleelaw.com; (312) 952-1321 Michael Levin-Gesundheit is a partner at Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office, where he has represented employees (in both wage-and-hour and discrimination cases), consumers, and public entities. In a certified gender discrimination class action against Goldman Sachs, he led a multi-year charge to combat forced arbitration, which culminated in a court-ordered arbitration selection process. This spring nearly 350 current and former employees—or 97% of respondents— rejected arbitration and choose continued class membership. He is currently a member of the trial team 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES in the San Francisco opioid bellwether case, where he works in coordination with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.

Contact: mlevin-gesundheit@lchb.com; (415) 956-1000 David A. Lowe is a Partner with Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff and Lowe and brings extensive trial and negotiation experience to every client engagement. David represents C-level executives, founders, and partners in a wide range of tech economy and other fields, including life sciences, a.i., finance, and entertainment. He has developed valuable experience negotiating with—and, when necessary, going to trial against—the world’s largest and best-known public and private companies, as well as prominent private equity and venture capital firms. He also passionately represents employees, including low wage workers, who have been discriminated or retaliated against, harassed, wrongfully terminated, or denied fair pay for their work.

In addition to representing clients, David serves as a neutral mediator, with a highly successful record of assisting parties to resolve their disputes. David has been honored as California Lawyer “Attorney of the Year” for his “extraordinary achievement” in employment law and has been voted by his peers as one of the “Top 100” lawyers in Northern California every year since 2013, as a Northern California “SuperLawyer” since 2007, and as the San Francisco “Lawyer of the Year” for Employment Law or Employment Litigation for three years in a row.

David is also dedicated to working in the public interest and has served on the boards of numerous non-profit and legal organizations, including as Chair of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights in the Bay Area.

Contact: dal@rezlaw.com; (415) 434-9800 Ann Lugbill focuses on representation of employee whistleblowers and plaintiffs in class action litigation.

She represents clients in False Claims Act qui tam cases and related statutes involving securities and financial frauds, federal income tax frauds, automobile safety, consumer insurance, and other similar bounty statutes.

Ann participates in Taxpayers Against Fraud (TAF) and the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) Ethics and Sanctions Committee and is a frequent speaker at TAF and NELA legal conferences. Ann coauthored two books: False Claims Act: Whistleblower Litigation and Representing the Terminated Employee in Ohio. She is an active board member of several nonprofit groups and charitable foundations and has volunteered in numerous voting registration and voter protection 62

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volunteer activities. She was honored by Talbert House, a large social service agency in Cincinnati, Ohio, with its Ernest Talbert community leadership award. In 2019, she was honored with the Greater Cincinnati League of Women Voter’s “Make Democracy Work” award.

Contact: alugbill@murphypllc.com; (513) 784-1280 Deborah K. Marcuse is Sanford Heisler Sharp’s Firm Managing Partner and Managing Partner of the firm’s Baltimore office. As a litigator, she leads teams to highprofile victories in high-stakes discrimination cases on behalf of individuals and classes, while also effectively resolving matters without resort to litigation whenever possible, on the principle that litigation is fun and profitable for lawyers sometimes, but less so for human beings, and even less so for the congregations of human beings that make up companies and other organizational defendants.

As a manager, Deborah strives to exemplify and model a form of zealous advocacy that is vigorous, thoughtful, and humane, and a vision of lawyering as a profession that is client-centered, focused on social and economic justice, and accommodating of the lives of working humans.

Contact: dmarcuse@sanfordheisler.com; (410) 834-7420 Laura Carlin Mattiacci is a partner and member of Console Mattiacci Law, LLC. Ms. Mattiacci has devoted her practice to employment law for 19 years, has been a shareholder for 10 years, is well-recognized as a leading employment trial attorney, and has developed an extraordinary record of courtroom achievement.

Contact: mattiacci@consolelaw.com; (212) 545-7676 John McKnight is a Partner at Sanford Heisler Sharp and a Co-Chair of the firm’s Whistleblower & Qui Tam Practice Group. Since joining the firm, he has been named to Lawdragon’s 2021 500 Leading Plaintiff, Employment, & Civil Rights Lawyers. At Sanford Heisler Sharp, John’s practice has focused on representing corporate whistleblowers who have exposed securities fraud and banking misconduct. He has also worked with clients alleging government contract procurement fraud and other corporate malfeasance. A member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars, John regularly speaks on panels for the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and Taxpayers Against Fraud.

Contact: jmcknight@sanfordheisler.com; (202) 499-5217

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Ellen J. Messing is a partner in the Newton firm of Messing, Rudavsky & Weliky, P.C. A cum laude graduate of Harvard University and Boston University School of Law, Ms. Messing concentrates her practice in representing employees in employment litigation, including wrongful termination, discrimination, contract, sexual harassment, and federal and other public employee matters. Recognized by her peers as a national leader among employment lawyers, she served for 15 years, including four as National Secretary, on the Board of Directors of the National Employment Lawyers Association, as co-chair of NELA’s Ethics and Sanctions Committee, and co-founded NELA’s Massachusetts chapter. Elected as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in 2000, Ms. Messing also served on the Advisory Council to the American Bar Association’s Commission on Evaluation of the Rules of Professional Conduct (Ethics 2000 Commission), where she led a coalition of civil rights organizations that successfully lobbied for reform of the ABA’s Model Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2 in 2002. That same year, she and her firm won a hard-fought decision from the Supreme Judicial Court interpreting Rule 4.2 favorably for Massachusetts plaintiffs and their attorneys. A national consultant to other employment lawyers on ethics and Massachusetts employment law, Ms. Messing authored the chapter, “The Ethical Constraints on Talking to Potential Witnesses” in the book Representing Plaintiffs in Title VII Actions.

Contact: emessing@mrwemploymentlaw.com; (617) 742-0004 Marjorie Mesidor is a Partner at Phillips and Associates, representing plaintiffs in sexual harassment and discrimination cases. She regularly goes against Fortune 500 companies with over $40 million dollars in settlements and verdicts. She is known for her role as the lead attorney on a landmark case regarding same-race discrimination. Her work was recognized by the Office of the Public Advocate. Her $2.31 million verdicts for a race claim are listed on the U.S.’s Top 50 Employment Verdicts of 2018. She is a Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorney in NY and a member of the National Trial Lawyers Association.

Contact: mmesidor@tpglaws.com; (516) 365-3731 Jennifer Mondino is Director of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund, at the National Women’s Law Center.

She has been part of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund team since August 2018, shortly after the Fund’s

creation. Ms. Mondino’s legal career has focused on civil rights and gender justice issues, particularly litigation and legal advocacy on behalf of immigrant women and survivors of gender-based violence. Her previous legal experience includes working with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Civil Rights Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, the Safe Horizon Domestic Violence Law Project in New York City, and the international law firm Mayer Brown LLP. She received her J.D. from the New York University School of Law and B.S. from the University of Virginia.

Contact: jmondino@nwlc.org; (202) 588-5180 Darth Newman is a skilled trial attorney with more than a decade of litigation experience in complex commercial and plaintiff-side whistleblower cases. He has tried shareholder disputes, fraud, insider dealing, and fiduciary duty matters worth millions of dollars. He has also represented whistleblowers from across the country helping to shed light on all manner of fraud against the government from dangerous healthcare systems, devices, and doctors to government contracting and loan fraud. Darth’s trial experience includes a federal jury trial, a Delaware Chancery Court trial, and a range of other state court trials and arbitrations. An active member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, Darth is the past Chair of the Professional Ethics Committee and an elected member of the Council of the Federal Court Section. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Professional Ethics and Federal Practice Committees. Nationally, he is a member of Taxpayers Against Fraud, a public interest non-profit organization dedicated to fighting fraud against the government. Before opening his own firm, Darth worked at national and regional firms and helped start two litigation boutiques.

Contact: darth@dnewmanlaw.com; (412) 436-3443 In 2009, Laura Noble founded The Noble Law, a recognized leader in employment law, to deliver positive outcomes for clients and catalyze broader change in employment law and society. The Noble Law is committed to leveling the field of employment law by providing exceptional representation for individuals through focus on the firm’s core values: collaboration, leadership, empathy, integrity, and innovation. Laura is a seasoned litigator and also resolves employment disputes in her capacity as a certified mediator.

Contact: ln@thenoblelaw.com; (919) 251-6008 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Kimberly Jade Norwood is the Henry H. Oberschelp Professor of Law at Washington University School of Law. She teaches a range of courses from personal injury classes to education law and policy as well as a course on Implicit Bias in Life and the Legal Profession. She has taught in China, Japan, the Netherlands, and Taiwan, and has supervised public interest externships in Ghana and Kenya. She also conducts implicit bias workshops and DEI work around the country, and was among the group of national experts advising Starbucks on the company’s implicit bias programming. Professor Norwood is currently a Commissioner on the Missouri Supreme Court Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness; and is a member of the Monitoring Team for the U.S. v. Ferguson Consent Decree. She has served as a Commissioner on the American Bar Association’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession and on the Commission on Diversity and Inclusion 360. She is a member of the American Law Institute, a Fellow with the American Bar Foundation, and has various other community affiliations.

Contact: norwood@wustl.edu; 314-935-6416 Lawrence A. Organ tries sex and race harassment cases. He has tried the largest race harassment and sex harassment (at the time) verdicts in American history.

His six-lawyer firm, the California Civil Rights Law Group, focuses its energies on these two important areas of civil rights employment practice. He typically represents low wage workers against their corporate employers and also works with other firms to assist with trial and trial preparation. The National Trial Lawyers named Lawrence the Trial Lawyer of the Year for his verdict in the Owen Diaz v. Tesla case.

Contact: larry@civilrightsca.com; (415) 302-2901 Nora C. Ostrofe, MBA CEA CVA, is a forensic economist who calculates economic damages in a wide variety of practice areas: business interruption, business valuation, class action (product liability and FELA and state wage and hour), elder abuse, employment (Fair Pay Act, Federal whistleblower, FELA and state wage and hour, and wrongful termination), marital dissolution, mortgage fraud, pension and stock option valuation, and personal injury (asbestos, Jones Act, life care plan valuation, medical malpractice, wrongful death) litigation. She is retained frequently as a damages expert in employment cases.

She has testified as an expert witness in depositions, arbitrations, and trials, and has served as a consultant in settlement negotiations. She has qualified to testify in 64

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Alaska, California, Iowa, and Washington superior courts and in Federal Court. Ms. Ostrofe regularly teaches CLE classes in valuing economic damages. Ms. Ostrofe has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of California at Los Angeles, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from St. Mary’s College, and a Certificate in Accounting from the University of California, Berkeley, where she also received a teaching credential in English and Social Science.

Contact: nostrofe@jsheld.com; (510) 740-0376 Kendall N. Onyendu is an associate at Outten & Golden LLP in New York, where she represents employees in litigation and negotiation in all areas of employment law, including matters involving whistleblower and individual discrimination claims, compensation (and bonus) disputes, and contractual violations. Prior to joining Outten & Golden, Ms. Onyendu worked at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs where her practice focused on employment justice. Ms. Onyendu received her B.A. from the University of Southern California, her M.A. from Columbia University, and her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. She is a member of NELA/New York’s Legislative Committee, an American Constitution Society Next Generation Leader, and former board member of Equal Justice Works.

Contact: konyendu@outtengolden.com; (212) 245-1000 Anna Y. Park is the Regional Attorney for the Los Angeles District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Ms. Park is one of fifteen Regional Attorneys tasked nationally to oversee and direct all employment discrimination litigation on behalf of the EEOC in her vast region which covers Southern California, Central California, Nevada, and the Pacific, which includes Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Since joining the EEOC, Ms. Park has brought influential cases, receiving large monetary awards and designing comprehensive and innovative injunctive relief remedies to eliminate discrimination in the workplace. She has also brought significant sexual harassment cases spanning a myriad of industries, including agriculture, construction, trucking, gaming, entertainment, garment, hospitality, food and beverage, travel, and janitorial services and was featured on PBS’s Frontline: “Rape on the Night Shift”.

Contact: anna.park@eeoc.gov; (213) 894-1080

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Lawrence M. Pearson is a Partner at Wigdor LLP, a prominent employment litigation firm well known for representing plaintiffs in some of the most high-profile discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault cases of the last decade. Larry has over 20 years of experience in the field and has represented thousands of employees in legal matters involving discrimination, sexual harassment, whistleblower retaliation, executive compensation, wage and hour violations, and other workplace issues. He has handled many complex and widely publicized matters against powerful corporations and individuals, and currently represents several women in high-profile gender and race discrimination lawsuits against Amazon, as well as a Black, transgender former Broadway actor in a highprofile discrimination case against Hamilton the Musical.

Before he joined Wigdor LLP, Larry spent 10 years as a management-side employment attorney advising businesses on their workplace policies and compliance, internal investigations, dispute resolution, recruiting and hiring practices and many other workplace issues. He graduated from The George Washington University with a B.A. in Political Science and received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. Contact: lpearson@wigdorlaw.com; (212) 257-6800 Rebecca Peterson-Fisher is a Partner with Liu PetersonFisher LLP. She has litigated individual cases and multi-million-dollar class actions involving a range of legal issues, including employment discrimination, discrimination in educational institutions, constitutional rights, and wage and hour violations. Ms. Peterson-Fisher was named in 2020 and 2021 to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment & Civil Rights Lawyers guide, a national list created through nominations and independent journalistic research and vetted by peers and adversaries. She was recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as a Southern California Rising Star in 2015 and 2016, as a Northern California Rising Star in 2018 and 2019, and as a Northern California Super Lawyer from 2020-2022. Ms. Peterson-Fisher was the Chair of the Alameda County Bar Association Labor & Employment Section Executive Committee in 2021 and continues to serve on the committee.

Contact: rpetersonfisher@liulawpc.com; (650) 461-9000 Nina T. Pirrotti is a partner with the law firm of Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti P.C. Nina represents individuals in employment and civil rights litigation and negotiation. A past president of the Connecticut

Employment Lawyers Association (CELA) for approximately a decade and a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association’s Board, Nina is well versed in all aspects of employment law. Nina also litigates on behalf of students and faculty seeking to discharge their rights under Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination and harassment in educational institutions receiving federal funds. Nina has received many honors for her advocacy on behalf of employees. Nina speaks and writes frequently on a variety of employment related topics, with a particular emphasis of late on sexual harassment and sexual assault cases and the impact the #MeToo movement has had on how those cases are perceived and litigated. In 2015, Nina was appointed by the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut to serve as a member of the Local Civil Rules Advisory Committee and served in that capacity for four years. In addition to her service on NELA’s Board, Nina is a member of CT-NELA, NY-NELA, and NC-NELA. Contact: npirrotti@garrisonlaw.com; (203) 777-4425 Anna P. Prakash is a partner at the law firm of Nichols Kaster in Minneapolis and one of the leaders of the firm’s Civil Rights and Impact Litigation practice group.

Her practice focuses on complex class and multiplaintiff actions on behalf of protected groups. Over the course of her time at the firm, Anna has led the firm’s National Consumer Class Action practice group, been a member of the firm’s National Wage & Hour practice group, authored and argued class and individual appeals at the state and federal level, and worked consistently to pursue just causes and obtain meaningful relief on behalf of her clients. Anna is also involved in numerous professional organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors of the People’s Parity Project, as well as the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Foundation, a nationwide charitable organization supporting highimpact lawsuits to combat social and economic injustice.

Anna is also a member of Twin Cities Diversity and Practice’s Professional Development Committee and a member of the Nominating Committee for the National Association of Consumer Advocates. Anna previously served as the employee/union-side co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Occupational Safety and Health Committee, on the Board of Directors of Standpoint, an organization that exists to serve domestic and sexual violence survivors, advocates, attorneys, and other professionals working within the justice system in Minnesota, and is also a past board member of the 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association. Anna is a frequent speaker at national legal seminars and an adjunct professor of legal writing at the University of Minnesota Law School.

Contact: aprakash@nka.com; (612) 256-3200 Harry Plotkin is a nationally-renowned jury consultant based in Los Angeles who works exclusively with plaintiffs in consumer and employment cases. When the best trial lawyers in California (and many others across the country) go to trial, they call Harry. He has helped trial lawyers win some of the biggest and most difficult verdicts in nearly every state and has selected over 60 eight-figure verdicts in the past 8 years… with 9 eightfigure nuclear verdicts since 2020, including $137 million against Tesla in October 2020 and $102.5 million in a sex abuse trial in March 2021.

Contact: harry@yournextjury.com; (626) 975-4457 Rebecca G. Pontikes, the founder of Pontikes Law, LLC, represents employees in all areas of employment law, specializing in gender and family responsibility (caregiver) discrimination, sexual harassment, negotiation of employment contracts and separation agreements, noncompetition agreements, retaliation and whistleblower claims (in all sectors, including the government and financial sectors), violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act, and violations of the wage statutes. Ms. Pontikes regularly speaks on employment law topics for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, bar associations, groups representing employees, and organizations that promote women’s rights in the workplace. She is an active member of the Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association, an association of attorneys who focus on representing employees and currently co-chairs the Amicus Committee. In the past, she has served on the Boards of Directors of Deana’s Fund, an organization devoted to educating against dating violence through educational theater, and the Greater Boston Chapter of the National Organization for Women. She was selected by her peers as a “SuperLawyer” Rising Star in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 and as a “SuperLawyer” in 2013 and 2014. Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly named her a Top Woman of Law in 2012. SuperLawyers named her one of the Top 50 Women SuperLawyers in Massachusetts in 2014. She graduated from Tufts University, magna cum laude in 1994, and from the University of Michigan Law School in 1997. In her free time, she is a political activist, particularly on behalf of the 66

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underprivileged, reads, watches movies, and writes letters to the editor.

Contact: rpontikes@pontikeslawllc.com; (617) 357-1888 *Brian S. Quinn is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania who currently serves as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Lawyers concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania, Inc., a Lawyers Assistance program established in 1988 for the purpose of helping lawyers, judges, and law students recover from alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental health disorders. Mr. Quinn obtained his undergraduate degree in 1970, his law degree in 1973, and a certificate in Drug and Alcohol counselling in 2012, all from Villanova University. Prior to accepting his position with Lawyers concerned for Lawyers in 2017, Mr. Quinn was engaged in private practice for nearly 40 years, handling a variety of civil and criminal matters. Mr. Quinn has also worked in the field of Alcohol and Drug Counselling at Mirmont Treatment Center and Malvern Institute in suburban Philadelphia.

Mr. Quinn is a past member of the Board of Directors of Lawyers concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania and served as a peer volunteer for over six years prior to accepting his current role as the organization’s Educator.

As LCL’s Educator, Mr. Quinn has conducted CLE presentations for Bar Associations, private law firms, and professional organizations in Pennsylvania, as well as for National CLE providers, on a variety of topics in the fields of Lawyer wellness and impairment in the legal profession.

Contact: brian@lclpa.org; (717) 737-9660 Ext. 107 Phillis h. Rambsy is the owner of RAMBSY LAW PC, a law firm which is based in Nashville, Tennessee and serves clients in Tennessee, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky. Phillis’ legal practice is primarily focused on representing workers in matters of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and breach of contract. She also assists workers in the negotiation of employment contracts and severance agreements. Phillis’ commitment to working on behalf of workers is part of her overall commitment to eradicate systemic injustice in all realms of society. Her professional mantra is based on the edict to “seek justice, defend the oppressed.” Phillis earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Spelman College, a Master’s Degree in English from the University of Kentucky, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School.

Contact: phillis@rambsylaw.com; (615) 669-6944

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Brian T. Rochel is an experienced employment lawyer who represents employees in trial, litigation, and arbitration in all types of employment claims. Brian has dedicated his career to fighting for employees. He has achieved great results for his clients including several jury verdicts and favorable outcomes in appellate decisions. In addition to winning at trial, Brian obtains favorable results for his clients in negotiating severance offers, executive compensation, and employment contracts. Brian has served on the boards of several organizations, including Minnesota NELA and Eighth Circuit NELA. In addition, Brian has taught multiple law school classes, and regularly presents at CLEs on employment law.

Contact: rochel@kitzerrochel.com; (612) 767-0520 Alexis H. Ronickher is a partner at Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, a nationally prominent plaintiffs’ employment law and whistleblower firm. Her practice focuses on representing clients in complex, often high-profile, employment and whistleblower matters, including sexual harassment and civil rights discrimination and retaliation, as well as whistleblower protection in a broad range of areas including financial, cybersecurity, healthcare, and other industries. As part of her whistleblower practice, she represents clients pursuing qui tam claims under the False Claims Act and whistleblower tips through the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rewards program.

Born and raised in Dallas, Elizabeth “BB” Sanford, graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, a Masters in Divinity from Baylor University George W. Truett Theological Seminary, and a Juris Doctor from Baylor University School of Law. BB was the first person at Baylor to graduate with a joint Divinity and Law degree. Before attending law school BB served as a music and youth minister. Her heart has always been on the side of justice and individual civil rights. She is proud and feels called to represent workers who are wrongfully terminated. She practices with her father, Brian Sanford, making the world a better place one case at a time.

Contact: esanford@sanfordfirm.com; (469) 231-7233 Brian P. Sanford exclusively represents plaintiffs in employment and civil rights cases. Located in Dallas, Brian is a long-time member of NELA and its Texas affiliate, TELA. He is a Dean with the Keenan Trial Institute, instructing trial lawyers in Opening Statements and Witness Preparation, and moderating its Employment Group Listserv. He practices with his daughter, BB Sanford, making the world a better place one case at a time.

Contact: bsanford@sanfordfirm.com; (214) 717-6653

Rebecca L. Salawdeh has practiced exclusively in the area of plaintiffs’ employment litigation for the past twenty-two years. Since 2007, she has been a solo attorney with Salawdeh Law Office, LLC. Rebecca has been a member of the Wisconsin Employment Lawyers Association and the National Employment Lawyers Association since 1996. She served on NELA’s Board for twelve years and is a past Executive Secretary. Rebecca was the Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Workers’ Rights from its inception in 2008 until 2018 and is now immediate past President. Rebecca currently serves on NELA’s Judicial Nominations Committee as the Seventh Circuit Representative, the Joint NELA Institute Fundraising Committee, and is a Co-Chair of NELA’s Pro Bono Committee. In 2000, Rebecca, in conjunction with others, helped to form the Milwaukee Unemployment Compensation Appeals Clinic and continues to volunteer with Legal Action of Wisconsin’s Unemployment Compensation Appeals Clinic.

Professor Eric Schnapper, who joined the University of Washington Law School faculty in 1995, teaches Civil Rights, Civil Procedure, and Employment Discrimination.

He served for twenty-five years as an assistant counsel to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., specializing in appellate litigation and legislative activities. In 2010-11 Professor Schnapper argued three U.S. Supreme Court cases: Staub v. Proctor Hospital, Thompson v. North American Stainless, and Borough of Duryea, Pennsylvania v. Guarnieri. In addition, he has handled more than eighty Supreme Court cases, including Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway v. White (2006) and Ash v. Tyson Foods, Inc. (2006), Kolstad v. ADA (1999), Bogan v. Scott-Harris (1998), Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Oil (1998), Faragher v. Boca Raton (1998), and Burlington Industries v. Ellerth (1998).

Professor Schnapper’s articles on constitutional law and civil rights have appeared in law reviews published

by Harvard, Columbia, Virginia, Stanford, and other law schools. He was the recipient of a Marshall Scholarship for study at Oxford University in 1963-65, served as articles editor of the Yale Law Journal, and clerked for the California Supreme Court.

Contact: rebecca@salawdehlaw.com; (414) 455-0117

Contact: schnapp@uw.edu; (206) 616-3167

Contact: ronickher@kmblegal.com; (202) 299-1140

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Christian Schreiber is a founding partner of Olivier & Schreiber LLP. Chris represents individuals in class action and collective action cases involving employment, civil rights, consumer law, and financial services matters. He has litigated cases across the United States, and also handles individual employment and civil rights cases, as well as Qui Tam and whistleblower cases. Chris has prosecuted class action cases across the country and has helped to achieve settlements on behalf of consumers and workers in wage-and-hour, discrimination, product liability, financial fraud, and Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) cases. He is also an active member of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), where he serves on CELA’s Legislative Committee and Wage and Hour Committee and helped found and served as an editor for the organization’s blog, CELA VOICE. Chris has been selected as a “Super Lawyer” by Northern California Super Lawyers magazine for the last six years (2013-2018). He was named a “Rising Star” in 2012. Chris is a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Prior to law school, he worked in Sacramento as a legislative aide in the Legislature, where he served as Chief Investigator for the State Senate Select Committee to Investigate Price Manipulation of the Wholesale Energy Market.

Contact: christian@osclegal.com; (415) 381-5599 A smart and tenacious litigator, Bryan J. Schwartz has represented clients’ interests before a wide range of adjudicative bodies: from the United States District Court to the United States Courts of Appeals; from California Superior Courts to the California Supreme Court; from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to the Merit Systems Protection Board; from the United States Department of Labor to labor arbitration before the American Arbitration Association and other organizations. Mr. Schwartz has helped many grateful clients get their careers back on track after employer wrongdoing derailed them, obtaining tens of millions in recovery for employees across the country. Mr. Schwartz is one of California’s most prolific speakers and authors on employment law subjects.

He has presented often to the State Bar, the National Employment Lawyers Association, CELA, and elsewhere, from NPR’s “Your Legal Rights” radio show to the ABA’s Commission on Disability Rights, to the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, to JAMS (the arbitration and mediation provider). His articles have been published in the California Labor and Employment Law Review, Plaintiff Magazine, and other media. The 68

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firm’s blog is a resource for jurists, attorneys, and workers nationwide.

Contact: Bryan@BryanSchwartzLaw.com; (888) 891-8489 Jennifer Schwartz a partner at Outten & Golden LLP and heads the individual practice in the San Francisco office.

She represents employees exclusively in a wide range of employment matters, including litigation in state and federal trial courts, before administrative agencies, and in appellate courts. Ms. Schwartz has been repeatedly nominated by her peers as a Super Lawyer and has been named a Top Woman Attorney in Northern California.

She serves as a FINRA arbitrator. She serves on the Board of Equal Rights Advocates. Ms. Schwartz is a graduate of Yale University and N.Y.U. School of Law, having completed her third year at Stanford School of Law. Ms. Schwartz’s employment practice focuses on claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and violation of state and federal wage and hour laws. She represents whistleblowers and individuals who have experienced adverse employment action as a result of opposing illegal or unethical corporate practices. She boasts successful resolution of pre- and post-employment conflicts short of litigation using a collaborative approach with her client’s employers.

Contact: jschwartz@outtengolden.com; (415) 638-8800 P. Bobby Shukla represents plaintiffs in employment litigation at Shukla Law. She is named to Northern California’s Top 100 and Top 50 Women lists by Super Lawyers. In 2020, she was a finalist for Trial Lawyer of the Year from the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association.

She currently serves on the Executive Board of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association and the Board of the Bay Area Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. She is also a recipient of the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services.

Contact: bshukla@shuklalawfirm.com; (415) 412-5667 Adria Lynn Silva is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Miami School of Law. Ms. Silva currently represents employees and students in Title IX sex discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases throughout the State of Florida. She has represented students regarding a variety of Title IX issues including pregnancy discrimination, access to athletics, harassment, and retaliation against high

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES schools, vocational schools, and universities, and she has represented professors, teachers, and coaches with gender, equal pay, and retaliation claims against universities and high schools. Ms. Silva was on the executive board of the Florida Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association (Florida NELA) for seven years and served as the 2009-2010 President.

speaking engagements. Ms. Soanes received her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from The American University, Washington College of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Howard University. She is a member of the Virginia bar, admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, and was sworn in as a Solicitor of England and Wales in 2008.

Contact: adrialynnsilva@aol.com; (239) 571-2855

Contact: ssoanes@american.edu; (202) 274-4000

Dara S. Smith is a senior attorney at AARP Foundation Litigation whose practice focuses on employee benefits and age and disability discrimination against older workers. Dara previously worked at the U.S. Department of Justice as an appellate attorney in the Civil Division, and as an attorney advisor at the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Dara also taught Scholarly Writing and Legal Research and Writing at George Washington University Law School from 2008 until 2017. Dara earned a B.A. in linguistics and cultural anthropology at the University of Michigan and her J.D. at George Washington University Law School. She is originally from College Station, Texas, and she holds a second degree black belt in taekwondo.

Rachhana T. Srey is a partner at Nichols Kaster, PLLP whose practice is primarily dedicated to wage and hour class and collective actions. She has represented a wide variety of workers, including those who work in the health, insurance, financial services, communications, retail, manufacturing, and security industries, for over 16 years.

Rachhana is the Co-Chair of the NELA’s Wage & Hour Practice Group and DOL Working Group, and Board President of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid.

Contact: dsmith@aarp.org; (202) 434-6280 Sherry D. Soanes is a lawyer, educator, and advocate for an inclusive world. She came to the law after spending time as an early childhood educator, and social science researcher on a longitudinal study that observed the effects of multigenerational poverty on African American families in Baltimore, Maryland. She has twenty-five years as a legal advocate both in the private and public sector, which included defending Fortune 500 companies in employment discrimination suits. Currently, in her role with the Department of Justice she is responsible for the professional development of the attorneys in her section.

In addition to being a lawyer, Ms. Soanes teaches a course at The American University that aims to give students the tools they need to engage in discourse around issues of historical and current structures of power, privilege, and inequality. She also serves on the University’s President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion. Using her familiarity with the corporate and institutional world, and merging her professional experience with antiracist pedagogy, she founded a company BLS Inclusion Mentors, LLC named after her mother who she credits as teaching her to actively work towards ensuring the human rights of others.

Through her company she raises awareness of the historical underpinnings of structural racism through courses and

Contact: srey@nka.com; (612) 256-3200 Michael C. Subit is a partner at the Seattle law firm of Frank Freed Subit & Thomas LLP. For almost 30 years, he has represented plaintiffs in employment cases and unions in labor matters. He is a graduate of Yale University, summa cum laude, and Stanford Law School, with honors, where he was a member of the law review.

He is a former law clerk to Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and Judge William Wayne Justice of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Washington Law & Politics has for the past 21 years named Mike one of Washington’s “Super Lawyers” and he has been repeatedly named one of the “Top 100 Super Lawyers” in the state. He is also listed in Best Lawyers in America and Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers.

He is a Fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.

Contact: msubit@frankfreed.com; (206) 682-6711 Beth Terrell is a member of Terrell Marshall Law Group, PLLC (“TMLG”). Concentrating her practice in complex litigation, including the prosecution of class actions on behalf of consumers and employees, Ms. Terrell routinely serves as co-lead counsel on multistate and nationwide class actions. She also represents individual employees including those who have suffered from race, gender, age, marital status, and disability discrimination. She frequently works with executives negotiating compensation plans, employment contracts, 2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES and severance agreements with Fortune 500 companies.

Ms. Terrell has successfully tried cases in both state and federal court. In addition to her litigation and trial work, she also counsels small and medium sized companies facing personnel and human resource issues and has represented both employees and employers in restrictive covenant litigation. Prior to founding TMLG, Ms. Terrell was a member of Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC, where she practiced litigation for twelve years. She is a frequent speaker at legal conferences on a wide variety of topics, including consumer class actions, employment litigation, and electronic discovery. Ms. Terrell has been often recognized as a “Super Lawyer,” was named one of the “Top 50 Washington Women Super Lawyers” of 2012 and 2013, and has been awarded an “AV” rating in Martindale Hubbell by her peers, a rating denoting the highest legal ability and ethical standards.

Contact: bterrell@terrellmarshall.com; (206) 816-6605 Vincent Tong is a plaintiffs’ employment and business attorney based in Oakland, California. His firm, TONG LAW, represents employees in employment discrimination and wrongful termination disputes and plaintiffs in business-to-business disputes. He also advises businesses on developing and scaling their ventures. In his 12 years of practice, Vincent has negotiated favorable settlements on behalf of his clients while successfully completing three jury trials. Vincent serves his legal community as the Past President of the Alameda County Bar Association and sits on the Executive Board for the California Employment Lawyers Association. Vincent is an active member of the ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, serving as the Chair-Elect for the Plaintiff’s Practice Standing Committee, the Chair-Elect for the Solo and Small Firm Task Force, and the Social Media and Technology Chair for the Business Litigation General Committee. Since 2015, Vincent has been consistently selected to Super Lawyers Rising Star, and as of 2021, selected to Super Lawyers.

Contact: vincent@tong-law.com; (510) 371-7835 Neelima Vanguri is an associate at the Philadelphia law firm of Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. Her practice, as well as that of the law firm, is exclusively concentrated in the representation of both employees and employers in all aspects of employment related ligation, including claims under federal and state anti-discrimination statutes. Prior to her employment at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C., Ms. Vanguri gained experience advocating for clients through her employment at a prestigious Philadelphia boutique litigation firm. Ms. 70

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Vanguri additionally gained a great deal of knowledge of Employment Law through her position as a Conwell Research Fellow in Employment Discrimination Law. Ms. Vanguri received a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University in 2006, and earned a J.D. from Temple University – James E. Beasley School of Law in 2009. In 2018, Ms. Vanguri was named 2018 Attorney of the Year by The Legal Intelligencer, honored for her pioneering work on the transgender rights case Blatt v. Cabela’s Retail.

Ms. Vanguri is a Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Women in the Profession Committee.

Contact: nvanguri@discrimlaw.net; (215) 569-1999 Christine E. Webber is a partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, and Co-Chair of the Civil Rights & Employment group. She represents workers in wage and hour cases and employees in race and sex discrimination class actions nationwide. Currently Ms. Webber is representing women with sex discrimination pay claims against Bloomberg News, women FBI agent-trainees who were discriminatorily dismissed from basic training at Quantico, and both home care workers and sheepherders pursuing wage and hour claims. Previously, she was one of class counsel representing women in Dukes v. WalMart Stores Inc., and has continued to assist members of the decertified class. She speaks and writes regularly on employment litigation issues, is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, and co-chair of the Class Action Committee of NELA. Prior to joining Cohen Milstein in 1997, she received a Women’s Law and Public Policy fellowship which funded the first of her four years at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs in their Equal Employment Opportunity Project. She also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Hubert L. Will, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 1991-93. She received her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School after graduating from Harvard University, A.B. magna cum laude in Government.

Contact: cwebber@cohenmilstein.com; (202) 408-4600 Austin Webbert is an Associate at Sanford, Heisler, Sharp. Austin received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He received his bachelor’s degree cum laude and with Honors from the University of Miami. While at the University of Michigan Law School, Austin was awarded an Equal Justice America Fellowship, served as an Executive Editor and published a comment

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES with the Michigan Journal of Race and Law, and worked as a student attorney for the law school’s Civil-Criminal Litigation Clinic, Unemployment Insurance Clinic, and Environmental Law Clinic. While at the University of Miami, Austin was chosen for the Robert F. Levine Award for Excellence in Latin American Studies. He was also the co-founder of a student organization to advance educational opportunity in Haiti. A member of the Maryland, District of Columbia, and Maine bars, Austin has co-authored an article that appeared in the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy. Austin is also a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association. Before joining Sanford Heisler Sharp, Austin was an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow at Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, where he gained significant experience in housing and consumer law. When Austin is not lawyering, he enjoys hiking, especially in his home state of Maine, and traveling throughout Latin America, while often failing spectacularly at Salsa dancing.

Contact: awebbert@sanfordheisler.com; (410) 834-7418 Ashley O. Westby is a Colorado native, and the daughter of two blue collar workers who taught her the importance of workers’ rights. Ashley received her B.A. magna cum laude in Political Science from The George Washington University, and her J.D. cum laude from The American University, Washington College of Law. Prior to joining NELA as Program Manager, Ashley worked with the Federal Aviation Administration, Labor and Employment Law division, and as a Project Manager for the Department of Health and Human Services. In her free time, Ashley belly dances.

Contact: awestby@nelahq.org; (202) 898-2880 Benjamin F. Westhoff focuses his practice on employment law and personal injury law on behalf of individuals. Ben began his career as an employment lawyer for a large St. Louis corporate law firm, but decided in 2006 that he wanted to represent individuals faced with employment problems and serious personal injuries. Since then, Ben has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for victims of discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and other unfair employment practices. His recent results include a judgment for $828,436 following a jury trial for a

Lebanese Muslim immigrant who was harassed and retaliated against while working as a Corrections Officer at a prison in Fulton, Missouri. He also recently recovered $400,000 for a young couple injured in car crash caused by a drunk driver; and $350,000 for three older workers who asserted age discrimination claims arising out of their discharges by a hospital system.

Contact: bwesthoff@sedeyharper.com; (314) 773-3566 Deborah Widiss is a Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Her research and teaching focuses on employment law, statutory interpretation, and family law. She has received several awards and grants for her research, including the Association of American Law Schools’ (AALS) Outstanding Scholarly Paper award. She has previously served as chair of the AALS Employment Discrimination Section and as a member of the executive committee of the AALS Legislation Section. Professor Widiss has been quoted as an expert on issues relating to employment discrimination, same-sex marriage, and domestic violence by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Washington Post. Prior to transitioning to academia, Professor Widiss practiced employment and education law. She received a J.D. and B.A. from Yale University.

Contact: dwidiss@indiana.edu; (812) 856-1435 Described as having “something approaching rock star status” in her field by The New York Times Magazine, Joan C. Williams has played a central role in reshaping the conversation about work, gender, and class over the past quarter century. Professor Williams is a Distinguished Professor of Law, Hastings Foundation Chair, and Founding Director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings Law. She is the eleventh most cited scholar in her field and is the author or co-author of 12 books and over 100 academic articles.

Professor Williams’ path-breaking work helped create the field of work-family studies and modern workplace flexibility policies. She pioneered the legal theories that prohibit workplace discrimination against mothers, adopted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in its 2007 and 2015 Enforcement Guidances.

Contact: williams@uchastings.edu; (415) 565-4706

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FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES Mariko Yoshihara is the Policy Director and Legislative Counsel for the California Employment Lawyers Association. In her role, she leads and organizes legislative efforts to strengthen workers’ rights in California. In 2018, she helped pass comprehensive sexual harassment reform measures, giving California the strongest sexual harassment laws in the nation. She also helped pass the landmark Fair Pay Act in 2015 and subsequent equal pay legislation banning inquiries into prior salary and requiring large employers to submit pay data reports to the state.

Last year she helped pass SB 1383 (Jackson), giving over 6 million more workers the right to take job-protected family leave. Before joining CELA, Mariko interned for the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee, analyzing labor and employment law bills for the California state legislature. She also worked for Assembly Member Swanson and Assembly Member Fuentes as a legislative aide. Mariko graduated cum laude from UC Hastings College of the Law and summa cum laude from San Jose State University where she also played Division I soccer.

Mariko serves on the boards of ACLU of Northern California and ACLU California Action. She was also the founding board chair of the Sacramento non-profit, the Center for Workers’ Rights. In her spare time Mariko likes to cook, travel, run, and play soccer and volleyball.

Rasha Zeyadeh is a trial attorney in the Dallas office of Rob Wiley, P.C. Ms. Zeyadeh is an aggressive advocate for employee rights who understands that workplace disputes can be the cause of one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. Ms. Zeyadeh is dedicated to ensuring that her clients’ rights are protected, and that justice is served. Ms. Zeyadeh represents employees with various claims, including claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Texas Health and Safety Code, Section 1981, and Section 451 of the Texas Labor Code. Ms. Zeyadeh received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas State University, where she graduated with Magna Cum Laude. Following her undergraduate education, Ms. Zeyadeh went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law, where she graduated cum laude. Ms. Zeyadeh is Palestinian and grew up in Amman, Jordan. She recently became a naturalized American Citizen. Her journey to the American dream caught the attention of the Department of Homeland Security – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, who have asked her to become a regular keynote speaker at various naturalization ceremonies.

Contact: mariko@cela.org; (916) 340-5084

Contact: rzeyadeh@robwiley.com; (214) 528-6500

* Speaker unable to attend

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NELA CALENDAR OF EVENTS Trial Boot Camp October 27–29, 2022 Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University Washington, DC Wage & Hour Seminar March 24–25, 2023 Hilton San Diego Bayfront San Diego, CA

2023 NELA Annual Convention June 28–July 1, 2023 Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park Chicago, IL 2023 Fall Seminar (Topic TBD) October 6-8, 2023 Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center Atlanta, GA

2024 NELA Annual Convention June 26–29, 2024 Marriott Philadelphia Downtown Philadelphia, PA

Help shape NELA’s signature event of the year by submitting your session proposals.

2023 Annual Convention June 28–July 1, 2023 Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park Chicago, IL Generally, concurrent sessions are 75 minutes long and feature a moderator and two speakers. NELA reserves the right to modify proposals that are accepted and to select speakers other than those proposed. Please note that NELA will contact you only if your proposal is accepted by the Annual Convention Committee. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us!

NELA hopes to enhance the quality and diversity of its Annual Convention by including your ideas through this Call for Proposals. The deadline for submission of proposals is Friday, September 16, 2022. www.nela.org/2023proposals

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NELA ENHANCED MEMBERS Thank you to those members who generously support NELA through their enhanced annual membership dues.

Champions Norman Blumenthal Kerry K. Cahill Sue Ellen Eisenberg Defenders Clif Alexander Andrew Dunlap Alicia K. Haynes April L. Hollingsworth Advocates Austin W. Anderson Kelly Applegate Patricia A. Barasch Beth E. Bertelson Stephen R. Bruce David A. Burkhalter, II Katherine L. Butler Roxanne B. Conlin Stephen G. Console Wade B. Cowan Ronald G. Dunn Bruce A. Fredrickson Evan L. Goldman J. Gary Gwilliam Daniel F. Johnson Stephen B. Lebau Wayne N. Outten Michael L. Pitt Scott M. Pollins Donna Williams Rucker Peter Winebrake Sustaining Lisa J. Banks John P. Batson Scot D. Bernstein David Blanchard Kathleen L. Bogas Subhashini Bollini Bert S. Braud Denise Campbell Denise M. Clark Linda M. Correia

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Charles W. Day, Jr. Brendan J. Donelon Dennis E. Egan Parisis G. Filippatos Jamie S. Franklin Donna L. Harper Michael A. Hodgson Joel R. Hurt Thomas Gregory Jarrard Michael A. Josephson Debra S. Katz David Lichtenstein David A. Lunceford Jonathan J. Margolis Richard P. Neuworth Mahir Nisar Joshua Parkhurst Patricia A. Podolec Jonathan C. Puth Susan Ritz Mary Anne Sedey Michael C. Subit Geraldine Sumter Jordan A. Thomas Merle Joy Turchik Angela Walker Christine E. Webber Louie A. Wright Benjamin H. Yormak Jeffrey Neil Young Contributing Kathryn Abernethy Walt Auvil Eric Bachman John F. Beasley, Jr. Jonathan Ben-Asher Scott Brady Renée Brooker Donald F. Burke D. Alexander Burkhalter, III David R. Cashdan Richard T. Cassidy Stephen Z. Chertkof Timothy J. Coffey

Doris J. Dabrowski Arthur R. Ehrlich Christine T. Elzer Jonathan Marc Feigenbaum Ryan Furniss Hal K. Gillespie Harold M. Goldner Mark Hammons, Sr. Cathryn Harris-Marchesi Kenneth D. Haynes David M. Heimos Neil L. Henrichsen Janet E. Hill Laura L. Ho William Hommel, Jr. Peter Hoogerwoerd Vicki Kuftic Horne Anne Hunter Amber L. Hurst Susan E. Jewell Alan R. Kabat Deborah H. Karpatkin David L. Lee Sean M. McGivern Ellen J. Messing Laura L. Noble Ann Olivarius Louis Pechman J. Heydt Philbeck Kathryn S. Piscitelli Nancy Pridgen William B. Ryan Rebecca L. Salawdeh Glen D. Savits John D. Saxon Robert C. Seldon J. Arthur Smith, III Kirby G. Smith Carl M. Varady Thomas A. Warren Hollie L. Wieland Clayton Wire J. Bryan Wood

NELA FUND DONORS NELA’s strength is in our community of individual members, law firms, Affiliates, allied organizations, and coalition partners. We extend our deepest gratitude to the following for their generous financial contributions.

Sanctions Assistance Fund for Emergency Relief (SAFER) Joseph Y. Ahmad David Albrechta Kristin D. Alden N. Sue Allen Kelly Applegate Kirk Auvil Ruth Ann Azeredo Donna M. Ballman Micah Barry Paul F. Bell Scot D. Bernstein Gavriela Bogin-Farber Carla D. Brown Henry Brudney Deena Buchman David R. Cashdan Kathy Jo Cook Mark Davis Anthony Dawkins Charles W. Day, Jr. Gerardine Delambo Ronald E. Dupree Herbert Eisenberg William H. Ewing Parisis G. Filippatos Lenore C. Garon Matthew J. Ghio Hal K. Gillespie Juliana Gonzalez Jon W. Green Nancy Grim Jason Han Alicia K. Haynes Athena M. Herman Edward Hernstadt Michael A. Hodgson April L. Hollingsworth Peter Hoogerwoerd

Vicki Kuftic Horne Christopher Houk John C. Ireland Rachel Jensen Susan E. Jewell Ilir Kavaja Ben Lebsack David Lichtenstein Jonathan J. Margolis Timothy P. Maynard Cheri L. McCracken Ellen J. Messing Messing, Rudavsky & Weliky, PC C. Ryan Morgan Alberto Naranjo Victoria Lynn Neal Joey S. Niskar Neil Pederson Stephen B. Pershing Patricia A. Podolec Robin B. Potter Jonathan C. Puth Johanna J. Raimond Nancy Richards-Stower Lisa R. Sahli Heather Schlozman Arthur T. Schofield Nina B. Shapiro Susan M. Swan Joseph Torres Michael Tresnowski Jonathan Wall Hollie L. Wieland Rob Wiley Wesley Woolf Carl M. Varady Eric Vernon Jason Mark Zuckerman Bennet D. Zurofsky

Legislative & Public Policy Fund Kristin D. Alden N. Sue Allen Kirk Auvil Micah Barry Scot D. Bernstein Beth E. Bertelson Alenna K. Bolin William Bowen Valerie Brender Carla D. Brown Henry Brudney Deena Buchanan Lewis H. Chimes Timothy J. Coffey David Conforto Kathy Jo Cook Mark Davis Charles W. Day, Jr. Megan Douglass Thomas J. Duff Ronald E. Dupree Herbert Eisenberg William H. Ewing Parisis G. Filippatos Hal K. Gillespie Juliana Gonzalez Nancy Grim Geoffrey L. Gross Ayesha Hamilton Jason Han Alicia K. Haynes Athena M. Herman Edward Hernstadt Bruce J. Highman April L. Hollingsworth Christine Hopkins Vicki Kuftic Horne Anne Hunter John C. Ireland

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NELA FUND DONORS Rachel Jensen Susan E. Jewell Leah L. Jones David Kotwicki David Lichtenstein Mickey Long Brendan P. Lynch Jonathan J. Margolis Timothy P. Maynard Matt Molinaro C. Ryan Morgan Rahul Munshi Victoria Lynn Neal Brian Noland Edward H. Passman Neil Pederson Stephen B. Pershing Gary Phelan Patricia A. Podolec Jonathan C. Puth Johanna J. Raimond Nancy Richards-Stower Lisa R. Sahli Jill Saluck

James D. Sanford John D. Saxon Heather Schlozman Nina B. Shapiro Michal Shinnar Rachhana T. Srey Fern Steiner Thomas E. Strelka Susan M. Swan Joseph Torres Michael Tresnowski Carl M. Varady Eric Vernon Hollie L. Wieland Rob Wiley Louie A. Wright Jason Mark Zuckerman

We also acknowledge the Peggy Browning Fund for making possible the Workers’ Rights Advocacy Fellowship Program.

Contributions In Memory Of Paul H. Tobias Alan Banov Kristen Becher & Charles Robertson Christine Cooper Lonny Dolin Freking Myers & Reul LLC Madelon Jonas Patricia Losacker Mercantile Center Building, Cincinnati NELA-Illinois Stephen Pepe Louis Rauh Mary Rauh & John Rauh Richard Rosenthal Kira Seabolt Eliza Sharp & Matthew Sharp Ann Straus & Fred Straus Gregory Widmeyer

Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the individuals, law firms, and other organizations that are acknowledged.

We apologize for any errors or omissions. Donors from January 1, 2021–May 13, 2022.

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Invest In The Future Of Workers’ Rights Advocacy

THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL H. TOBIAS Paul H. Tobias, the Founder and First Executive Director of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), was a pioneer in the field of plaintiffs’ employment law. For more than 50 years, he was the source of boundless inspiration for our community of workers’ rights advocates. Whether or not you knew Paul, his prolific accomplishments in advancing equality and justice in the American workplace have touched you. He was a true workplace hero whose passion for employment law came from a deep desire to help individuals.

THE PAUL H. TOBIAS ATTORNEY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM Named in his honor, the Paul H. Tobias (PHT) Attorney Fellowship Program exemplifies our commitment to cultivating the next generation of workers’ rights advocates. The PHT Attorney Fellowship provides a new lawyer who embodies Paul’s indomitable spirit with the opportunity to work on cutting-edge issues at the Institute for two years.

JOIN THE INSTITUTE’S FIGHT FOR JUSTICE Our PHT Fellows make it possible for the Institute and NELA to reach broadly—engaging advocates, organizations, coalitions, legislators, academics, agency officials, media, and the public—to create a more just workplace. Our PHT Fellows contribute to the Institute’s research and advocacy related to the gig economy, forced arbitration, and other topics germane to workers’ rights.

VISIT WITH THE INSTITUTE To learn more, be sure to stop by the Institute’s table in the Grand Assembly and join us on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. in Salons 1–3 for Breakfast With the Institute.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE The PHT Attorney Fellowship Program is made possible by the generous commitment of members of the NELA community. Please help us carry out Paul’s legacy by joining our fight for workers’ rights. You can make a taxdeductible contribution during the Convention at the Institute table or online anytime at bit.ly/ForWorkers.

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The Institute and NELA acknowledge the visionaries of workers’ rights who have made financial contributions to support our work. The giving levels listed below reflect our supporters’ combined contributions from January 1, 2021 through May 31, 2022.

CY PRES AWARDS Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho Haines Law Group Hawks Quindel, SC Law Offices of Colleen M. McLaughlin Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP Soderstrom Law PC FOUNDATION GRANTS The M.R. & Evelyn Hudson Foundation Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation GENERAL SUPPORT $10,000+ Nancy J. Bateman In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Paul H. Tobias Irrevocable Trust $5,000–$9,999 Stephen R. Bruce James H. Kaster & Joellen M. Kaster Shannon Liss-Riordan $2,500–$4,999 Haynes & Haynes, PC Karen Maoki In Honor of the friends we lost in 2021, who continue to inspire us Outten & Golden LLP $1,000–$2,499 Isabelle Ambler In Honor of Herbert Eisenberg M. Nieves Bolaños Carla D. Brown Katherine L. Butler 78

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Butler & Harris In Memory of Rick Seymour Heather M. Collins Correia & Puth, PLLC Wade B. Cowan The Day Law Practice, LLC In Memory of Joe Kaplan Dennis E. Egan Sue Ellen Eisenberg Amanda A. Farahany Bruce A. Fredrickson & Kristin K. Fredrickson In Memory of Doug Huron and Rick Seymour Joseph D. Garrison & Brenda J. Garrison April L. Hollingsworth King & Greisen, LLP Deborah K. Lim & Michael J. Woo In Honor of Teri Chaw Jonathan J. Margolis Jeffrey A. Mittman Maria Lloyd Price Jonathan C. Puth & Mira F. Courpas Rebecca L. Salawdeh In Honor of the NELA leaders we lost in 2021 Schall & Barasch, LLC J. Arthur Smith, III $500–$999 Carmen Comsti J. Gary Gwilliam Daniel B. Kohrman In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Messing, Rudavsky & Weliky PC Neyhart, Anderson, Flynn & Grosboll In Honor of Teri Chaw Nina Therese Pirrotti In Honor of her client, Jane Doe

Roberta L. Steele In Honor of Karen Maoki Merle Joy Turchik Marilyn L. Widman In Memory of John D. Franklin $250–499 Bernard Alexander Christian Bagin In Memory of Bruce Bagin Roy Bateman In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Beth E. Bertelson Debra P. Chaw Doris J. Dabrowski Sue Farley In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Gerhardstein-Gingold Charitable Fund In Memory of Paul H. Tobias Karla Gilbride Samantha Hermann Goshen In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Hammons, Hurst & Associates Leah A. Hofkin Susan E. Jewell Deborah H. Karpatkin Therese M. Lawless Stephen B. Lebau Michael J. Leech David Lichtenstein Karen Maoki In Memory of Charles Mittman Barbara A. Moore Scott M. Pollins Rachhana T. Srey Mitiku Tuta In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Carl M. Varady In Memory of Rick Seymour

Christine E. Webber Rob Wiley Jason Mark Zuckerman $100–$249 Kelly Applegate Eric Bachman Alan Banov Renée Brooker David R. Cashdan Deutsch Atkins Kleinfeldt, PC William H. Ewing Hal K. Gillespie Joseph A. Golden Evan L. Goldman Colleen Goodin In Memory of Tammy Edwards and Doug Huron Jonathan L. Gould Leon Greenberg Nancy Grim Mark Hanna Bruce J. Highman Phyllis C. Hofkin Hommel Law Firm Vicki Kuftic Horne John C. Ireland Patricia Ito In Honor of Teri Chaw David A. Kotzian Jeffrey Kulwin Sean M. McGivern C. Ryan Morgan Summer H. Murshid Neil Pederson Patricia A. Podolec Nancy Richards-Stower Marilou Righini & Massimo Righini Barry D. Roseman Toby Rosenberg & Gene Rosenberg In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Maria Salacuse Randall D. Schmidt Michal Shinnar Jason C.N. Smith Hollie L. Wieland

Alan Yatvin In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Benjamin H. Yormak Jeffrey Neil Young Up To $99 Kristin Alden N. Sue Allen Kirk Auvil Micah Barry Scot D. Bernstein Alenna K. Bolin William Bowen Cecilia Brennan Henry Brudney Deena Buchanan Kirby F. Cañon Lewis H. Chimes Timothy J. Coffey Kathy Jo Cook Mark Davis Ronald E. Dupree Arthur Elkins Christine T. Elzer Sheila F. Fehrenbach & Karl Fehrenbach In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Mitchell Feldman Parisis G. Filippatos Kevin D. Fitzpatrick, Jr. Christine Forsythe Lenore C. Garon Julianna Gonzalez Susan Gordon & Mark Gordon In Memory of Robert F. Hermann CM Hall In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Jarrett Haskovec Athena M. Herman Edward Hernstadt Melanie Hershman In Honor of Aaron Wilson Janet E. Hill Michael A. Hodgson Christine Hopkins

Anne Hunter Rachel Jensen Leah L. Jones Ilir Kavaja David A. Kotwicki James Kytle Lisa Lawrence Lowrey Parady Lebsack In Memory of Rick Seymour Jeannie Simonoff Marx Matt Molinaro Alberto Naranjo Victoria Lynn Neal Brian Noland Ann Olivarius Stephen B. Pershing Kathleen Peterson In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Robin B. Potter Johanna J. Raimond Lisa R. Sahli Jill Saluck James D. Sanford Anne Schlozman Richard T. Seymour Nina B. Shapiro Carol G. Silverman Thomas E. Strelka Susan M. Swan William R. Tamayo Joseph Torres Trang Q. Tran Eric Vernon Kevin S. Vogeltanz Donald J. Voss Louie A. Wright THE CHAW LEGACY FUND TO ADVANCE THE INSTITUTE’S FUTURE Christine T. Elzer Patricia A. Podolec Liane Scott & Eric Scott

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THE PAUL H. TOBIAS ATTORNEY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM $1,000+ Terisa E. Chaw & James A. Hendriksen In Celebration of the life and legacy of Paul H. Tobias Phyllis Tobias In Memory of Paul H. Tobias $500–$999 Terisa E. Chaw & James A. Hendriksen In Celebration of the life and legacy of Thomas J. Henderson $250–$499 Bernard Alexander Wade B. Cowan In Honor of Christy England Colleen Goodin In Memory of Paul H. Tobias Alan R. Kabat Kathryn S. Piscitelli In Memory of Rick Seymour Rebecca L. Salawdeh In Honor of Christy England

$100–$249 M. Nieves Bolaños Elinor C. Chaw In Honor of Teri Chaw Terisa E. Chaw & James A. Hendriksen In Memory of Bobbie Lou Davis Pickett Karla Gilbride Colleen Goodin In Memory of Thomas J. Henderson and Michael Thinker Leah A. Hofkin Jeffrey A. Mittman Nareeya Nalivka In Memory of Paul H. Tobias Mark D. Risk V. Jonas Urba Jeffrey Neil Young THE WORKERS’ RIGHTS ADVOCACY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM $1,000+ Rambsy Law PC $250–$499 Kathleen Shannon In Memory of Robert F. Hermann $100–$249 Denise M. Clark Maureen T. Holland

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Susan E. Jewell Colleen McLaughlin Barry D. Roseman Donna Williams Rucker In Memory of Rick Seymour James D. Sanford Carl M. Varady Rob Wiley Up To $99 Jacqueline A. Armstrong M. Nieves Bolaños Cecilia Brennan Deena Buchanan Butler Curwood PLC Kathleen M. Cahill Richard T. Cassidy Wade B. Cowan Charles W. Day, Jr. Erinna Delaney In Honor of Samuel Gottlieb Eva Demyen In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Steven Granberg Athena M. Herman James Hermann In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Vicki Kuftic Horne Ann Lugbill Deborah K. Marcuse Nancy Richards-Stower Bruce Satalof & Marie Satalof In Memory of Robert F. Hermann Richard T. Seymour

Leaders ($5,000–$9,999) Stephen R. Bruce James H. Kaster & Joellen M. Kaster Shannon Liss-Riordan Pacesetters ($2,500–$4,999) Haynes & Haynes, PC Karen Maoki Outten & Golden LLP The Visionary Circle Members of the Visionary Circle make an annual commitment of $1,000 or more to support the ongoing work of the Institute. We are honored to recognize the members of the 2021 and 2022 Visionary Circles.

Changemaker ($10,000+) Nancy J. Bateman

Visionaries ($1,000–$2,499) Isabelle Ambler M. Nieves Bolaños Carla D. Brown Katherine L. Butler Butler & Harris Terisa E. Chaw & James A. Hendriksen Heather M. Collins Correia & Puth, PLLC Wade B. Cowan

The Day Law Practice, LLC Dennis E. Egan Sue Ellen Eisenberg Amanda A. Farahany Bruce A. Fredrickson & Kristin K. Fredrickson Joseph D. Garrison & Brenda J. Garrison April L. Hollingsworth King & Greisen, LLP Deborah K. Lim & Michael J. Woo Jonathan J. Margolis Jeffrey A. Mittman Maria Lloyd Price Jonathan C. Puth & Mira F. Courpas Phillis h. Rambsy Rebecca L. Salawdeh Schall & Barasch, LLC J. Arthur Smith, III Phyllis Tobias

Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the individuals, law firms, and other organizations that are acknowledged.

We apologize for any errors or omissions.

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THE POWER OF CY PRES TO ADVANCE WORKERS’ RIGHTS

Cy pres awards have been and will continue to be critical to the Institute’s ability to advance workers’ rights through research, thought leadership, and education for policymakers, advocates, and the public. The Institute has an excellent track record as a cy pres beneficiary, and since 2008 has been the recipient of nearly $1.5 million in cy pres awards in 60 class or collective actions brought on behalf of workers. The Institute is a compelling designee in employment discrimination, wage and hour, and other litigation concerning workplace violations.

Please join us in extending our gratitude to the following attorneys and law firms who have designated the Institute as a cy pres recipient since 2008. They have made a tremendous difference not only to us, but to the lives of the workers we touch.

Abbey Spanier, LLP Altshuler Berzon, LLP Beaumont Costales Berger & Montague, PC Betz + Blevins Burr & Smith, LLP Maia Caplan Chavez Law Firm Cummins & Cummins, LLP Donati Law, PLLC Donelon, PC Dworken & Bernstein Co., LPA Eisenberg & Schnell, LLP Fish Potter Bolaños, PC (formerly Potter Bolaños LLC) Foote, Mielke, Chavez & O’Neil, LLC Bruce C. Fox Jamie S. Franklin Suzanne Garrow Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho Law Offices of Janice Goodman Law Offices of Geoffrey L. Gross, LLC Haines Law Group Hawks Quindel, SC

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Hayber, McKenna & Dinsmore, LLC Heisler, Feldman, & McCormick, PC Hua Gallai & Gonzales, LLP Johnson Becker, PLLC Kern Law Firm, PC Tuvia Korobkin Lewis Kuhn Swan PC McGuinn, Hillsman & Palefsky Law Offices of Colleen M. McLaughlin Rowdy Meeks Legal Group LLC Miller O’Brien Jensen, PA Nichols Kaster, PLLP Law Office of Thomas Rutledge Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky Wotkyns LLP Law Offices of James M. Sitkin Soderstrom Law PC Sprenger & Lang, PLLC Thomas & Solomon LLP Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs The Law Office of Rob Wiley, PC Woodall Law Offices

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Workplace Fairness is a workers rights advocacy nonprofit that developed and maintains the #1 most comprehensive, online one-stop-shop for free employee rights information. Our accessible resources aim to educate workers, employers, legal services and community organizations to promote the fair treatment of workers through sound public policy and widespread awareness.

LEARN HOW YOU CAN MAKE AN IMPACT THROUGH OUR WEB SERVICES FOR EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS.

BARDWELL CONSULTING Statistical and Economic Experts

Bardwell Consulting has been exceptionally useful to us in developing sound damage models to support class certification and allocate settlement proceeds, including in cases with horribly inadequate employment records and very low-wage workers. We recommend them highly!

David H. Seligman, Executive Director, Towards Justice Dr. Bardwell and his team have a deep reservoir of knowledge and experience analyzing complex statistical matters and translating the results in a way everyone can understand. He is easy to work with, and the work product is thorough, professional and solidly defensible.

Darold W. Killmer, Partner, Killmer, Lane & Newman, LLP From our end, you guys are highly value-added, put your heart into every assignment, and catch all the small things that improve the quality of your reports and opinions. You are also sensitive to case budgets and how to assess preliminary matters cost-effectively. That is how we see you guys.

Rob Carey, Partner, Hagens Berman Andy Bardwell has been my go-to statistical expert for over two decades. Andy and his team at Bardwell Consulting have been resourceful, thoughtful, thorough, easy to work with and committed to providing quality analysis. I would highly recommend them to NELA members looking for statistical or damage experts.

Diane King, Partner, King and Greisen, LLP

Thank you, NELA members, for all you do to defend employees’ rights. We have worked with many of you and know personally your brillance, diligence and tenacity.

BardwellConsulting.com

IN MEMORIAM

“Whatever you choose to do, leave tracks.

That means don’t do it just for yourself.

You will want to leave the world a little better for your having lived.”

- Ruth Bader Ginsberg

IN MEMORIAM Thank you for leaving the world a little better for workers.

James L. Arruebarrena Law Office of James L. Arruebarrena, LLC New Orleans, Louisiana Jeffrey W. Bruce The Bruce Law Firm Belton, Missouri Paula R. Bruner U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Washington, DC Rex Burgess The Sharp Firm Clinton Township, Michigan M. Susan Carlson St. Louis, Missouri Tammy Edwards Clanton, Alabama John C. Franklin Widman & Franklin, LLC Toledo, Ohio Georgia Lee Gates Maryland and West Virginia

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2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

Thomas J. Henderson Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP Washington, DC

Robert D. Lipman Lipman & Plesur, LLP Jericho, New York

Robert F. Hermann Hermann & Bateman Westfield, New Jersey

Stanley Lubin Lubin & Enoch, PC Phoenix, Arizona

Douglas B. Huron Heller, Huron, Chertkof & Salzman Washington, DC

Enrique Moreno The Law Offices of Enrique Moreno El Paso, Texas

Joseph V. Kaplan Passman & Kaplan, PC Washington, DC

Richard T. Seymour Law Office of Richard T. Seymour, PLLC Washington, DC

Eli M. Karsh Liberman, Goldstein & Karsh St. Louis, Missouri Kraig J. Marton President, Arizona Employment Lawyers Association Jaburg & Wilk, PC Phoenix, Arizona

Michael L. Spekter Michael L. Spekter, Esq. Washington, DC Paul H. Tobias NELA Founder Tobias, Torchia & Simon Cincinnati, Ohio

Larry Kuznetz Powell, Kuznetz & Parker, PS Spokane, Washington

Rebecca Webber Skelton Taintor & Abbott Lewiston, Maine

Michael J. Leech Talk Sense Mediation Malvern, Pennsylvania

Sheldon Weinhaus St. Louis, Missouri

Take a moment and look through the following greetings and advertisements from your friends, colleagues, NELA members, NELA Affiliates, and the many businesses and organizations that support NELA. We are grateful for your continued support of our work.

2022 SPONSOR, EXHIBITOR & ADVERTISER PROSPECTUS Our gratitude & appreciation to NELA’s Affiliates Members Committees & Practice Groups for your invaluable contributions.

Stephen R. Bruce Law Offices 1667 K Street, NW Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 289-1117 www.erisapensionclaims.com

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www.cbcblaw.com 89

WE RISE. WE LEAD. FILIPPATOS PLLC STEADFASTLY SUPPORTS NELA’S PROUD MISSION TO PRESERVE THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE WORKPLACE PRESERVING JUSTICE IN THE WORKPLACE SINCE 1992

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2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

Phone: 914-984-5140 Toll Free: 888-9-JOBLAW

Toll Free: info@filippatoslaw.com

199 Main Street, Suite 800 White Plains, NY 10601

TRUSTED ADVOCATES. PROVEN RESULTS. REAL PEOPLE. It takes a team of specialized employment lawyers to cover today’s Wisconsin employment laws, and it takes a trusted association to support that team.

Our continued support to the National Employment Lawyers Association ensures expert legal training and resources to all attorneys of workers’ rights. It’s an investment in the future of promoting fair judiciary, laws, and policies through a united organization.

Together, we’ll continue to advocate for Wisconsin’s workers and jobs.

Hawks Quindel is proud to be home to many of the state’s most sought-after employment lawyers—all committed to delivering results. We’ve built our business on our hard-earned record for success in both individual and class-action lawsuits.

We are proud of our reputation as smart, ethical, and effective attorneys.

2022 NELA ANNUAL CONVENTION

Hawks Quindel S.C. | www.hq-law.com

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IS PROUD TO SPONSOR THE 2022 NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION GALA

"Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time."

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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“Silence never won rights. They are not handed down from above; they are forced by pressures from below.”

Roger Baldwin (founder of the ACLU)

Congratulations to NELA and this year’s honorees on their extraordinary work.

Representing workers in wage & hour lawsuits nationwide.

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HAYNES & HAYNES

HAYNES & HAYNES, P.C. Plaintiff Employment Trial Lawyers Since 1988

1600 Woodmere Drive Birmingham, AL 35226 (205) 879-0377 www.haynes-haynes.com

Remembering Tammy Edwards Tammy Edwards was honored at the 2010 NELA Annual Convention as one of NELA's courageous plaintiffs. Tammy prevailed in her sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against her former employer, Hyundai. Despite the great adversity she faced in her ultimately victorious struggle to vindicate her workplace rights, Tammy exhibited enormous strength, perseverance, and a fervent belief in America's promise of justice for all.

Tammy's conviction that it was imperative to pursue justice not just for herself but for others is a constant source of inspiration. She was more than a client or even one of NELA’s workplace heroes; she was a torchbearer. Sadly, her life journey ended, all too early in 2021.

At Haynes & Haynes we are committed to continuing Tammy’s fight and upholding our long tradition of tireless advocacy for the rights of employees and championing the pursuit of justice for our clients.

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IN TAMMY’S WORDS

"I brought my lawsuit to help and encourage other victims of sexual harassment to stand up against this kind of treatment…I will not stop the fight for a workplace free of harassment or stop believing that justice will prevail."

TAMMY EDWARDS

NELA, great to be back together !

Always looking for Co-Counsel Hope to talk to you Cheri L. McCracken 705 E Coronado Phoenix AZ, 85006 cherimccracken@gmail.com 602-231-0595 95

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WE CELEBRATE ALL THOSE WHO ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE IN THE WORKPLACE. Congratulations to this year’s NELA honorees: Joseph D. Garrison Victoria W. Ni Menaka N. Fernando

Wrongs made right.

Pursuing justice for 30 years.

117 WEST 4TH STREET, SUITE 200

•

ROYAL OAK, MI 48067

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248-398-9800

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PITTLAWPC.COM

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TELA

Texas Employment Lawyers Association www.mytela.org

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Leading the Charge

We are proud to support NELA’s tireless leadership in protecting workers’ rights.

202.408.4600 | cohenmilstein.com

Chicago, IL | New York, NY | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Philadelphia, PA | Raleigh, NC | Washington, DC 99

Beth Creighton 65 SW Yamhill Street Suite 300 Portland, OR 97204 (503) 221-1792 www.civilrightspdx.com

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Fighting Workplace Injustice For 45 Years Over $85 million in class action settlements in the past three years!

Employment Discrimination False Claims Act Wage & Hour Disputes Class & Collective Actions Retaliation Whistleblowers Workers’ Compensation Unions Restrictive Covenants Employment Contracts

Our firm vigorously represents working people in individual and class action cases. We actively partner with other NELA attorneys, unions, community organizations, and workers’ centers to achieve workers’ legal goals.

Contact us if you would like to discuss referring or co-counseling on a matter.

DAVID FISH ● NIEVES BOLAÑOS ● ROBIN POTTER ● KIMBERLY HILTON ● PATRICK COWLIN MARA BALTABOLS ● ALENNA BOLIN ● JIM GREEN ● JOHN KUNZE ● SETH MATUS ● THALIA PACHECO ALEX TAYLOR ● LESLIE CASTELLANOS ● ASHLEY FEENY ● DANA KAROL ● NICOLE SANDERS

Chicago Office 111 East Wacker Drive Suite 2300 Chicago, Illinois 60601

312-861-1800 www.fishlawfirm.com

Suburban Office 200 East 5th Avenue Suite 123 Naperville, Illinois 60653 101

We are Dedicated to the Advancement of Workers’ Rights

floridanela.org floridanela.org

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WE RISE. WE LEAD. WE THANK YOU!

Ke ll y My er s . G e or g e Re u l .

J o n Al l i s on . K a ti Ne f f . L aura Wi ls o n . Li z a N e w man . Nir o Wi j es oo riy a . Je f f Si lv e rs t ein

Cincinnati, Ohio | fmr.law 103

Gilbert Employment Law, P.C. is thrilled to welcome the attorneys and staff of Smith Himmelmann, Attorneys At Law Elbridge W. Smith, Senior Counsel and Managing Attorney of Gilbert & Smith Law Firm EZ Smith, Senior Associate Gilbert Employment Law, P.C. 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 900 • Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 301.608.0880 Gilbert & Smith Law Firm 745 Fort St, Suite 311 • Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 808.523.5050 We represent government and private-sector employees in all matters relating to civil rights in the workplace

www.gelawyer.com

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Gillespie Sanford LLP With our friends in NELA … We Rise, We Lead, We Celebrate.

Joe Gillespie, Hal Gillespie, & Jim Sanford

Brandey Pemberton (Legal Assistant)

4803 Gaston Ave., Dallas, TX 75246 • TEL: (214) 800-5111 • FAX: (214) 838-0001 • gillespiesanford.com

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Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho Barry & Sandy Goldstein

Celebrate and Thank NELA, Joseph Garrison, Victoria Ni, and Menaka Fernando for Years of Leadership Seeking Justice for Workers

155 Grand Avenue, Suite 900 Oakland, CA 94612 510.763.9800 www.gbdhlegal.com Plaintiffs’ Complex & Class Action Litigation  Wage & Hour  Disability Access  Voting Rights  Consumer Rights  Employment Discrimination  Qui Tam Litigation  Housing Rights

Fighting for civil rights since 1972

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Congratulations to Menaka Fernando, Joseph Garrison, and Victoria Ni for their outstanding efforts on behalf of workers!

Specializing in labor and employment, environmental, constitutional, campaign and election, and civil rights law.

(415) 421-7151 www.altber.com 107

447 Center Street Manchester, CT 06040 (860) 646-5606

Congratulations to Joe Garrison, Vicky Ni, and Menaka Fernando.

We Rise. We Lead. We Celebrate!

www.beckeldergill.com Know Your Rights, Know This Number.

Noelle Brennan & Associates, Ltd. 20 S. Clark Street Suite 1530 Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 422-0001 www.nbrennan-associates.com

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The Colorado Plaintiff Lawyers Association (PELA) is proud to support NELA!

We Rise. We Lead.

Thank you for leading the way for employee rights advocates and for the critical work NELA does for worker rights everywhere.

www.coloradopela.wildapricot.org

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Wade B. Cowan P.O. Box 50617 Nashville, TN 37205-0617 (615) 352-2331 wcowan@dhhrplc.com www.wadebcowanlaw.com

Thank You, NELA For All You Do! and Congratulations Honorees!

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WE’RE PROUD TO CELEBRATE AND UPLIFT ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK NELA AND ITS MEMBERS ACCOMPLISHED IN 2022!!!

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Butler Curwood, PLC

Harris D. Butler

Craig J. Curwood

Paul M. Falabella

Zev Antell

P: 804.648.4848 F: 804.237.0413 www.butlercurwood.com 140 Virginia Street, Suite 302 Richmond, Virginia 23219

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MWELA congratulates longtime member Laura Brown, Executive Director of the First Shift Justice Project, as she is honored for distinguished service to the NELA community.

Laura is an employment lawyer and mother of two. She has been a tireless advocate for low-income workers for almost two decades, as a founder of First Shift Justice Project; Legal Director of the Workers’ Rights Clinic of the Employment Justice Center; an associate at the law firm of Woodley & McGillivary, Steele, Elkin; and as a staff attorney/business agent with UNITE HERE Local 25, the hotel and restaurant employees’ union in D.C. We are proud to call Laura one of our own.

First Shift Justice Project provides legal services and education to low-income parents regarding pay, leave, and discrimination issues, and engages in public advocacy for better employment laws that will help thousands of working parents and other employees.

The Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association is a vibrant NELA affiliate, and is 330+ lawyers strong. As advocates for employee rights and civil rights, we work to protect the rights and privileges of employees in both the private and public sectors in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

We are pleased to support the programs and activities of NELA. 115

With deepest appreciation for the hard-working, creative and inspiring team of advocates at NELA and the Institute: Tacarra Andrade Alicia Battle Laura M. Flegel Leah A. Hofkin

Thank you!

Jeffrey A. Mittman

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Karen Maoki Lauren McCormick Pedro A. Valverde Ashley O. Westby

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2022  

 118

“Courage has nothing to do with our determination to be great. It has to do with what we decide in that moment when we are called upon to be more.” ~ R i t a D ove

The Staff and Board of Public Justice Salute Our Colleague and Friend,

VICKY NI Thank you for your courage and compassion – and for your inspiring reminder that in the moments we are called upon, we can answer with, do and be, more.

PUBLIC JUSTICE™ I M P A C T. C H A N G E . www.PublicJustice.net 119

We are proud to belong to this great family of lawyers dedicated to vindicating employee rights.

And a special shout-out to Joe Garrison, who is indefatigable in fighting for employees, and has mentored generations of employee advocates.

Ritz Clark & Ben-Asher LLP Strategic Employment Lawyers Jonathan Ben-Asher Miriam F. Clark Susan Ritz One Liberty Plaza 165 Broadway, 23rd Floor New York, NY 10006-1404 Phone: 212-321-7075 www.rcbalaw.com

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SOLIDARITY WITH WORKERS FIGHTING FOR UNIONIZATION, FAIR WAGES, AND SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS.

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO VICKY NI FOR BEING HONORED FOR HER CHAMPIONING OF THESE MOVEMENTS AND PEOPLE.

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Joseph D. Garrison Victoria W. Ni Menaka N. Fernando for their tremendous work in advancing the rights of workers!

2515 N. Stanton St., El Paso, TX Tel (915) 532-5544 Fax (915) 532-5566 www.coylefirm.com

Texas & New Mexico Leaders in Employment and Civil Rights Law

We protect the rights of whistleblowers and other employees who challenge workplace wrongdoing

The Employment Law Group, P.C. | 1717 K St. NW, Ste 1110 | Washington, DC 20006 | 202-331-3911 www.EmploymentLawGroup.com • Workplace Champions Protecting Your Civil Rights®

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Karen K. Fitzgerald 8150 N. Central Expressway 10th Floor Dallas, TX 75206 (214) 265-9958 www.fitzgerald.law

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In honor of all the working people across this country who fight for justice and fairness in their workplaces every day. And in memory of two women – brilliant, undeterred, courageous civil rights leaders and beloved sisters:

Susan R. Nussbaum 1953-2022 & Urvashi Vaid 1958-2022

We will keep up the fight, we will not give up, and will honor your spirit, courage and determination as we fight for the rights of workers. Solidarity!

Laura Flegel & Mary Farmer

Joshua Friedman Rebecca Houlding 230 Park Avenue Third Floor West New York, NY 10169 (888) 369-1119, Ext. 1 www.friedmanhouldingllp.com

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Your Advocates in the Workplace and Beyond!

The Gittes Law Group 723 Oak Street Columbus, Ohio 43205 Phone: (614) 222-4735 Fax: (614) 221-9655 www.gitteslaw.com

Here’s to Joe Garrison- great person, great friend, and great lawyer who helped NELA and Workplace Fairness grow!

-GLG-

Congratulations to all the outstanding honorees and a special congratulations to my friend Joe Garrison who was there in the beginning.

Janice Goodman 128

Thank you for bringing out the best in me!

Janet E. Hill Hill & Associates

Retiring After 40 Years

Thank you, NELA and the Institute, for another inspiring year of fighting for workers’ rights!

Leah A. Hofkin

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Law Offices of David C. Holmes David C. Holmes 13201 Northwest Freeway, Suite 800 Houston, Texas 77040 713-586-8862 713-586-8863 (fax)

Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

JMW Settlements, Inc. Henry L. Strong 1725 DeSales Street, NW Suite 801 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-1990 www.jmwsettlements.com 130

NELA 2022

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Madsen, Prestley & Parenteau, LLC 105 Huntington Street New London, CT 06320 (860) 442-2466 www.mppjustice.com

[I]f you come together with a mission, and it’s grounded with love and a sense of community, you can make the impossible possible.

– Representative John Lewis

澳

濪濼瀇濻澳濺瀅濴瀇濼瀇瀈濷濸澳瀇瀂澳瀇濻濸澳濡濘濟濔澳濹濴瀀濼濿瀌澳濹瀂瀅澳濸濴濶濻澳濷濴瀌澳濵瀅濼瀁濺濼瀁濺澳瀌瀂瀈瀅澳 濿瀂瀉濸澳瀂濹澳濽瀈瀆瀇濼濶濸澳濼瀁瀇瀂澳瀂瀈瀅澳濶瀂瀀瀀瀈瀁濼瀇瀌濁

Vicky, thank you for being my mentor and friend, in work and in life.

Congratulations on your well-deserved honor!

澳 –澳濞濴瀅濸瀁澳濠濴瀂濾濼澔

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203 N. Liberty Street The McFaddin Building Victoria, TX 77901 (361) 573-5500 (361) 573-5040 (Fax) www.lawmgk.com Helping Workers With Disabilities for 25 Years

133

https://exchange.nela.org/nelaga/home President – Teresa Saggese Mills President Elect – Tamika Sykes Past President – Kris Orr Brown

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Secretary – Julie Oinonen Treasurer – Dean Fuchs

Thank you for your continued advocacy to improve worker’s rights!

Congratulations to all honorees!

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NELA St. Louis Louis WeNELA Rise.St.We Lead.

We Rise. We Lead

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OELA

Oklahoma Employment Lawyers Association

Leaders in Protecting Employee Rights Oklahoma Employment Lawyers Association is an organization of lawyers on your side for employment matters.

Please visit our website at www.oela.org OELA is a non-profit organization that has the purpose of furthering the education of and sharing resources with the attorneys who practice employment law, specifically Plaintiff’s cases.

Pollins Law Creating great futures

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Jennifer L. Liu Rebecca Peterson-Fisher 800 Menlo Avenue Suite 102 Menlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 461-9000 www.liupetersonfisher.com

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Fighting for and protecting the rights of employees in Minnesota since 1985.

www.mn-nela.org

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351 California Street Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 434-9800 www.rezlaw.com

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POWERS, JODOIN, MARGOLIS & MANTELL LLP 111 Devonshire Street, Boston, MA 02109 | (617) 742-7010 www.theemploymentlawyers.com

We thank Joe Garrison, Victoria Ni and Menaka N. Fernando for their long and effective dedication to workers’ rights

Kevin G. Powers Jonathan J. Margolis

Robert S. Mantell Lori A. Jodoin

You know the law; we know the cite.

Search with sentences, Booleans, or keywords Parallel Search Search with meaningful concepts

Casetext provides unprecedented legal research and writing technology to lawyers like you. Our one-of-a-kind Parallel Search is the only legal research technology allowing lawyers to search by writing an argument as a sentence. Casetext saves lawyers 11.5 hours per week, lets them conduct 47% fewer searches, and 74% of attorneys prefer Parallel Search to pre-A.I. search methods.

Try Casetext for free today, www.casetext.com

Faster, Smarter Legal Research 141

Congratulates NELA for leading the way towards a workplace free of discrimination!

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So Great to Be Back Together Again at the Convention!

Andrew Schmidt Law, PLLC 97 India Street Portland, ME 04101 (207) 619-0320 www.maineworkerjustice.com 143

11 Greenway Plaza Suite 1515 Houston, TX 77046 (713) 352-3433 www.eeoc.net

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We are proud to support the National Employment Lawyers Association and the dedicated work of our partner, David I. Brody Incoming President of NELA’s Massachusetts Chapter Complex Law. Clear Guidance.

Real Estate | Litigation | Business Law | Employment www.sherin.com

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Protecting people who have been fired, or are afraid they might be.

3601 Eisenhower Avenue Suite 425 Arlington, VA 22304 (202) 559-1056 www.spigglelaw.com

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Tanner and Associates, PC Rod Tanner

6300 Ridglea Place Suite 407 Fort Worth, TX 76116 (817) 377-8833 www.rodtannerlaw.com

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PROUD SUPPORTER OF NEL A

Employment Law Group We represent employees in cases of: n

n

n

n

Wrongful Termination Discrimination based on age, race, gender, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, sexual harassment, and gender identity

LAUREN IRWIN

MICHAEL MCGRATH

Violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act Hostile Environment

law@uptonhatfield.com

uptonhatfield.com

CO N CO R D | 603 -224 -7791

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HEATHER BURNS

SUSAN LOWRY

PE T E R BO RO U G H | 603 -924 - 386 4

BROOKE SHILO

P O R T S M O U T H | 603 - 4 36 -70 4 6

Buchanan, Angeli, Altschul & Sullivan, LLP

We toast to...

NELA

and JUSTICE in the workplace Washington, DC

Westfield, NJ

www.baasemploymentlaw.com

www.cashdankane.com 149

AGAINST ETERNAL INJUSTICE, ONE MUST ASSERT JUSTICE, AND TO PROTEST AGAINST THE UNIVERSE OF GRIEF, ONE MUST CREATE HAPPINESS. ALBERT CAMUS

CONGRATULATIONS ]OE! CONGRATULATIONS VICKY! CONGRATULATIONS MENAKA!

Making the Law work for Arizona Employees

YOU CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US!

EISENBERG & SCHNELL LLP HERBERT EISENBERG LAURA S. SCHNELL CHRISTOPHER PACELLE

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THE WOOLWORTH BUILDING 233 BROADWAY, SUITE 2704 NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10279 212.966.8900 EISENBERGSCHNELL.COM

Proud To Support NELA www.azela.org

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Congratulations to all the honorees!

21 Main Street Suite 352 Court Plaza South Hackensack, NJ 07601 (201) 498-0900 www.njemployeerights.com

Christian Bagin WIENAND & BAGIN Pittsburgh, PA 412-281-1110 152

Congratulations to NELA for empowering workers and the advocates who represent them, and congratulations to the Institute for advancing scholarship and policy reform that levels the playing field for workers.

Special shout-out to this year’s honorees, Vicky Ni, Joe Garrison, and Menaka Fernando.

Thank you for all you do for the cause of justice and workplace fairness.

Karla Gilbride

Gordon Law Group celebrates Joseph D. Garrison, our friend, our colleague, our mentor.

Liz Rodgers Phil Gordon

153

GREEN SAVITS IS GLAD TO BE BACK! In person!

Nela’s 2022 annual convention We rise

we lead

When you speak up we’ll help you stand strong.

We applaud the efforts of all NELA members to raise the bar to protect the rights of workers who stand up and speak out.

Results that make a difference.

25B Vreeland Road Florham Park, NJ 07932 Tel: (973) 695-7777 www.greensavits.com

h a lune nl aw.c o m

612.605.4098

Cheers to all traveling to San Francisco this year for the convention.

Keep fighting the good fight!

Here's to the fabulous programs that make NELA the premier catalyst for a better American workplace. phone: (262) 505-5678 e-mail: hynes@hyneslawfirm.com

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Holland & Associates, PC Maureen T. Holland 1429 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38104 (901) 278-8120 www.hollandattorney.com

Proud NELA Supporter from the Great State of Arizona! www.houklawfirm.com

The Wood Law Office, LLC IN LOVING MEMORY OF

MICHAEL JOHN LEECH December 3, 1951 - October 27, 2021

thanks NELA's staff for its dedication and persistence fighting for the rights of workers and their advocates.

Thanks NELA! www.jbryanwoodlaw.com 155

HYNES & KREUSER, S.C. Wisconsin Employment Lawyers Experienced attorneys advising employees with severance/separation agreements, non-competes, discrimination, disability and other employment law matters.

Thank you, NELA for the support, programs, and contagious enthusiasm provided to those who champion worker rights!

Law Office of Deborah H. Karpatkin 99 Park Avenue Suite 2600 New York, NY 10016-1503 (646) 865-9930 www.karpatkinlaw.com

GREATER MILWAUKEE AREA 740 PILGRIM PARKWAY, SUITE 300 ELM GROVE, WI 53122

FREE CONSULTATION: (262) 505-5678 WWW.HYNESLAWFIRM.COM

Protecting Georgia’s Workforce

Discrimination and Retaliation Medical Leave • Wage/Hour/Overtime Whistleblower • Harassment

125 Clairemont Avenue, Suite 380 Decatur, Georgia 30030 law-llc.com | 470-823-4000 156

Patricia A. Podolec Attorney at Law

75 Pearl Street P.O. Box 9785 Portland, ME 04104 (207) 773-5651

10601 S. Western, Suite 119 Oklahoma City, OK 73170 Office: (405)703-4431 Cell: (405)760-3358 Fax: (405)400-8784 ppodolec@podoleclaw.com https://www.podoleclaw.com

www.mpmlaw.com

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AustinWorkLaw.com • SanAntonioWorkLaw.com

Robert E. McKnight, Jr.

We congratulate Joe Garrison, Vicky Ni, and Menaka Fernando and thank them for their passion and contributions to employee rights.

Marek, Griffin & Knaupp, LLP 203 N. Liberty Victoria, TX 77901 (361) 573-5500

The Center for Employment Law 1133 N. Portland Oklahoma City, OK 73107 (405) 252-1180 CenterForEmploymentLaw.com

www.lawmgk.com

Ray Legal Group, LLC James Ray 8720 Georgia Avenue Suite 904 Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 755-5656 www.raylegalgroup.com

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Law Offices of Scot D. Bernstein, A Professional Corporation Scot D. Bernstein 101 Parkshore Drive Suite 100 Folsom, CA 95630 (800) 916-3500 www.sbernsteinlaw.com

V. James DeSimone

13160 Mindanao Way Suite 280 Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 (310) 693-5561 www.vjamesdesimonelaw.com

Toni J. Jaramilla 1900 Ave of the Stars Suite 900 Los Angeles, CA 90067 (310) 551-3020 www.jaramilla.com

Congratulations To Joe Garrison, Our Colleague and Friend.

MARK RISK, P.C.

Schwartz Perry & Heller LLP 3 Park Avenue Suite 2700 New York, NY 10016 (212) 889-6565 www.schwartzandperry.com

New York, New York www.markrisk.com Employment Law and Litigation 159

AIELLOLAW Disability Rights Advocacy P.O. Box 276 Augusta, ME 04338 (207) 458-9703 www.aiellolawmaine.com

Committed to Excellence Employment and Business Litigation Cambridge, Massachusetts www.BennettandBelfort.com

3535 W. 12th Street, Suite D Greeley, CO 80631 (970) 356-8900

155 E. Bridge Street Brighton, CO 80601 (303) 659-1515

www.blundelllaw.com

Patrick M. Flynn

ATTORNEY & COUNSELOR AT LAW Board Certified-Labor & Employment Law Texas Board of Legal Specialization

1225 N. LOOP WEST, SUITE 1000 HOUSTON, TX 77008-1775 EMAIL: pat@pmfpc.com

Phone: (713) 861-6163 Fax: (713) 961-5566

FHF

RUMKIN & HUNTER LAW PC

ELIZABETH E. HUNTER - WILLIAM D. FRUMKIN MAGDALENA M. PERLMAN

Jamie S. Franklin Assistant Clinical Professor of Law The Civil Litigation Clinic at Chicago-Kent College of Law 565 West Adams Street, Suite 600 Chicago, IL 60661 (312) 906-5048 (direct) www.civillitigationclinic.com

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Labor & Employment Law and ERISA/Employee Benefits

WE HONOR THE MEMORY OF OUR FOUNDER, PAUL TOBIAS

Gaul and Dumont 315 E. Euclid Avenue San Antonio, TX 78212 (210) 225-0685

Passionate representation of employees in employment disputes and negotiations

Kelly Quigley Applegate Employment Attorney and Workplace Investigator 415-308-2975

Andrew S. Golden 321 Main Street Farmington, CT 06032 860-678-4430 email: asg@agoldenlaw.com web: www.agoldenlaw.com Fairness at Work!

Licensed in California and Utah www.kellyapplegatelaw.com

Marsili Mediation Inc. Effective Guidance for Professional Employees www.hornedaller.com Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Vicki Kuftic Horne

Nicole Daller

Jason Marsili 11150 W. Olympic Boulevard Suite 990 Los Angeles, CA 90064 (213) 389-6050 www.marsiliation.com

Charles E. Guerrier Of Counsel - Haynes & Haynes, P.C. Celebrating my 50th year of working to advance civil and human rights for employees (or butting my head against the wall).

Congratulations to the honorees!

Dolores Y. Leal Allred, Maroko & Goldberg

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THOMAS A.WARREN LAW OFFICE, P.L. Post Office Box 1657 Tallahassee, FL 32302 (850) 385-1551 THANKS TO NELA FOR ALL YOU DO. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! Tommy Warren

Law Offices of Glen D. Mangum 315 E. Euclid Avenue San Antonio, TX 78212 (210) 227-3666 www.sanantonioemploymentlawyer.com

Representing Employees & Unions Protecting Workers’ Rights Congratulations and thank you to the NELA 2022 honorees for all your contributions!

Ellen J. Messing  Dahlia C. Rudavsky James S.Weliky 300 Washington St., Suite 308 Newton, MA 02458 (617)742-0004 www.mrwemploymentlaw.com

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The Noble Law Laura L. Noble 141 Providence Road Suite 210 Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 251-6008 www.thenoblelaw.com

Law Office of Robert S. Notzon 1502 West Avenue Austin, TX 78701 (512) 474-7563 www.notzonlaw.com

Rosemary Orsini Orsini Law LLC P.O. Box 935 Littleton, CO 80160 (303) 514-7777 We Rise. We Lead.

Kathryn S. Piscitelli

Attorney at Law P.O. Box 691166 Orlando, FL 32869-1166 Phone: (407) 491-0143 Email: kpiscitelli1@cfl.rr.com

900 Jackson Street Suite 550 Dallas, TX 75202 (214) 965-9675 www.mattscottlaw.com

Swain Law, LLC Hunter A. Swain 1490 North Lafayette Street, Suite 303 Denver, CO 80218 (720) 815-5281 swainemploymentlaw.com

Venick Austin & Rosen, PLLC Irwin Venick 1718 Church Street, Box 330788 Nashville, TN 37203 Office: (615) 321-5659 Fax: (615) 329-0891 Email: IrwinV@vkbarlaw.com

Celebrating Joe Garrison and Vicky Ni for their outstanding leadership and enduring commitment to workers’ rights

______________

Cathy Ventrell-Monsees NELA Board Member (1996-2008)

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Thank you to NELA’s staff, board, and members for strengthening worker rights.

Zuckerman Law Whistleblower Law Firm www.zuckermanlaw.com

WE

RISE. WE LEAD.

CONNECTION • STORYTELLING • PERSUASION

THE EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS AT

OGBORN MIHM are thrilled to support NELA in its effort to RISE and LEAD the collective effort at improving the lives and laws for employees and workers!

2022 NELA CONVENTION

www.omtrial.com

Thank you for everything you do for NELA! It’s an honor to be part of this community.

Ashley Westby & Sean McKee

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12920 Metcalf Avenue Suite 180 PO Box 25843 Overland Park, KS 66225 P: 816.945.2122 kristi@ELGKC.com

Daren Lipinsky Senior Trial Attorney 5811 Pine Avenue Suite A Chino Hills, CA 91709 (888) 292-8888 dlipinsky@riziolawfirm.com www.riziolawfirm.com

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404-487-0903

JusticeAtWork.com

Barrett & Farahany is a proud sponsor of NELA's 2022 Gala. We have been dedicated to Justice at Work™ for nearly three decades, with a sharp focus on employee rights and a national reputation for excellence.

ADVOCATES FOR EMPLOYEES IN TENNESSEE www.tennela.org

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Stand Up For Workers Our Mission Stand Up For Workers is a Federal political action committee with a mission to support elected officials who champion worker’s rights. Stand Up For Workers was founded by current and former National Employment Lawyers Association members and leaders.We are proud to have supported candidates in key 2020 races who are part of the current Senate Majority that is confirming pro-worker judges at an impressive pace, including Sen. Mark Kelly (D - AZ), Sen. Jon Ossoff (D - GA), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D - GA), and Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D - NM).

The workers we represent every single day do not have the means to make big political contributions, yet their livelihoods so often depend on decisions made by the judges our elected leaders appoint. It’s vital that those of us who have the means to do so step into the political arena and support candidates who will stand up for the same workers we have devoted our careers to serving. We urge you to learn more and get involved with our work if you are able to do so – the future of worker’s rights in America depends on it.

What’s at Stake in 2022

Maintaining a pro-worker Senate majority in the 2022 midterms is absolutely vital to protecting the rights of American workers and mitigating the damage being done by hundreds of current federal judges appointed by Donald Trump. Conservatives opposed to workers’ rights have all but promised to grind Biden’s judicial nominations to a halt if they retake the Senate this November.

At time of this writing, President Joe Biden and the current Senate majority have appointed and confirmed 60 Article III judges, including 15 to the US court of appeals and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. It’s a remarkable pace, but we are still playing catch-up to undo the damage wrought by the previous administration, which saw a staggering 234 federal judges appointed by Donald Trump confirmed to the federal judiciary by a conservative senate majority.

We must do everything in our power to ensure a pro-worker majority holds the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections, giving us another two years to improve the balance of the federal bench with more pro-worker nominees. Join us for our annual election briefing this weekend to learn more about the top 2022 Senate races and how you can get involved.

Come visit Stand Up for Workers at our convention exhibit table to find out about our Happy Hour on Friday, July 1st with a Very Special Guest!

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Fishing for Justice Jim & Joellen Kaster

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2001 L Street, NW Suite 902 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 375-2212 www.fedattorney.com Donna Williams Rucker Deputy Managing Partner

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NELA, thank you for all you do!

Siegel Law Group PLLC Seldon Bofinger & Associates, PC

Jack Siegel

5706 Mockingbird Lane Suite 115 Dallas, TX 75214 (214) 790-4454

1319 F Street, NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20004 (202) 393-8200 www.seldonbofinger.com

jack@siegellawgroup.biz

Experience Integrity Results

Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch is a proud sponsor of NELA. Comprehensive Labor and Employment Legal Counsel Union Representation | Security Clearance Discrimination & Sexual Harassment Whistleblower

818 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 1000 | Washington, D.C. 20006 202.331.9260 | kcnfdc.com 171

Make Justice Smile When all you need is a number to settle that case, fast!

You can get to a settlement number in 30 minutes or less in a session of 3 sets of Confidential Bids.

®

Since bids are secret from the other party, there is no prejudice to future sessions, negotiations, mediations or trial if you don’t settle the case in your first try.

Owned and invented by N.H. Bar Member Nancy Richards-Stower

Cost? Only $100 per party.

TrytoSettle.com® On-Line Settlement Watch the instructional video!

The workplace expertise every workplace needs.

Amy Dieterich partners with employees in central Maine and all across the State to ensure they have meaningful access to all protections afforded to them

by State and Federal law.

500 Canal Street Lewiston, Maine 04240 172

(207) 784.3200 sta-law.com

Thank you, Kathy & Margie, for making a difference!

N. Sue Allen

Bracker & Marcus LLC salutes our

glorious NELA warriors, celebrates a return to in person community, and wishes everyone “happy hunting” next year and beyond!

Greetings from hip Austin, where we have our work cut out for us! We’re up for the challenge!

Deats Durst & Owen

“Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end.”

- Spock

Except in the Fifth Circuit.

Nitin Sud www.sudemploymentlaw.com 832-623-6420 nsud@sudemploymentlaw.com Houston, Texas

Law Firm of Rosalind Fink, with

thanks to NELA for all it does for us, for our clients, and for the Greater Good.

I continue to be proud to be part of this great group of advocates for workers’ rights, and grateful for all the help and support we give each other. Lenore C. Garon In honor of the late Stanley Lubin and our collective efforts to continue his legacy of protecting and advancing workers’ rights, Lubin & Enoch is proud to support the 2022 NELA Gala.

Geraldine Sumter Ferguson Chambers & Sumter, PA 309 E. Morehead Street Suite 110 Charlotte, NC 28202 (704) 375-8461

www.fergusonsumter.com

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ONWARD! NELA’s dedicated team really has outperformed during the pandemic.

Please join me in thanking them for all they do to make this organization work for all of us.

Kathy Butler

Increasing recoveries on employment claims on bankrupt and financially-stressed defendants since 2016.

Ten Bank Street, Suite 1100, White Plains NY 10606

www.Dundon.com

Active and completed cases as of May 10, 2022, including out of court restructurings, solvency and ability to pay analyses, and bankruptcy cases where Dundon Advisers acts for an Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors with one or more employment-based creditor member. Past results are no assurance of future performance.

Rise. Lead. Celebrate.

Supporting NELA and its members in fighting for employee rights.

E M P LOY E E R I G H TS

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WAG E T H E F T

MINNEAPOLIS

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4 0 1 K / E R I SA

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C I V I L R I G H TS

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S O C I A L I N J U ST I C E

I D S C e n t e r, 8 0 S o u t h 8 t h S t r e e t , S u i t e 4 7 0 0 , M i n n e a p o l i s , M N 5 5 4 0 2

SAN FRANCISCO

235 Montgomery Street, Suite 810, San Francisco, CA 94104

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CO N S U M E R R I G H TS

(612) 256-3200

( 41 5 ) 27 7-72 35