It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as NELA President for the past two years. Thank you for the opportunity to serve this extraordinary community of advocates who fearlessly stand up for workers and generously show up for each other every single day.
On behalf of the entire NELA Board, I extend my appreciation to the NELA/NIWR team for their dedication and hard work on behalf of NELA and our members.
I also want to recognize our colleague Carla D. Brown, for her 11 years of outstanding service on the NELA Board, including as NELA’s first Black woman president. Your commitment to the organization and to each of us as workers’ rights advocates is an example of leadership that will have a lasting impact.
M. Nieves Bolaños Hawks Quindel, SC
Dear Friends:
Welcome to the 2026 National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention in New Orleans, where we will spend the next three days LEADING WITH VISION, ROOTED IN JUSTICE. We are delighted you could be here to learn, connect, and celebrate with us!
We extend our thanks to our Louisiana members for their warm hospitality, and we invite you to visit the Registration Desk for information about attractions, restaurants, and activities in the surrounding area.
On Friday, June 26, please join us for
VISION. JUSTICE. COMMUNITY.
, our 2026 Gala Fundraiser, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. We will enjoy live music, dancing, and coming together in fun to celebrate our collective accomplishments in these challenging and unsettling times. We offer our deepest gratitude to the sponsors of the 2026 Gala for making NELA an even stronger and more influential force for working people and their advocates.
We also wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of retiring NELA Board members Carla D. Brown, Christine T. Elzer, and Amanda A. Farahany. We salute their leadership and passion in advancing the cause for all workers.
The 2026 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. We hope you take advantage of the many opportunities to meet and collaborate with the best workers’ rights advocates in the country and return to your office equipped with new ideas, tips, and strategies that you can immediately apply to your practice. As ever, our greatest strengths are the wisdom, skills, generosity, and camaraderie of our community.
On behalf of the Board and Staff of the National Employment Lawyers Association, thank you for joining us and for all you do to promote a more just and inclusive workplace.
M. Nieves Bolaños President
VISION. JUSTICE. COMMUNITY.
The Texas Employment Lawyers Association is proud to stand with NELA in the Crescent City.
"In a city renowned for its resilience and creativity, we will come together to explore what it means to lead with vision while staying rooted in justice."
From the heart of the Lone Star State to the vibrant streets of New Orleans, TELA remains dedicated to championing the rights of workers. We celebrate the unwavering resilience of our peers and the shared mission that brings us together this year.
Texas Employment Lawyers Association
LEADING WITH VISION · ROOTED IN JUSTICE www.mytela.org
Proud Supporters of the NELA Annual Gala | Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, New Orleans, LA
Dear Colleagues:
On behalf of the Plaintiffs’ Employment Lawyers Association (PELA)–South Louisiana, welcome to New Orleans for NELA’s 2026 Annual Convention. We are honored to host you in a city whose history reminds us of why our work matters, what it costs, and how much remains unfinished.
NELA lawyers know the stakes. Our clients often come to us after being pushed to the margins because of their race, sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, pregnancy, wage theft, or because they simply dared to speak out against such intolerances. We meet people at their most vulnerable, when their income, dignity, and security have been threatened or taken from them. In those moments, NELA lawyers do more than file lawsuits. We insist that the promises written into our laws mean something in the lives of working people. Our work is our commitment to those bedrock principles that people ought to be judged only by the quality of their character, and that a fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.
New Orleans is a mirror of the work that has been done and the work that remains, reminding us that civil rights and workers’ rights are often bound together and are rarely given freely.
New Orleans is a fitting place to renew that commitment. This city has long stood at the crossroads of culture, commerce, resistance, and change. In 1866, the effort to secure voting rights for Black Louisianians was met with terrible and deadly violence, which galvanized a national reckoning and helped usher in the era of Reconstruction. In 1892, New Orleans workers mounted one of the most significant general strikes in American history, with Black and white workers standing together across racial lines to demand, and win, the 10-hour workday and overtime pay, nearly 40 years before the passage of the FLSA. On a November morning in 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges climbed the steps of William Frantz Elementary in the Ninth Ward, escorted by federal marshals through jeering crowds, as one of the first children in Louisiana to desegregate our schools. The civil-rights lawyers who fought in this city, including A.P. Tureaud, helped put her on those steps.
Their work is our inheritance, and we carry it forward into a present that demands no less of us. Louisiana sits at the center of the Supreme Court’s recent hollowing of the Voting Rights Act. New Orleans dollar store workers have catalyzed a worker and customer-led coalition to address the safety and wage issues employees face at these retail giants that blanket the South. When New Orleans became a target of ICE raids, chilling the city’s service and hospitality economy, lawyers and advocates were on the ground, training volunteers on how to legally document enforcement activity and alert at-risk workers in real time.
New Orleans is a mirror of the work that has been done and the work that remains, reminding us that civil rights and workers’ rights are often bound together and are rarely given freely. Instead, they are claimed, defended, tested, and preserved by people willing to do difficult work in difficult times.
While you are here, we hope you take time to enjoy the city around you: the music, food, architecture, neighborhoods, river, and people that make New Orleans unlike anywhere else in our nation. But we also hope you leave this Convention strengthened for the work ahead—with sharper tools, renewed friendships, and a deeper sense of shared purpose.
Welcome to New Orleans. Let’s get to work.
Your friends and colleagues, Plaintiffs’ Employment Lawyers Association (PELA) – South Louisiana
M. Nieves Bolaños President Hawks Quindel, SC Chicago, IL
2026 NELA BOARD
Amanda M. DeMatteis Garrison Law New Haven, CT
Ben Lebsack First Vice President Lowrey Parady Lebsack DeFazio, LLC Denver, CO
Shelby Leighton Vice President of Public Policy Public Justice Washington, DC
Christine T. Elzer Elzer Law Firm, LLC Pittsburgh, PA
Heather Newsom Leonard
Heather Leonard, PC Birmingham, AL
Mahir S. Nisar Nisar Law Group, PC New York, NY
Adria Lynn Silva Vice President of Affiliate Relations Sass, Everhart & Silva, PA Tampa, FL
Amanda A. Farahany Barrett & Farahany Atlanta, GA
Donna Williams Rucker
Tully Rinckey, PLLC Washington, DC
Bryce W. Ashby Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Donati Law, PLLC Memphis, TN
Summer H. Murshid Secretary Hawks Quindel, SC Milwaukee, WI
Christopher Houk Treasurer Houk Employment Lawyers Phoenix, AZ
Carla D. Brown Immediate Past President Charlson Bredehoft Cohen Brown & Nadelhaft, PC Reston, VA
Kira Fonteneau The Workers’ Firm Birmingham, AL
Ty D. Frankel Frankel Syverson PLLC Phoenix, AZ
Jamie S. Franklin Chicago-Kent College of Law Chicago, IL
Maureen Truax Holland Holland & Associates, PC Memphis, TN
Toni J. Jaramilla Toni Jaramilla, A Professional Law Corporation Los Angeles, CA
Robert W. Schmidt
Robert W. Schmidt Law Firm Austin, TX
Rachhana T. Srey
Nichols Kaster, PLLP Minneapolis, MN
Melissa E. PierreLouis Washington The Washington Law Firm PLLC Washington, DC
Jeffrey N. Young Solidarity Law Cumberland Foreside, ME
Paul H. Tobias Founder, In Memoriam
Diane S. King President King Employment Law
Denver, CO
2026 NIWR BOARD
M. Nieves Bolaños Attorney at Law Hawks Quindel, SC Chicago, IL
Denise M. Clark Vice President IAM National Pension Fund Washington, DC
Alicia K. Haynes Secretary Haynes & Haynes, PC Birmingham, AL
Kristin M. García General Counsel, California Health and Human Services Agency Sacramento, CA
Maria Price Cisco Systems Inc. Washington, DC
Phillis h. Rambsy Rambsy Law PC Nashville, TN
Wade B. Cowan Treasurer Attorney at Law Nashville, TN
Deborah H. Karpatkin Law Office of Deborah H. Karpatkin New York, NY
RETIRING NELA BOARD MEMBERS
CARLA D. BROWN
CHRISTINE T. ELZER
AMANDA FARAHANY
The National Employment Lawyers Association thanks and applauds our retiring Board Members for their tireless service. Your commitment to leading with vision and staying rooted in justice has inspired us all to forge a better future for workers’ rights.
Donna R. Lenhoff Donna Lenhoff Associates Washington, DC
RETIRING NIWR BOARD MEMBERS
PATRICIA A. BARASCH
BRUCE A. FREDRICKSON
The National Institute for Workers’ Rights thanks and applauds our retiring Board Members for their tireless service. Your unwavering dedication to dismantling barriers to justice for workers has left a lasting impact we will carry forward.
Eighth Circuit NELA
Jill Zwagerman
Alabama
NELA-Alabama
Sonya Edwards
Arizona
AzELA
Jeffrey A. Silence
California
California Employment Lawyers Association
Leonard H. Sansanowicz
Bay Area Cabal
Traci M. Hinden
LEFTJAW
Thomas W. Falvey
Sacramento Employment Lawyers Association
Christopher H. Whelan
Colorado
Colorado PELA
Michelle Gibson
Connecticut
Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association
Meaghan C. Kirby
District of Columbia
Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association
Avi Kumin
Florida
Florida NELA
Jason William Imler
Georgia
NELA Georgia
Julie Oinonen
Hawaii
NELA-Hawaii
Elbridge W. Smith
Illinois
NELA-Illinois
Gail Schnitzer Eisenberg
Indiana
NELA-Indiana
Tae Sture
Iowa
NELA AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVES
Nevada
Nevada NELA
Joshua D. Buck
Tennessee
TENNELA
Melody Fowler-Green
Iowa NELA
New Hampshire
New Hampshire NELA
Texas
Laura Schultes
Kentucky
Kentucky Employment Lawyers Association
Barbara D. Bonar
Louisiana
Benjamin T. King
New Jersey
NELA-NJ
Beth Rogers
New Mexico
NM-NELA
Texas Employment Lawyers Association
Kyla Cole
Dallas/Ft. Worth NELA
Jamie Gilmore
Brittney Thompson
Louisiana Employment Lawyers Association
Heather Burke
J. Arthur Smith, III
Baton Rouge NELA
J. Arthur Smith, III
Maine
Maine NELA
New York
NELA/New York
Laurie E. Morrison
North Carolina
NELA-North Carolina
Faith Herndon
El Paso/West Texas Employment Lawyers Association
Christopher Benoit
Houston Employment Lawyers Association
Mickey Washington
David G. Webbert
Maryland
Maryland Employment Lawyers Association
Neil R. Lebowitz
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association
Michaela C. May
Michigan
Michigan Employment Lawyers Association
Sarah S. Prescott
Minnesota
Minnesota NELA
Sam Kramer
Employee Lawyers Association of the Upper Midwest
Leslie L. Lienemann
Missouri
Kansas City NELA
Sarah Liesen
St. Louis NELA
Edwin C. Ernst
Nebraska
Nebraska NELA
Joy Shiffermiller
Ohio
Ohio Employment Lawyers Association
Kami D. Brauer
Paul H. Tobias Cincinnati Employment Lawyers Association
Kati Neff
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Employment Lawyers Association
Amber L. Hurst
Oregon
Oregon Employment Lawyers Association
Beth Creighton
Pennsylvania
NELA-Eastern Pennsylvania
Andrew Lacy
Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association
Rachel McElroy
Rhode Island
Rhode Island NELA
Danilo A. Borgas
San Antonio Employment Lawyers Association
Thomas J. Crane
Utah
Utah Employment Lawyers Association
Katie Panzer
Vermont
Vermont Employment Lawyers Association
Roger E. Kohn
Virginia
Virginia Employment Lawyers Association
Brittany Haddox
Washington
Washington Employment Lawyers Association
Beth Terrell
West Virginia
West Virginia Employment Lawyers Association
Christine Glover
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Employment Lawyers Association
Martin C. Kuhn
A Movement Rooted in Justice: NELA’s History of Fighting for Workers’ Rights
InIn 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. 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 workers. 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. More than four decades later, NELA continues to be a vital resource for plaintiffs’ employment lawyers and a champion for workers’ rights.
Leading with Vision. Rooted in Justice.
NELA’s founders were leading with vision before anyone called it that. They saw that workers’ rights attorneys, isolated and out-resourced, could accomplish far more together than apart. To enact their vision they built something rooted in justice—not as an abstract ideal, but as a daily practice, case by case, attorney by attorney, worker by worker.
forefront of crucial legislative battles—spearheading efforts to ban forced arbitration in the workplace, fighting against reforms that undermine workers’ ability to stand up for their rights, and advocating to end statutory damage caps that obstruct workers seeking justice. NELA has also played a key role in promoting a fair and diverse judiciary, recognizing that equitable judicial representation is essential to upholding workers’ rights in every courtroom in the country.
Empowering Workers’ Rights Advocates Nationwide
Leading with vision. Rooted in justice. The fight continues—and we will not stop.
In addition to its national membership, NELA’s influence extends further through its network of Affiliates. At the circuit, state, and local levels, NELA Affiliates strengthen workers’ rights advocacy within their communities, ensuring employment law protections are upheld and advanced in states and localities. Through its advocacy initiatives, NELA amplifies voices fighting against workplace injustices, building a movement that uplifts and protects workers at every level.
Community as a Cornerstone
NELA’s commitment to protecting and expanding the rights of workers has made it an indispensable ally in the fight for justice, ensuring that workers across the nation are treated with dignity and respect.
Impact Through Education, Advocacy, and Solidarity
NELA’s impact has always been the sum of its members—attorneys who show up, speak up, and stand together. Since its founding, NELA has set a high standard for educating and mobilizing workers’ rights advocates. Through top-tier educational programs, substantive law committees, and practice and interest groups, NELA has fostered a community of lawyers deeply committed to elevating the knowledge and skills of advocates who represent workers.
With the dedication of countless volunteer members, NELA has played a pivotal role as amicus curiae in landmark employment cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and Circuit Courts of Appeals, lending the collective voice of the workers’ rights community to the cases that shape the law. NELA has been at the
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, but the guiding principle remains the same: NELA’s greatest strengths are the generosity and collective power of our community of workers’ rights advocates.
Onward
Driven by more than forty years of victories, advocacy, perseverance, and unwavering dedication—and inspired by the generations of workers who depend on us—NELA moves boldly forward, empowering workers’ rights attorneys, promoting a fair judiciary, and advocating for laws and policies that level the playing field for workers. Leading with vision. Rooted in justice. The fight continues—and we will not stop.
SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS
CONVENTION SPONSORS
AARP LOGO
Dundon Advisers LOGO
Morgan & Morgan LOGO
Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation
National Institute for Workers’ Rights
National Plaintiffs’ Law Association (NPLA)
Tobias & Torchia/Freking Myers & Reul, LLC
CONVENTION EXHIBITORS
American Humanist Association
Analytics
Apex Class Action
Employstats
Eve
ILYM Group, Inc.
J.S. Held Knool
Miles Mediation & Arbitration
Readback
Recourse
RizeUp Media
Rust Consulting
CONVENTION COMMITTEE
NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION 2026 ANNUAL CONVENTION COMMITTEE
M. Nieves Bolaños
Hawks Quindel, SC Chicago, IL
Lisa L. Clay
Lauren A. Khouri
National Women’s Law Center
Senior Director for Workplace Equality Washington, DC
Lisa L. Clay, Attorney At Law Wheaton, IL
Clara Coleman Nichols Kaster, PLLP Minneapolis, MN
Phillip M. Kitzer Kitzer Rochel, PLLP Minneapolis, MN
Nicole Matlock Kennedy Hunt, PC St. Louis, MO
Barbara “Brandi” Cowan Workplace Advocates Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Amanda M. DeMatteis Garrison Law New Haven, CT
Casey Rose Denson
Casey Denson Law, LLC New Orleans, LA
Verónica M. González
Lowrey Parady Lebsack DeFazio, LLC Denver, CO
Sacred B. Huff
Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch, PC Washington, DC
Kerry Murphy Kerry Murphy Law LLC Wauwatosa, WI
Mahir S. Nisar Nisar Law Group, PC New York, NY
Vishal H. Shah Shah Litigation, PLLC Boston, MA
Jamaal W. Stafford Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, LLC Columbia, MD
Kevin S. Vogeltanz
Law Office of Kevin S. Vogeltanz, LLC Covington, LA
TH ANK K YO U
t o the NEELA/N IW R t ea m for ke epi ng the s piri t of our r moov eme e nt str ong!
Tacarra Andrade
Alicia Battle
Abby Frerick
Leah A. Hofkin
Erica Love
Alberto Sandoval Jr.
Jason Solomon
Pedro A. Valverde
Ashley Westby
Happy Pride!
- Karen Maoki
NELA STAFF & VOLUNTEER
Tacarra L. Andrade Membership Director
Karen Maoki Interim Executive Director
Alicia Battle Events Manager
Alberto Sandoval, Jr. Membership & Development Coordinator
Leah A. Hofkin Director of Development
Pedro A. Valverde Digital Communications & Technology Manager
The NELA Staff extends our deepest gratitude to Patty Losacker for her years of dedication, support, and friendship. Patty’s commitment to NELA has been instrumental in making the organization and the Annual Convention a success. She joins us each year to work hard and carry forward the legacy of our beloved Founder Paul H. Tobias.
Thank you for being such an integral part of this community—we are lucky to have you by our side.
NELA STAFF
Erica
NELA
NELA STAFF
Together in Defending Workers' Rights
Speakers
Louis
Victoria
Rachel
Partnership Opportunities
2026 NELA
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Annual Convention Keynote Speaker Purvi Shah Movement Law Lab
Thursday, June 25, 12:30 p.m. Napoleon C-D (3rd Floor)
NELA is thrilled to welcome Purvi Shah as our 2026 Annual Convention keynote speaker. A movement lawyer, civil-rights litigator, policy advocate, and law professor, Ms. Shah has spent more than two decades at the intersection of law and social movements—building organizations, training lawyers, and bringing the collective power of the legal community to bear on the fight for justice.
Ms. Shah is the Executive Director and Founder of Movement Law Lab, which equips lawyers, law students, and legal organizations with the skills and vision to go beyond winning cases and into building collective power. Through training, coaching, and leadership development, Movement Law Lab is transforming how the legal community uses law as a tool for lasting social change. Prior to founding Movement Law Lab, Ms. Shah co-founded Law For Black Lives and the Bertha Justice Institute at the Center for Constitutional Rights, the nation’s first movement lawyering institute, where she trained thousands of lawyers to work alongside grassroots organizers to shift culture, systems, and power.
Ms. Shah’s work has been recognized with an Ashoka Fellowship, Soros Equality Fellowship, Harvard Law School Wasserstein Fellowship, and numerous other awards. She holds a BA from Northwestern University and a JD from University of California, Berkeley School of Law.
NELA’S COMMITMENT TO AN INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE CONVENTION
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are core values of the National Employment Lawyers Association and are essential to the achievement of our mission. NELA is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive event that allows all individuals to engage fully.
The Sheraton New Orleans Hotel is ADA compliant, including accessible entrances, bathrooms, and elevators. Each session room has designated accessible seating, which is clearly marked.
To ensure a comfortable environment, please avoid using fragrances, including perfume or cologne, as some attendees may be sensitive to chemicals.
Gender-neutral bathrooms are available—please ask a staff member for information. A lactation room is located on the 4th floor; keys are available at the Convention Registration Desk.
For any accessibility questions, please visit the Registration Desk or email Program Director Ashley Westby at awestby@nelahq.org.
2026 NELA Annual Convention Courageous Plaintiffs
Zezy Farfan & Joshua Husok
Farfan v. Station Casinos, LLC; Husok v. Station Casinos, LLC et al.
Represented by: James P. Kemp and Victoria L. Neal, Kemp & Kemp, Attorneys at Law and Ruthann Devereaux-Gonzalez, Leon Greenberg PC (NV)
Zezy Farfan, an intellectually disabled woman, completed a six-month vocational training program through Opportunity Village’s “Pathway to Work” initiative and applied for a seasonal pool porter position at Red Rock Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Hiring manager Joshua Husok interviewed her, found her qualified, and offered her the job. When Ms. Farfan arrived at HR for routine background and drug testing, the HR Director, furious that an obviously disabled applicant had been offered a position at the company’s flagship property, declared, “We don’t hire those people,” and demanded she undergo a medical evaluation required of no non-disabled applicant. Mr. Husok pushed back, recognizing the process as a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He was suspended immediately and fired three days later. Ms. Farfan’s job offer was rescinded, and she was subjected to a sham reinterview designed to provide cover for the discrimination.
Ms. Farfan and Mr. Husok filed charges with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and the EEOC before pursuing civil actions in federal court in the District of Nevada. Their attorney represented both clients through the full administrative and litigation process—a case that spanned more than seven years from initial charge to verdict. Mr. Husok testified in both his own case and Ms. Farfan’s. In June 2025, a jury returned a verdict of $793,000 in his favor on the retaliation claim; the court subsequently denied a new trial motion and awarded an additional $173,000 in attorney’s fees. Four months later, a jury returned a verdict of $3.7 million in Ms. Farfan’s favor on her discrimination, failure to accommodate, and retaliation claims—believed to be one of the largest employment discrimination verdicts in Nevada history.
Ms. Farfan and Mr. Husok each demonstrated remarkable courage. She fought more than seven years from EEOC charge to verdict, navigating protracted litigation with determination and grace. He refused to look the other way when HR moved to discriminate—paying the price, then pursuing the employer all the way to a jury. Together, their cases send a clear message: intellectually disabled workers have enforceable rights in hiring, those who stand up against discrimination are protected, and employers are on notice that discriminatory practices will not go unchallenged.
Rehab “Ruby” Mohamed Mohamed v. Society for Human Resource Management
Represented by: Hunter A. Swain, Swain Law, LLC and Ariel DeFazio, Lowrey Parady Lebsack DeFazio, LLC (CO)
Rehab Mohamed, born and raised in Egypt, began her independent life through a cultural exchange program that profoundly shaped her intercultural identity and global perspective. This formative experience instilled a deep appreciation for cultural understanding and mutual respect, inspiring her to study international relations and diplomacy. Guided by the conviction that future conflicts can be prevented by fostering intercultural and global competence, Ms. Mohamed developed a lasting commitment to making learning inclusive and accessible—a passion that led her to adult learning and ultimately to her work at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Over several years at SHRM, she built a strong professional reputation, earning consistently positive performance evaluations and a promotion to Senior Instructional Designer. After a change in supervision, she began experiencing disparate treatment marked by heightened scrutiny, micromanagement, and exclusion not applied to her white colleagues.
Ms. Mohamed raised her concerns about race discrimination directly and ultimately escalated her concerns through her supervisory chain, Human Resources, and senior leadership. Rather than leading to corrective action, her complaints were systematically disregarded. As the court later described, she was “isolated from assistance and told, in effect, that she was the problem.”
Shortly after engaging in protected activity, Ms. Mohamed was terminated. SHRM cited performance deficiencies, a justification that conflicted with both her documented history and the timing of events.
Undeterred, she chose accountability over silence, filing a federal lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and 42 U.S.C. § 1981. During discovery, evidence emerged raising serious concerns about the neutrality and procedural integrity of SHRM’s internal investigation, and the training of those who conducted it. Following a five-day trial, a federal jury found SHRM liable for racial discrimination and retaliation, awarding Ms. Mohamed $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages—a signal that the conduct was not only unlawful, but also egregious.
Today, Ms. Mohamed speaks about the personal and professional costs of retaliation faced by women of color when challenging discrimination inside powerful institutions, and the critical difference between performative equity and genuine accountability.
Ramonia Young Ramonia Young v. Alameda Health System, et al.
Represented by: Barbara
“Brandi” Cowan, Workplace Advocates and Robert J.A Fordiani, Belli Law Firm (CA)
Ramonia Young, an African American hospital janitor and rape survivor employed by Alameda Health System, endured repeated sexual harassment and explicit threats from a male nurse coworker—including a direct threat to rape her. When she reported the misconduct, her supervisor laughed at her complaint, warning her that the harasser was “well liked” and that reporting him would result in retaliation. During the investigation, Ms. Young was placed on unpaid leave while her harasser remained on paid administrative leave. Even more egregiously, her supervisor signed and circulated a petition demanding the harasser’s reinstatement, openly siding with him. Ms. Young was subsequently ostracized, physically attacked by a patient with no coworkers coming to her aid, denied workplace accommodations, and ultimately terminated. When she filed suit, her harasser escalated the retaliation by suing her personally for defamation—based solely on her internal complaints and her lawsuit.
COURAGEOUS
Ms. Young and her legal team fought back at every turn. After deposing all supervisors, investigators, and the harasser himself, her attorneys moved for summary judgment on the retaliatory defamation cross-complaint—and won. The judgment is believed to be the first successful application of California Civil Code section 47.1—a survivor-protection statute enacted in the wake of the #MeToo movement—to defeat a retaliatory defamation claim brought by an alleged harasser against a reporting employee. Her harasser is no longer employed by Alameda Health System.
Ms. Young’s courage throughout was remarkable. As a rape survivor facing institutional retaliation at every turn, she sat for four days of depositions, relived her trauma under oath, and refused to be silenced even when her harasser weaponized the courts against her personally. She trusted the legal system to protect her right to tell the truth—and it did.
Ms. Young’s victory demonstrates that being sued for defamation—one of the most effective tactics used to silence survivors—can be defeated. Her case makes clear that California Civil Code section 47.1’s protections apply with equal force to low-wage workers, transforming an untested statute into an enforceable precedent to which advocates across the country can now point.
Represented by Krystal Weigl
Weigl Jackson
Represented by Mark Hanna
Murphy Anderson PLLC
TEMEKA STROZIER
Represented by Zachary Panter
Radford Scott LLP
DANIEL TINTLE
Represented by Jordan Richards
USA Employment Lawyers
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NELA’s 2026 Gala
Friday, June 26, 2026
8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Napoleon Ballroom C-D Separate ticket required
Please join us on Friday evening for NELA’s 2026 Gala Fundraiser—a celebration of community, resilience, and more than 40 years of standing together in the fight for justice for workers.
We will gather after dinner for an evening of live music, dancing, and friendship. The Gala kicks off with a taste of local jazz. We then turn up the music, shift the vibe into high gear, and dance until the music ends at 11:00 p.m. Come in your New Orleans finest—or come as you are. Light bites and two complimentary drink tickets courtesy of Dundon Advisers LLC are included.
Proceeds from the Gala keep NELA strong—funding the essential legal education, trusted analysis, and community that workers’ rights advocates rely on. Through our advocacy efforts—including our Amicus and Judicial Nominations Programs and before administrative agencies, NELA levels the playing field for workers nationwide. We extend our gratitude to our Gala sponsors for their vision and investment in justice for workers and the NELA community. Gala tickets are still available and may be purchased in advance at the Registration Desk or at the door on Friday.
Maya Angelou
2026 NELA GALA SPONSORS
It is with gratitude that we acknowledge our generous sponsors of this year’s Gala Fundraiser. Drink tickets graciously provided by
BENEFACTORS
Katherine L. Butler
Hawks Quindel, SC
Kaplan Law Firm, PLLC
Lichten & Liss-Riordan, PC
Correia & Puth, PLLC
Donati Law, PLLC
Sue Ellen Eisenberg & Associates, PC
Donelon, PC
Filippatos PLLC
Florida NELA
ADVOCATES
Armstrong & Associates
Barrett Johnston Martin & Garrison, PLLC
Butler Curwood PLC
Kathleen Cahill Law
Lowrey Parady Lebsack DeFazio, LLC
Nichols Kaster, PLLP
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE
M. Nieves Bolaños
Garrison Law
Gilbert Employment Law, PC
HKM Employment Attorneys LLP
King Employment Law
Marcuse Law LLC
Nisar Law Group PC
Outten & Golden LLP
The Sanford Firm
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP
Sedey Harper Westhoff, PC
Werman Salas PC
PRESIDENT’S CABINET
Alexander Fehr LLP
Rex Burch
California Employment Lawyers Association
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
Colorado PELA
Freking Myers & Reul LLC
Gillespie Sanford LLP
Goldshaw Greenblatt Pierce LLC
Houk Employment Attorneys
Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd.
Toni Jaramilla, A Professional Law Corporation
Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, PA
Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman, & Fitch, PC
Katz Banks Kumin
Matt Koski
Heather Leonard, PC
Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association
NELA-Illinois
NELA-NJ
NELA/New York
Ritz Clark & Ben-Asher LLP
Schall & Barasch LLC
Robert W. Schmidt Law Firm
Texas Employment Lawyers Association
Upton & Hatfield, LLP
Wienand & Bagin
Williams Law Firm, PC
Cashdan & Kane, PLLC
Carmen Comsti
Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association
Cornish & Dell’Olio, PC
Creighton & Rose, PC
Amanda M. DeMatteis
The Employment Law Group, PC
Fiedler Law Firm PLC
Fitzgerald Law, PLLC
The Gittes Law Group
Goddard Law PLLC
Golden Law LLC
Goldman Davis Krumholz & Dillon, PC
Goldstein Browne, PC
Halunen Law
Hammons, Hurst & Associates
Haynes & Haynes, PC
Leah A. Hofkin
Hommel Law Firm PC
Hynes & Kreuser, SC
Impact Fund
Law Offices of David L. Lee
Chet Levitt Fund for Employment Law
Lipinsky Mediation
Livelihood Law, LLC
Betz + Blevins
2026 NELA GALA SPONSORS
Blanchard & Walker PLLC
Jones Law, LLC
Dolores Y. Leal
Karen Maoki & Cassandra Chen
Cheri L. McCracken, Of Counsel, Houk Employment Attorneys
Minnesota NELA
Murphy Anderson PLLC
NELA-Alabama
Bracker & Marcus LLC
Bullock Law PLLC
Patrick Cowlin
V. James DeSimone Law
Deutsch Atkins & Kleinfeldt, PC
Elzer Law Firm, LLC
Lieber Hammer Huber Paul and Hoffman, PC
Ogborn Mihm LLP
Sommers Schwartz, PC
FRIENDS
NELA-Eastern Pennsylvania
Frank Freed Subit & Thomas LLP
Frankel Syverson PLLC
NELA Georgia
New Hampshire NELA
Oklahoma Employment Lawyers Association
Olivier & Schrieber PC
Patricia A. Podolec, Attorney at Law
Pollins Law Firm
Robin Potter & Associates, PC
Roumel Law
Donna Williams Rucker
Solidarity Law
Swain Law, LLC
Tennessee Employment Lawyers Association (TENNELA)
The Washington Law Firm PLLC
Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association
Winebrake & Santillo, LLC
PARTNERS
Arizona Employment Lawyers Association (AzELA)
The Law Offices of Jacob Aronauer
Bennett & Belfort, PC
Jamie Franklin, C-K Law Group
Henrichsen Law Group PLLC
Hunter Law Firm
Law Office of Deborah H. Karpatkin
Kitzer Rochel, PLLP
Shelby Leighton
Livingston, Adler, Pulda, Meiklejohn & Kelly, PC
Law Office of Robert S. Notzon
O’Malley & Madden, PC
Pontikes Law, LLC
Sass, Everhart & Silva, PA
Geraldine Sumter
Pedro A. Valverde
Webster, Fredrickson & Walker, PLLC
Ashley O. Westby & Sean P. McKee
Wisconsin Employment Lawyers Association
The Workers’ Firm
SUPPORTERS
Falls Legal, LLC
Law Office of Douglas B. Janney III
Allen Law Firm
Center For Employment Law
Joyce L. Collier
Brian East
Law Office of Jonathan Feigenbaum
Law Office of Mark P. Gagliardi
The Law Office of Lenore C. Garon, PLLC
Andrew J. Horowitz
Daniel B. Kohrman
Law Office of Mickey Long
Patricia A. Losacker
McElroy Law Firm
Jennifer Morton Law, PLLC
The Law Offices of Carol G. Silverman
Zakhari PLLC
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 26, 2026.
Lichten & Liss-Riordan, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm that is dedicated to vindicating the rights of workers around the country through class actions and individual litigation. The firm has brought and won landmark cases throughout the United States on behalf of workers who have been deprived of their wages, tips, and overtime, or wrongfully misclassified as independent contractors, or who have suffered discrimination or retaliation. The firm has been recognized by numerous organizations and publications for its innovative and vigorous advocacy on behalf of workers.
Andrew Lacy, Esq. NELA ePA President
Notices delivered. Consent forms filed. Workers paid.
The art and science of increasing collective action participation.
56 YEARS EXPERIENCE SINCE
1970
Designing and implementing collective and class action notice and settlements.
When a wage-and-hour case is certified, the case is only half won. Every unfiled consent form is a smaller settlement; every uncashed check is a worker who didn't recover.
Analytics has spent 56 years building the expertise and systems that improve participation rates. We engage with employees where they are, from traditional mailed notice to WhatsApp and social media — friction-free processes result in increased participation. All delivered under the deadlines that matter.
Bespoke services and expert advice that simplify administration and deliver reporting that's submission-ready for the Court.
CAPABILITIES
FLSA § 216(b) & Rule 23 Collective and class actions
Multi-channel notice Mail · Email · Text · Social media
Consent form intake Online · Hard copy · Email · Text
Live U.S.-based call center IVR · Agents · Online chat
Court-ready reporting PDFs of consent forms
Bespoke administration. Built for the plaintiff bar.
At NELA, we strive to create continuing legal education programs that are educational, collaborative, respectful, and enjoyable for all attendees. To create a safe and inclusive environment for our community, we expect all attendees, speakers, exhibitors, guests, volunteers, and staff at NELA events to conduct themselves in a respectful and collegial manner.
• Deliberate intimidation, threats, stalking, or following.
NELA is dedicated to providing harassment-free in-person and virtual events for everyone, regardless of gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, or religion.
• Sexual propositions or posted/texted sexual images.
• Unwelcome attention, comments, jokes, remarks, or gestures.
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events.
We do not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or other unwelcome or unlawful behavior at our events. Harassment includes but is not limited to:
• Offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, or religion.
• Unwelcome photography or recording.
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
Violations of this Code may be reported to any NELA team member and will be addressed by the Interim Executive Director.
HEALTH & SAFETY
The health and safety of our members, guests, NELA & NIWR staff, and the hotel team are our top priority.
Safety at the Convention NELA encourages all attendees to use good safety practices during the Convention, including:
• Always be aware of your surroundings.
• Do not leave personal items unattended in the meeting space.
Remove your Convention name badge before leaving the meeting space.
• Be mindful of confidential or personal information shared in public spaces, such as credit card numbers or personal details.
Health Guidelines
All attendees and guests are encouraged to follow current CDC health guidelines and take personal responsibility for their own wellness at the Convention. If you are feeling unwell or experiencing symptoms of illness, please refrain from attending sessions or food functions out of consideration for fellow attendees.
For questions at any time, please see a staff member at the Registration Desk.
CONVENTION INFORMATION
NELA Convention meeting rooms Wi-Fi
Network: MarriottBonvoy_Conference
Password: NELA 26
2026 Annual Convention Hub
The written materials for the Convention are available on the 2026 Annual Convention Hub (Hub) at nela.org/nela26. Wi-Fi is available in all guest rooms and Convention meeting rooms at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, though we strongly encourage downloading materials in advance.
Visit the Hub to make the most of your time with us.
• Fill out your Attendee Profile to share your information with other attendees.
• Find out who else is attending in the online Directory of Participants.
• Begin or continue a discussion, reach out to a speaker, organize an outing, or simply say hello on the Attendee Discussion List.
• Check out the biographies of our expert faculty
• Use the online Attendance Tracker to ensure your CLE hours are reported correctly.
• Submit a Program Evaluation to help us shape future CLE programming.
• Use the provided QR code and Slido links to join plenary and concurrent session Q&As.
Browse the full list of Convention Exhibitors to find resources to strengthen your practice.
Please note that a valid email address must be provided to access the Convention Hub.
Session Recordings
Hungry Mind Recordings (HMR) will record all plenary and concurrent sessions. Individual audio MP3 files will be available for purchase at the HMR table in the Napoleon Foyer (3rd Floor). Audio recordings and accompanying written materials will also be available for online purchase at nela.org/online-learning after the Convention.
3rd Floor
NAPOLEON BALLROOM
FOYER
3RD FLOOR ESCALATORS
ELEVATORS
MAUREPAS POYDRAS
4th Floor
STREET
CONVENTION MEETING ROOMS
4TH FLOOR CAMP STREET
4th Floor
STREET
CONVENTION MEETING ROOMS
5TH FLOOR 5th Floor
GRAND COUTEAU
TERRACE
GRAND BALLROOM
GRAND BALLROOM FOYER
REGISTRATION DESK
ELEVATORS
GRAND CHENIER
8th Floor
CAMP STREET CANAL
TERRACE
CONVENTION MEETING ROOMS
CAMP STREET
8TH FLOOR
EXIT
8th Floor
EXIT
POOL
ARMSTRONG BALLROOM
IRIS MUSES REX
BACCHUS
ORPHEUS
FITNESS CENTER
MID-CITY PROTEUS ZULU
ENDYMION
ARMSTRONG FOYER
ELEVATORS
CAMP STREET
WEDNESDAY PROGRAM
*Program and speakers subject to change. Please see the Convention Hub for the most up-to-date program information.
Building Your Practice as a New(er) Plaintiffs’ Employment Lawyer—A Panel Discussion for Law Students & New Practitioners
Maurepas (3rd Floor)
Moderator: David Yellin
Speakers: Clara Coleman & Joseph W. Gibson
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 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, LGBTQ+ 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.
Law Students & New Practitioners Reception
Armstrong Ballroom (8th Floor)
A networking reception for law students and new lawyers, including those new to plaintiffs’ employment law, will immediately follow the Panel Discussion.
The Law Students & New Lawyers Program and Reception are generously sponsored by AARP Foundation Litigation.
6:30–8:00 p.m.
President’s Welcome Reception
Armstrong Ballroom (8th Floor)
Convention participants are invited to join NELA President M. Nieves Bolaños, the NELA Board, and the 2026 Annual Convention Committee for an informal gathering to reconnect, build new relationships, and set the tone for the days ahead. First time participants are especially encouraged to attend and become part of this inspiring community.
The President’s Welcome Reception is generously sponsored by NELA-Alabama and the Texas Employment Lawyers Association.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2026
7:00–9:00 a.m.
7:00–8:30 a.m.
8:30–9:15 a.m.
9:15–10:30 a.m.
THURSDAY PROGRAM
10:30–11:15 a.m.
11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Deposition Skills/ Fundamentals of Employment Law
2026 Annual Convention Registration
Napoleon Foyer Registration Desk (3rd Floor)
Hot Breakfast Buffet
Napoleon C-D (3rd Floor)
Breakfast is available to Convention registrants only.
Today’s breakfast is sponsored by Apex Class Action Administration.
Paul H. Tobias Roll Call of the States & Opening Remarks
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Join NELA Leadership as we commence the 2026 Annual Convention with the timehonored Paul H. Tobias Roll Call of the States.
Leading with Vision. Rooted in Justice.: Honoring Courageous Plaintiffs
Advocates: J.P. Kemp, Victoria L. Neal & Ruthann Devereaux-Gonzalez, Ariel DeFazio & Hunter A. Swain, Barbara “Brandi” Cowan & Robert J.A Fordiani
The Convention’s opening plenary session will bring to life the inspiring stories of four extraordinary individuals who were empowered to challenge their employers and stand firm despite overwhelming adversity. Our Courageous Plaintiffs boldly reclaimed their rights and transformed the workplace for the better. Their lawyers will share their legal theories and litigation strategies that led to their clients’ inspiring victories.
Exhibitor Open House
Napoleon Foyer (3rd Floor)
Please take this time to visit our Convention exhibitors and complete your Passport to Success! Get a stamp from each of our exhibitors and return your passport to the Registration Desk to be entered into a drawing for a complimentary 2027 CLE of your choice!
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Preparing for Your First Deposition
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Philip M. Kitzer
Speakers: Carla D. Brown & Reena I. Desai
Learning how to take an effective and efficient deposition is one of the cornerstones of plaintiffs’ employment law practice. Taking your first deposition can be a daunting experience, but thorough preparation can be the key difference between a successful deposition and a less than effective one. Our experts will break down their process for deposition preparation and what they wish they had known before their first deposition.
11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Beyond Employment Law: Issue Spotting and Creative Advocacy
CONCURRENT SESSIONS (continued)
Immigration Basics for Employment Lawyers
THURSDAY
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Moderator: Verónica M. González
Speakers: Cristobal Gutierrez & Mary C. Yanik
In an era when immigrants across the country are facing unprecedented threats, it is more important than ever that employment attorneys know how immigration law intersects with employment law. What exposure do our clients face? Are they safe in EEOC and state civil rights investigations? How can we ensure our representation of immigrant clients does not put their immigration status at further risk? Join immigration law experts to learn how to issue spot important immigration considerations and protect your clients.
Valuing Non-Wage Compensation
Maurepas (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Rebecca G. Pontikes
Speakers: Megan S. Goddard, Brian P. Sanford & Ada Smoke
When examining damages in employment cases, the analysis goes far beyond lost wages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, non-wage benefits represent 30% of total compensation. This panel will discuss what types of benefits can be included at the damages stage, how to incorporate questions about benefits in discovery, and how to correctly value these types of compensation to ensure your clients get the award they deserve.
Appeals Strategies in Unfavorable Jurisdictions
Bayside A-B (4th Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Lori Bullock
Speakers: Jennifer Bennett & Casey R. Denson
When a decision comes down against you, the natural inclination may be to file an appeal or refer your client to an appellate lawyer. But, in some jurisdictions this may not be the best option. Jurisdiction can play a major role in your appellate strategy and even the decision on whether to appeal at all. Our panelists will address how you should examine the risk/benefit analysis of appealing in unfavorable jurisdictions and how to tailor your appeal for the best appellate outcome possible.
Employment Class Actions After Trump v. CASA
Bayside C (4th Floor)
Moderator: Lauren A. Khouri
Speakers: Jamie S. Franklin, Rebecca Peterson-Fisher & Joseph M. Sellers
The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Trump v. CASA will likely reshape the landscape of class action law. After CASA, advocates who would have turned to injunctions will shift their strategies to class actions. Our panelists will examine how the courts are grappling with Rule 23 requirements in the wake of CASA and the implications of CASA in wage and hour litigation, Title VII pattern-and-practice claims, and other class or collective employment actions. The session will also address how the ruling is being interpreted in the lower courts, what it means for current and future class strategies, and how plaintiffs’ counsel can adapt creatively to preserve access to justice for groups of workers facing common harms.
12:30–2:00 p.m.
Annual Luncheon & Keynote Address
Napoleon C-D (3rd Floor)
2:15–3:15 p.m.
THURSDAY PROGRAM
Beyond Employment Law: Issue Spotting and Creative Advocacy
Fundamentals of Employment Law
NELA is thrilled to welcome Purvi Shah, Executive Director and Founder of Movement Law Lab, as our 2026 Keynote Speaker. Purvi brings more than two decades of experience serving as legal counsel to a range of organized groups and movements, including the Movement for Black Lives, national tenant alliance, taxi driver associations, day laborers, tenants’ unions, and immigrant rights groups. Purvi’s work at Movement Law Lab focuses on bringing the power of lawyers to social justice movements, transforming the legal sector to go beyond winning cases and into building collective power. Movement Law Lab stewards the Legal Alliance Against Authoritarianism, a formation comprised of over 80 organizations, firms, and solo practitioners working to make strategic interventions and block the consolidation of the authoritarian agenda and regime. Through her work as a teacher and movement lawyering coach, Purvi has trained thousands of lawyers to work collaboratively with grassroots organizers to shift culture, systems, and power.
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Demystifying Focus Groups
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Barbara “Brandi” Cowan
Speakers: Christen Casale & Elizabeth “BB” Sanford
Focus groups have long been the secret weapon of management-side firms with deep pockets—until now. This session traces the evolution of focus group research from expensive, consultant-driven projects to accessible, attorney-led methods that any practitioner can implement. We will cover the fundamentals: what focus groups are, why they are critical for case evaluation and trial preparation, and the surprising variety of applications (from early case assessment to witness credibility testing to mediation prep). Then we’ll dive into the practical how-to: recruiting participants, crafting neutral presentations, conducting virtual sessions, and analyzing results without hiring expensive consultants.
What Employment Lawyers Need to Know About Tax Law
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Bruce A. Fredrickson
Speaker: Robert W. Wood
Employment matter settlements must be reported on taxes—but do you know enough to competently advise your clients on the basics? Join tax law experts for a primer on the most important rules you should know when it comes to the issue of tax in your settlements. From the right filing forms to indemnification clauses, our panel will give you the basic knowledge you need and explain when a financial expert might be necessary.
2:15–3:15 p.m.
Deposition Skills
Wage & Hour
3:15–4:00 p.m.
THURSDAY PROGRAM
CONCURRENT SESSIONS (continued)
Trauma-Informed Deposition Practice and Client Preparation
Maurepas (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Kelsey S. Speyer
Speakers: Amanda M. DeMatteis & Rachel N. Lokken
Even in the best circumstances, depositions can be a stressful, overwhelming, and sometimes hostile environment for clients. When your client has experienced significant trauma because of workplace harassment, abuse, or discrimination, that pressure only builds. This panel will provide a guide for preparing traumatized clients for a deposition where they will have to relive their trauma under challenging circumstances and what steps you can take during the deposition to make sure you are protecting your client.
Immigration Issues & Wage & Hour Cases
Bayside A-B (4th Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Erika A. Zucker
Speakers: Andrea M. Agee & Hugh Baran
Immigrant workers are always at increased risk for exploitation in employment, and especially in the correct calculation and payment of wages. The stakes of being an immigrant in the U.S., even one with lawful status, are higher than ever. So naturally, practitioners need to know the risks posed to immigrant workers, either with status or who are undocumented, in wage and hour cases. Our experts will examine the various ways in which immigration status can affect your wage and hour clients, including their ability to bring a case, whether they will be forced to disclose their tax returns or other documents during litigation, and when to address trafficking claims.
The Ethical Use of AI in Your Law Practice
Bayside C (4th Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Deborah H. Karpatkin
Speakers: Heather Newsom Leonard & Adria Lynn Silva
With the rapid adoption of AI, there has been a proliferation of attorneys facing serious sanctions and disciplinary actions for filing inaccurate AI-generated material. This panel will ensure you understand the ethical implications of adopting AI into your law practice. Attendees will learn about the limitations of AI, what your duty is when developing materials with the use of AI, and whether there are ethical implications if you choose not to integrate AI into your law practice.
This session may qualify for 1 hour of Ethics credit.
BREAK
Napoleon Foyer (3rd Floor)
4:00–5:15 p.m
5:15–6:00 p.m.
6:00–7:30 p.m.
THURSDAY/FRIDAY PROGRAM
Dispatches from the Trenches—Strategies, Successes, and Lessons from 5th & 11th Circuit Practitioners
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Charles E. Guerrier
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2026
Speakers: Hal K. Gillespie & Kira Fonteneau
Historically, the Deep South has weaker protections for workers in contrast to the more liberal coasts, and the 5th and 11th circuits have long been considered much more unfavorable jurisdictions for workers and their advocates. But for decades, NELA members in these jurisdictions have developed creative strategies and zealous advocacy that has moved the ball forward for workers. Join our panelists to discuss the lessons they have learned during their time in the trenches and how all NELA members can find success in cases where it seems like the path forward is blocked by gaps in the law designed to fail workers.
NELA DEIA Committee Book Club Live!
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Close out the first day of sessions with an in-person gathering of the NELA DEIA Committee Book Club. This month’s selection is Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. Come ready to share what moved you, what challenged you, and what stayed with you. Whether you read every page or just got started, your voice is welcome. NELA’s DEIA Committee Book Club explores a variety of topics, from workers’ rights to social justice and beyond.
Annual Reception
Napoleon C-D (3rd Floor)
Please join us for our annual networking reception. 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 Desk or at the door.
Breakfast is available to Convention registrants only.
Today’s breakfast is sponsored by Apex Class Action Administration.
Annual Reception is sponsored by Syllo.
8:30–9:30 a.m.
9:45–10:30 a.m.
10:40–10:45 a.m.
FRIDAY PROGRAM
The EEOC in 2026—Priorities, Changes, and What NELA Members Need to Know (non-CLE)
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator: M. Nieves Bolaños
Speaker: EEOC Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal
NELA is thrilled to welcome EEOC Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal to NELA’s 2026 Annual Convention. Since 2025, the EEOC has undergone major shifts in policy and implementation goals. Commissioner Kotagal will join NELA members to discuss current EEOC priorities, procedural updates, and everything NELA members need to know when bringing a case to the EEOC in 2026.
When AI Decides: Implications for Policy and Litigation from the National Institute for Workers’ Rights (non-CLE)
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Speakers: Abby Frerick & Jason M. Solomon
With employers increasing the use of AI to make employment-related decisions, the National Institute for Workers’ Rights will explore both what this ought to mean for regulation of the use of AI, and how this will affect workers’ ability to challenge employment decisions as discriminatory. We will also discuss how this is part of NIWR’s overall work to protect equal opportunity and, more broadly, dismantle barriers to justice.
Ethics & Sanctions Presentation
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
10:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m.Creative Winning Strategies at Summary Judgment
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Kevin S. Vogeltanz
Speakers: David L. Lee & Vishal H. Shah
Summary judgment remains one of the greatest barriers for workers seeking to vindicate their rights in court. This panel will address the current challenges facing plaintiffs at summary judgment and how you can structure your fact patterns, discovery strategies, and opposition motions in creative ways that will put the defense on their heels.
12:00–12:30 p.m. BREAK
Napoleon Foyer (3rd Floor)
12:30–1:30 p.m.
Fundamentals of Employment Law
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Taking Your First Federal Sector Case
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Obinna I. Abara
Speakers: Holly Franson & Alisa Tiwari
With thousands of federal employees facing reductions in force, changes to performance evaluations, and retaliation, federal sector practitioners are more in-demand than ever. Our panelists will explore the current state of federal employment law, the basics of representing clients in front of the MSPB, OSC, and EEOC, and how you prepare to take your first federal sector case.
Speakers: Evan L. Goldman & Melissa Pierre-Louis Washington
While severance agreements can provide employees with a small financial cushion after employment, these agreements are also rife with complexities that can limit your client’s ability to engage in further litigation of claims or even impact their future employment. This panel will discuss the myriad considerations involved in negotiating severance agreements, including compensation, benefits, NDAs, and releases of liability to ensure that your clients leave their employment with a severance agreement that leaves nothing on the table.
Turbocharging Your Small Firm with AI & Legal Technology
Maurepas (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Nivine K. Zakhari
Speakers: Constance Cooper & Joseph W. Gibson
Solo and small-firm employment lawyers juggle high-stakes advocacy with thin margins and tighter time. The good news: today’s cloud-based, pay-as-you-go tools let even one-lawyer outfits automate dull work, surface insights, and deliver a “big-firm” client experience often for less than a single billable hour per month. This session walks through a practical, affordable, product-agnostic “technology stack” that starts at new-client intake and ends with trust-compliant billing.
Trends in State Wage & Hour Litigation & Legislation
Bayside A-B (4th Floor)
Moderator: David Rodwin
Speakers: Jason C. Marsili & Christine E. Webber
With a U.S. Department of Labor that is increasingly hostile to workers and federal employment laws that leave something to be desired, many states are stepping up to pass more worker-friendly legislation. From minimum wage changes to pay transparency, join our wage and hour experts for a run-down of the latest (and sometimes greatest) in state wage and hour litigation and legislation.
Winning Trial Strategies from Recent NELA Member Victories
Bayside C (4th Floor)
Speakers: Clara Coleman & Victoria Williamson
NELA members have been victorious to the tune of millions of dollars of damages for their clients over the course of the past year. From wage and hour to employee benefits cases, NELA members have won jury trials in jurisdictions across the country. Our panelists will share their top strategies and tips for successfully trying bench and jury trials and how you can take those lessons with you to the courtroom.
Boxed Lunch Pickup
Napoleon C-D (3rd Floor)
1:45–2:45 p.m.
Members Forum
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
FRIDAY PROGRAM
1:45–2:45 p.m.
3:00–4:00 p.m.
Fundamentals of Employment Law
Beyond Employment Law: Issue Spotting and Creative Advocacy
Join NELA President M. Nieves Bolaños, the NELA Board, and NELA staff for a conversation about strengthening the NELA community. This is your time to share recommendations, suggestions, and concerns directly with leadership. NELA is built on the belief that every voice matters and every perspective strengthens our work. Come ready to engage, contribute, and help shape the community we are building together.
NELA Committee & Practice Group Meetings
Age Discrimination Practice Group – Proteus (8th Floor)
• AI & Legal Technology Practice Group– Borgne (3rd Floor)
• Class & Collective Actions Practice Group – Maurepas (3rd Floor)
• Disability Rights Practice Group – Gallier A (4th Floor)
Family Responsibilities Discrimination Practice Group – Evergreen (4th Floor)
• Federal Workers Practice Group – Bayside A-B (4th Floor)
• Immigrant/Low-Wage Workers Practice Group – Bayside C (4th Floor)
• LGBTQ+ Workers Practice Group – Bacchus (8th Floor)
• Trial Advocacy Practice Group – Iris (8th Floor)
• Wage & Hour Practice Group & DOL Working Group – Southdown (4th Floor)
• Whistleblower Practice Group – Muses (8th Floor)
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Using AI Effectively in Your Practice
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Speakers: Thomas A. Newkirk & Myles D. Young
This session is designed for employment lawyers at any stage of AI adoption, from those who have never used a chatbot to those already integrating AI tools into their daily practice. Panelists will cover the foundational concepts every lawyer needs to use AI competently and ethically: how the major models differ, what effective prompting looks like, how to manage confidentiality consistent with your duty of competence, and how context shapes the quality of every output. Attendees will also walk through concrete use cases drawn from plaintiff-side employment work, and leave with specific examples of what these tools can do in real matters. As this technology continues to reshape legal practice and the cost of delay grows, the session will provide both a solid foundation for beginning and the momentum to move forward with confidence.
First Amendment Claims in Employment Law
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Christine T. Elzer
Speakers: Ian Kalmanowitz, Kasturi Sen & Carolyn L. Wheeler
Millions of workers across the country work for government entities, meaning there are millions of workers who do not entirely forfeit their First Amendment rights in the workplace. In an era of social media, workers are often voicing their opinions on their personal lives, their jobs, and the world around them in an increasingly public manner. Our panelists will discuss what free speech protections public employees have, how those protections apply to modern workplaces, and the current case law surrounding First Amendment claims in the employment context.
3:00–4:00 p.m.
Deposition Skills
4:00–4:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
PROGRAM
CONCURRENT SESSIONS (continued)
Organizing Your Case Ahead of Deposition
Maurepas (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Lauren Naylor
Speakers: Schwanda Rountree & Michael Vogelsang
For practitioners preparing for their first deposition or their hundredth, organization is key. Taking the time to create a theme for your case and knowing what story you want to ultimately tell allows you to take efficient and effective depositions. This panel will share their methods for analyzing their case, creating timelines, identifying key players, and organizing their discovery and exhibits before ever setting foot in the deposition room.
Developing & Protecting a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Bayside A-B (4th Floor)
Moderator: Ben Lebsack
Speakers: Layi Oduyingbo & Samantha Wehrle
Whether you are a solo practitioner balancing administrative work, deadlines, and client relationships or at a big firm working with large class litigation and multiple stakeholders, a healthy work-life balance may seem unattainable. For too long, the mental health of lawyers has been ignored and value placed on the number of hours one could bill in a day. That attitude is slowly changing, encouraging attorneys to develop boundaries and prioritize their mental wellbeing. Our panelists will share how they have designed their practice to allow for a healthy work-life balance and why a well-rounded, emotionally fulfilled lawyer can be a more effective lawyer.
This session may qualify for 1 hour of wellness credit.
Considerations in Representing Workers During Their Employment
Bayside C (4th Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Ryan Estes
Speakers: Lisa L. Clay & Scott M. Pollins
From the initial intake through the representation, working with employees while they are still employed raises unique ethical and practical challenges for both clients and attorneys. Difficult choices abound, such as how to advise the client when further unlawful treatment occurs, how and to whom they should report, handling 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. This panel will discuss the most common legal and strategic concerns that face an employee who remains in the workplace after raising legal claims.
This session may qualify for 1 hour of Ethics credit.
BREAK
Napoleon Foyer (3rd Floor)
4:30–5:30 p.m.
This session may qualify for one hour of diversity, inclusion and/or elimination of bias credit.
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Breaking Through with Implicit Bias Evidence
This session may qualify for one hour of diversity, inclusion and/or elimination of bias credit.
This session may qualify for one hour of diversity, inclusion and/or elimination of bias credit.
This session may qualify for one hour of diversity, inclusion and/or elimination of bias credit.
This session may qualify for one hour of diversity, inclusion and/or elimination of bias credit.
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Samantha Sloane
Speakers: Anna P. Prakash & Qiaojing “Ella” Zheng
Years of research have shown that implicit bias exists and impacts the way individuals behave, including in the employment context. However, using that evidence to prove intentional discrimination or influence on systemic practices has been challenging in employment cases. This session will delve into the science behind implicit bias and how to successfully introduce this evidence into your discrimination and harassment cases.
Representing Neurodiverse Clients in Disability Cases
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Ting Cheung
Speakers: Brian East, Deborah K. Marcuse & Rebecca Rodgers
As society begins to better understand neurodivergence, the law is also adapting to ensure that neurodiverse workers are provided the same reasonable accommodations under the ADA as workers with physical disabilities. Our experts will discuss how to develop a neurodiversity-affirming legal practice, create an accessible and welcoming environment for your neurodivergent clients, and champion their rights under the ADA.
Ensuring Access to Justice Through Racially and Culturally Literate Representation
Maurepas (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Sherry D. Soanes
The recent trial of Cardi B placed a spotlight on what any plaintiff with a marginalized racial identity already knows—your actions are not only on trial, but also your very identity. Every client needs an attorney who is racially and culturally literate and prepared to brief and object when microaggressions arise. This session will break down how microaggressions (if not macroaggressions) show up in the courtroom and how you can support your client’s ability to seek justice in an inherently unjust forum.
Holding Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Racism Accountable in the Workplace
Bayside A-B (4th Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Mahir Nisar
Speakers: Samy Harmoush & Reem Subei
Islamophobia includes fear, hatred, or prejudice towards Islam, Muslims, or people perceived to be Muslim. When Islamophobia appears in the workplace, it may lead to employees being harassed, marginalized, or discriminated against. This session will explore common forms of anti-Muslim racism and Islamophobia, the most recent case law in this area, and how to recognize this bias, understand it, and combat it.
Litigation Strategies to Protect Transgender Workers in 2026
Bayside C (4th Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Andrew M. Adelman
Speakers: Allegra L. Fishel, Karla Gilbride & Aniko R. Schwarcz
Over the past year, transgender workers have come under attack from the highest levels of government. With the EEOC abandoning its cases on behalf of transgender workers and OPM instituting new bathroom policies, trans workers face challenging legal circumstances. All is not lost, however. Our experts will discuss the current status of discrimination on the basis of gender identity under Bostock and what strategies they are using to ensure trans workers are protected under the law.
8:00–11:00 p.m.
FRIDAY/SATURDAY
PROGRAM
Vision. Justice. Community. NELA 2026 Gala
Napoleon C-D (3rd Floor)
Please join us as we celebrate the power of community as only NELA can. We will gather for an evening of live music, dancing, fun, and friendship. The Gala kicks off with a taste of local jazz. We then turn up the music, shift the vibe, and dance until the music ends. Come in your New Orleans finest—or come as you are. Light bites and two complementary drink tickets per attendee, courtesy of Dundon Advisers LLC, are included. Additional beverages will be available for purchase.
The Gala requires a separate ticket to attend. Tickets may be purchased at the Registration Desk or at the door.
Breakfast is available to Convention registrants only
Today’s breakfast is sponsored by Apex Class Action Administration.
9:15–10:15 a.m.
Fundamentals of Employment Law
Beyond Employment Law: Issue Spotting and Creative Advocacy
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Practical Negotiation Skills for Plaintiffs’ Employment Lawyers
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Parisis G. “Gerry” Filippatos
Speakers: Bernard Alexander, Tanya Tate & Harjeen Zibari
Negotiation skills are vital to the toolbox of every plaintiff’s employment lawyer. However, how to successfully negotiate can be highly dependent on the jurisdiction, identities of the parties involved, and stage of the case. This panel will explore the practical negotiation skills that can work for every attorney and how our panelists have evolved in their negotiation skills over time to adapt to the complexities of interpersonal communication.
Identifying Potential Whistleblower Issues in Employment Cases
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Michael A. Filoromo, III
Speakers: Renée Brooker, Mark Hanna, Avi Kumin & Clayton Wire
One of the biggest challenges for employment lawyers is identifying a potential whistleblower tip or False Claims Act qui tam claim amid facts that may also give rise to an employment claim. Properly vetting these cases from the start is key to preserving the paths to substantial awards for our clients. This panel will provide practical guidance on identifying fact patterns that may give rise to a qui tam claim or form the basis for successful tips under one of the growing number of whistleblower award programs, including those administered by the SEC, the CFTC, the IRS, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Transportation, as well as the DOJ’s bank fraud program.
9:15–10:15 a.m.
CONCURRENT SESSIONS (continued)
A
Brave New World—Recent Developments and Inspiring Wins in Federal Sector
Wage & Hour
Representation
Maurepas (3rd Floor)
Moderator: M. Nieves Bolaños
Speakers: Jasmine M. Santos & Phoebe Wolfe
The federal workforce and the state of federal employment law have been in constant flux over the past 1.5 years, from the closure of entire organizations to expansive changes in MSPB and OPM jurisdiction over appeals and claims. Our panelists will discuss the many changes in this area, what is coming down the road, and how the wins that inspire hope in every federal sector practitioner can be expanded moving forward.
FMLA/FLSA Alphabet Soup with Judge Corey Maze
Bayside A-B (4th Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: The Honorable Corey Maze
Speakers: Toni J. Jaramilla & Rachhana T. Srey
Join your host Judge Corey L. Maze and 2 NELA Board members for 60 minutes of fun and facts. In this game show format, Judge Maze will test the knowledge not only of our contestants, but also the audience on the ins and outs of the FMLA and FLSA. Whether you are an expert in these areas or new to the practice of law, this innovative and interactive session will leave you entertained and educated.
Effective Advocacy Before Modern Juries
Bayside C (4th Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Amber L. Hurst
Speaker: Summer H. Murshid
Jury selection has always been a delicate balance, aiming to find jurors who can understand the experience of your client. We need not look any further than the news or social media to see that we are living in challenging times, where all potential jurors are inundated with divisive rhetoric and often misinformation. This session will discuss whether jury selection has gotten more difficult, how you can develop your voir dire to address these complexities, and how to succeed in front of a jury no matter the make-up.
10:15–10:45 a.m. BREAK
Napoleon Foyer (3rd Floor)
10:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.The Year in Review: Significant Developments in Employment Law
Napoleon A-B (3rd Floor)
Moderator/Speaker: Heather Newsom Leonard
Speakers: Professor Eric Schnapper & Professor Suja Thomas
The 2026 Annual Convention will close with a robust discussion of the employment cases decided by the U.S. Supreme Court during its 2025–2026 term, significant appellate court, legislative, and state law developments, as well as emerging issues in plaintiffs’ employment law.
12:45 p.m. Convention Adjourns
NELA CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2026 Trial Boot Camp
October 22–24, 2026
Kellogg Conference Hotel Capitol Hill at Gallaudet University Washington, DC
2027 Wage and Hour Update
March 19–20, 2027
Hotel Indigo Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles, CA
2027 Annual Convention
June 23–26, 2027
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch St. Louis, MO
2028 Annual Convention
June 21–24, 2028
Hilton Minneapolis Minneapolis, MN
Help shape NELA’s signature event of the year by submitting your session proposals. NELA hopes to enhance the quality and diversity of its Annual Convention by including a wide range of ideas and voices from our community.
2027 ANNUAL CONVENTION
June 23–26, 2027
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch St. Louis, MO
The deadline for submission of proposals is Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Thank you for sharing your ideas with us!
Every Bar Has Standards.
NELA's Ethics and Sanctions Committee is here to help you stay in key.
Confidential peer consultation through the NELA Ethics Hotline
SAFER (Sanctions Assistance Fund for Emergency Relief): Grants to help when sanctions threaten your livelihood
Programs and updates on the rules that actually govern our practice
A community of colleagues who've seen it before, and can help you handle it
Stop by the committee table in the Napoleon Foyer.
TRIAL BOOT CAMP
October 22–24, 2026
Kellogg Conference Hotel Capitol Hill at Gallaudet University Washington, DC
“To be in a room with such experienced attorneys with so much expertise and knowledge to share is amazing.”
Employment Mediators & Arbitrators
AMY ADELMAN MEDIATOR
DAVID NUTTER MEDIATOR
STEVE DUNN MEDIATOR CHARLOTTE
WARD RICHARDS
MEDIATOR & ARBITRATOR
TREVOR HOWELL MEDIATOR
NASHVILLE
KIM L. KIRN
MEDIATOR & ARBITRATOR
MICHAEL RUSSELL
MEDIATOR & ARBITRATOR
NASHVILLE
DONNA V. SMITH
MEDIATOR & ARBITRATOR
ANGUS MACAULAY MEDIATOR
TANYA TATE
MEDIATOR & ARBITRATOR
TAMIKA NEWSON
MEDIATOR & ARBITRATOR ATLANTA
WINTER WHEELER
MEDIATOR & ARBITRATOR
NELA ENHANCED MEMBERS
Thank you to those members who generously support NELA through their enhanced annual membership dues.
Defenders
Parisis G. Filippatos
Advocates
Clif Alexander
Patricia Ann Barasch
Stephen R. Bruce
Roxanne B. Conlin
Sustaining
Bernard Alexander
Lisa J. Banks
David Blanchard
Renée Brooker
Kirby F. Cañon
Stephen Z. Chertkof
Linda M. Correia
Blaney A. Coskrey, III
Beth Creighton
Dennis E. Egan
Sue Ellen Eisenberg
Nicholas Jason Enoch
Contributing
Paul Stewart Abney
Walt Auvil
Scott C.G. Blankenship
Philip Bohrer
M. Nieves Bolaños
Anastasia Bronski
Matthew Clark
Lisa L. Clay
Matthew J.P. Coffman
Richard Condit
Ronaldo Arthur Coulter
Bill Day, Jr.
Robert E. DeRose
Vincent James DeSimone
Donald A. Donati
Brendan John Donelon
Ellen L. Eardley
Sonya Edwards
Arthur R. Ehrlich
Christine T. Elzer
Michael C. Fallings
Jonathan Marc Feigenbaum
Kira Fonteneau
Ty D. Frankel
Jamie S. Franklin
Elizabeth Jubin Fujiwara
Zanah Ghalawanji
Evan L. Goldman
Barbara “Brandi” Cowan
David M. DeRubertis
David W. Garrison
J. Gary Gwilliam
Vicki Kuftic Horne
Joshua Erlich
Jillian M. Fairchild
Christine Forsythe
Raymond L. Hogge, Jr.
Debra S. Katz
Ronald J. Kim
Jeffrey Kulwin
Avi Kumin
Stephen B. Lebau
Cheryl B. Legare
Matthew Maddox
Jordan Matyas
Jon W. Green
Aaron Halegua
Mark Hammons, Sr.
Kenneth D. Haynes
Neil L. Henrichsen
Athena M. Herman
April L. Hollingsworth
William Hommel, Jr.
Amber L. Hurst
John C. Ireland
Thomas Gregory Jarrard
Susan E. Jewell
Charles Joseph
Kristi Kingston
Kenneth D. Kinney
Daniel B. Kohrman
David C. Kresin
David L. Lee
Heather Newsom Leonard
Cheri L. McCracken
Stephanie Mensing
Marjorie Mesidor
Chip Muller
Meredith Munro
Kevin Patrick Murphy
Steven L. Murray
Joshua Newville
Wayne N. Outten
Alicia K. Haynes
Michael L. Pitt
Scott M. Pollins
Richard P. Neuworth
Joshua Parkhurst
Gregory George Paul
Jonathan C. Puth
Alexis H. Ronickher
Donna Williams Rucker
Mary Anne Sedey
Michal Shinnar
Merle Joy Turchik
Angela Walker
Benjamin H. Yormak
J. Heydt Philbeck
Patricia A. Podolec
Nancy Pridgen
Barbara Allyn Queen
John F. Rossi
Nicholas Roumel
Brian P. Sanford
Glen D. Savits
John D. Saxon
Jessica Scales
Cathleen Scott
Kevin J. Shehan
Douglas N. Silverstein
Richard A. Sinapi
Michael Stevens
Kevin J. Stoops
Michael C. Subit
Rod Tanner
Megan Katherine Thomas
Archibald J. Thomas, III
James Vagnini
Christine E. Webber
David G. Webbert
Krystal K. Weigl
Peter Winebrake
Clayton Wire
Jeffrey Neil Young
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
Carla Aikens
N. Sue Allen
John P. Batson
Leila Da Silva Beraldo
Natasha Bunten
Donald F. Burke, Jr.
David R. Cashdan
Lisa L. Clay
Bill Day, Jr.
Michael D. Diederich, Jr.
Don Foty
Nancy Grim
Athena M. Herman
April L. Hollingsworth
William Hommel, Jr.
Vicki Kuftic Horne
Christopher Houk
Anne Hunter
John C. Ireland
Jeffrey Kulwin
Ann Lugbill
Matthew Maddox
Deborah Kristine Marcuse
Cheri L. McCracken
Joey S. Niskar
Joshua Parkhurst
Patricia A. Podolec
Johanna J. Raimond
Richard R. Renner
Nancy Richards-Stower
Brian P. Sanford
Richard D. Schramm
Joseph L. Sulman
Susan M. Swan
Kevin S. Vogeltanz
Jonathan Wall
David G. Webbert
Holly B. Williams
Marni Willenson
Wesley Woolf
Workers’ Rights Advocacy Fund
Nikolaus Baiko
John P. Batson
Leila Da Silva Beraldo
Alenna K. Bolin
Natasha Bunten
Donald F. Burke, Jr.
Allison Conte
Bill Day, Jr.
Vincent James DeSimone
William H. Ewing
Don Foty
Janet E. Hill
April L. Hollingsworth
Vicki Kuftic Horne
Jelani Dale James
John C. Ireland
Ronald J. Kim
Jeffrey Kulwin
Brendan P. Lynch
Matthew Maddox
Richard J. Murray
Steven L. Murray
Wayne N. Outten
Patricia A. Podolec
Johanna J. Raimond
Nancy Richards-Stower
Lisa R. Sahli
Brian P. Sanford
Jason C.N. Smith
Michael Stevens
John P. Stolarz
Scott Tift
Kevin S. Vogeltanz
Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of individuals, law firms, and other organizations acknowledged here. We apologize for any errors or omissions. Donors from May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026.
If you prevail or settle, you are obligated to pay back the amount of the grant and no more. If the litigation is unsuccessful, you are relieved of any obligation to pay back the grant.
Although many of the grants are modest in size, they repeatedly prove their value by helping workers and their advocates achieve favorable outcomes in employment cases.
CHET LEVITT, was an attorney at the Washington, DC firm of Cashdan & Kane and a former member of NELA, was deeply committed to his work in employment and civil rights law. In 1996, a senseless act of violence took his life.
Your Vision, Our Future:
Leave a Legacy Rooted in Justice
Thirty-five years ago, Paul Tobias had a dream of creating a non-profit public interest organization to complement the work of the National Employment Lawyers Association. That dream became a reality in 2008 when The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute For Law & Policy was established as NELA’s indispensable partner in the fight for equality and justice in the American workplace. As the Founding Executive Director of the Institute, I am honored to continue Paul’s vision by joining the Legacy Circle to Advance Workers’ Rights. Now known as the National Institute for Workers’ Rights, I invite you to support the Institute by including it in your will or trust—it will be the best investment you will ever make to ensure the future of workers’ rights advocacy.
Terisa E. Chaw
NELA Executive Director 1990-2017 & Institute Executive Director 2008-2017
As far as I know, the old saying, “You can’t take it with you,” is not fake news. So, I thought long and hard about which charities to include in my will. I finally landed on NELA being one of them. NELA has supported me so much over the years—through the listserv, seminars and the amazing people I have met. Please join me in remembering Paul Tobias and this important organization by including NELA in your will.
Katherine L. Butler Houston, TX
NELA Board Member 2016-2022
By including NELA or NIWR in your estate plans, you can build a meaningful legacy of vision and justice for generations to come. Join our community members who have already committed to NELA and NIWR’s future.
I intend to be around for a good while yet. However, recently, in addition to contemplating how to make more “good trouble” as a NELA lawyer, I’ve enjoyed designating which good causes—including NELA and the Institute—some of my savings will go to once I move on the Great Annual Convention in the sky. I have pledged to give a chunk of change I can be proud of to these two great organizations that have given me so much and whose members and staff continue to inspire me. I urge you to consider including NELA and the Institute in your estate plans as well. Let’s do what we can to ensure they have a bright future.
Dan Kohrman
Gilbert Employment Law
Silver Spring, MD
NELA Board member 2007-2019
I am strongly committed to the mission of strong and meaningful enforcement of the employment civil rights laws—Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA—and am proud to have devoted my career to that mission. I have included the Institute in my estate plan because it, and NELA, embody that mission better than any other organization. As we are learning, we certainly can’t count on the federal government to enforce civil rights. NELA and the Institute are needed now more than ever.
Donna Lenhoff
Donna Lenhoff Associates Washington, DC
Institute Board member since 2022
To learn more, please visit the NELA and NIWR tables in the Napoleon Foyer.
Informed by its partnership with NELA and NELA lawyers, the National Institute for Workers’ Rights (NIWR) advances workers’ rights through research, thought leadership, and education for policymakers, advocates, workers, and the public, with a focus on dismantling the barriers to justice workers and their advocates face.
NIWR shares NELA’s vision of the future in which all workers are treated with dignity and respect; workplaces are equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible; and the well-being of workers is a priority in business practices.
Our focus areas include:
Economic Dignity | Future of Worker Advocacy | Workplace Justice
Protecting Equal Opportunity & Our Civil Rights Laws
Holding Employers Accountable for Retreating from the Promise of Equal Opportunity
NIWR has been warning corporations that retreating from initiatives to promote equal opportunity in the workplace may increase their litigation exposure under Title VII. We are beginning to see this risk materialize and invite you to join us in influencing the national conversation on equal opportunity and protecting workers.
Do you have clients who have suffered discrimination from employers who have backed away from efforts to promote equal opportunity? We would love to hear from you as part of our efforts to persuade employers that the risks of retreat are significant.
Civil Rights Heroes Workers Who Stood Up to Discrimination
We know from decades of advocacy that workers’ stories are a powerful tool to shine a light on the impact of unjust workplace policies and employer misconduct. Research confirms that workers who have fought back against discrimination are the most credible and impactful advocates for strong civil rights laws. That is why we have launched Civil Rights Heroes.
NIWR is seeking workers who experienced workplace discrimination in 2020 or later and are willing to publicly share their stories of fighting back.
For more information on these and other projects, visit the NIWR table in the Napoleon Foyer and speak with Director Jason Solomon, Paul H. Tobias Attorney Fellow Abby Frerick, or another member of the NIWR team.
Closing the Enforcement Gap
The NIWR and the NYU Wagner Labor Initiative recently released a white paper, Public Enforcement of Workers’ Rights With Contingency-Fee Outside Counsel, on how and why some state and local government enforcers are using this approach to enforce workplace law.
This is a compelling moment for states and localities to consider expanding enforcement capacity through strategic collaboration with public interest litigators and private firms. If you are interested in promoting this model where you practice, we would love to talk. Find us at the NIWR table or reach out to Jason Solomon by email, jsolomon@niwr.org.
Our gratitude to Terri Gerstein of the NYU Wagner Labor Initiative for her collaboration on this vital workers’ rights issue.
Hiring a firm with skilled attorneys brings not only expanded legal expertise but also complementary resources, such as dedicated data scientists, investigators, or paralegals, who can help build a stronger case.
When AI Decides: Implications for Policy and Litigation Panel Discussion
Friday, June 26, 2026 | 9:45-10:30 a.m. Borgne (3rd Floor) (Not eligible for CLE)
Join the NIWR Team on Friday morning for our annual update. This year, with employers increasing the use of AI to make employmentrelated decisions, we will explore both what this ought to mean for regulation of the use of AI, and how this will affect workers’ ability to challenge employment decisions as discriminatory. Jason and Abby will be joined by NELA Board Member Kira Fonteneau and NELA Class and Collective Action Practice Group Co-Chair Christine E. Webber. We will also discuss how this is part of NIWR’s overall aim to protect equal opportunity and, more broadly, dismantle barriers to justice.
THE POWER OF CY PRES TO ADVANCE WORKERS’ RIGHTS
NIWR is NELA’s partner in advancing workers’ rights. Informed by our partnership with NELA lawyers, NIWR dismantles the barriers to justice that workers and their advocates face.
NIWR is fueled by generous members of the NELA community. NIWR has an excellent track record as a cy pres beneficiary in employment discrimination, wage and hour, and other litigation involving workplace violations. Since 2008, NIWR has been the recipient of more than $2 million in cy pres awards in 76 class and/or collective actions brought on behalf of workers.
Should the opportunity arise in one of your cases, please consider designating NIWR as a cy pres recipient. Please visit the NIWR table in the Napoleon Foyer for more information.
Cy Pres Leadership Circle
The Cy Pres Leadership Circle educates the NELA community on the power of cy pres to protect
We extend our gratitude to the following attorneys and law firms who have designated NIWR as a cy pres recipient since 2008.
Abbey Spanier, LLP
Altshuler Berzon, LLP
Beaumont Costales
Berger & Montague, PC
Betz + Blevins
Blanchard & Walker PLLC
Bruckner Burch, PLLC
Burr & Smith, LLP
Maia Caplan
Chavez Law Firm
Cummins & Cummins, LLP
Dardarian Ho Kan & Lee (formerly Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho)
Donati Law, PLLC
Donelon, PC
Dworken & Bernstein Co., LPA
Eisenberg & Schnell, LLP
and advance workers’ rights and provides complementary technical assistance on securing and structuring cy pres awards.
FMCO Law
Bruce C. Fox
Frankel Syverson PLLC
Jamie S. Franklin
Suzanne Garrow
Getman, Sweeney & Dunn, PLLC
Law Offices of Janice Goodman
Law Offices of Geoffrey L. Gross, LLC
Haines Law Group
Hawks Quindel, SC
Hayber, McKenna & Dinsmore, LLC
Heisler, Feldman, & McCormick, PC
Hersh Law Firm, PC
Hua Gallai & Gonzales, LLP
Johnson Becker, PLLC
Kern Law Firm, PC
Tuvia Korobkin
Labor Law, PC
Leventhal Lewis Kuhn Taylor Swan PC
McGuinn, Hillsman & Palefsky
Ty Frankel (AZ)
Summer H. Murshid (WI), Chair
Rachhana T. Srey (MN)
James B. Zouras (IL)
Law Offices of Colleen M. McLaughlin
Potter Bolaños LLC
Rowdy Meeks Legal Group LLC
Meizlish & Grayson
Miller O’Brien Jensen, PA
Nichols Kaster, PLLP
Law Office of Thomas Rutledge
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP
Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky LLP
Law Offices of James M. Sitkin
Soderstrom Law PC
Sprenger & Lang, PLLC
Stephan Zouras, LLP
Teske Law PLLC
Thomas & Solomon LLP
Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
The Law Office of Rob Wiley, PC
Woodall Law Offices
NIWR and NELA acknowledge the visionaries of workers’ rights who have made financial contributions to further NIWR’s work. The giving levels below reflect our supporters’ combined contributions from May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026.
CY PRES AWARDS
Bruckner Burch, PLLC
Frankel Syverson PLLC
Stephan Zouras, LLC
GRANTS
Peggy Browning Fund
Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation
People-First AI Fund, OpenAI Foundation
The Raben Group/NextLevel Communications
Stanford Law School
GENERAL SUPPORT
$10,000+
Stephen R. Bruce & Jeanette Bruce
$5,000-$9,000
Marcuse Law LLC
In Memory of Thomas J. Henderson
$2,500–$4,999
Doris J. Dabrowski
King Employment Law
Outten & Golden LLP
$1,000–$2,499
Blanchard & Walker, PLLC
Katherine L. Butler
Carmen Comsti
William H. Ewing
Deborah H. Karpatkin & Ian J. Benjamin
Donna R. Lenhoff & Michael F. Jacobson
Messing, Rudavsky & Weliky PC
Richard P. Neuworth
In Memory of Danny Katz
Jonathan C. Puth & Mira F. Courpas
Joseph M. Sellers & Laurie B. Davis
Susan Ullman & Arik Levinson
In Honor of Leah A. Hofkin
Winebrake & Santillo, LLC
$500–$999
Bertelson Law Offices, PA
Wade B. Cowan
Bruce A. Fredrickson & Kristin K. Fredrickson
Kristin Garcia
Roberta L. Steele
In Honor of Karen Maoki
Fern M. Steiner
Estate of Marjorie B. Tarkow
$250–$499
John P. Batson
Debra P. Chaw
Bruce A. Fredrickson
& Kristin K. Fredrickson
In Memory of Diane Correia & In Memory of Michael Warecki
Hal K. Gillespie
Phyllis C. Hofkin
Patricia Ito
In Honor of Terisa E. Chaw & In Memory of Elinor Chaw & William Chaw
Kathryn S. Piscitelli
Randall D. Schmidt
Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, LLC
Meryl Joy Turchik
Carl M. Varady
Christine E. Webber
Holly B. Williams
$100–$249
Alan Banov
In Honor of Bob Fitzpatrick
Sarah A. Brown
David R. Cashdan
Goldman & Ehrlich
Leon Greenberg
Leah A. Hofkin
April L. Hollingsworth
William Hommel, Jr.
Vicki Kuftic Horne
Anne Hunter
Ronald J. Kim
Daniel B. Kohrman
Jeffrey Kulwin
Jonathan J. Margolis
Steven L. Murray
Angeli Murthy
Samuel Brown Petsonk
Johanna J. Raimond
Liane Scott & Eric Scott
In Memory of Elinor Chaw
Susan M. Swan
Steve G. Wilson
Jeffrey Neil Young
Up To $99
N. Sue Allen
Leila Beraldo
Taylor Blue
Alenna K. Bolin
Natasha Bunten
Kirby F. Cañon
Douglas Carpiaux
Bill Day, Jr.
Matthew Delio
Christine Forsythe
Don Foty
Nancy Grim
Janet E. Hill
Jelani Dale James
Michael D. Lieder
Matthew Maddox
Linda Overholt
Patricia A. Podolec
Brian P. Sanford
James D. Sanford
Harjot Singh
Kevin S. Vogeltanz
Tommy A. Warren
THE PAUL H. TOBIAS ATTORNEY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
M. Nieves Bolaños
Terisa E. Chaw & James A. Hendriksen
In Honor of Karen Maoki’s 25 years of exemplary service to NELA & the Institute &
In Honor of Pedro A. Valverde’s 25 years of exemplary service to NELA & the Institute
Bruce A. Fredrickson
& Kristin K. Fredrickson
Alan R. Kabat
Deborah K. Lim & Michael J. Woo
Patricia Losacker
In Memory of Paul H. Tobias & Phyllis Tobias
Karen Maoki & Cassandra Chen
Ann Lugbill
WORKERS’ RIGHTS ADVOCACY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Terisa E. Chaw & James A. Hendriksen
Peter Hiller
Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation
Maleah Mader
The Visionary Circle
Members of the Visionary Circle make an annual commitment of $1,000 or more to support NIWR’s ongoing work. We are honored to recognize the 2025–2026 Visionary Circle.
Champion ($10,000+)
Stephen R. Bruce & Jeanette Bruce
Leaders ($5,000-$9,999)
Terisa E. Chaw & James A. Henriksen
Marcuse Law LLC
Pacesetters ($2,500–$4,999)
Doris J. Dabrowski
King Employment Law
Outten & Golden LLP
Visionaries ($1,000–$2,499)
Blanchard & Walker, PLLC
M. Nieves Bolaños
Katherine L. Butler
Carmen Comsti
William H. Ewing
Bruce A. Fredrickson
& Kristin K. Fredrickson
Deborah H. Karpatkin & Ian J. Benjamin
Donna R. Lenhoff & Michael F. Jacobson
Deborah K. Lim & Michael J. Woo
Karen Maoki & Cassandra Chen
Messing, Rudavsky & Weliky PC
Richard P. Neuworth
Jonathan C. Puth & Mira F. Courpas
Joseph M. Sellers & Laurie B. Davis
Susan Ullman & Arik Levinson
Winebrake & Santillo, LLC
Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the individuals, law firms, and other organizations acknowledged here. We apologize for any errors or omissions.
Sama Agrawal, Ph.D. Economist
Roberto Cavazos, Ph.D. Economist
Cary Elliott, Ph.D. Economist
Matt Rigling, M.A. Managing Economist
Dwight Steward, Ph.D. Managing Economist
RAISING THE BAR Building on 40 Years of Workers’
Rights Advocacy
To mark our 40th anniversary in 2025, NELA launched Raising the Bar, an initiative spotlighting our dedicated members fighting every day for workers’ rights. The response was overwhelming, and we are proud to continue it in 2026.
YOUR STORY IS PART OF OURS.
Scan the QR code to read the inspiring stories we have collected so far and find out how to be featured next.
June 23–26, 2027
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch St. Louis, MO.
“Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.”
- Dolores Huerta
Labor and Civil Rights Leader
Co‑Founder, United Farm Workers Founder, Dolores
Huerta Foundation
Please take a moment to enjoy these greetings and advertisements from your friends, colleagues, other NELA members, NELA Affiliates, and the businesses and organizations whose support sustains our work. The workers’ rights community is stronger because of you. Thank you for being part of it.
We extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation to NELA’s Affiliates
Board
Members
Practice Groups, Interest Groups, and Working Groups for their invaluable contributions. Your dedication and efforts make a lasting impact!
The fight for dignity in the workplace, fair wages, and safe spaces to gather is at our doorstep. We stand for workers’ rights with our fellow NELA members.
Best of lawyers, best of humans. NELA would be lost without you.
Thank you for your labor, Ashley Westby.
New
Washington,
San
Palo
San
Werman Salas P.C. stands with NELA’s unwavering commitment to empowering workers, reclaiming their rights, and restoring justice in the workplace. Together, we champion the cause of fairness and dignity for all working people.
We are honored to join you in New Orleans for this gathering.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…”
THEODORE ROOSEVELT · PARIS, APRIL 23, 1910
Gillespie Sanford LLP
Hal Gillespie
Joe Gillespie
Jim Sanford
Chris Houk, Attorney
Cheri McCracken, Of Counsel,
Marina Kovacevic, Attorney
Isa Ramirez, Legal Assistant
Nicole Houk, Accounting
Doug Todd, Paralegal
here’s to celebrating the first of another 40 years of nela and the best advocates in the world leveling the playing field for workers!
matt koski mcguinn, hillsman & palefsky san francisco,
ca
The Washington, D.C. area’s Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA) is proud to work alongside NELA and our sister chapters nationwide to promote fairness in the workplace. Together, we defend the fundamental right of every employee to work in an environment free from discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wage theft.
MWELA remains steadfast in its commitment to providing essential assistance, training, and a collaborative community for the advocates fighting for employee rights – both in the DC metropolitan area and across the country.
A Legacy of Leadership
MWELA extends its deepest gratitude to our member and NELA’s Immediate Past President
Carla D. Brown
Charlson Bredehoft Cohen Brown & Nadelhaft
MWELA celebrates your eleven years of extraordinary dedication and leadership on the NELA Board of Directors. Thank you, Carla, for your tireless commitment to our mission and your profound impact on the legal community.
THANK YOU NELA FOR LEADING WITH VISION
Employment Law Group
We represent employees in cases of:
n Wrongful Termination
n Discrimination based on age, race, gender, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, sexual harassment, and gender identity
GGP’s dynamic employment practice is led by managing partner Scott Goldshaw and Patricia V. Pierce. Along with Ronald Greenblatt, Kasturi Sen, Noah Cohen, Christen Casale, and Jack Hensler, they pride themselves on tenacious advocacy backed by decades of trial experience. All GGP lawyers and staff are dedicated to one goal –achieving the best results possible for our clients. Goldshaw Greenblatt Pierce LLC Goldshaw Greenblatt Pierce LLC is a proud sponsor of the NELA 2026 is a proud sponsor of the NELA 2026 Gala Fundraiser. Gala Fundraiser. Thank you for all of your Thank you for all of your important work! important work! Pierce is sponsor the 2026 Gala Fundraiser. all of important
PHILADELPHIA
2 Penn Center 1500 JFK Boulevard, Suite 1230 Philadelphia, PA 19107 (215) 978-9090
We Fight for Connecticut's Employees. Proud affiliate of the National Employment Lawyers Association!
Cornish & Dell'Olio, P.C. is proud to sponsor NELA’s work for justice for employees everywhere.
-Ian Kalmanowitz
— KAHLIL GIBRAN
Andrew S. Golden asg@agoldenlaw.com (860) 678-4430 321 Main Street Farmington, CT 06032 www.agoldenlaw.com August
612-8214
VISION. JUSTICE. COMMUNITY.
Thank you, NELA! Your commitment to justice, to one another, to your clients, and to workers’ rights provides hope that our vision for the world is still achievable. Please join your community for the Gala on Friday night to celebrate our collective power.
Leah A. Hofkin
Jeff Hynes
John Kresuer
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.
Many thanks to the NELA and NIWR staff for all their hard work and dedication
Tacarra Andrade Membership Director
Alicia Battle Events Manager
Abby Frerick
Paul H. Tobias Attorney Fellow
Leah A. Hofkin Director of Development
Erica Love Program Assistant
Karen Maoki Interim Executive Director
Alberto Sandoval, Jr. Membership & Development Coordinator
Jason Solomon NIWR Director
Pedro A. Valverde
Digital Communications & Technology Manager
Ashley Westby Program Director
David L. Lee and Jennifer C. Weiss (retired)
Employment Law Demands Tough Attorneys
With
“We
— Mark E. Hammons, Sr. Founding Partner
Mark E. Hammons, Sr.* and Amber L. Hurst
NH NELA celebrates NELA as we envision a future with workplace justice
We are incredibly proud to stand together with workers and all advocates for workers’ rights.
Keep fighting for fairness and dignity in the workplace!
Charles Guerrier and his 54-year legal career advancing employee rights.
Charles, w we are forever grateful and honored that you shared a small part of your legal career with our firm and NELA-Alabama!
Alicia Haynes and Kenny Haynes
*Photo taken on the steps of the United States Supreme Court, October 15, 1973 Cleveland Board of Education v. LaFleur, 414 U.S. 632, 94 S.Ct. 791, 39 L.Ed.2d 52 (1974)
Standing up for Workers’ Rights and Civil Rights in Maine and Across the Nation
The attorneys of Kator, Parks, Weiser & Wright are proud to celebrate the work of NELA, and the work of all NELA members on behalf of America’s workers.
