First Name
City
Summary
Accomplished Head of Employment Law with expertise in strategic guidance, employment law compliance, and cross-functional collaboration. Proven track record in developing legal frameworks that enhance operational efficiencies and support diverse workforce initiatives.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Employment Law
Company 1
City
01.2024 - Current
Vice President, Senior Managing Counsel, Global Employment Law
Company 2
City
09.2018 - 01.2024
- Deliver timely and practical advice on exceptional and day-to-day U.S. and global employment law matters spanning the employment life cycle in a heavily-matrixed, high-growth, and fast-moving business environment on topics such as: legal/regulatory compliance; people initiatives and projects; restrictive covenants (e.g., non-competes, non-solicits); DEI strategies and programs; compensation, benefits and equity plans; wage-hour; immigration and mobility; business restructuring/reorganizations and redundancies; U.S. affirmative action/OFCCP; EEO matters; employee leaves and accommodations; background checks; and employee policies and procedures.
- Developed and implemented a strategic plan and framework for global in-house employment law support covering the then 20k employee workforce across 80+ countries which was also activated during COVID to communicate and execute local, region, and global perspectives.
- Offer thoughtful and strategic guidance on complex executive transitions and separations; draft and modify related agreements on employment terms and post-employment obligations.
- Develop, support, and lead in-house attorney direct and dual reports with local, region, and global responsibilities.
- Collaborate and build relationships with a broad cross-section of internal and external stakeholders at all levels with a solution-oriented mindset and an eye toward reaching shared business objectives.
- Counsel People & Capability partners and other stakeholders on employment-law related aspects of acquisitions, sales, divestitures, and joint ventures; create and supervise the development of M&A-related resources to document and scale employment law advice and optimize the delivery of legal services by both in-house and external counsel.
- Champion, design, implement, and manage the drafting and delivery of employment law tools, guides, checklists, templates and other resources to facilitate knowledge transfer, share learnings, spot trends, increase consistency, enhance overall delivery of legal services, and improve operating efficiencies.
- Advise Employee Relations on internal investigations; conduct Employment Law investigations; defend the company against employment claims in pre-litigation attorney demand letters, severance negotiations, agency charges and litigation; retain and manage external counsel; supervise outside counsel’s representation and defense of the company to ensure the Mastercard way remains top of mind.
- Negotiated complex commercial agreements for services, technology, and products needed for company to maintain its competitive edge.
- Advocate for increased diversity and inclusion in Law; actively support and participate in the Legal Department’s general DEI efforts and strategy alongside specific partnerships with The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) and Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC).
Director, Senior Counsel, Employment Law
Company 2
City
05.2016 - 09.2018
Senior Counsel, Employment Law
Company 3
City
04.2015 - 05.2016
- Advised and collaborated with HR professionals and other stakeholders (e.g., Asset Protection, Benefits, Payroll, Tax) on variety of employment law matters such as: policies and procedures; employee recruitment, performance, conduct, discipline and terminations; discrimination; harassment; retaliation; leaves of absence, reasonable accommodations; criminal background checks; workplace safety; and business restructurings.
- Successfully defended Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s against pre-litigation attorney demand letters and in federal, state, and local agency proceedings through drafting of position statements; responding to information requests; representing the company at mediations, fact-finding conferences, witness interviews, and hearings; and negotiating settlements and related agreements and releases.
- Led cross-functional teams on day-to-day and significant corporate immigration and global mobility matters; advised clients on internal strategies; managed federal and state government investigations.
- Advised and supported HR executives on legal strategies and drafted pleadings, discovery requests, pre-hearing and post-hearing submissions, and hearing preparation materials for private arbitration proceedings.
- Developed and conducted engaging and practical in-person and webinar training for HR and other executives on a variety of employment law topics.
- Supervised matters handled by internal Legal Assistants and outside counsel.
Counsel, Employment Law
Company 3
City
01.2011 - 03.2015
Labor & Employment Associate
Company 4
New York
02.2008 - 01.2011
- Defended, advised, and represented employers on various pre-litigation and litigation matters and disputes subject to arbitration, Title VII, FLSA, ADEA, FMLA, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Section 1981, and state and local labor and employment laws.
- Associate Mentor; Member, New York Diversity Committee; recruited Summer and New Associates.
Office Director & Jones Day Fellow
Company 5
New York
01.2007 - 02.2008
- Proposed and developed year-long Jones Day-Appleseed fellowship to serve as Appleseed’s NY Office Director.
- Launched Appleseed’s New York Office from the ground up; designed, implemented, and managed programs; cultivated support for NY Office and relationships with constituents such as Advisory Council and Board members, corporations, law firms, foundations, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and individual donors.
Labor & Employment Associate
Company 4
New York
09.2001 - 12.2006
Summer Associate
Company 4
New York
05.2000 - 08.2000
Office Manager and Real Estate & Litigation Paralegal
Company 6
New York
07.1996 - 08.1998
Education
Juris Doctor - Law and Public Policy Program
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law
Washington, DC05.2001
Bachelor of Arts - Government
The College of William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA06.1996
Skills
- Employment law compliance
- Legal drafting
- Dispute resolution
- Regulatory knowledge
- Investigative procedures
- Risk management
Leadership And Community Service Experience
- Practising Law Institute (PLI), NY Bar Association, NYC Bar Association, Westchester Bar Association, Thought leader on various employment law topics through speaking engagements, Various
- Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, Board Member; Governance Committee; Executive Committee (Secretary; Vice President), 04/2021 – Present
- Glenwood Lake Association, Co-Chair, Public Safety Committee, Corresponding Secretary (Executive Board), 01/2017 – 01/2019
- The Posse Foundation, Student Scholar Mentor, 01/2017 – 12/2018
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), LCLD Fellow & LCLD Alumni, 03/2014 – 03/2015 & 03/2015 – Present
- Appleseed, Advisory Council and Board Member, New York Office, 2012 – 2017
- Appleseed, Chair and Founding Member, Isaac Newton Society, National Office, 2005 – 2006
- Girls Inc. NYC, Junior Board Member, 01/2011 – 01/2013
Bar Admissions
- New York, 02/2002
- Washington, DC, 03/2003
- U.S. District Courts for the Southern & Eastern Districts of New York, 06/2006
Timeline
Head of Employment Law
Company 1
01.2024 - Current
Vice President, Senior Managing Counsel, Global Employment Law
Company 2
09.2018 - 01.2024
Director, Senior Counsel, Employment Law
Company 2
05.2016 - 09.2018
Senior Counsel, Employment Law
Company 3
04.2015 - 05.2016
Counsel, Employment Law
Company 3
01.2011 - 03.2015
Labor & Employment Associate
Company 4
02.2008 - 01.2011
Office Director & Jones Day Fellow
Company 5
01.2007 - 02.2008
Labor & Employment Associate
Company 4
09.2001 - 12.2006
Summer Associate
Company 4
05.2000 - 08.2000
Office Manager and Real Estate & Litigation Paralegal
Company 6
07.1996 - 08.1998
Juris Doctor - Law and Public Policy Program
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law
Bachelor of Arts - Government
The College of William & Mary
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