Overview
Williams & Connolly’s employment litigation practice includes the representation of diverse corporations, boards of directors, board committees and senior executives in a broad range of complex or sensitive employment-related disputes. Our clients include public, private and non-profit organizations across an array of industry sectors, including law firms, financial services and other professional service companies, media companies, major educational institutions, companies operating in regulated industries, and nationally known charities.
The practice group brings the full scope of its extensive experience handling complex litigation to bear in conducting sensitive internal investigations and in vigorously pursuing or defending claims before trial and at trial.
Our attorneys litigate employment cases throughout the country, at both the trial and appellate level, including before federal and state courts, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and other administrative agencies, and arbitration tribunals. We handle employment litigation involving allegations of unlawful discrimination or harassment, alleged violations of statutory rights such as the Family and Medical Leave Act and its state counterparts, breaches or enforcement of restrictive covenants and non-competition agreements, unfair competition claims, contract-based employment disputes and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) claims. We have also brought or defended claims on behalf of senior executives in high-stakes litigation.
Internal Investigations
The firm is frequently called upon to investigate issues of actual or potential malfeasance by company employees or management. These investigations span a broad range of legal issues, including:
- Claims of employment discrimination and harassment under the full scope of federal and state anti-discrimination laws;
- Allegations of financial and ethical improprieties under Sarbanes-Oxley and other federal and state fraud protections; and
- Claims of wrongful discharge and breach of contract.
The firm is often enlisted for such investigations by a corporation’s Audit Committee where the sensitive nature of the issues, or of the positions of employees or members of management to be investigated, require independent outside counsel. Likewise, we are called upon by management to conduct pre-litigation investigations, either as neutral investigators or to mount the company’s defense, where matters involve individual employees asserting allegations of discrimination or other unlawful conduct.
Disputes
Our attorneys have extensive experience handling employment litigation involving allegations of unlawful discrimination or harassment based on race, age, disability, religion and sex, and alleged violations of statutory rights such as the Family and Medical Leave Act and its state counterparts. The firm’s experience covers not only employment discrimination claims of individuals, but also the defense of large class actions involving thousands of individuals.
Our attorneys routinely handle employment litigation involving breaches or enforcement of restrictive covenants and non-competition agreements, unfair competition claims, and contract-based employment disputes.
The firm has also represented and currently represents major corporations in Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) litigation, which frequently involves defending companies, investment committees, investment advisers and individuals against allegations that they breached their fiduciary duties. We have prevailed in such matters at trial and on appeal.