NELA

Empowering Workers' Rights Attorneys

Pedro Valverde

Joseph W. Gibson

Employment Law Center of Maryland
Fredrick, MD
Member Since 2020
Law School: American University Washington College of Law

What inspired you to practice plaintiffs’ employment law?

I was inspired to practice plaintiffs’ employment law because it provides a tangible way to defend civil rights in the workplace—a space that impacts nearly everyone, given the fundamental role work plays in people’s lives.

Career-wise, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

The career accomplishment I am most proud of is founding the Employment Law Center of Maryland and transforming it into a fully-fledged employment law firm.

What advice do you have for law students or new lawyers interested in this area of law?

My advice to new lawyers or law students interested in plaintiffs’ employment law is to demand the same fair treatment in your own workplace that you fight for on behalf of your clients and never hesitate to advocate for yourself.

What does NELA membership mean to you? How has it impacted your career?

My NELA membership has provided me with a true community of colleagues whose wisdom and support are indispensable, offering a reliable network I can count on for guidance and shared expertise.

What’s your favorite way to … Read More

Heather M. Burns

Upton & Hatfield, LLP
Concord, NH
Member Since 1993
Law School: University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law

What inspired you to practice plaintiffs’ employment law?

When I first graduated from law school, I worked for a firm in Manchester, NH. The firm was hired to represent an employee in an age discrimination case, but they didn’t handle employment cases. They asked me to take it and run with it, and I did, leading to my first plaintiff’s verdict in a case in the federal district court of New Hampshire. I was struck, and began to jump in with both feet, learning to handle all manner of workers’ rights cases at the firm.

Career-wise, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

I have been representing plaintiffs for 33 years in employment discrimination cases. I am most proud of my representation of women who have been subjected to gender discrimination. It is an issue so close to my own heart. My first verdict representing a woman was Jeanne Boisvert v. Sears Roebuck & Co., when I was seven years out of law school. I won a $1M verdict in the gender discrimination/retaliation case before Judge Stephen McAuliffe in the … Read More

Statement From The National Employment Lawyers Association And National Institute For Workers’ Rights On EEOC Acting Chair Lucas’ Letters To Law Firms

The National Employment Lawyers Association and the National Institute for Workers’ Rights are deeply troubled by Acting Chair Andrea Lucas’ recent letters to twenty law firms aimed at scrutinizing or undermining their attempts to prevent discrimination and promote opportunity. Acting Chair Lucas has no authority to send these letters and demand this information, as explained in the March 18 letter from former EEOC officials. The letters represent an alarming betrayal of the agency’s fundamental mission of eradicating workplace discrimination and promoting equitable employment practices.

Though NELA members are often on the other side of these law firms in cases, we stand by their side in defending their right—indeed, obligation—to ensure their workplaces are fair and free of bias. The legal profession has traditionally not been hospitable to women, people of color, and others who are underrepresented in occupations like law. Firms that are trying to change that should be lauded, not criticized.

Law firms play a pivotal role in shaping employment policies and guiding corporate America’s understanding and implementation of civil rights law. If the legal profession is dissuaded from trying to make their hiring and promotion practices fair and prevent discrimination, the downstream effect on countless organizations and industries … Read More

NELA President’s Reflections on Black History Month

As we come to the close of Black History Month, it is important to reflect upon and recognize both the singular achievements of, and the unique and central role played by Black people in our nation’s cultural, intellectual, political, and legal history. At NELA, we should take this opportunity to do the same for our incredible colleagues. Today, I honor one such colleague very close to my own heart—Carla Brown, NELA’s first Black woman president. Carla is a force, a fearless leader, and seriously fun. There are few people I have ever met who are as thoughtful as Carla. I often say, that while many of us find ourselves playing checkers, Carla is always playing chess. I have been so honored to serve on the NELA Executive Board with her and to count her not only as a trusted colleague but, most importantly, as a valued friend.

Carla’s professional achievements speak for themselves. She is a partner at Charlson Bredehoft Cohen Brown & Nadelhaft, P.C. in Reston, Virgina. She regularly and successfully tries cases in Virgina, Washington D.C., and Maryland with outstanding results, for which she has been widely recognized. She has been featured as one of Virginia’s Go To … Read More

Verónica González

Veronica GonzalezLowrey Parady Lebsack, LLC
Denver, CO
Member Since 2024
Law School: University of Colorado

What inspired you to practice plaintiffs’ employment law?

My parents immigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador, and when I was child, my mother told me stories of experiencing discrimination in the workplace. These stories of hardship stuck in my memory and shaped my beliefs, which later fueled my passion when I read cases for my Employment Law, Discrimination, and Disability Rights courses in law school. The stories of employees resonated with me, and I realized that I wanted to represent them in my career.

Career-wise, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am most proud of participating in NELA’s effort to eliminate the Section 1981a compensatory damages caps in employment discrimination cases. My role was completing a comprehensive examination of District of Colorado cases where courts reduced jury verdicts because of the caps. This research was passed along to NELA’s lobbyist, with an end goal of being sent to Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet.

What advice do you have for law students or new lawyers interested in this area of law?

The best way to learn more about plaintiffs’ employment law is grabbing coffee or lunch … Read More

EEOC Policy Shifts Threaten Workplace Discrimination Safeguards

The National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) is deeply concerned about recent developments that cast doubt on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) ability to fulfill its mission to prevent and remedy unlawful employment discrimination. Any weakening of the EEOC’s enforcement of sex discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity undermines progress made towards a just workplace rooted in the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and leaves one of our nation’s most vulnerable populations at even greater risk of marginalization.

The recent changes by the EEOC, which include halting the processing of claims that allege discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, rolling back guidance on gender identity discrimination, and removing gender identity related resources, disregard the Supreme Court’s 2020 landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. This ruling explicitly recognized that Title VII protections include sexual orientation and gender identity, thereby codifying workplace protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals. The EEOC under Acting Chair Andrea Lucas is contradicting its own past rulings and the law.

NELA stands in unwavering support of LGBTQIA+ workers and will continue to empower workers’ rights advocates in their fight to protect the rights of these workers, and all workers who seek justice.… Read More

Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services

On December 16, 2024, NELA filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services. The question presented is whether, to survive summary judgment, employees of so-called “majority” groups must show “background circumstances” that the employer discriminates against the majority as an additional element of their prima facie case under McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green. Under the authorship of renowned Supreme Court practitioner Eric Schnapper, NELA took the opportunity to remind the Court that all workers, and not just majority workers, can be harmed by lower courts’ overly rigid application of the McDonnell Douglas at the summary judgment stage. NELA urged the Court to hold that while McDonnell Douglas can be a useful tool in some cases and that plaintiffs have the right to proceed under that framework if they so choose, employees do not need to establish a prima facie case at all to survive summary judgment. Rather, the question at summary judgment should be, as it is in all cases, whether there is a genuine issue of material fact that could allow a reasonable jury to find in the plaintiff’s favor. In crafting this brief, NELA weighed many competing interests, … Read More

Representative Suzanne Bonomici Address NELA Convention Attendees

Representative Suzanne Bonamini (D-OR), one of the sponsors of the Equal Remedies Act of 2024, addresses NELA Convention attendees and urges everyone to keep up the fight to end damage caps in employment discrimination cases. Representative Bonamici asked us to reach out to members of Congress and help educate them and their staff about the harm these arbitrary limits cause workers who are seeking justice.… Read More

Chicago Attorney M. Nieves Bolaños Elected President Of The National Employment Lawyers Association

Bolaños is the first Latina to serve as board president of 39-year-old organization

Concord, Calif. – July 26, 2024 – The Board of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), the nation’s largest bar association whose members exclusively or primarily represent workers, has elected its officers for 2024-2025. The NELA Board is composed of 24 member attorneys from around the country. M. Nieves Bolaños, the first Latina to serve as NELA’s president, assumes the role from Carla D. Brown, the first Black woman leader of the organization. This transition represents a significant milestone for NELA, highlighting the importance of diverse representation in leadership roles within the organization and the legal community as a whole.

NELA Board:

President
M. Nieves Bolaños
Hawks Quindel, SC, Chicago, IL

First Vice President
Ben Lebsack
Lowrey Parady Lebsack, LLC, Denver, CO

Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility
Bryce W. Ashby
Donati Law, PLLC, Memphis, TN

Vice President of Affiliate Relations
Deborah H. Karpatkin
Law Office of Deborah H. Karpatkin, New York, NY

Immediate Past President
Carla D. Brown
Charlson Bredehoft Cohen Brown & Nadelhaft, P.C., Reston, VA

Secretary
Summer H. Murshid
Hawks Quindel, SC, Milwaukee WI

Treasurer
Christopher Houk
Houk Law Firm, PLLC, Tempe, … Read More

NELA Partners with Syllo to Provide Exclusive Member Pricing on a Game-Changing AI-Powered eDiscovery Litigation Platform

Syllo levels the playing field for workers’ rights advocates by allowing them to leverage AI tools previously accessible only to large firms.

NELA is thrilled to announce the launch of our partnership with Syllo, a pioneering AI-powered eDiscovery tool for litigators developed by plaintiffs’ employment lawyers. Syllo enables attorneys and paralegals to use AI to organize, understand, and litigate their matters faster and more efficiently.

The partnership is a direct result of NELA members’ request for and experience with advanced eDiscovery tools and technology to enhance their firms’ performance. As part of our mission to empower workers’ rights attorneys, we strive to provide members with benefits that make a meaningful difference in their practice, including building capacity, increasing productivity, and conserving resources.

Through this partnership, NELA members receive a significant cost savings on Syllo’s cutting-edge litigation technology with capabilities including:

  • Search and review eDiscovery, organize case files, and track deadlines.
  • Search productions for hot documents, develop chronologies of key events, and prove up your case
  • Access the NELA “Precedent Bank” with invaluable resources from your fellow NELA members.

NELA members receive 57% off on Syllo’s advanced AI tools. That means NELA membership is more than paid for in just … Read More

Appreciating Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. May 6–10 was Well-Being in Law week. Like any good lawyer, the author of this took on more than he should have and did not write this in time to publish it that week.

Living in this world is hard. Being a lawyer is hard. Being a lawyer representing people who have been sexually harassed or had their wages stolen from them is hard. It’s easy to let the difficulties of our jobs and our lives take over.

Law school does not teach you how to be a lawyer. It especially does not teach you how to deal with the stress, vicarious trauma, and burnout that comes with being a lawyer.

Dealing with stress may come naturally to you. You might fish on the weekends, vacation to other countries, or do yoga. Dealing with stress may also be as stressful as the stress itself. Yoga gives me anxiety. Vacations give me anxiety. I should give fishing a chance.

Our clients hire lawyers because we are professionals who know how to handle their problems. I have a therapist because I don’t know how to handle my own problems. I take medication because my therapist doesn’t … Read More

National Employment Lawyers Association Applauds The Equal Remedies Act Of 2024

The act would eliminate statutory damage caps and enhance protections for workers in discrimination cases

For Immediate Release
Contact: Andrea Hansen
509.306.1867
ahansen@flyingcrow.com

Concord, Calif. – May 8, 2024 – Today, in a significant milestone for workers’ rights, Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Bobby Scott (D-VA), and Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced the Equal Remedies Act of 2024. The proposed legislation calls for the elimination of statutory damage caps for employment discrimination in civil rights cases, and would modernize the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) to allow those who experience age discrimination to pursue compensatory and punitive damages.

The National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) applauds Representatives Bonamici and Scott and Senator Markey on this important piece of legislation and strongly supports the bill to ensure workers have meaningful access to justice when they experience illegal treatment in the workplace. 

“Discrimination persists in the workplace for a lot of reasons, but these arbitrary caps that take away the jury’s role in deciding how employers who violate the law are held accountable are a significant factor,” said Linda Correia, immediate past president of NELA’s board of directors. “I have represented many workers who have been harmed by these caps and am grateful … Read More