Feb 2020 – Feb 2022 · 2 yrs

• Manage a team of workplace attorney-investigators dedicated to an inclusive workplace. Executing compliance solutions in the workplace.

Jan 2019 – Jan 2020 · 1 yr

May 2015 – Dec 2018 · 3 yrs 7 mos

• Provide employment law advice to support Microsoft's global employment programs.
• Advised and developed global employment policies to stand up and support global, shift-based workforce across 16 countries.
• Developed guiding employment law principles to support field HR implementing global programs.
• Successfully navigated complex employment law issues to close dozens of mergers and acquisitions across diverse employee populations (salaried, hourly, shift-based, sales, engineers, etc) in multiple countries and across various business segments.
• Provided employment law guidance and advice --with local and outside counsel -- to resolve and meet compliance obligations, including GDPR and employee privacy, to support an existing background screening program for candidates and employees across more than 100 countries, including in the United States.
• Provided legal framework to establish background screening program for external staff across dozens of countries , including the United States.
• Delivered real-time employment advice to global HR managers in the field on cross-border employment issues.
• Managed outside counsel to implement and evaluate employment-related projects on global scale at all stages from hiring to separation.

Jun 2012 – Apr 2015 · 2 yrs 10 mos

• Successfully conducted workplace investigations relating to Microsoft's policies on Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination, Conflicts of Interest and Anti-Retaliation in a fast-paced environment.
• Educated and built employee relations capacity among HR professionals and managers.

Jan 2011 – Jun 2012 · 1 yr 5 mos

• Investigate and respond to employee complaints of discrimination, harassment, & retaliation for diverse workforce that included representation by more than 20 unions. Represent management in administrative hearings including EEOC, SHRC, Civil Service Commission. Advise managers and supervisors on various employment-related issues including workplace disputes, EEO, and various policy and procedure questions. Advise managers and supervisors on accommodation, leave, FML requests. Provide in-house training on EEO, ADA, & FMLA issues.

Jan 1999 – Jan 2011 · 12 yrs

• One of region's groundbreaking legal advisers on human resource policy and employment litigation
• Stafford Frey Cooper, a Seattle law firm established in 1905, a regional full service law firm with a litigation focus
• Shareholder/Attorney, November 1999-December 2010
• Leadership roles: Various rotations as Hiring Attorney/Shareholder and Employment Law Practice Group Lead
• Provided legal advice and counsel to human resources professionals and other business leaders in companies (from multi-national to small), municipalities and governmental agencies on various employment law issues including discrimination, accommodation requests under state and federal disability laws; leave laws; public records requests; privacy; retaliation; employment separation and hiring decisions; employee contracts, including severance and non-competition agreements; and wage classifications, lay-offs, furloughs and work slow-downs; management training/retention; compensation analysis; and effective HR policies
• Grew long-term relationships with various business leaders as a trusted employment law adviser and developed a particular focus on the impact of social media in employment law
• Proactively advised and navigated clients through ambiguous changes in Washington employment law from the changing definition of disability to the same-sex domestic partnerships (now marriage)
• Handled all aspects of trial preparation including serving as first and second chair in jury trials; represent clients and prepare clients for appearance at administrative proceedings including EEOC, NLRB, PERC and Washington Human Rights Commission

Jan 1999 – Jan 2011 · 12 yrs

Jan 1998 – Jan 1998 · 0 mo

• Conducted investigations, legal research and advised counsel on wide variety of labor and union issues; oversaw union elections; reviewed appeals