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Laura J. Cooley Associate

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Richmond T +1 804 775 1675 F fax +1 804 698 2015
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Laura’s practice focuses on defending employers against workplace violence and other employee-tort cases; defamation claims brought by employees; high stakes discrimination lawsuits; and multi-plaintiff and class action lawsuits under Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and federal and state wage and hour laws. Her experience with discrimination and employee-tort and defamation cases covers all aspects of litigation, from the pre-litigation demand phase, to discovery, dispositive motions, and trial. Laura has also been on the frontlines of the growing trend of mass arbitrations, managing a high volume of simultaneous arbitrations and guiding companies through the process of breaking the mass arbitration model. Laura’s employment, tort, and mass arbitration experience spans numerous industries, with a concentration in the consumer products and retail, financial services, and education industries.

Laura is experienced in taking and defending depositions; managing complex discovery; drafting and arguing complex motions, including disputed motions to compel arbitration, motions to dismiss, discovery motions, motions for preliminary injunction, and motions for summary judgment; managing high volume mass arbitrations and class actions; defending employers at trial; and briefing and arguing appeals. Laura is also experienced in providing advice and counseling to employers; drafting employment and separation agreements; and reviewing employee handbooks for compliance with state and federal law.

Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Laura clerked for the Honorable Arenda L. Wright Allen of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Laura graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she was a member of the Appellate Litigation Clinic and argued before the en banc United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from The College of William & Mary.

Experience

  • Successfully defended employer in age discrimination lawsuit in Georgia federal court.
  • Successfully defended university in bench trial seeking writ of mandamus under Virginia FOIA for reports from internal review by law firm related to mass shooting.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for retailer in lawsuit brought by a shoplifter seriously injured in an altercation with an employee, who alleged retailer failed to adequately train employee and was responsible for employee’s allegedly tortious conduct.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for employer who was sued by employee for defamation in announcing reasons for termination.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for financial institution in class action wage and hour lawsuit brought by call center employees.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for prepared food retailer in class action wage and hour misclassification lawsuit brought by independent contractor delivery drivers.
  • Prevailed on motion for nationwide preliminary injunction against the Department of Defense, prohibiting the enforcement of policies discriminating against servicemembers living with HIV as violative of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedures Act.
  • Successfully defended employer whose denial of unemployment benefits was challenged under a theory of constructive discharge in the D.C. Court of Appeals.

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