Amy Morrissey Turk

Amy Morrissey Turk offers clients a broad spectrum of legal experience gained first as a seasoned litigator for business-focused law firms and then as the assistant general counsel in charge of employment legal matters for a multibillion-dollar retail corporation.

Amy returned to McGuireWoods after 11 years overseeing all legal employment matters for a Fortune 150 retailer. In this role, Amy led and directed the litigation strategy of the company in employment matters pending before arbitrators, agencies at all governmental levels, and state and federal courts throughout the United States.

She has extensive experience managing Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) representative actions in California and nationwide class and collective claims. She also provided compliance and strategic guidance to executive and field management teams in the retail and distribution divisions.

Prior to accepting her corporate legal role, Amy was an experienced trial attorney who represented management in all aspects of state and federal court employment-related litigation, including wage and hour, discrimination, harassment, noncompetition, trade secret, business conspiracy, false imprisonment, and leave and accommodation issues. Amy also defended EEO matters throughout the country.

Her breadth of experience in not limited to labor and employment matters, however. She represents corporations in complex commercial litigation at state and federal levels, in wrongful death, tort, contract, premises liability, personal injury and commercial real estate matters.

Amy has significant knowledge of and practice in all phases of litigation, including trying cases in first- and second-chair roles before a jury and bench, preparing and deposing fact and expert witnesses, preparing and arguing discovery and dispositive motions, negotiating settlements in various forums, overseeing mock jury trials, and preparing appellate briefs.

While Amy’s practice focuses on litigation-based issues, she is an accomplished counselor who helps corporate clients across industries find practical business solutions to their legal issues. She has firsthand knowledge of the challenges corporate clients face and is committed to providing cost-effective solutions to complicated legal matters.

EXPERIENCE :

• While serving in her corporate legal capacity, led a team that won a complete defense verdict in a certified class trial involving 5,400 retail employees alleging violations of California Labor Code requirements regarding electronic access to wage statements.
• While serving in her corporate legal capacity, led multiple teams that won complete bench and jury defense verdicts in store manager retail exemption cases.
• Won a complete jury verdict in a multiday trial in Chesapeake, Virginia, on behalf of a lighting company facing allegations of civil assault and battery allegations under the doctrine of respondeat superior.
• Defended hundreds of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission cases at the state and federal agency levels for a large national retailer.

Education :

• The Pennsylvania State University, The Dickinson School of Law, JD, 1999
• Old Dominion University, BA, Political Science, magna cum laude, 1996

Admissions :

• Virginia
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
• Supreme Court of Virginia

Affiliations :

• Member, Legal Division of Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)
• Member, American Employment Law Council (AELC)
• Board Member, Norfolk/Virginia Beach Junior League, 2004
• Graduate, LEAD, Hampton Roads, 2007