Danielle Y. Conley focuses her practice on high-stakes investigations and litigation involving the federal government, as well as other multifaceted legal challenges spanning law, government policy and business.
She has significant experience representing companies and universities in a wide range of complex litigation and regulatory enforcement matters, including civil rights and anti-discrimination matters.
Ms. Conley also regularly conducts sensitive internal investigations for companies and non-profit organizations regarding allegations of sexual misconduct. Ms. Conley also has significant experience representing universities in government investigations and litigation arising from reported sexual misconduct incidents.
Ms. Conley co-chairs the firm’s Anti-Discrimination Practice, which counsels a range of companies and organizations, including technology companies, universities and colleges, housing authorities, law enforcement agencies and municipalities, on anti-discrimination issues.
Ms. Conley rejoined the firm in 2017 after serving as Associate Deputy Attorney General at the US Department of Justice (DOJ), where she was a key advisor to Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates.
In that role, Ms. Conley provided strategic counsel to senior government officials on a broad range of regulatory, litigation and policy issues and managed some of the DOJ’s most significant and high-profile civil rights litigation and enforcement actions.
Prior to joining the DOJ, Ms. Conley represented major corporations, educational institutions and quasi-governmental entities before federal and state courts in complex commercial disputes, including contract and intellectual property disputes.
She has also represented clients in civil litigation and government investigations involving regulatory regimes such as Title IX, the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the False Claims Act, and the antitrust and competition laws.
Ms. Conley shares the firm’s commitment to pro bono work. She has represented clients on a pro bono basis in cases involving complex issues of constitutional law, as well as in actions brought under the Voting Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Experience :
- Conducted an independent corporate culture review of a financial institution’s sexual harassment policies and procedures, and provided advice to improve the firm’s culture and foster best practices following the filing of a lawsuit alleging gender discrimination
- Conducted an internal investigation for a non-profit education organization based on allegations that one of its board members engaged in sexual misconduct several years ago
- Represented a large state university system and its board of regents in connection with a high-profile internal investigation of the mishandling of domestic violence reports by senior university athletic and administrative personnel
- Represented multiple universities in Title IX and Rehabilitation Act investigations by the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and Clery Act investigations by the Office of Federal Student Aid
- Represented investment bank in class action seeking damages and injunctive relief for violations of federal and state anti-discrimination laws
- Represented regulated utility in government fraud investigation based on alleged Major Fraud Act and False Statements Act violations in the procurement of federal contracts
- Represented insurance provider in a False Claims Act investigation based on allegations of overbilling
- Represented individuals and a nonprofit organization in a trial in the Southern District of Texas challenging Texas’s photo ID law under the Voting Rights Act
- Represented woman in Title VII lawsuit alleging discrimination in hiring and promotions at the DEA at trial and on appeal.
EDUCATION :
- JD, Howard University School of Law, 2003
- BA, English and African Diaspora Studies, Tulane University, 2000
ADMISSIONS :
- District of Columbia
- New York
CLERKSHIPS : The Hon. Rosemary M. Collyer, US District Court for the District of Columbia, 2004 – 2006
GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE : Department of Justice, Office of the Deputy Attorney General, Associate Deputy Attorney General.
Cost
Rate : $$$