Lauren H. Zeldin

Lauren Zeldin practices primarily in the areas of employment discrimination and wage and hour litigation, including the representation of employers in connection with race, sex, age, national origin, religion, leaves of absence, and disability discrimination claims in federal and state courts and before various administrative agencies.

Ms. Zeldin has experience representing employers in connection with Rule 23 class actions, FLSA collective actions, and EEOC pattern and practice litigation and systemic charges.

Ms. Zeldin also represents employers and business in connection with public accommodations claims under various civil rights statutes, including claims for race discrimination under Section 1981 and 42 U.S.C. §2000a, and with a particular focus on disability access claims arising under Title III of the ADA, including building accessibility and the use of service dogs.

In addition to her litigation practice, Ms. Zeldin regularly provides clients with day-to-day counseling and advice on a variety of employment issues, including creating and implementing effective workplace policies and practices, designing and conducting internal wage and hour and pay equity audits, advising employers on correctly classifying employees under the FLSA, and advising employers on requests for leaves of absence and disability accommodations. Ms. Zeldin also has experience advising employers on issues pertaining to employment-related tests and other employee selection devices.

Education:

• J.D., with highest honors, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2002
• B.A., cum laude, Duke University, 1997

Admitted to Practice:

• Georgia
• Georgia Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Georgia
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Experience:

• Extensive experience defending large retail chains in collective actions brought under Section 216(b) of the Fair Labor Standards Act
• Successful representation of employers in connection with EEOC and OFCCP litigation and enforcement proceedings
• Nationwide representation of restaurant chains in public accommodations lawsuits alleging race discrimination
• Representation of businesses in connection with disability access claims including use of service dogs
• Experience advising employers on use of tests and other employee selection devices, including representation of employers in administrative proceedings and litigation challenging those procedures under an adverse impact theory of discrimination

Professional Activities:

• Active member of the Atlanta pro bono legal community
• Georgia Appleseed (Executive Committee, Young Professionals’ Council) (2008-present)
• Austin Eagle Foundation, Board Member/Pro Bono Attorney (2013-present)
• Spruill Center for the Arts, Board Member (2014- present)