Lauren Stocks-Smith focuses her practice on employment litigation and counseling for clients in a wide variety of industries, including independent schools, financial services, and nonprofit organizations.
While attending law school, Lauren worked for the William & Mary Elder Law Clinic, providing legal aid to indigent seniors. She also worked as a legal intern at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Lawrence R. Leonard of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Experience :
Lauren has helped clients litigate, arbitrate, and mediate disputes relating to discrimination, harassment, and overtime pay. She has experience managing various stages of litigation, including initial investigations, discovery management, and depositions.
She also works with clients to draft and update policies to ensure compliance with wage and hour, disability, and family and medical leave laws, and helps clients implement those policies in the workplace.
Lauren assists independent and public charter schools on matters ranging from internal complaints to discrimination lawsuits. She helps clients manage communications with opposing counsel and respond to demands from students, parents, and employees.
In response to employee, parent, and student grievances, she has worked with trustees to conduct investigations, assess witness credibility, and communicate findings to their communities.
She has drafted and reviewed executive and employee contracts, offer letters, severance agreements, privacy policies, and a variety of other documents for schools. Lauren has also helped schools audit and modify their payroll procedures to ensure compliance under the FLSA.
Education :
- J.D. cum laude William & Mary School of Law 2016
- B.A. magna cum laude Bucknell University 2013
Bar Admissions : Maryland, District of Columbia
Community : As a pro bono commitment, Lauren helps represent individuals seeking relief under D.C.’s Innocence Protection Act. In this role, she manages all stages of post-conviction investigations and proceedings.
Cost
Rate : $$$