Practice Expertise

  • Labor and Employment
  • Complex Employment Litigation
  • Labor Management Relations and Labor ...
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Areas of Practice

  • Complex Employment Litigation
  • Labor and Employment
  • Labor Management Relations and Labor ...
  • Labor-Management Relations and Labor ...

WSG Practice Industries

Profile

Rita serves as the firm’s full-time deputy general counsel, responsible for providing legal advice to the firm on every aspect of its workplace- and employment-related decisions, policies and practices.  In this role, Rita regularly partners with lawyers and staff members of management throughout the firm to provide guidance in meeting the firm’s business, risk management and employee relations objectives.

Before assuming the role of deputy general counsel, Rita practiced as a partner on the firm’s labor and employment team for two decades. Her labor and employment practice focused on the litigation of employment-related claims before state and federal courts and administrative agencies, representation of management in labor issues, and advice to management, human resources professionals and in-house counsel on all aspects of employer-employee relations. Rita also designed and facilitated a series of programs providing practical, interactive and customized workplace training to management, supervisory and non-supervisory employees.

Rita has substantial experience representing clients in areas including equal employment opportunity and employment discrimination, sexual harassment and other unlawful harassment, workplace torts, employment contracts and noncompete litigation, and wrongful discharge litigation. Her labor practice has included significant experience in union organizational campaigns and representation elections, defense of unfair labor practice charges, NLRB trials, advice on labor-management relations and union avoidance, and collective bargaining negotiations.

Rita is admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court; the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; and the US District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia. After earning her law degree, Rita served as a law clerk for the Honorable Robert R. Merhige, Jr., of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Relevant Experience

  • Trained thousands of managers and supervisors nationwide in risk management and effective employee relations related to harassment, discrimination, hiring, discipline, discharge, performance management, reductions in force, managing a unionized workforce, and maintaining union-free status.
  • Managed employment litigation throughout the United States for a Fortune 500 company.
  • Represented a Fortune 500 company in successful resolution of a wage and hour collective action.
  • Successfully resolved Department of Labor and Immigration and Naturalization Service claims of numerous child labor and immigration violations against Fortune 500 company.
  • Successfully prosecuted several unfair competition/non-compete agreement cases.

Bar Admissions

  • Virginia

Education
BA, University of Virginia, French & Foreign Affairs, with distinction, 1980

Areas of Practice

  • Complex Employment Litigation
  • Labor and Employment
  • Labor Management Relations and Labor Litigation
  • Labor-Management Relations and Labor Litigation

Professional Career

Significant Accomplishments
  • Substantial litigation practice in areas including equal employment opportunity and employment discrimination, sexual harassment and other unlawful harassment, workplace torts, employment contracts and non-compete litigation, and wrongful discharge litigation.
  • Labor practice includes significant experience in union organizational campaigns and representation elections, defense of unfair labor practice charges, NLRB trials, advice on labor-management relations and union avoidance, and collective bargaining negotiations.
  • Trained thousands of managers and supervisors nationwide in risk management and effective employee relations related to harassment, discrimination, hiring, discipline, discharge, performance management, reductions in force, managing a unionized workforce, and maintaining union-free status.
  • Managed employment litigation throughout the United States for a Fortune 500 company.
  • Represented a Fortune 500 company in successful resolution of a wage and hour collective action.
  • Successfully resolved Department of Labor and Immigration and Naturalization Service claims of numerous child labor and immigration violations against Fortune 500 company.
  • Successfully prosecuted several unfair competition/non-compete agreement cases.



Professional Activities and Experience
  • Named among the Top 25 Women, 2007-2010, and Top 50 women, 2013. Selected as a Super Lawyer for Employment & Labor Law, Virginia Super Lawyers magazine, 2006-2017. A description of the selection methodology can be found on Super Lawyers’ webpage.
  • Named among the Legal Elite for Labor/Employment Law, Virginia Business magazine, 2005-2007, 2009-2012, 2015-2016. A description of the selection methodology can be found on Virginia Business’ webpage.


Blogs

Hunton Employment & Labor Law Perspectives

Providing innovative services and support to clients is a top priority at Hunton & Williams. We believe that delivering true value to our clients requires a multifaceted approach. Beyond traditional engagements, we look to provide tools and resources tailored to their specific needs.

Hunton Immigration and Nationality Law

The Hunton & Williams LLP Immigration practice, part of the firm's Labor and Employment Team, is concentrated in two major areas. First our work involves advising American and foreign businesses about obtaining the most appropriate temporary and permanent work visas for executives, professionals, and other skilled foreign workers. Careful planning and documentation are necessary to ensure the greatest chance of success. We also represent our clients in any negotiations or administrative...

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