Melissa C. Rodriguez

Associate

Melissa C. Rodriguez is an associate in Morgan Lewis's Labor and Employment Practice. Ms. Rodriguez's practice covers the full spectrum of labor and employment law matters, including employment litigation, employment counseling, and traditional labor work. She represents employers in individual, class, and collective action litigation, and in administrative agency actions concerning federal and state labor and employment statutes. These statutes include the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Railway Labor Act, the New York State and New York City Human Rights Laws, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the New York Labor Law, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Ms. Rodriguez represents clients in a variety of industries, including the retail, airline, healthcare, and financial services industries.

Ms. Rodriguez's practice has involved all aspects of litigation, including presenting oral arguments to federal and state courts, including jury trials, and second-chairing a multiplaintiff litigation in federal court. She has defended employers as first- and second-chair in forums such as the American Arbitration Association, the National Association, and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. She has also represented employers under investigation by administrative agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Ms. Rodriguez regularly counsels employers on a variety of matters, such as harassment claims, the accommodation of employee disabilities, the classification of workers as employers or independent contractors, employee disciplinary issues, and termination decisions. She has led internal investigations in various harassment and discrimination claims, and provides harassment and diversity training.

Ms. Rodriguez currently serves on the Pro Bono Committee for the New York office. She has spoken on a variety of employment topics, including complex employment litigation, independent contractor/joint employer issues, and sexual harassment. Her publications include a chapter titled "Managing Reductions in Force for the Faltering Company" in the 3rd Annual Institute on Employment Law (Practising Law Institute, 2003) (co-author).

Ms. Rodriguez received her J.D. in 2001 from Columbia University Law School, where she was a Kent Scholar (1999-2000 and 2000-2001) and a Stone Scholar (1998-1999). While in law school, Ms. Rodriguez externed for Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. Ms. Rodriguez received her B.A., magna cum laude and with honors, in Latin American studies and Spanish from Yale University in 1998.

Ms. Rodriguez is admitted to practice in New York and before the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of New York and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.