Emily Cuneo DeSmedt

Emily provides strategic employment and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) counseling to in-house counsel, business leaders, and boards of directors. Emily is a co-leader of the firm’s employment counseling practice and regularly advises on complex issues such as leaves of absence; disability, pregnancy, and religious accommodation requests; sexual harassment allegations; and executive-level performance management.

Emily is also a leader of the firm’s DEI Task Force, and she advises many of the nation’s largest private and public companies, foundations, nonprofits, and investment funds regarding how to advance their DEI, racial equity, and supplier diversity programs and strategies without running afoul of the law. Emily also defends Section 1981 lawsuits challenging DEI and racial equity programs.

Emily represents clients in several industries, including retail, sports, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and philanthropy.

As the pro bono chair of the Princeton offices, Emily maintains an active pro bono practice.

Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Emily gained experience as an associate in the New Jersey office of a large national firm, where she focused on employment litigation and represented employers, particularly large healthcare institutions, in employment matters before state and federal courts and agencies.