Janeí Au

Ms. Au is a solo practitioner focusing on employment law and currently serves Of Counsel to the Federal Practice Group, where she supports the firm’s federal employment practice. She is experienced in federal employment litigation and represents clients in federal courts and before administrative agencies such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). Her practice includes defending employees against proposed disciplinary and adverse actions, whistleblower retaliation claims, and other prohibited personnel practices.

Prior to returning to the Federal Practice Group in an Of Counsel capacity, Ms. Au served as an adjudicator with a federal government agency, where she reviewed and issued decisions on Equal Employment Opportunity complaints. Before that, she was a Senior Associate at the Federal Practice Group, representing federal employees in a wide range of employment matters.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Au was an Associate Attorney at a Maryland-based law firm, where she represented both employees and agencies in administrative hearings and litigation in state and federal courts. Her work included EEO investigations, whistleblower disclosures, settlement negotiations, and class arbitration. Notably, she served as co-lead defense counsel in a nationwide Fair Labor Standards Act and Title V class arbitration on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

Ms. Au also served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, where she worked as a Human Resources Officer and held additional roles as a Unit Equal Opportunity (EO) Representative, Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Representative, and Master Resilience Trainer. Her military service was recognized with multiple honors, including a Bronze Star, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, and an Army Commendation Medal.