Debra D’Agostino, a Founding Partner of the Federal Practice Group and leader of the firm’s federal employment law team, focuses on providing representation to federal employees in a wide range of matters against federal agencies, including EEO complaints and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) hearings, U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals, U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) complaints, and replying to proposed adverse actions or disciplinary actions. She has more than 20 years of experience in this complicated area of the law and has obtained multiple successful outcomes for her clients, including findings of liability in discrimination claims and reversals of adverse actions such as removal from federal service. Additionally, Ms. D’Agostino has successfully represented clients in appellate matters before the EEOC’s Office of Federal Operations, the MSPB, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal and D.C. Circuits.

Ms. D’Agostino is routinely looked to by her peers for her niche expertise in representing federal employees, including those in the intelligence community (IC) who work at agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the National Security Agency (NSA). In 2016, she was selected to be part of a focus group run by the Government Accountability Office to review the best method to implement the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012. The report was sent to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Ms. D’Agostino has been invited to speak before multiple federal employee organizations including Blacks in Government (BIG), at the Federal Dispute Resolution (FDR) Conference, and at events hosted by the Federal Circuit Bar Association, of which she is a member.

Ms. D’Agostino is on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA) and is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). For the past several years she has been recognized for her skill as an attorney by being named to the Super Lawyers list for Washington, DC. Ms. D’Agostino is also a AAA certified mediator.

Ms. D’Agostino earned her Juris Doctorate with honors from the George Washington University Law School, and her B.A. from New York University. She is admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal, D.C., and 4th Circuits, and to practice law in D.C. and New York.

Heather White is a Partner with the Federal Practice Group. She specializes in federal sector employment litigation, practicing before the EEOC, the MSPB, the D.C. Office of Employee Appeals, the D.C. Office of Human Rights, as well as local and federal courts in civil rights, anti-discrimination and personnel/civil service cases. She is admitted to practice law in New York and Washington, D.C., and before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She has also appeared pro hac vice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Ms. White is a member of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association, the D.C. Bar’s Employment Law section, and the New York State Bar Association. Ms. White has served as a faculty member at the EEOC’s Annual EXCEL Conferences, and has served a presenting panel member at the 2011 and 2017 MWELA Conferences in Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. White specialized in federal sector and private sector employment litigation. She has represented federal employees in EEO complaints and MSPB appeals, in federal court and in administrative proceedings. Ms. White has represented federal employees in proceedings before Administrative Judges in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, and San Francisco. Her practice has often involved factually-related EEO complaints filed by employees of the same repeat-offender federal agencies. She has also represented federal contractors seeking to vindicate their rights to a safe and discrimination-free workplace.

Ms. White’s first job after law school was with a Union-side law firm in Upstate New York which specialized in labor law and employment litigation before the National Labor Relations Board, the New York State Division of Human Rights, and federal and state courts.

Ms. White graduated from The College of William & Mary in Virginia (B.A., 1995) with Honors in International Relations (specializing in Russian Area studies). She earned a graduate degree at Georgetown University, also in Russian and Eurasian Studies (M.A.,1998). She attended Tulane University Law School (J.D., 2003), completing Tulane’s common law curriculum. During all three years of law school, she clerked for the Innocence Project New Orleans, a non-profit legal organization specializing in non-DNA-based exonerations of people wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life without parole in Louisiana state prisons. In 2003 she was awarded Tulane’s McSherry Award for Outstanding Public Service for her years of work with IPNO. Ms. White also served as the Senior Articles Editor of Tulane’s Journal of American Arbitration. She is the author of Clear and Unmistakable: The Third Circuit’s Specificity Requirements for Contractual Waiver of the Federal Arbitration Act, 1 J.Am. Arb. 285 (2002).

Joanna Friedman is a Partner with the Federal Practice Group, focusing on federal employment law from the pre-litigation phase through all stages of litigation and before administrative bodies such as the EEOC and MSPB. Ms. Friedman’s expertise includes EEO discrimination; reasonable accommodation requests; retaliation for whistleblower disclosures; misconduct and performance defense; security clearance; disability retirement; and Inspector General Investigations. She regularly represents intelligence agency employees as well as law enforcement officers in discrimination and disciplinary cases. Ms. Friedman has represented employees in hundreds of negotiated settlements and has prepared motions that led to findings of liability for discrimination and whole relief as well as reversal of EEOC Administrative Judge’s decisions. Ms. Friedman is an experienced trainer of EEO related issues and performance and conduct defense for participants of federal training programs.

Before joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Friedman was a partner in another employment law firm where she specialized in federal employment law. Prior to this affiliation, she represented federal employees at a Washington, D.C.-based employment law firm. In addition to her significant federal employment litigation experience, she also has substantial courtroom experience representing individuals charged with criminal law offenses while working with a private criminal law defense firm, as well as a private bar attorney for the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office.

Ms. Friedman earned her juris doctorate at St. John’s University School of Law. During her time in law school, she was an active member of the Public Interest Committee, an intern at the Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Division in Queens, as well as a participant in the New York City Courtroom Advocates Program, representing women seeking orders of protection. Additionally, she received a master’s degree in law from American University Washington School of Law in the Program on Law and Government where she concentrated her studies on advanced constitutional and civil rights law. She also holds a B.A. from American University, where she majored in Law and Society at the School of Public Affairs.

Ricardo J.A. Pitts-Wiley is a partner at the Federal Practice Group and has more than 15 years of experience in the areas of federal sector employment and labor law.

Mr. Pitts-Wiley provides representation to federal employees in a wide range of employment and labor matters, including discrimination, harassment, reasonable accommodation, family and medical leave, performance-based actions, conduct-based actions, ethics, security clearance, collective bargaining agreement violations, debt collection, whistleblower retaliation, inspector general investigations, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, disability retirement, retirement annuity calculations, and unemployment insurance appeals. He has significant experience representing clients at various stages of the administrative process, as well as during settlement negotiations and mediations.

Mr. Pitts-Wiley has practiced numerous times before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, as well as before Federal and District of Columbia courts.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Mr. Pitts-Wiley worked for three Washington, D.C. law firms, with a focus on employment law. He also served as General Counsel for a Rhode Island-based nonprofit organization, where he managed a myriad of issues ranging from corporate tax and securities to copyright and trademark, to performance art contracts. Previously, he worked as an Associate and Senior Associate in the labor and employment law department of a New York-based law firm. At the outset of his professional career, Mr. Pitts-Wiley ascended from paralegal to law clerk, and to law associate with a boutique D.C.-based law firm specializing in federal employment and labor law. He also worked for a D.C non-profit organization which operated an employment legal clinic for low-income workers.

Mr. Pitts-Wiley received his Juris Doctor from American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. While pursuing his law degree, he participated in the clinical program and, as a student-trial attorney, he represented local residents in the Montgomery County District Court of Maryland. He holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Public Policy Studies as well as African & African-American Studies from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

Ms. Janei Au is a Senior Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment group. Ms. Au is experienced in federal employment litigation and represents federal employee clients in federal courts and before federal administrative agencies such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Merit System Protection Board (MSPB), and U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). Ms. Au is also well versed in defending against proposed disciplinary and adverse actions.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Au served as an Associate Attorney at Gilbert Employment Law, P.C., a Maryland based law firm. Her role included representation of both employees and agencies in administrative hearings and litigation in state and federal court, representing employees during EEO investigations, negotiating settlements and representation in whistleblower disclosures reporting prohibited personnel practices, reprisal, or other concerns before the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. She also functioned as the co-lead defense counsel in a nationwide Fair Labor Standards Act and Title V class arbitration for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

Ms. Au served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves in the capacity of Human Resources Officer. Simultaneously, she served as a Unit Equal Opportunity (EO) Representative and a Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Representative and Master Resilience Trainer. During her service, Ms. Au earned a Bronze Star, a Joint Service Commendation Medal and an Army Commendation Medal.

Ms. Au earned her Juris Doctorate from the American University, Washington College of Law, her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina, and her Associates of Arts in Spanish from the Defense Language Institute. She also earned her Masters of Laws in Litigation Management from Baylor University.
Ms. Au is admitted to practice in Maryland.

Ms. Erica Bilkis is an Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment team. Prior to being named an Associate, Ms. Bilkis was a Law Clerk at FPG who researched and drafted briefs on employment issues, including gender discrimination and other EEO issues, on the cases before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). In addition to written pleadings, Ms. Bilkis prepared affidavits and written discovery responses during her most recent clerkship at FPG.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Bilkis served as a Law Clerk at one other prestigious DC law firm and was part of the research team at The Justice Collaborative. She also clerked at First Shift Justice Project where she interviewed low-income women to determine if they had a meritorious claim for pregnancy discrimination and/or failure to accommodate in their workplace. She advised them on their rights and drafted demand letters for employers who discriminated against them.

Ms. Bilkis earned her Juris Doctorate from George Washington University Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Development from Tulane University and graduated Cum Laude.
Ms. Bilkis’ is admitted to practice in Virginia.

Ms. Black is an Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment law group. Ms. Black 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 System Protection Board (MSPB), and whistleblower retaliation, defending against proposed disciplinary and adverse actions.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Black served as an Associate Attorney at a Maryland based law firm. Her role included representation of both federal and private sector employees in discrimination and harassment matters, litigating under Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, the ADA, and Whistleblower Protection laws.  She represented clients in all aspects of litigation in front of administrative bodies, including crafting litigation strategy, interviewing witnesses, conducting discovery, filing dispositive motions, hearings, appeals in EEOC and MSPB cases, and settlement negotiations.

Ms. Black also served as a Law Clerk for Senator Patty Murray on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Oversight Team where she performed research, compiled data and drafted memos for oversight counsels on workplace harassment and discrimination issues.

Ms. Black earned her Juris Doctorate from the American University, Washington College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Pennsylvania State University.

Ms. Black is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Mr. Pope is an Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment group.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Mr. Pope served as a Legal Intern at Phyllis J. Outlaw and Associates based in D.C., where he interviewed clients regarding ongoing litigation and researched and drafted memoranda, court filings and litigation relating to property and corporate law.  He also served as a Legal Intern at U.S. Ability One, where he researched and drafted memoranda in relation to government procurement contracts under the Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JOWD) Act , as well as researched and reviewed the legislative history and intent of the JOWD Act.

Mr. Pope earned his Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University Law School, with a concentration in Government Contracts Law, and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Mr. Pope is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Ms. Louise E. Ryder is an Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment law group. Ms. Ryder has extensive experience 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 System Protection Board (MSPB), and arbitral tribunals. Ms. Ryder’s practice focuses on pursuing EEO complaints, whistleblower retaliation, defending against proposed disciplinary and adverse actions, sexual harassment, failure to reasonably accommodate claims, and denial or interference with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Ryder worked for six years at a top Washington, D.C. law firm that represented federal and state government and private sector employees. She served as a Legal Intern at both the Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor and at the D.C. Office of Administrative Hearings. Her first Legal Internship was at Legal Aid Services of Oregon.

Ms. Ryder earned her Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College of Law and while there, she was President of Business Law Society and active in both the Business Law Review and Law Revue. Before transferring to American University Washington College of Law, she spent a year at the University of Oregon School of Law where she received the 2010 Equal Justice Works Summer Corps Standout Award for her work at the Legal Aid Services of Oregon and was selected for the John and Elenor Halderman Scholarship. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Ms. Ryder is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Heidi Bottom is a Paralegal for the Federal Practice Group and is part of the firm’s federal employment group.  In this capacity she works chiefly on EEOC discrimination cases, MSPB disciplinary and Whistleblower appeals, OSC Complaints, and OIG Investigations. She is experienced in filing all manner of administrative pleadings; tracking deadlines; and drafting various case documents. She is responsible for correspondence with clients, Agency Counsel, Administrative Judges, and witnesses.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Bottom served as the Region and Command Ombudsman to Comandante of Naval District Washington where she worked directly with leadership to coordinate efforts within the National Capital Region. Ms. Bottom coordinated and led quarterly Ombudsman training meetings  to ensure that command Ombudsman had the most up-to-date training and resources available for assisting service members and families.  She also served as the Command Ombudsman for the Naval District Washington Military Working Dog unit where she worked as an advocate and liaison for military service members and their families.

Ms. Bottom continues to serve her community through her volunteer work with Paws of Honor (a nonprofit that provides medical care to retired Military Working Dogs and Law Enforcement K9s).  Ms. Bottom graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and her Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies from the American Institute of Law.

Ms. Wolford is a Paralegal in the Federal Employment Law sector and in this capacity works chiefly on EEOC discrimination cases, MSPB disciplinary cases, OSC Complaints, and OIG Investigations. She is experienced in all manners of filings for Administrative Judges and Agency Counsel including Motion to Amend, Designation of Representative, Settlement Agreements, Motion for Requests for Mediation, Schedule Acknowledgment Order, Initial Status Conference, drafting Formal Complaints of Discrimination, and OSC Complaints. She is responsible for correspondence with Agency Counsel, clients, Administrative Judges, and scheduling.

Ms. Wolford graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Pre-Law with a particular emphasis on the legislative process, Constitutional Law and American Political Thought.

While a student, Ms. Wolford worked on a grant research project that focused on Historic Preservation Law. In this role she explored various historic preservation ordinances and municipal regulations for Foley, AL and provided recommendations that were implemented. For another school project she authored an award-winning essay that analyzed Public Policy Efforts on Obesity in Low-Socioeconomic Areas. Her work was later used by Congressional researchers.

Ms. Wolford’s first job out of school took her to Capitol Hill where she interned for the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC). While there she worked closely with Chairman Jeff Miller for whom she provided legal research, assisted with all committee hearings and advised the Chairman on local issues based on analytical assessment based on the political climate of the first district.

In her free time, Ms. Wolford volunteers at a horse stable where she specializes in teaching and assisting children with disabilities how to ride, care and appreciate horses.

Debra D’Agostino, a Founding Partner of the Federal Practice Group and leader of the firm’s federal employment law team, focuses on providing representation to federal employees in a wide range of matters against federal agencies, including EEO complaints and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) hearings, U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals, U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) complaints, and replying to proposed adverse actions or disciplinary actions. She has more than 20 years of experience in this complicated area of the law and has obtained multiple successful outcomes for her clients, including findings of liability in discrimination claims and reversals of adverse actions such as removal from federal service. Additionally, Ms. D’Agostino has successfully represented clients in appellate matters before the EEOC’s Office of Federal Operations, the MSPB, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal and D.C. Circuits.

Ms. D’Agostino is routinely looked to by her peers for her niche expertise in representing federal employees, including those in the intelligence community (IC) who work at agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the National Security Agency (NSA). In 2016, she was selected to be part of a focus group run by the Government Accountability Office to review the best method to implement the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012. The report was sent to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Ms. D’Agostino has been invited to speak before multiple federal employee organizations including Blacks in Government (BIG), at the Federal Dispute Resolution (FDR) Conference, and at events hosted by the Federal Circuit Bar Association, of which she is a member.

Ms. D’Agostino is on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA) and is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). For the past several years she has been recognized for her skill as an attorney by being named to the Super Lawyers list for Washington, DC. Ms. D’Agostino is also a AAA certified mediator.

Ms. D’Agostino earned her Juris Doctorate with honors from the George Washington University Law School, and her B.A. from New York University. She is admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal, D.C., and 4th Circuits, and to practice law in D.C. and New York.

Heather White is a Partner with the Federal Practice Group. She specializes in federal sector employment litigation, practicing before the EEOC, the MSPB, the D.C. Office of Employee Appeals, the D.C. Office of Human Rights, as well as local and federal courts in civil rights, anti-discrimination and personnel/civil service cases. She is admitted to practice law in New York and Washington, D.C., and before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She has also appeared pro hac vice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Ms. White is a member of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association, the D.C. Bar’s Employment Law section, and the New York State Bar Association. Ms. White has served as a faculty member at the EEOC’s Annual EXCEL Conferences, and has served a presenting panel member at the 2011 and 2017 MWELA Conferences in Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. White specialized in federal sector and private sector employment litigation. She has represented federal employees in EEO complaints and MSPB appeals, in federal court and in administrative proceedings. Ms. White has represented federal employees in proceedings before Administrative Judges in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, and San Francisco. Her practice has often involved factually-related EEO complaints filed by employees of the same repeat-offender federal agencies. She has also represented federal contractors seeking to vindicate their rights to a safe and discrimination-free workplace.

Ms. White’s first job after law school was with a Union-side law firm in Upstate New York which specialized in labor law and employment litigation before the National Labor Relations Board, the New York State Division of Human Rights, and federal and state courts.

Ms. White graduated from The College of William & Mary in Virginia (B.A., 1995) with Honors in International Relations (specializing in Russian Area studies). She earned a graduate degree at Georgetown University, also in Russian and Eurasian Studies (M.A.,1998). She attended Tulane University Law School (J.D., 2003), completing Tulane’s common law curriculum. During all three years of law school, she clerked for the Innocence Project New Orleans, a non-profit legal organization specializing in non-DNA-based exonerations of people wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life without parole in Louisiana state prisons. In 2003 she was awarded Tulane’s McSherry Award for Outstanding Public Service for her years of work with IPNO. Ms. White also served as the Senior Articles Editor of Tulane’s Journal of American Arbitration. She is the author of Clear and Unmistakable: The Third Circuit’s Specificity Requirements for Contractual Waiver of the Federal Arbitration Act, 1 J.Am. Arb. 285 (2002).

Joanna Friedman is a Partner with the Federal Practice Group, focusing on federal employment law from the pre-litigation phase through all stages of litigation and before administrative bodies such as the EEOC and MSPB. Ms. Friedman’s expertise includes EEO discrimination; reasonable accommodation requests; retaliation for whistleblower disclosures; misconduct and performance defense; security clearance; disability retirement; and Inspector General Investigations. She regularly represents intelligence agency employees as well as law enforcement officers in discrimination and disciplinary cases. Ms. Friedman has represented employees in hundreds of negotiated settlements and has prepared motions that led to findings of liability for discrimination and whole relief as well as reversal of EEOC Administrative Judge’s decisions. Ms. Friedman is an experienced trainer of EEO related issues and performance and conduct defense for participants of federal training programs.

Before joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Friedman was a partner in another employment law firm where she specialized in federal employment law. Prior to this affiliation, she represented federal employees at a Washington, D.C.-based employment law firm. In addition to her significant federal employment litigation experience, she also has substantial courtroom experience representing individuals charged with criminal law offenses while working with a private criminal law defense firm, as well as a private bar attorney for the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office.

Ms. Friedman earned her juris doctorate at St. John’s University School of Law. During her time in law school, she was an active member of the Public Interest Committee, an intern at the Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Division in Queens, as well as a participant in the New York City Courtroom Advocates Program, representing women seeking orders of protection. Additionally, she received a master’s degree in law from American University Washington School of Law in the Program on Law and Government where she concentrated her studies on advanced constitutional and civil rights law. She also holds a B.A. from American University, where she majored in Law and Society at the School of Public Affairs.

Ricardo J.A. Pitts-Wiley is a partner at the Federal Practice Group and has more than 15 years of experience in the areas of federal sector employment and labor law.

Mr. Pitts-Wiley provides representation to federal employees in a wide range of employment and labor matters, including discrimination, harassment, reasonable accommodation, family and medical leave, performance-based actions, conduct-based actions, ethics, security clearance, collective bargaining agreement violations, debt collection, whistleblower retaliation, inspector general investigations, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, disability retirement, retirement annuity calculations, and unemployment insurance appeals. He has significant experience representing clients at various stages of the administrative process, as well as during settlement negotiations and mediations.

Mr. Pitts-Wiley has practiced numerous times before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, as well as before Federal and District of Columbia courts.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Mr. Pitts-Wiley worked for three Washington, D.C. law firms, with a focus on employment law. He also served as General Counsel for a Rhode Island-based nonprofit organization, where he managed a myriad of issues ranging from corporate tax and securities to copyright and trademark, to performance art contracts. Previously, he worked as an Associate and Senior Associate in the labor and employment law department of a New York-based law firm. At the outset of his professional career, Mr. Pitts-Wiley ascended from paralegal to law clerk, and to law associate with a boutique D.C.-based law firm specializing in federal employment and labor law. He also worked for a D.C non-profit organization which operated an employment legal clinic for low-income workers.

Mr. Pitts-Wiley received his Juris Doctor from American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. While pursuing his law degree, he participated in the clinical program and, as a student-trial attorney, he represented local residents in the Montgomery County District Court of Maryland. He holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Public Policy Studies as well as African & African-American Studies from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

Ms. Janei Au is a Senior Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment group. Ms. Au is experienced in federal employment litigation and represents federal employee clients in federal courts and before federal administrative agencies such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Merit System Protection Board (MSPB), and U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). Ms. Au is also well versed in defending against proposed disciplinary and adverse actions.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Au served as an Associate Attorney at Gilbert Employment Law, P.C., a Maryland based law firm. Her role included representation of both employees and agencies in administrative hearings and litigation in state and federal court, representing employees during EEO investigations, negotiating settlements and representation in whistleblower disclosures reporting prohibited personnel practices, reprisal, or other concerns before the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. She also functioned as the co-lead defense counsel in a nationwide Fair Labor Standards Act and Title V class arbitration for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

Ms. Au served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves in the capacity of Human Resources Officer. Simultaneously, she served as a Unit Equal Opportunity (EO) Representative and a Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Representative and Master Resilience Trainer. During her service, Ms. Au earned a Bronze Star, a Joint Service Commendation Medal and an Army Commendation Medal.

Ms. Au earned her Juris Doctorate from the American University, Washington College of Law, her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina, and her Associates of Arts in Spanish from the Defense Language Institute. She also earned her Masters of Laws in Litigation Management from Baylor University.
Ms. Au is admitted to practice in Maryland.

Ms. Erica Bilkis is an Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment team. Prior to being named an Associate, Ms. Bilkis was a Law Clerk at FPG who researched and drafted briefs on employment issues, including gender discrimination and other EEO issues, on the cases before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). In addition to written pleadings, Ms. Bilkis prepared affidavits and written discovery responses during her most recent clerkship at FPG.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Bilkis served as a Law Clerk at one other prestigious DC law firm and was part of the research team at The Justice Collaborative. She also clerked at First Shift Justice Project where she interviewed low-income women to determine if they had a meritorious claim for pregnancy discrimination and/or failure to accommodate in their workplace. She advised them on their rights and drafted demand letters for employers who discriminated against them.

Ms. Bilkis earned her Juris Doctorate from George Washington University Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Development from Tulane University and graduated Cum Laude.
Ms. Bilkis’ is admitted to practice in Virginia.

Ms. Black is an Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment law group. Ms. Black 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 System Protection Board (MSPB), and whistleblower retaliation, defending against proposed disciplinary and adverse actions.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Black served as an Associate Attorney at a Maryland based law firm. Her role included representation of both federal and private sector employees in discrimination and harassment matters, litigating under Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, the ADA, and Whistleblower Protection laws.  She represented clients in all aspects of litigation in front of administrative bodies, including crafting litigation strategy, interviewing witnesses, conducting discovery, filing dispositive motions, hearings, appeals in EEOC and MSPB cases, and settlement negotiations.

Ms. Black also served as a Law Clerk for Senator Patty Murray on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Oversight Team where she performed research, compiled data and drafted memos for oversight counsels on workplace harassment and discrimination issues.

Ms. Black earned her Juris Doctorate from the American University, Washington College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Pennsylvania State University.

Ms. Black is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Mr. Pope is an Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment group.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Mr. Pope served as a Legal Intern at Phyllis J. Outlaw and Associates based in D.C., where he interviewed clients regarding ongoing litigation and researched and drafted memoranda, court filings and litigation relating to property and corporate law.  He also served as a Legal Intern at U.S. Ability One, where he researched and drafted memoranda in relation to government procurement contracts under the Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JOWD) Act , as well as researched and reviewed the legislative history and intent of the JOWD Act.

Mr. Pope earned his Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University Law School, with a concentration in Government Contracts Law, and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Mr. Pope is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Ms. Louise E. Ryder is an Associate with the Federal Practice Group and is part of the law firm’s federal employment law group. Ms. Ryder has extensive experience 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 System Protection Board (MSPB), and arbitral tribunals. Ms. Ryder’s practice focuses on pursuing EEO complaints, whistleblower retaliation, defending against proposed disciplinary and adverse actions, sexual harassment, failure to reasonably accommodate claims, and denial or interference with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Ryder worked for six years at a top Washington, D.C. law firm that represented federal and state government and private sector employees. She served as a Legal Intern at both the Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor and at the D.C. Office of Administrative Hearings. Her first Legal Internship was at Legal Aid Services of Oregon.

Ms. Ryder earned her Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College of Law and while there, she was President of Business Law Society and active in both the Business Law Review and Law Revue. Before transferring to American University Washington College of Law, she spent a year at the University of Oregon School of Law where she received the 2010 Equal Justice Works Summer Corps Standout Award for her work at the Legal Aid Services of Oregon and was selected for the John and Elenor Halderman Scholarship. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Ms. Ryder is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Heidi Bottom is a Paralegal for the Federal Practice Group and is part of the firm’s federal employment group.  In this capacity she works chiefly on EEOC discrimination cases, MSPB disciplinary and Whistleblower appeals, OSC Complaints, and OIG Investigations. She is experienced in filing all manner of administrative pleadings; tracking deadlines; and drafting various case documents. She is responsible for correspondence with clients, Agency Counsel, Administrative Judges, and witnesses.

Prior to joining the Federal Practice Group, Ms. Bottom served as the Region and Command Ombudsman to Comandante of Naval District Washington where she worked directly with leadership to coordinate efforts within the National Capital Region. Ms. Bottom coordinated and led quarterly Ombudsman training meetings  to ensure that command Ombudsman had the most up-to-date training and resources available for assisting service members and families.  She also served as the Command Ombudsman for the Naval District Washington Military Working Dog unit where she worked as an advocate and liaison for military service members and their families.

Ms. Bottom continues to serve her community through her volunteer work with Paws of Honor (a nonprofit that provides medical care to retired Military Working Dogs and Law Enforcement K9s).  Ms. Bottom graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and her Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies from the American Institute of Law.

Ms. Wolford is a Paralegal in the Federal Employment Law sector and in this capacity works chiefly on EEOC discrimination cases, MSPB disciplinary cases, OSC Complaints, and OIG Investigations. She is experienced in all manners of filings for Administrative Judges and Agency Counsel including Motion to Amend, Designation of Representative, Settlement Agreements, Motion for Requests for Mediation, Schedule Acknowledgment Order, Initial Status Conference, drafting Formal Complaints of Discrimination, and OSC Complaints. She is responsible for correspondence with Agency Counsel, clients, Administrative Judges, and scheduling.

Ms. Wolford graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Pre-Law with a particular emphasis on the legislative process, Constitutional Law and American Political Thought.

While a student, Ms. Wolford worked on a grant research project that focused on Historic Preservation Law. In this role she explored various historic preservation ordinances and municipal regulations for Foley, AL and provided recommendations that were implemented. For another school project she authored an award-winning essay that analyzed Public Policy Efforts on Obesity in Low-Socioeconomic Areas. Her work was later used by Congressional researchers.

Ms. Wolford’s first job out of school took her to Capitol Hill where she interned for the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC). While there she worked closely with Chairman Jeff Miller for whom she provided legal research, assisted with all committee hearings and advised the Chairman on local issues based on analytical assessment based on the political climate of the first district.

In her free time, Ms. Wolford volunteers at a horse stable where she specializes in teaching and assisting children with disabilities how to ride, care and appreciate horses.