Allegra J. Lawrence-Hardy
Partner, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, a member of Sutherland's Litigation Practice Group and co-leader of the Business and Commercial Litigation team, has extensive experience handling complex multi-party, class action, multi-jurisdictional commercial and labor and employment matters. She has successfully defended primarily Fortune 100 companies throughout the United States and abroad in numerous trials, arbitrations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Allegra has extensive experience negotiating complex settlements and finding creative solutions. She is regularly quoted in the media as a leading practitioner in her field. As Chair of Sutherland's Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Allegra was the architect of Sutherland Scholars, a summer pre-law school "boot camp" offered at no cost for students from historically black colleges and universities. The firm graduated its first class of scholars in 2005. Allegra regularly mentors students from the program. Before joining Sutherland in October 1997, Allegra served as law clerk for the Honorable Susan H. Black of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Expand Bio REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE Allegra's extensive representative experience includes: Serving as lead counsel for large employer in several purported class-action employment cases, defeating class certification and resolving remaining claims with summary judgment. Successfully defending a large technology corporation in a Fair Labor Standards Act collective action, defeating the class and settling the remaining claims for nuisance value. Representing financial services and Fortune 100 companies in the internal investigations and litigation of Sarbanes Oxley-related and other whistle-blower matters. Defending a Fortune 100 financial services company in a multi-jurisdictional matter resulting from a breach of data security. Serving as lead counsel in emergency litigation of a large financial services company alleging employee raiding and tortious interference, successfully defeating motions for emergency relief and negotiating a settlement favorable to the client. Acting as lead trial counsel in a civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act action resulting in a winning judgment and attorneys' fees for client. Serving as trial counsel in a breach-of-contract and negligent representation jury trial involving more than $60 million in damages in which the client prevailed in trial. Serving as lead trial counsel in a real estate matter resulting in a winning verdict and attorneys' fees for the client. Defending a Fortune 100 company in real estate litigation involving several million dollars in damages and negotiating an extremely favorable settlement for the client. Representing a consumer credit company in class-action litigation that was successfully defeated at summary judgment. Successfully negotiating with state regulators on behalf of a large public company on alleged claims of worker misclassification. Obtaining winning results from appellate arguments in U.S. Courts of Appeal for the 5th, 6th, and 11th Circuits. PROFESSIONAL HONORS AND AWARDS Recognized by Chambers USA: Guide to Leading Business Lawyers in the area of labor and employment (2008–2010) Named among "40 Under 40 Up & Comers" by Atlanta Business Chronicle (2010) Named among "Atlanta's 25 Power Women to Watch" by Atlanta Woman magazine (2005) Repeatedly selected for inclusion in Georgia Super Lawyers® (2004–2011) Repeatedly named among Georgia Super Lawyers® "Top 50 Female Georgia Super Lawyers" (2004–2011) Selected for inclusion in Georgia Super Lawyers® "Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyers" (2010, 2011) Selected for inclusion among "Atlanta's Top 100 Black Women of Influence," Atlanta Business League (2010, 2011) Named among the "Legal Elite" by Georgia Trend magazine (2004–2009) Recipient, Pro Bono Publico Award, Legal Aid Society (2009) Honored as one of the top 16 lawyers under 40 in the State of Georgia by the Fulton County Daily Report in its annual "On the Rise" issue (2003) Recipient, Commitment to Equality Award, State Bar of Georgia Recipient, Chief Justice Leah Sears Award for Distinction in the Profession Recipient, Gate City Bar Foundation's A.T. Walden Outstanding Lawyer Award Recipient, Spirit of the Bench and Bar Award, Black Law Students Association, Georgia State University School of Law PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT President, Atlanta Legal Diversity Consortium (ALDC) Member, Labor and Employment Section, American Bar Association Member, Leadership, Litigation Section, American Bar Association Member, National Bar Association Member, Board of Directors, Atlanta Legal Aid Society Fellow, American Bar Foundation Member, Board of Governors, State Bar of Georgia Former Chair, Women and Minorities in the Profession Committee, State Bar of Georgia Appointee, Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism Appointee, Georgia Supreme Court's Commission on Domestic Violence Appointee, Georgia Supreme Court's Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts Appointee, Mayor's Commission on the Living Wage Member, American Inns of Court (Bleckley Inn) Member, Gate City Bar Association Past President, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA) Member, Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL) Member, Board of Directors, Atlanta Community Food Bank Chair, Board of Directors, Atlanta Legal Diversity Consortium Member, Board of Directors, Leadership Institute for Women of Color in Law and Business Member, Board of Directors, Atlanta Girls' School Pro Bono Counsel, Atlanta Women's Foundation Graduate, Leadership Atlanta Graduate, Leadership Georgia RECENT PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS Co-author, "Raising the stakes: Effective internal whistle-blowing programs are essential in the Dodd-Frank era," Westlaw Journal Employment (January 22, 2011) Co-author, "Good News for Experts (And Attorneys Who Use Them)," Employment Law360 (November 29, 2010) Co-author, "Manage Risk with Cell Phone Policy," Daily Report (November 17, 2010) Co-author, "Clarity or Chaos? Ashcroft v. Iqbal One Year Later," Bloomberg Law Reports (September 2010) Co-author, "Safeguarding Trade Secrets Before, During and After a Reduction in Force," Partnering Perspectives (Summer 2010) Co-author, "Navigating the Waters of Alternative Fee Arrangements: Three Tips for Smooth Sailing," The Woman Advocate, American Bar Association (Spring 2010) Co-author, "Safeguarding Your Employees' Personal Data: How to Protect Employees, Your Company's Reputation, and the Bottom Line," Bloomberg Law Reports - Labor & Employment (April 5, 2010) Co-author, "Case Study: Arrigo V. Blue Fish," Law360 (February 22, 2010) Author, "Inside the Minds: Trends, Legislation, and Cases That Will Impact Employment Law in 2010," Employment Law 2010 (January 2010) Co-author, "Gain Leverage with a 30(b)(6) Deposition," Bloomberg Law Reports (August 1, 2009) Co-author, "First 100 days and labor law," The Daily Report (May 1, 2009) Co-author, "Safeguarding Trade Secrets Before, During and After A Reduction in Force," Employment Litigation Reporter (April 2009) Author, "Awaiting Change: How the New President May Revolutionize the Face of Business Litigation," The Daily Report (January 2009) Author, "Are Your Trade Secrets Threatened By Your Employee's MySpace Page?" Employment Litigation Reporter (December 2008) Contributor, Corporate Secretary's Answer Book (2008, 2009) Author, "Availability of Arbitration in SOX Whistle-Blower Claims," Employment Litigation Reporter (September 2008) Chapter author, "Inside the Minds: Employment Dispute Resolution," Aspatore Books (July 2008) Author, "U.S. Supreme Court Allows Retaliation Claims Under Section 1981," Lorman Education Services Legal Update Newsletter (June 2008) Author, "Offers of Judgment Ease Pain of SOX," Legal Times (May 26, 2008) Author, "Whistle-blower Actions Under Sarbanes-Oxley: What Lessons Can Employers Learn from Recent Federal Court Decision in Favor of Fired Employee?" Employment Litigation Reporter, Volume 22, Issue 1 (September 2007) Panelist, "The Intersection of Social Networking and Litigation," NAWL Sixth Annual General Counsel Institute: Managing Through Change: The New Normal (November 4, 2010) Speaker, Webinar: Rule 30(b)(6) Corporate Depositions: Effective Defense Strategies (October 28, 2010) Panelist, "Standing Out in the Crowd: Effective Ways to Manage Assignments and Internal/External Clients," One-Day Career Strategies Conference for Law Firm Associates (April 23, 2009) Moderator, Panel on "Diversity and Professionalism," Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism CLE program (March 25, 2009) Speaker, "Nurture Successful Relationships in a Law Firm," Leadership Institute for Women of Color Attorneys in Law and Business (March 4, 2009) Speaker, 2009 National Association of Women Lawyers Mid-Year Meeting (February 5, 2009) Speaker, 24th Annual North Carolina/South Carolina Labor and Employment Law Update (October 17–18, 2008) Speaker, LexisNexis Women in the Legal Profession Summit (May 8, 2008) Speaker, ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law Annual CLE Conference (November 7–10, 2007) Speaker, MCCA's 5th Annual CLE Expo (March 15, 2006) Speaker, "Trends in Harassment Law: Complaints Concerning Teenage Employees" (2006) Speaker, "Mandatory Arbitration Provisions in Employment Agreements: Tips for Drafting Arbitration Agreements in Light of Recent Case Developments" (2006).
