Overview
Carson Sullivan is a partner in the Employment Law practice of Paul Hastings and is the chair of the Washington, D.C. Employment Law Department. Ms. Sullivan represents employers in all aspects of employment law, with an emphasis on the defense of class and collective action suits. She also has a particular focus on litigation involving trade secrets and restrictive covenants. She is a member of the firm’s Employee Mobility and Trade Secrets practice group as well as the Pay Equity practice group. She focuses on legal issues and cutting-edge trends relating to pay equity, social media and electronic discovery. She uses her electronic discovery expertise and experience with employee data to counsel clients and lead teams as they identify, locate, collect and produce electronically stored information in complex cases. Ms. Sullivan is particularly skilled at developing strategies for the efficient review and production of data from all sources, including e-mail systems, document management systems, and human resources databases. She has also conducted numerous investigations involving allegations against executives, and she works with clients to develop and deliver anti-harassment training to employees at all levels.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, Ms. Sullivan has been speaking, writing, and advising numerous clients regarding the many employment-related issues stemming from the pandemic, including issues related to government guidance, orders, regulations, vaccines and return-to-work planning. She is also a member of the Paul Hastings COVID-19 Task Force, participating in a multidisciplinary approach to addressing the legal issues presented by COVID-19.
Recognitions
- Chambers USA, Top Labor & Employment Lawyer (2021)
- The Legal 500's Labor & Employment Disputes (Including Collective Actions): Defense (2021)
- The Legal 500's Labor & Employment - Workplace and Employment Counseling (2021)
- The Legal 500's Intellectual Property - Trade Secrets (Litigation and Non-contentious Matters) (2021)
- Washingtonian Magazine, One of Washington, D.C.'s Best Lawyers in Employment Defense (Annually since 2017)
- Listed as one of Washington, D.C.’s "Super Lawyers" in Employment Litigation (Annually since 2013)
Representations
- Defended numerous clients against Title VII pay and promotion class claims
- Defended clients in collective actions alleging violations of the FLSA and the Equal Pay Act
- Defended clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and local human rights agencies, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
- Defended clients against individual claims under the ADA, ADEA, and FMLA
- Conducted numerous employment compliance reviews and provided strategic advice on diversity programs and pay equity
Engagement & Publications
- Regular speaker on employment law topics, including related to pay equity, the #metoo movement and recent continuing legal education presentations such as "Social Media in the Workplace: Employer Interests vs. Employee Rights," "FLSA Update: Overtime and Other Developments in the Workplace," "Essential Components and Practical Drafting Tips for Employee Handbooks," "Implementing Global IP Solutions," and "Pre-litigation EEO Investigations"
Involvement
- Member, Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association
- President of the Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference (VSB YLC) for the 2010-2011 bar year
- Member, Virginia and District of Columbia Bars
- Admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States and numerous district and federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, and District of Columbia Circuits
Education and Clerkship Experience
- George Mason University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2000
- University of Virginia, B.A. (with distinction), 1997
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Roger L. Gregory