Laura’s practice focuses on employment and employee benefits litigation and client counseling. Her experience with labor and employment law includes all areas of employment discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, restrictive covenant, general employment, and breach of employment contract litigation, as well as client counseling for public and private companies, non-profit agencies, and religious affiliated organizations. Laura’s employee benefits litigation experience includes the defense of disability, life and health insurance claims under ERISA and state law. In addition, Laura provides corporate training in sexual harassment laws, wage and hour laws, the Family Medical Leave Act, and the American with Disabilities Act.
Honors and Other Distinctions
Named to Virginia Business magazine’s Legal Elite in Labor and Employment law (2009, 2011).
Recent Representative Experience
Obtained dismissal of claims for denial of health insurance benefits and breach of an insurance contract. (Hebrew Home of Greater Washington Inc. v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada, D. Md. 2011).
Obtained dismissal of a claim for denial of life insurance benefits. (Woodson v. Hartford Life and Accident Ins. Co., W.D. Va. 2011).
Obtained dismissal of an ERISA-governed disability claim. (Belrose v. Hartford Life and Accident Ins. Co., E.D. Va. 2010).
Obtained dismissal of 6-count ERISA complaint for healthcare benefits valued at $1.2 million; decision affirmed by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Spinner v. Anthem Healthcare, 4th Cir. 2010).
Obtained summary judgment on claim for termination of disability benefits and judgment for overpayment of benefits. (McMurray v. Hartford Life and Accident Ins. Co., W.D. Va. 2010).
Defended employer in defamation suit brought by terminated former employee and obtained dismissal by the Circuit Court; petition for appeal denied by the Supreme Court of Virginia. (Cifers v. Georgia-Pacific LLC, Greensville County, VA, 2009).
Prevailed on summary judgment in an age discrimination case brought by a former employee; decision affirmed by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Martin v. Scott & Stringfellow, Inc., 4th Cir. 2009).
Defended securities broker-dealer in claim of wrongful termination for former commercial mortgage backed securities broker and prevailed after 3-day arbitration; decision affirmed by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Martin v. Scott & Stringfellow, Inc., Claim No. 06-01589, FINRA 2008).
Represented university in discrimination and breach of contract claims brought by a former architecture professor and prevailed on summary judgment; decision affirmed by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Ilozor v. Hampton University, 4th Cir. 2008).
Awarded summary judgment for an insurance company in ERISA denial of disability benefits case applying de novo standard of review; decision affirmed by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Whitten v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 4th Cir. 2007).
Obtained summary judgment for defendant in race discrimination and retaliation claims brought by former employee. ( Ferguson v. Georgia-Pacific, LLC, W.D. Va. 2007).
Obtained dismissal of wrongful termination claims filed by former employee. (Thomas v. Printpack, Inc., E.D. Va. 2006).
Awarded dismissal of ADA claims benefit by investment banker. (O’Brien v. Scott & Stringfellow, Inc., E.D. Va. 2006).
Obtained summary judgment for defendant in ADA discrimination and harassment case brought by a former employee; decision affirmed by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Mason v. Wyeth, E.D. Va. 2005).
Publications, Presentations, and Speaking Engagements
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Seminar - Conducting Lawful Background Investigations, Richmond, VA, November 2011.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar - Top Mistakes Employers Make in Employment Cases, Richmond, VA, December 2010.
Contributing author to "A Virginia Employer's Guide to Hiring, Firing and Discipline," published by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, 2008, 2009, and 2010 editions.
Virginia Bar Association Annual Meeting - Defining Success for Women in the Legal Industry, Williamsburg, VA, January 2010.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar - Military Leave Issues under USERRA, Virginia Beach, Virginia and Richmond, Virginia, November 2009.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar - Networking Websites: How They Have Impacted the Workplace, Richmond, Virginia, November 2009.
DRI Life, Health, Disability and ERISA Law Annual Conference -- Late Notice of Claims – How Does It Impact The Claims Process and Litigation?, New York, New York, April 2009.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar -- ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Richmond, Virginia and Virginia Beach, Virginia, November 2008.
The FLSA and Beyond, DRI In-House Defense Quarterly, Winter 2008.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar -- Update to the Fair Labor Standards Act, Richmond, Virginia and Atlanta, Georgia, November 2007.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar -- Restrictive Covenants for Multi-State Employers, Richmond, Virginia and Atlanta, Georgia, November 2006.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar -- Recent Developments in Employment Law: The Fair Credit Reporting Act, Richmond, Virginia, November 2005.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar -- Managing Leaves of Absence Under the ADA, FMLA, and Virginia Workers Compensation Act, Richmond, Virginia, November 2004.
Annual Conference of the Virginia Society for Human Resource Managers -- Military Leave for Private Employers Under USERRA, Richmond, Virginia, October 2004.
Troutman Sanders In-House Seminar -- New FLSA Wage-Hour Regulations and Their Effect on Employers, Richmond, Virginia, June 2004.
Amoco Production Company v. Southern Ute Indian Tribe: A Final Resolution to the Battle Over Ownership of Coalbed Methane Gas?, 17 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 893 (Sp. 2001).
Conservation and Natural Resources, 17 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 29 (Fall 2000) (a legislative history of 2000 Ga. Laws 458).
Courts: Payment and Disposition of Fines and Forfeitures: Require Collection Reports for Local Victim Assistance Programs , 17 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 68 (Fall 2000) (a legislative history of 2000 Ga. Laws 1359).
Public Service
Board of Directors, Chairperson of Policy and Evaluation Committee and member of Finance Committee, ChildSavers, January 2006-present
Board of Directors, Chairperson of Infrastructure Committee, Fan Free Clinic, July 2010-present
Board of Directors, Virginia Association of Free Clinics, November 2011-present
Foundations Finest Honoree, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, November 2011