Rebecca is an associate at Troutman Sanders in the Labor & Employment practice group. Her practice incorporates all areas of labor and employment law including Title VII, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), breach of employment contracts, restrictive covenants, wrongful termination, and other general employment litigation in federal and state court. Rebecca also defends employers, insurers, and self-insureds throughout Virginia in workers’ compensation matters, including hearings and dispute resolution.
Representative Experience
Obtained 12(b)(6) dismissal of Title VII and section 1981 suit brought by terminated former employee. (M.D. Ga., 2011).
Obtained 12(b)(6) dismissal of FLSA suit brought by terminated former employee. (M.D.N.C., 2010).
Defended employee in age and gender discrimination and retaliation suit brought by terminated former employee; prevailed on summary judgment with regard to age and gender discrimination claims; prevailed on Rule 50 motion on retaliation claim at trial (E.D. Va., 2009).
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. (Greensville County, VA, 2009).
Drafted and updated employee handbooks and employment agreements for technology, manufacturing, and nonprofit clients.
Publications, Presentations and Speaking Engagements
Co-author, New Year’s Checklist for Employers: Did You Miss Anything in 2011?, January 11, 2012.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar – ADA / FMLA Master Class, Richmond, Virginia, November 2011.
Author, More Gridlock? Some Very Partisan Proposals Flood the Congressional Docket, November 2, 2011.
Author, Congress Heats Up For The Summer: A Summary of Potential Changes to Federal Employment Laws , July 11, 2011.
Author, Sea Change: A Very Different Congress Sets Its Labor and Employment Agenda, While the President Explores Regulatory Options , April 8, 2011.
Author, Legislative Update: Employment Law on the Back Burner? Uncertainty after Midterm Elections , December 16, 2010.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar - The New ADA / ADAAA: New Considerations and Practical Advice, Richmond, Virginia, December 2010.
Co-author, “ Easy Come, Easy Go: State Rules on Post-Termination Forfeitures of Bonuses and Commissions ,” Employee Benefit Plan Review, July 2010.
Contributing author to "A Virginia Employer's Guide to Hiring, Firing, and Discipline," 2010 and 2009 edition, published by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar - Military Leave Issues: USERRA and the Impact of Recent FMLA Caregiver Leave, Richmond, Virginia and Virginia Beach, Virginia, November 2009.
Author, Statutory Spotlight: EEOC Guidance on Employer Best Practices for Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities , August 18, 2009.
Co-Author, Age Discrimination Plaintiffs Must Now Prove "But-For" Causation , June 18, 2009.
Author, Supreme Court Holds That Collective Bargaining Agreements Can Require Employees to Arbitrate Age Discrimination Claims , May 21, 2009.
Troutman Sanders Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar - ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Richmond, Virginia, November 2008.
Author, Destabilizing Discourses: Blocking and Exploring a New Discourse at Work in Gonzales v. Carhart , 94 Va. L. Rev. 1451 (2008).