Nationally Renowned Labor and Employment Attorney Rae T. Vann Joins Carlton Fields in Washington, D.C.

Vann’s 20 Years of Experience Include Serving as GC for Center for Workplace Compliance

Washington, D.C. – Carlton Fields is pleased to announce that nationally renowned labor and employment lawyer Rae T. Vann has joined the firm as a shareholder in Washington, D.C. Previously, Vann was managing partner of NT Lakis and general counsel for the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC), the preeminent national employer association formerly known as the Equal Employment Advisory Council.

Vann has more than 20 years of experience representing and advising corporate clients on workplace compliance matters. She provides counsel to businesses on mitigating individual and systemic discrimination risks, establishing effective alternative dispute resolution procedures, conducting thorough and effective workplace harassment and other misconduct investigations, and other labor and employment matters.

As CWC senior vice president and general counsel for more than a decade, Vann advocated for the development of sound workplace policy in the courts and before federal regulatory agencies, including authoring numerous amicus curiae briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals. The notable matters in which she filed amicus briefs on behalf of the business community include Epic Systems, Inc. v. Lewis and Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo. Vann also authored comments and testified before the U.S. Congress and the EEOC on a range of equal employment opportunity and workplace compliance matters. 

“Rae is a luminary in her field, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our growing team in D.C.,” said Washington, D.C. Office Managing Shareholder Richard Choi. “Her unique background both as in-house and outside counsel gives her a deep appreciation of the issues our local and national clients must navigate in this rapidly evolving area of law.”

As a member of the EEOC’s Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace, Vann helped guide the development of a detailed set of recommendations to help employers prevent workplace harassment. The recommendations were released in June 2016, ahead of the international Me Too movement. Vann is also a nationally recognized speaker and author on labor and employment issues. Her thought leadership has been featured in media including Bloomberg Law, Law360, PBS NewsHour, National Law Journal, National Public Radio, Politico, and Reuters.

“Rae has been at the forefront of many of the most pressing issues in labor and employment law,” said James M. Sconzo, who leads Carlton Fields’ Labor and Employment Law Practice. “She consistently has her finger on the pulse of management-side concerns, and her wealth of experience makes her a strong addition to our already nationally recognized practice.”

Carlton Fields represents employers of all sizes in all types of employment disputes, including state and federal court actions, administrative charges and hearings, arbitrations, class and collective actions, and informal mediations. Most recently, Carlton Fields was recognized as a “Standout” law firm for Complex Employment Litigation in BTI’s Litigation Outlook 2019: Changes Trends and Opportunities for Law Firms.

“Carlton Fields offers my practice a major national platform, including outstanding lawyers in a wide range of industries,” Vann said. “I am excited to be a part of the continued growth of the firm’s top-notch labor and employment team.”

Earlier in her legal career, Vann’s roles included working as a claims examiner for an insurance company, serving as the sole in-house attorney for a city board of education, and reviewing and investigating alleged employment law violations as counsel for a state human rights commission. Vann earned her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law and her B.S. from Carnegie Mellon University.

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