Melissa Pierre-Louis Washington - Discrimination profile photo

Melissa Pierre-Louis Washington

Washington Law Firm PLLC • Washington, DC
DiscriminationEmployment ContractsEmployment LawPersonal Injury

Is this your profile?

Claim it for free to update your information and connect with clients.

Claim Profile →

Contact

Email
Phone
(202) 800-1755
Address
1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20036, US

Professional

About

MELISSA E. PIERRE-LOUIS WASHINGTON is the founding member of the Washington Law Firm PLLC. She was a former partner at Outten & Golden LLP in New York and Washington D.C., where she successfully represented employees in litigation and negotiation in all areas of employment law for over a decade, including individual discrimination and retaliation claims, sexual harassment, whistleblower claims, contractual claims, and wage and hour actions. Ms. Washington also handles a variety of professional and executive compensation and benefits matters, including the negotiation of employment contracts, severance agreements, and restrictive covenants. Ms. Washington has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in 2017, 2018, 2020-2021 and by LawDragon as the 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers in 2020 and 2021. Ms. Washington is a seasoned litigator with substantial experience representing plaintiffs in both individual and class action cases in state and federal courts, as well as before FINRA and administrative agencies. She also works with clients to avoid litigation where appropriate, and to craft unique solutions to clients’ problems through a combination of negotiation, mediation and alternative dispute resolution. Ms. Washington is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, the Washington Bar Association, the New York State and City Bar Associations, and the New Jersey State Bar Association. She is the former co-chair of the FMLA subcommittee of ABA Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee. She is also the former Chair of the National Employment Lawyers Association's Lawyers of Color Committee.

About Discrimination Law

Discrimination attorneys represent individuals who have faced unfair treatment based on protected characteristics. They fight for equal rights in employment, housing, and public services. Common matters include employment discrimination, housing discrimination, age discrimination, disability discrimination.

Credentials

Education
2008 Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law JD - Juris Doctor N/A State University of New York, Albany
Languages
English

Recognition & Involvement

Awards
2021 Rising Star, Super Lawyers 2021 Top 40 Under 40, The National Black Lawyers Association 2020 Rising Star, Super Lawyers 2020 Client Champion, Martindale-Hubbell® 2020 Top 40 Under 40, The National Black Lawyers Association
Publications
2020 The Washington Lawyer D.C. Should Ban Race-Based Hairstyle Discrimination 2018 Bloomberg BNA The Family and Medical Leave Act, 2nd Edition 2015 The Family and Medical Leave Act, 2015 Cumulative Supplement," ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law The Family and Medical Leave Act, 2015 Cumulative Supplement," Associate Editor 2011 Employment Law Strategist “The Final Regulations to the ADA Amendments Act: Redefining What it Means to Be 'Disabled' Under the Act” 2011 American Bar Association Midwinter Meeting “Recruiting Talent without Liability: Avoiding Conflicts and Disqualification in Lateral Hiring”
Associations
National Employment Lawyers Association Member National Employment Lawyers Association (New York chapter) Member National Employment Lawyers Association, Lawyers of Color Committee Former Chair American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section Member New York State Bar Association Member
Speaking
2021 ABA 15th Annual Labor & Employment Law Conference "Harassment in a Remote Workplace" 2020 The College of Labor and Employment Law Webinar "On-Site Working During Covid: Legal Challenges and Strategic Approaches" 2019 The Social Justice and Political Action Committee of the Washington Bar Association Race and Discussion Series, Equity In The Workplace: Still a Civil Right 2017 Council of Urban Professionals and the Robert Toigo Foundation Alumni Association Understanding the Complexities of On-Ramping and Off-Ramping in Financial Services 2016 Live webcast Employee Performance and Termination: Key considerations under the FMLA and ADA
Updated: Apr 01, 2026