Janea J. Hawkins

Janea J. Hawkins represents employers in both litigation and counseling matters. Her litigation practice focuses on individual and multiple plaintiff lawsuits arising in all areas of employment law, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, Title VII and state anti-discrimination laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act, alleged wrongful termination, and federal and state whistleblower statutes. On the counseling side, Janea advises clients on various prelitigation, employment related issues, including revising and updating employment policies and practices, handling discrimination and harassment complaints, and risk management and compliance. She frequently conducts complex and high-stakes internal investigations. 

Janea is a sought-after speaker, conducting training and professional development sessions on a variety of employment law topics such as best management practices, employee handbooks, federal and state law compliance, harassment and discrimination prevention, and effective internal investigations.

Janea previously served as in-house employment counsel at a Fortune 500 company, spent years litigating employment cases at a national labor and employment firm, and was an assistant attorney general at the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, where she served as lead counsel in complicated employment matters brought in D.C. Superior Court and all of the administrative agencies within the District. Janea brings extensive trial, arbitration and evidentiary hearings experience that garnered favorable results for her clients. Outside of the courtroom, she frequently counseled clients on implementing disciplinary actions and leave policies, and led training on litigation avoidance and compliance with federal and local anti-discrimination statutes.

Janea enjoys serving in leadership roles in various bar associations and community organizations such as the DC Board of Professional Responsibility Hearing Committee; National Employment Law Council Membership Committee Co-Chair; a pro bono attorney with the Legal Services of Northern Virginia and Amica Center for Immigrant Rights; and member of the Fairfax County Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.