Christine Zebrowski

Christine Zebrowski is a Partner in the firm’s Employment & Labor group, with 30 years of experience in private practice and as senior in-house counsel. She offers clients expert advice and counsel on a comprehensive array of employment matters. Her legal background includes U.S. and international employment law, litigation, dispute resolution, investigations, compliance, training, and data privacy.

Ms. Zebrowski has advised clients across diverse industries, from start-ups to multinational companies.  She has extensive experience in drafting, evaluating, and negotiating various employment-related contracts and commercial agreements. She regularly advises clients on avoiding and mitigating complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; compensation issues; worker classification; FMLA and other leave requests; hiring and background checks; performance management, discipline and terminations; employee relations; and representing clients before the EEOC and other government agencies.

Additionally, Christine helps clients navigate compliance with key federal, state, and local statutes concerning employment laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act.  As a former business owner and entrepreneur, she also brings the practical experience of founding and managing a successful law practice.

Representative Experience

Employment Advice and Counsel

• Advised on and managed ADA accommodations process for multiple employers
• Conducted FLSA audit for government sponsored enterprise
• Collaborated on crisis management and communications relating to high visibility social media claims of discriminatory treatment by current and former employees for multistate employer
• Advised on appropriate DEI language for grant applications, RFPs, and program brochures for multiple charitable organizations
• Conducted disparate impact analysis to prevent adverse impact on protected groups in implementation of workplace change programs for non-profit and corporate clients
• Counseled technology start-up on employment matters, developed employee handbook and other policies and supported company’s growth into a mature business over a ten-year period
• Performed due diligence for labor and employment issues relating to company acquisition of partner organization
• Advised on employment issues for expansion into new regions for multinational employer
• Developed policies and procedures and employee handbooks
• Conducted more than 50 investigations into “Me Too” discrimination claims and high-profile, sensitive cases for employer with union and nonunion employees. Ensured fair policies and processes were followed, appropriate actions were taken and corporate integrity was maintained
• Consistently obtained successful resolutions for clients in litigation, EEOC complaints, mediations, arbitration and negotiated settlements
• Advised non-profit employer on voluntary retirement incentive program
• Participated in annual and 5-year pay equity reviews and provided remedial recommendations for multistate employers
• Developed and delivered training for multiple businesses on EEO requirements, employer best practices, working with a diverse workforce, contingent worker issues, and improving internal culture

Employment Contracts and Commercial Agreements

• Drafted and negotiated a wide range of employment related agreements including executive employment agreements, non-competes, non-solicits, proprietary information and invention agreements, separation agreements, and secondments  
• Advised on vendor contracts for multinational company including recruiter contract, payroll contract, consultant agreement, independent contractor agreements and temp agency contract
• Drafted and negotiated MSAs, MOUs, NDAs, RFPs, SOWs and other commercial agreements for technology clients 
• Negotiated employment agreements and separation agreements on behalf of executives

Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Served as Arbitrator for multiple employment law disputes for the American Arbitration Association
• Mediated numerous civil disputes for the DC Superior Court Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division
• Designed and implemented company-wide alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program for employment law disputes, reducing meritless claims and legal costs for a preeminent non-profit
• Negotiated and resolved pre-litigation disputes on behalf of multiple employers in a variety of industries

Data Privacy

• Advised on and managed EU GDPR data privacy compliance to ensure U.S.-based websites remained accessible to EU users
• Negotiated data protection addendums with vendors, drafted data protection policies and procedures, and developed website data privacy policies for a wide range of businesses across industries
• Advised on incident response requirements for a New York non-profit
• Developed and delivered training on U.S. and international data privacy requirements for lawyers’ group