2017 Webinar: Differing Views About What It Takes to Exhaust Administrative Remedies

This webinar will discuss the different conclusions reached by federal courts regarding what it takes for a charging party to exhaust administrative remedies in order to be entitled to file a lawsuit based on discrimination, harassment or retaliation in violation of federal laws.  Is it enough for the charging party to sign and submit an intake questionnaire to the EEOC?  Is the charging party obligated to cooperate with the EEOC?  What if the charging party fails to sign the charge after being requested to do so by the EEOC?  Does the EEOC have to conduct an investigation as condition precedent to issuing a notice of right to sue?  May the EEOC issue a notice of right to sue without conducting any investigation?  May a charging parties failure to exhaust federal administrative exhaustion requirements impact his or her right to assert employment claims under state law. These are examples of the types of questions and issues about the potential effects of a charging party’s failure to properly exhaust federal administrative remedies that will be discussed during the webinar.

The Panelists:

George Fagan is a founding partner of Leake & Andersson LLP, which has offices in New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana.  Mr. Fagan is the Firm’s lead partner for handling appellate, commercial, employment, insurance coverage, professional liability and securities litigation and matters.  He has extensive experience handling trials and appeals in state and federal courts in Louisiana and Mississippi, and in arbitration hearings throughout the United States.  Mr. Fagan has been included in the Best Lawyers in America listing since 1999, has an “AV Preeminent” Martindale rating, and is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel as well as the CLM Alliance.  He is a past Chair of ALFA International’s Labor & Employment Practice Group as well as its Insurance Practice Group.  Mr. Fagan was honored with the Nate Fishbach Service Award in 2011, which is annually awarded to one lawyer for his or her contributions to ALFA International.  He regularly speaks, chairs panel presentations and publishes papers and articles on topics in his areas of practice, as well as cyber, ethics, e-discovery and document retention issues. Mr. Fagan received his undergraduate degree from Washington & Lee University (cum laude), and his law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University.  He plays lead guitar and sings in a rock ’n roll band that performs for charity and other events.

Stephanie Villagomez Lemoine practices primarily in the areas of commercial litigation, insurance coverage, real estate and title insurance litigation, labor and employment litigation, and securities litigation. Ms. Lemoine graduated from Texas A&M University in 2004 with a B.A. in International Studies and French.  She attended Tulane University Law School, where she obtained her J.D., cum laude, in 2007.  Following her graduation from law school, Ms. Lemoine worked as a law clerk in the Civil Staff division of the Louisiana Supreme Court.  She also completed a judicial clerkship with Chief Judge Ramsey of Orleans Civil District Court prior to beginning the practice of law.  Ms. Lemoine is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Texas and is admitted to practice before all of the federal district courts in Louisiana and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Lemoine was named a Rising Star in business litigation by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2015 and 2017. She serves on the Board of Directors of ‘Ween Dream, a locally-based national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free Halloween costumes to children in need across America. Ms. Lemoine has also been recognized for her extensive volunteer work with Louisiana Appleseed, a policy-oriented research and advocacy organization.