Orrick Adds Top Employment Litigator and DOJ Veteran Esther Lander in Washington, DC

• Esther Lander, a top employment litigator focused on complex employment discrimination claims and high-stakes government investigations, has joined our employment practice in Washington D.C. Most recently with Akin, Esther previously served as the Principal Deputy Chief of the Employment Litigation Section in the Civil Rights Division of DOJ.
• Esther brings deep experience representing major tech companies and other Fortune 500 companies in systemic discrimination matters, including those involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), DOJ, Department of Labor and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).
• During her eight years at DOJ, Esther directed a nationwide civil rights litigation program and first chaired several systemic discrimination enforcement actions and investigations on behalf of DOJ. She has since represented corporate clients in employment discrimination litigation, including class actions, and regularly advises on a broad array of topics, including EEOC and OFCCP compliance, pay equity and DEI issues.
• Esther has been recognized by Chambers USA in labor and employment the past three years.
• In addition to Esther, Anastasia Kerdock, who has extensive experience representing clients in systemic discrimination issues, is also joining our employment team from Akin as counsel. She will be based in New York.

“We are incredibly excited and fortunate to have Esther join us,” said Erin Connell, co-chair of Orrick’s EEO and OFCCP compliance practice and pay equity task force. “Our clients are operating in an environment of heightened government enforcement and increased regulation, particularly in tech, financial services and life sciences. Esther brings extraordinary expertise counseling sophisticated companies with practical, actionable advice involving complex, nuanced issues, and has a proven track record of bringing matters to successful resolution with government regulators and enforcement agencies. We could not have a better leader for our employment practice in Washington.”

Added Esther: “I’m thrilled to be joining one of the most accomplished employment practices in the country. I look forward to collaborating with Erin and the rest of the Orrick team to help position our clients for success as they navigate an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment. I’m also excited to be able to continue to collaborate with Anastasia to address these challenges for our clients.”

Orrick’s employment team has been recognized four times as a Law360 Practice Group of the Year, prevailing in high-profile employment matters for Oracle, Microsoft, Twitter, Kleiner Perkins and other major clients.

Esther is the firm’s 36^th hire inside the Beltway over the past two years, including through its combination with top financial regulatory and enforcement firm Buckley.