Denaa J. Griffin

Denaa J. Griffin is an associate in the Raleigh, North Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Her practice focuses on representing employers in workplace law matters, including pre-litigation claims and litigation, as well as providing preventive advice and counseling.

An experienced litigator, Denaa represents clients in state court, federal court, arbitration, and administrative tribunals. Denaa defends employers and managers in a broad range of employment litigation, including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, leaves of absence, failure to provide reasonable accommodations, and wage and hour lawsuits. She is proficient in leading complex e-discovery projects, including working with vendors, designing document review protocols and quality control measures, and overseeing document production processes. Denaa also has experience in workplace inspections and whistleblower investigations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).

She also advises managers and supervisors on preventive litigation practices, focusing on how to comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and implementing best practices to avoid workplace disputes and resolve employee relations problems.

Denaa previously served as law clerk to the Honorable Cheri L. Beasley of the Supreme Court of North Carolina after graduating from law school, supervising her chambers, overseeing her summer clerk program, and training incoming law clerks. Denaa brings a distinct understanding of holistic case analysis and investigation which allows for multidimensional problem solving and advocacy. 

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• Families and Communities Rising, Board of Directors Vice-Chair
• North Carolina Central School of Law EAGLE Association, Board of Directors Vice-Chair
• North Carolina Driver’s License Restoration Project, Pro Bono Attorney
• Premature Millionaires, Board of Directors Member

Published Works

• “Intentionality and Diversity in the Profession,” North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys – The Resource (December 2017) [Author]

Speeches

• “Building your Brand as a Diverse Attorney,” North Carolina Bar Association (Raleigh, NC, May 2021) (moderator)
• “Coping in the Virtual World for People with Disabilities,” North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys (Raleigh, NC, February 2021) (moderator)
• “The Business Case for Diversity,” North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys (Raleigh, NC, January 2020) (moderator)
• “Candor with the Courts,” North Carolina Bar Association PNA CLE (Cary, NC, October 2019) (presenter)
• “Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Claims in the #MeToo Era,” North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys (Durham, NC, January 2019) (moderator)
• “Updates in Appellate Practice,” North Carolina Central University School of Law (Durham, NC, September 2018) (panelist)