Laura A. Mitchell

As co-leader of the firm’s ESG group, Laura Mitchell partners with her clients to evaluate, set, achieve and monitor their organizational culture and human capital goals. She focuses her practice on data analytics, including pay equity and other employee analytics, working side-by-side with employers to build programs that benefit employees and create a stable, high-functioning workplace. Understanding that an inclusive, values-based culture provides a crucial competitive advantage in the modern workplace, Laura enjoys counseling companies on the development of proactive and equitable pay and diversity practices.

In Laura’s version of the reimagined workplace, attention to human capital issues, especially DEI and pay equity, would be the rule rather than the exception nationwide and she works with companies across all industries—both new and well-established multi-national organizations of all sizes—to realize this vision for her clients’ ongoing success. She helps clients understand all issues across the spectrum of their journey, helping to establish regular analyses as well as counseling organizations on implementation and compliance obligations, where applicable. Committed to putting her clients’ organizational goals first and foremost, Laura views herself as an extension of her clients’ team, responsible for providing proactive guidance and engaging in transparent, ongoing communication.

Laura also represents companies in OFCCP matters, preparing for and defending OFCCP audits, and counseling employers on issues stemming from OFCCP regulations. She personally oversees the development of hundreds of Affirmative Action Plans for clients each year and is intimately involved in the defense of OFCCP audits. Her approach to compliance is one of facilitation and conciliation while simultaneously advocating in the best interests of her clients.

Laura is the editor and a principal contributor of The Affirmative Action Law Advisor blog and presents on pay equity, affirmative action compliance, OFCCP enforcement trends, and government contractor obligations.

When not poring over spreadsheets and regression analyses, Laura enjoys spending time with her two children, baking for her family and friends as well as hiking and biking.

Honors and Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Employment Law – Management” (2024-present) and “Litigation – Labor and Employment” (2021-present)
• JD Supra, "Readers Choice Awards" (2017-2020, 2024)
• Legal 500 USA, “Recommended Attorney” (2023)
• The National Law Review, Go-To Thought Leadership Award (2020)

Published Works

• “Pay Transparency Continues to Gain Momentum in 2024”, PEO Insider, National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (March 2024) (co-author)

Speeches

• OFCCP, EEOC, Federal Contractor Spring Update, Michigan Industry Liaison Group (May 2024) (presenter)
• “Shareholder Initiatives, ESG and Civil Rights Audits” Institute for Workplace Equality (May 2024) (co-presenter) 
• “Faculty Panel: Recent OFCCP Audit Experiences” Institute for Workplace Equality (May 2024) (moderator)
• “Pay Transparency,” Benefits At Work 2023: ebn Benefits at Work (San Diego, CA, September, 2023) (Co-speaker)
• “Shareholder Initiatives, ESG and Civil Rights Audits” Institute for Workplace Equality (November 2022) (co-presenter)
• “Employment Law Update”, Association of Corporate Counsel, 2022 Annual Meeting (Las Vegas, NV, October 2022) (co-presenter)
• “The World Is Changing – Next Generation of Self-Identification and Data Collection”, Orange County Industry Liaison Group (October 2022) (co-presenter)
• “Pay Equity 2.0: Looking Beyond Just Pay Adjustments”, National ILG Annual Conference (Boston, MA, July 2022) (co-presenter)
• “Legal Balancing Act: Navigating Employee Protected Rights”, Arizona Industry Liaison Group (May 2022) (presenter)
• “The World is Changing – Next Generation of Self-Identification and Data Collection”, Institute for Workplace Equality (Washington D.C., May 2022) (co-presenter)
• “Debrief of Fireside Chat – Recap and Overview of What’s Ahead for OFCCP an EEOC”, Institute for Workplace Equality (Washington D.C., May 2022) (co-presenter)
• “Mock OFCCP Audit”, Institute for Workplace Equality (Washington D.C., May 2022) (co-presenter)
• “Pay Equity Laws: The Patchwork Continues to Unfold”, Institute for Workplace Equality (August 2021) (co-presenter)
• “A New Era: LGBTQ (and other) Protections after Bostock”, National ILG Conference (August 2021) (presenter)
• “Unconscious Bias and Social Movements: How Do Employers Respond”, Institute for Workplace Equality Webinar (July 2021) (co-presenter)
• “Pay Equity: Navigating the Equal Pay Minefield”, Society Lubbock SHRM (May 2021) (presenter)
• “Unconscious Bias and Social Movements: How Do Employers Respond”, Institute for Workplace Equality 2021 Annual Summit (May 2021) (co-presenter)
• “Creating an Ability-Inclusive Workforce: Section 503 Compliance Insights and Best Practices (March 2021) (Moderator)
• “Employment Law Update”, Pub K's Government Contracts Annual Review 2021 (January 2021) (co-presenter)
• “Year-End Review and What to Expect in 2021”, The Institute for Workplace Equality (IWE) (December 2020) (co-presenter)
• “Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Update,” Hospitality Human Resources Association (HHRA) (Denver, CO, October 2020) (presenter)
• Special Briefing: Executive Order 13950: Combating Race & Sex Stereotyping, The Institute for Workplace Equality (October 2020) (co-presenter)
• 2020 Fundamentals of Affirmative Action Plans: EEO Basics and Compliance Obligations, The Institute for Workplace Equality (October 2020) (presenter)
• “What Other Regulations and Laws Impact Your Compliance Obligations,” National Industry Liaison Group (Virtual Conference, August 2020) (presenter)
• “Major Issues of EEO Law,” American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity (AAAED) (PDTI Training, August 2020) (co-presenter)
• Reopening the Workplace: Evaluating compensation decisions: what roles do pay adjustments and furloughs play? The Institute for Workplace Equality (July 2020) (co-presenter)
• Reopening the Workplace: How to handle employees who refuse to return to work, The Institute for Workplace Equality (June 2020) (co-presenter)
• Diversity and Inclusion Series Session 2: Developing and Implementing Diversity Metrics Program, The Institute for Workplace Equality (June 2020) (co-presenter)
• Diversity and Inclusion Series Session 1: Setting the Stage for Diversity Metrics and Programming Efforts, The Institute for Workplace Equality (June 2020) (co-presenter)
• Paid Leave Requirements During the COVID-19 Pandemic, The Institute for Workplace Equality (June 2020) (co-presenter)
• Affirmative Action Compliance Update, Lorman Education Services (May 2020) (presenter)
• Conference on Higher Education, The Institute for Workplace Equality (Miami, FL February 2020) (co-presenter)
•  “A New Era of OFCCP Audits: The Focused Review,” National Industry Liaison Group (Webinar, November 2019) (presenter)
• Defining Terms Related to the Pay Gap, Institute for Workplace Equality (October 2019) (Co-Presenter)
• Promotions:  How do we define?  How do we analyze?, Institute for Workplace Equality (October 2019) (Co-Presenter)
• Independent Contractor Status, Institute for Workplace Equality (October 2019) (Co-Presenter)
• “A New Era of OFCCP Audits: The Focused Review,” HR Southwest Conference (Ft. Worth, TX, October 2019) (presenter)
•  “The Intersection Between Diversity and Affirmative Action: An Eye Opener,” HR Southwest Conference (Ft. Worth, TX, October 2019) (presenter)
• “Understanding Pay Equity,” 2019 Physician and APP Compensation Workshop (Denver, CO, October 2019) (presenter)
• “Colorado’s New Equal Pay Act – Are You Ready?,” Hospitality Human Resources Association (Denver, CO, September 2019) (presenter)
• “Opening Your Eyes Through Your Affirmative Action Data: Another View of Diversity and Inclusion,” American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity (AAAED) (Indianapolis, IN, August 2019) (presenter) 
• “Pay Equity and the Pressures Facing Companies to conduct Compensation and Analyses,” Kansas City Missouri Bar Association (KCMBA) (Kansas City, MO, June 2019) (co-presenter)
• “Drinking from a Fire Hose: OFCCP/EEOC Updates,” Kansas City Industry Liaison Group (Overland Park, KS, May 2019) (co-presenter)
• “State Compensation Laws: Conducting Self-Audits and Analysis,” Institute for Workplace Equality (Falls Church, VA May 2019) (co-presenter)
• “Making and Messaging Pay Adjustments,” Institute for Workplace Equality (Falls Church, VA May 2019) (co-presenter)
• “Pay Equity in the Public Eye: Why Pay Equity Remains a Major Concern for Employers,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) (Webinar, April 2019) (co-presenter)