Tara K. Burke

Tara K. Burke is the knowledge management (“KM”) attorney for Jackson Lewis P.C.’s Disability, Leave & Health Management practice group, and is based in the in the Cincinnati, Ohio, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She works with employers to build positive and inclusive workplaces and reduce legal risk through policy development, training, and employment law counseling.  

Tara provides practical and legal advice to clients on employment law issues including harassment and discrimination prevention, diversity and inclusion, hiring and interviewing, internal investigations, disability accommodation and leave management, reductions in force, individual separations and employee relations issues. Tara works with clients, including multi-state employers, to identify the trends in workplace law and stay in compliance with the rapidly changing state-by-state legal landscape. Tara helps clients of all sizes and in all industries, create, revise and implement workplace policies and procedures including employee handbooks. She also routinely conducts workplace training for leadership, human resources, managers and employees on numerous topics including strong management practices that reduce legal risk and build effective teams, preventing sexual harassment by supporting respectful and positive workplaces, achieving winning results through diversity and inclusion, conducting investigations, and employee accommodations and leaves of absence.

Tara has defended employers in employment-related litigation and administrative proceedings. 

In addition to working with for-profit clients, Tara also works with non-profit clients, including small non-profits, to provide employment law expertise to non-profit organizations supporting our communities across the country. 

Tara is a frequent speaker for a variety of human resource, business leader, and legal audiences.  

Honors and Recognitions

• Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio, "Law Firm Volunteer of the Year" (2017)

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• Big Brothers Big Sisters, Tutor (2006-2007)
• Exponentum! National Network of Pro Bono Business Law Providers, Volunteer Speaker, (2016-present)
• Interfaith Hospitality Network, provides homeless families emergency shelter, Volunteer
• Kids Voting of Southwest Ohio, Board member (2003-2006)
• Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio, Advisory Board, Volunteer and Client Outreach Co-Chair (2017-present)
• Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio, Attorney Volunteer (2015-present)
• ProKids, Court-appointed Special Advocate (2000-2003)

Published Works

• "The Family and Medical Leave Act," ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law (2017) [Contributing Author]
• BNA Wage and Hour State by State Survey, Kentucky Chapter (BNA) [Co-Author]

Speeches

• "Best Practices for Nonprofits in the #MeToo Era: Investigations and Policies," Exponentum! National Network of Business Law Pro Bono Providers (Webinar, November 2018) (presenter)
• "Gender Discrimination Today: #MeToo and Unconscious Bias," Cincinnati Association of Corporate Counsel (Cincinnati, Ohio, September 2018)
• "The #MeToo Movement: Strategies to Prevent Harassment and Protect Your Non-profit Organization," Exponentum! National Network of Business Law Pro Bono Providers (Webinar, January 2018) (presenter)
• "US Employment Law," University of Cincinnati College of Law LLM Program (Cincinnati, Ohio 2016, 2017, 2018) (presenter)
• "Legal Nuts and Bolts of Managing Employees and Volunteers," Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio (Cincinnati, Ohio April 2018) (presenter)
• "Legal Nuts and Bolts of Managing Employees and Volunteers," Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio (Dayton, Ohio September 2018) (presenter)
• "Politics in the Workplace," Greater Cincinnati HR Collaborative (Cincinnati, Ohio, April 2018) (presenter)
• "Managing Employee and Volunteers," Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio (Dayton, Ohio, February 2018) (presenter)
• "Best Practices to Identify and Reduce Employment Law Risk in 2016," Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio (Cincinnati, Ohio, January 2016) (presenter)
• "Best Practices to Identify and Reduce Employment Law Risk in 2017," Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio (Cincinnati, Ohio, January 2017) (presenter)
• "The DOL Worked Overtime to Revise White Collar Exemptions. Are You Prepared," National Network of Pro Bono Business Law Providers (Webinar, July 2016) (Presenter)
• "#Epic Fail or #Epic Win? Social Media in the Workplace," Ohio State Bar Association (Columbus, OH, September 2015) (presenter)