Allegra J Lawrence-Hardy

Practice Areas

Allegra Lawrence-Hardy is a highly accomplished litigator known for her innovative thinking, tenacity, and real-world solutions. Allegra has successfully defended Fortune 100 companies throughout the United States and abroad in numerous trials and arbitrations. Known for her skill in trying cases, negotiating complex settlements, and finding creative solutions, Allegra advises clients daily on a wide range of complex litigation, election law, political law, voting rights, and labor and employment issues. She helps develop processes and tools for improving the efficiency and delivery of legal services and often shares her deep litigation knowledge as a prolific author and sought-after speaker.

Allegra works closely with clients on high-stakes, high-profile complex litigation matters. She has extensive experience conducting internal investigations and guiding clients through sensitive crisis management situations to successful resolution.

Allegra also advises and counsels management on a wide range of labor and employment issues. She provides practical, solution-oriented advice to help navigate complex employment law issues while keeping her client’s business goals firmly in mind.

During the over two decades of her practice, Allegra also has led and been part of legal teams representing municipalities, non-profit organizations, political candidates, and political parties in election, voting rights, and political law matters, including representing presidential candidate Al Gore before the Eleventh Circuit in Bush v. Gore and serving on the 2020 Biden for President recount team.

Allegra has an active pro bono practice through which she has successfully represented voters, asylum applicants, adoptive parents, underserved children, farmworkers, and more.

Professional Memberships

Trustee, Spelman College

Trustee, Emory University

Member, Election Law Advisory Committee, American Bar Association

Co-Chair, Professional Success Summit, Litigation Section, American Bar Association

Member, The American Employment Law Council

Board of Advisors, American Constitution Society, Georgia Lawyer Chapter

Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America

Director, Executive Committee of the Independent School Chairpersons Association

Chair, Board of Trustees, Atlanta Girls’ School

Commissioner, ABA’s Committee on the Lawyers’ Role in Assuring Every Child’s Right to a High-Quality Education

Member, Board of Directors, Georgia Legal Services Foundation

Member, Board of Governors, State Bar of Georgia

Member, Board of Directors, Leadership Institute for Women of Color in Law and Business

Member, Board of Directors, Zoo Atlanta

Executive Committee Member, Board of Directors, Children’s Museum of Atlanta

Fellow, American Bar Foundation

Member, American Inns of Court (Bleckley Inn)

Member, Gate City Bar Association

Member, Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL)

Member, Labor and Employment Section, American Bar Association

Member, National Bar Association

Appointee, Mayor’s Transition Team

Appointee, Georgia Supreme Court’s Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts

Appointee, Mayor’s Living Wage Commission

Appointee, Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism

Appointee, Georgia Supreme Court’s Commission on Domestic Violence

Graduate, Leadership Atlanta

Graduate, Leadership Georgia

Former Member, Leadership, Litigation Section, American Bar Association

Past Member, Corporate Council, Fernbank Museum

Past President, Atlanta Legal Diversity Consortium (ALDC)

Past President, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA)

Former Member, Board of Directors, Atlanta Legal Aid Society

Former Chair, Women and Minorities in the Profession Committee, State Bar of Georgia

Former Executive Committee Member, Board of Directors, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

Past Member, Board of Directors, Atlanta Community Food Bank

Publications

Top 10 Employer Resolutions for 2023, Law360, January 2023

Top 10 Employer Resolutions for 2022 (January 3, 2022) – Law360

OSHA Modifies Workplace Safety Guidance Amidst a Nationwide COVID-19 Surge (August 24, 2021) – Lawrence & Bundy Legal Bulletin

Department of Labor Issues Updated COVID-19 Workplace Guidelines and

Required Safety Standards for Healthcare Employers (June 11, 2021) – Lawrence &

Bundy Legal Bulletin

The Road Back – What Employers Need to Know When Planning for a Post-Pandemic Workplace (May 25, 2021) – Lawrence & Bundy Legal Bulletin

How to Prepare for COVID-19’s Mental Health Fallout (May 10, 2021) – Lawrence & Bundy Legal Bulletin

Top 10 Employer Resolutions for 2021 (January 4, 2021) – Law360

Top 10 Employer Resolutions for 2020 (January 1, 2020) – Law360

#MeToo Today: The Evolution of the Movement and Practical Tips for Employers (October 10, 2019) – Corporate Compliance Insights

Top 10 Employer Resolutions for 2019 (January 9, 2019) – Law360

Top 10 Employer Resolutions for 2018 (January 9, 2018) – Law360

Top 10 Employer Resolutions for 2017 (January 3, 2017) – Law360

Charting a Course through the FMLA, ADA & Workers Compensation (September 27, 2017) – Corporate Compliance Insights

Top 10 Employer Resolutions for 2016 (January 12, 2016) – Law360

Judgment Call (May 2015) – Best’s Review

Integrating the Cultures and Employment Laws of Your Multinational Workforce in the Global Economy (April 2015) – ACC Docket

Top Resolutions Employers Should Make and Keep in 2015 (February 4, 2015) – Law360

Redial: 2014 TCPA Year in Review – Analysis of Critical Issues and Trends (January 29, 2015)

Lean In, But Don’t Blend In (October 14, 2014) – New York Law Journal

BYOD and Social Media: An Employer’s Perspective (August 2014) – Financier Worldwide

10 Important Aspects of the CFTC Whistleblower Program (June 3, 2014) – Law360

Bring Your Own Device, Don’t Bring Your Own Drama (February 11, 2014) – Corporate Counsel

Top 10 Employer Resolutions For The New Year (January 8, 2014) – Law360

Non-Unionized Employers: The NLRB Commands Your Attention (Spring 2013) – Partnering Perspectives

Enforceability of Class Action Waivers in Employment Arbitration Agreements Post-Concepcion (Spring 2013) – Partnering Perspectives

Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Issues for Employers (Spring 2013) – Partnering Perspectives

Is Your Social Media Policy Current? Timely Reasons to Update Your Policy Now (Fall 2012) – Partnering Perspectives

Five Timely Reasons To Update Your Social Media Policy (July 17, 2012) – Law360

‘Like’ It Or Not: Broker-Dealers And Social Media Access (June 28, 2012) – Law360

Saving with Settlement Classes (November 2011) – Reprinted with permission Employment Law360 and Class Action Law360 (November 2011)

Blowing the Whistle: New SEC Rules Set the Stage for Increased Reporting of Potential Securities Law Violations (September/ October 2011) – Reprinted with permission from Practical Compliance & Risk Management For The Securities Industry

SEC’s Whistle-Blower Rules Effective Soon: What Employers Need to Know Now (July 25, 2011) – HR Magazine

The ‘New Normal’ In ESI Preservation Duties: Part 2 (February 9, 2011) – Reprinted with permission from Law360

The ‘New Normal’ In ESI Preservation Duties: Part 1 (February 2, 2011) – Reprinted with permission from Law360

Raising the Stakes: Effective ‘Internal’ Whistle- Blowing Programs are Essential in the Dodd- Frank Era (January 11, 2011) – Reprinted with permission from Westlaw Journal Employment

Good News for Experts (And Attorneys Who Use Them) (November 29, 2010) – Reprinted with permission from Employment Law360

Clarity or Chaos? Ashcroft v. Iqbal One Year Later (September 2010) – Reprinted with permission Bloomberg Law Reports – Federal Practice

Safeguarding Trade Secrets Before, During and After a Reduction in Force (Summer 2010) – Partnering Perspectives

Safeguarding Your Employees Personal Data: How to Protect Employees, Your Company’s Reputation, and the Bottom Line (April 5, 2010) – Reprinted with permission Bloomberg Law Reports – Labor & Employment

Navigating the Waters of Alternative Fee Arrangements: Three Tips for Smooth Sailing (Spring 2010) – Reprinted with permission The Woman Advocate and the American Bar Association

Case Study: Arrigo V. Blue Fish (February 22, 2010) – Law360

Inside the Minds: Trends, Legislation, and Cases That Will Impact Employment Law in 2010 (January 2010) – Reprinted with permission Employment Law 2010 (©2010 Thomson Reuters/Aspatore Books)

Gain Leverage with a 30(b)(6) Deposition (August 10, 2009) – Reprinted with permission from Bloomberg Law Reports

First 100 days and labor law (May 1, 2009) – Reprinted with permission from Daily Report

Safeguarding Trade Secrets Before, During and After a Reduction in Force (April 7, 2009) – Reprinted with permission from Employment Litigation Reporter

Awaiting Change: How the New President May Revolutionize the Face of Business Litigation (January 29, 2009) – Reprinted with permission Daily Report

Availability of Arbitration for Sarbanes- Oxley Whistle-Blower Claims (October 7, 2008) – Reprinted with permission Employment Litigation Reporter

U.S. Supreme Court Allows Retaliation Claims Under Section 1981 (June 2008) – Reprinted with permission Lorman Education Services Legal Update Newsletters

Offers of Judgment Ease Pain of SOX (May 2008) – Reprinted with permission Legal Times

Whistle-Blower Actions Under Sarbanes- Oxley (September 2007) – Reprinted with permission Employment Litigation Reporter

Education