Esther Lander

Esther Lander’s practice focuses on complex employment disputes, high-stakes internal and government investigations, and client counseling regarding discrimination, harassment, reasonable accommodation, leave entitlements, workforce reductions, and employee misconduct; allegations of systemic discrimination, such as pattern or practice and class action claims; disparate impact discrimination involving hiring, promotion, and testing validation; diversity and inclusion initiatives and pay equity; and government enforcement activities.

Esther represents clients in lawsuits arising under EEO laws such as Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and federal, state and local employment laws.

Before rejoining Akin in 2014, Esther served as the principal deputy chief of the Employment Litigation Section within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), where she first chaired and supervised Title VII pattern or practice investigations and enforcement actions against state and local government employers, and managed the DOJ’s enforcement program under the Uniformed Services Employment and Remployment Rights Act (USERRA).