Allison K. Ziegler
Senior Counsel
With over a decade of experience in high-stakes employment law, Allison Ziegler has represented clients across both the public and private sectors, offering a unique blend of strategic legal counsel and litigation expertise. Throughout her career, Allison Ziegler has successfully managed complex employment disputes, provided targeted legal advice to senior leadership, and led high-profile investigations. Her practical approach and deep understanding of employment law have made her a trusted advisor to clients facing critical legal challenges.
Having held prominent legal roles with federal agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Allison Ziegler excels at navigating the complex dynamics of employee relations, employment litigation, and legal compliance. Her experience spans defending against class actions, advising on compliance and organizational restructuring, and addressing complex employee relations issues.
In addition to her extensive litigation experience, Allison Ziegler has played a key role in developing and implementing employment policies, training HR teams on best practices, and ensuring organizations remain compliant with evolving employment laws. Her leadership in large-scale investigations, including those under Congressional scrutiny, has demonstrated her ability to manage sensitive matters while safeguarding her clients’ interests.
Education:
- Kingston University (B.A.)
- Washington College of Law, American University (J.D.)
Bar Admissions:
- California
- New York
- Washington, D.C. (pending)
Memberships:
- The California State Bar
- California Lawyers Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
- The New York State Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
- The DC Bar (pending)
Employment Law Counseling & Preventive Advice:
- Advised senior leadership and human resources on employee discipline, performance management, and terminations, ensuring legal compliance while aligning decisions with organizational objectives.
- Guided clients through all aspects of the reasonable accommodation process, including the interactive process, ensuring ADA compliance and providing strategic advice in complex cases where employees seeking accommodations were also facing discipline for misconduct and were already involved in ongoing litigation against their employer.
- Developed and implemented performance management systems, advising clients on performance improvement plans (PIPs) and handling performance-based removals while ensuring compliance with legal standards and promoting fairness.
- Developed and conducted tailored training sessions for diverse audiences, including employees and management, on a wide range of topics such as discipline, performance management, ADA compliance, whistleblower rights, and sexual harassment, ensuring legal compliance and promoting a positive workplace culture.
- Provided expert legal guidance on employment law matters to senior leadership at multiple agencies, supporting decision-making on reorganizations, employee accommodations, and workplace safety.
- Led the development and execution of a strategic legal plan for senior management regarding agency-wide furloughs at the Environmental Protection Agency, issuing legally sound furlough notices to over 15,000 employees, ensuring compliance with multiple union contracts, and meeting tight deadlines.
Employment Litigation & Trials:
- Successfully led arbitration in a case brought by the union challenging the National Weather Service’s termination of the “Pilot Projects,” a costly and outdated staffing initiative, saving the agency millions of dollars by eliminating the program.
- Led a team of 12+ attorneys litigating over 200 expedited arbitrations involving employee pay setting, achieving favorable resolutions in a high-volume, fast-paced environment while mitigating risk.
- Successfully defended a federal agency against a whistleblower retaliation claim before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), crafting a defense strategy that included testimony from over a dozen witnesses, leading to a favorable outcome for the agency.
- Litigated a Title VII employment class action in federal court, overseeing key tasks such as deposing the named plaintiff and managing expert discovery, ultimately securing a favorable settlement for the client.
Workplace Investigations:
- Directed investigations into high-profile workplace misconduct cases, including harassment, discrimination, and whistleblowing, ensuring compliance with legal standards while managing the organizational response to Congress and the press.
- Led a high-profile investigation at a federal agency into allegations of serious sexual misconduct, providing legal counsel to top agency leadership and managing interactions under Congressional scrutiny.
- Developed internal investigation processes for a federal agency, improving efficiency and ensuring compliance with federal non-discrimination and anti-retaliation laws.
- Superior Achievement Award, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CPFB) 2021, 2024
- Distinguished Attorney Award, U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) 2015, 2018
- Gold Medal for Exceptional Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)2014
- Bronze Medal for Exceptional Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2013
Allison K. Ziegler’S THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
