Are you looking for an employment lawyer in Washington, DC?
At Bloom Fudali, we provide trusted employment law counsel for individuals throughout Washington, DC.
If you have been discriminated against, harassed, or punished for speaking up at work, what you do next matters. Our Washington, DC employment lawyer represents employees only, never employers, and we have spent years holding powerful companies and public figures accountable for workplace misconduct.
Bloom Fudali was founded in 2010 by trial attorney Lisa Bloom, who has practiced law since the early 1990s. We handle employment cases on contingency, which means you pay nothing unless we win money for you. Contact our office to schedule a free consultation and find out where your case stands.
Employment Lawyer Washington, DC
An employment lawyer represents workers in legal disputes with their employers. That covers discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination, along with the negotiation of severance packages when a job ends on bad terms. The right employment attorney in Washington, DC evaluates what happened to you, explains which protections apply, and builds the strongest available claim.
Our firm approaches these cases from one side only. We represent employees and victims, never the companies accused of wrongdoing. That focus shapes how we investigate, how we negotiate, and how we try cases when an employer refuses to take responsibility. It also means there is never a conflict between your interests and a corporate client’s.
Types of Employment Cases We Handle in Washington, DC
Workplace misconduct takes many forms, and District workers are covered by some of the strongest anti-discrimination protections in the country. Our employment lawyers in Washington, DC handle a wide range of matters for employees at every level, from hourly workers to executives. These are the cases we see most often.
- Workplace discrimination. We represent employees treated unfairly because of race, religion, age, gender, pregnancy, or another protected trait. Gender-based pay disparity is a significant part of this work, including cases where women were paid less than male colleagues doing the same job.
- Sexual harassment. Quid pro quo demands, unwanted touching, sexual comments, and pressure from supervisors are all forms of unlawful conduct. We have represented models, actors, musicians, and everyday workers against the people who harassed them.
- High-profile sexual harassment. Some of our clients face famous or powerful opponents. We have brought claims against celebrities, producers, and other public figures, and we know how to manage the scrutiny these cases attract.
- Workplace harassment. Harassment does not have to be sexual to be illegal. Slurs, mockery, and targeted abuse tied to a protected trait can support a claim even when no one ever gets physical.
- Hostile work environment. When misconduct becomes severe or pervasive enough to change the conditions of your job, the law treats it differently than ordinary rudeness. We build these cases through documentation, patterns, and witness testimony.
- Pregnancy discrimination. Being demoted, sidelined, or fired because you are pregnant or recently gave birth is illegal. So is refusing reasonable accommodations during and after a pregnancy.
- Disability discrimination. Employers cannot punish workers for a physical or mental disability, and they cannot deny reasonable accommodations that would allow someone to do the job.
- LGBTQ discrimination. We have fought for transgender employees who were deadnamed and mocked at work. Discrimination based on gender identity has no place in any workplace, and we take these cases personally.
- Sexual orientation discrimination. Workers cannot lawfully be passed over, harassed, or terminated because of who they love. It still happens, and we hold employers accountable when it does.
- Retaliation and wrongful termination. Firing or punishing an employee for reporting misconduct is itself illegal. Federal agencies describe this as unlawful retaliation, and it is one of the most common claims we bring.
Why Choose Bloom Fudali as my Employment Lawyer in Washington, DC?
Decades of Trial Experience Fighting for Employees
Lisa Bloom has practiced law since the early 1990s and built this firm around a single mission, representing victims. A graduate of Yale Law School, she has been selected as a Super Lawyer every year since 2015 and is a nationally recognized trial attorney. Arick Fudali is a former prosecutor who has represented survivors of harassment and abuse in civil litigation since 2011. All attorneys at the firm work on all cases, so your matter is never handed off to someone you have not met through the process.
A Record of Results Against Powerful Defendants
Our clients have recovered millions of dollars in employment, harassment, and civil rights matters, including jury verdicts against wealthy and well-known defendants. Employers with deep pockets and aggressive defense counsel do not intimidate us. We have taken them to trial and won. We handle these cases on contingency. You pay no fees unless we recover money for you, and your first consultation is always free.
What Is Important To Understand About Employment Cases?
Workplace Rights, Remedies, and Damages in Employment Cases
Most Washington, DC workers are employed at will, which means a company can end the relationship for almost any reason. But almost any reason is not every reason. An employer cannot fire, demote, or mistreat you because of a protected trait, and it cannot punish you for reporting misconduct. When an employer crosses those lines, the law allows several categories of recovery:
- Back pay for the wages and benefits you lost
- Front pay when returning to the job is not realistic
- Emotional distress damages for the harm the conduct caused
- Punitive damages in cases involving especially egregious behavior
- Attorney’s fees and costs in many successful claims
The value of any claim depends on the evidence, the strength of liability, and how the misconduct affected your career, finances, and health. A DC employment lawyer can tell you which remedies realistically apply to your situation.
What Are Important Aspects of an Employment Case?
Evidence decides these cases. A worker with a paper trail is in a far stronger position than one relying on memory alone, because documentation matters more in employment law than in almost any other practice area. Save everything you can.
- Emails, texts, and messages showing misconduct or the company’s response
- A written timeline of events, created while your memory is fresh
- Complaints you made to HR or a supervisor, and what happened afterward
- Performance reviews, especially ones that changed after you spoke up
Not every bad workplace is an unlawful one, and part of our job is separating a difficult boss from illegal discrimination. Timing also matters. Employment claims carry strict filing deadlines, and waiting too long can end a strong case before it starts. Finally, be careful what you sign. Some employers use nondisclosure agreements and severance releases to bury misconduct before a worker understands what the claim is worth.
What Is The Employment Case Timeline?
No two cases move at the same pace, but most follow a familiar path. Many begin with a job discrimination complaint filed with a government agency before any lawsuit is possible.
- Free consultation and case evaluation with our attorneys
- Investigation and evidence gathering
- Administrative filing with the EEOC or the DC Office of Human Rights, where required
- Mediation or settlement negotiations with the employer
- Litigation and, if necessary, trial
Some matters resolve in months through negotiation. Others, particularly contested discrimination and harassment claims, can take a year or longer, and we prepare every client for that reality up front.
What Should You Bring to Your Employment Consultation?
Bring whatever you have. We can work with an incomplete file, but the more we can review, the faster we can assess your case.
- A written summary or timeline of what happened
- Relevant emails, texts, screenshots, and voicemails
- Pay records, your offer letter, and any employee handbook
- Any severance agreement or NDA you have been asked to sign
- Names and contact information for potential witnesses
Your first meeting with a Washington, DC employment attorney at our firm is free and confidential. We will listen, ask questions, and give you an honest assessment of whether you have a claim worth pursuing.
Washington DC Legal Resources for Employment Cases
Workers in the District are protected by overlapping federal and local laws, and the agencies that enforce them publish reliable public information.
- The EEOC explains federal workplace protections on its know your rights page.
- The agency also describes how to file a charge of employment discrimination.
- The DC Office of Human Rights accepts discrimination complaints from workers in the District.
- OHR publishes each stage of its complaint process, from intake through determination.
These resources are a starting point for understanding your rights. An employment attorney in Washington, DC can explain how these agencies fit into your specific case.
Reach Out to Bloom Fudali to Schedule a Consultation
If something happened to you at work that should not have, talk to us. Consultations are free, and we handle employment cases on contingency, so there are no fees unless we win. Contact us today to schedule a confidential case review with a Washington, DC employment attorney.