Attorney Laura Allen
Laura Allen, Esq., is a trial attorney with more than 20 years of experience trying cases and arguing appeals in the state and federal courts in Washington, Illinois, Missouri and Arizona. She has concentrated her attorney practice in employment law, particularly discrimination and harassment in the workplace. She holds the record for the largest plaintiff’s verdict in an employment case in Illinois. She has helped numerous employees obtain settlements for their legal claims.
Laura successfully argued the Washington case, for example, of Stegall v. Citadel Broad. Co., 350 F.3d 1061 (9th Cir.), convincing the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals her clients had sufficient evidence of discrimination and retaliation to bring a case against their employer. She has helped numerous employees obtain verdicts or settlements for their legal claims including the following:
- employees subjected to demeaning, sexual or discriminatory comments and conduct at work;
- employees who suffered sexual harassment at work and were then fired or demoted for reporting it;
- employees fired or demoted for supporting a co-worker’s claims of sexual harassment;
- older employees denied jobs or fired or demoted and replaced with younger workers because of their age;
- employees denied jobs, demoted or fired because of their race or creed;
- federal employees with claims for disability discrimination and harassment in violation of §501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 791 et seq.;
- employees denied jobs, fired or demoted for conditions related to disabilities from diabetes to cancer to depression to HIV, and more; and employees ridiculed and harassed for disabilities such as having one arm, missing an eye, or having a limp;
- employees fired because of their pregnancies or because they were mothers with small children at home;
- employees fired because the employer thought their medical conditions would increase health care costs;
- employees fired for whistleblowing such matters as accounting discrepancies, defrauding customers, or other acts that are illegal or against public policy; and
- employees illegally denied Family Medical Leave or fired for pursuing worker’s compensation claims.
Laura is also one of a small number of lawyers working in the emerging field of animal law. She drafts legislation
and advises local governments and state governments on legal issues
relating to animals and animal control including issues related to
“dangerous” dogs, pets, horses, farm animals, and wildlife. She advises
animal welfare non-profits on legal issues such as employment, managing
risk of liability, corporate organization, fundraising and lobbying
compliance, and copyrights and trademarks. Injuries or loss involving an
animal also fall within the purview of animal law.
Laura is the founder and Executive Director of Animal Law Coalition,
www.animallawcoalition.com, a 501c4 nonprofit. She is also a member of
the Washington State Bar Association, a member of the Board of Directors and the vice president and general counsel for
Equine Welfare Alliance, an executive advisory board member for Saving
America's Horses. She is a liaison for advisors to StubbyDog, a project to
restore the image of the pit bull dog. Laura is on the advisory boards for
WFLF Wild Capture Awareness, Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific
Legislation, and Animal Advocate Television. She is a frequent speaker and
a regular guest on Big Blend radio's Nature Connection, Animals Today
Radio and Wild For Life Endangered Talk Radio.
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Animal Law Coalition brings the latest animal legal news to attorneys, law
students and the public and offers legal analysis of the issues affecting
animals. Animal Law Coalition educates attorneys and the public about how they can
participate to stop cruelty and promote animal welfare. Animal Law
Coalition is actively involved in drafting and lobbying for legislation
relating to dogs, puppy mills, horse slaughter, wild horses and burros,
breed discrimination, and animal cruelty.