Joanna Friedman

Ms. Friedman is a partner with the Federal Practice Group, focusing on federal and private sector employment and labor law from the pre-litigation phase through all stages of litigation and before administrative bodies such as the EEOC, OIG, OSC and MSPB and courts. Her expertise includes EEO discrimination, reasonable accommodation requests, retaliation for whistleblower disclosures, prohibited personnel practices, misconduct (disciplinary and adverse action) and performance defense, security clearance, wage and hour issues, disability retirement and Inspector General investigations. She is cleared to handle classified information and regularly represents intelligence agency employees in discrimination and disciplinary cases. Joanna has represented federal employees in agencies such as the Defense Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Naval Intelligence Office, and National Reconnaissance Office, as well as federal contractors located in the DC metro area. Joanna has had great success in settling EEOC and MSPB case matters through her aggressive litigation approach.

Before joining The Federal Practice Group, Joanna was a partner in another employment law firm where she co-chaired their EEOC Practice Group. Prior to this affiliation she represented federal employees at a Washington, D.C.-based employment law firm. In addition to her significant federal employment litigation experience, she also has substantial courtroom experience representing individuals charged with criminal law offenses while working with a private criminal law defense firm, as well as a private bar attorney for the Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office.

Joanna earned her juris doctorate at St. John's University School of Law in Queens, New York. During her time in law school, she was an active member of the Public Interest Committee, an intern at the Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Division in Queens, as well as a participant in the New York City Courtroom Advocates Program, representing women seeking orders of protection. Additionally, Joanna received a masters degree in law from American University Washington School of Law in the Program on Law and Government. There, she concentrated her study on advanced constitutional and civil rights law. Joanna also holds a bachelor's of arts degree from American University, where she majored in laws and society at the School of Public Affairs.