Overview
Maddie Doucet is an associate in the Employment Law Department of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. She has represented employers in a wide range of employment disputes in federal and state courts, before government agencies, and in arbitral forums.
Maddie has experience in defending and advising on claims related to employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as well as employment-related background and credit checks, workplace health and safety, and drug testing programs. She has a particular focus on defending class action suits, protecting clients’ trade secrets and pay equity issues, and is a member of both the firm’s Employe Mobility and Trade Secrets and Pay Equity practice groups. Outside of litigation, Maddie provides practical advice on compliance with federal, state and local laws affecting everything from the initial employment application to the end of the employment relationship. She also maintains an active pro bono practice advising non-profit employers and representing low-income tenant litigants in housing justice matters.
Maddie received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude, where she served as the Managing Editor for the Georgetown Journal of Gender & the Law and completed legal internships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services and the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Prior to joining Paul Hastings, Maddie served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Xavier Rodriguez on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. (cum laude), 2017
- Bryan College, B.A. (summa cum laude), 2012
Representations
- Represented clients in investigation and enforcement matters before federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the National Labor Relations Board, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the California Civil Rights Department, and Cal/OSHA
- Defended clients against individual claims of discrimination, retaliation, and harassment under Title VII, Section 1981, the ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and various state and local laws brought in federal and state courts and in arbitration
- Represented a major food processor in trade secrets litigation against former employee and competitor, resulting in favorable settlement and injunctive relief
- Defended a financial products cooperative against claims of sex discrimination by former employee, resulting in employee's voluntary withdrawal of her complaint
- Represented multiple clients in appeals of OSHA citations related to COVID-19 safety measures
- Represented a utility cooperative in appeal of OSHA citations issued after employee fatality, resulting in favorable settlement
- Led litigation prevention audit of background check processes for Fortune 100 retailer
- Conducted internal investigations for multiple clients into allegations of violations of company policy and applicable law
Engagement & Publications
- Published by JD Supra, LexisNexis, Thomson Reuters Westlaw, Law360, Occupational Health & Safety, and the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law
- Speaker, National Employment Law Institute Employment Law Conference (2024)
- Panelist, ESG and LGBTQ+: A Primer (2023 Out & Equal Workplace Summit)
- Delivered CLE presentation on the Future of Work and the Post-Covid Workplace
- Delivered CLE presentation on Employer Compliance Reminders as FCRA Class Actions Rise
Involvement
- Admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Western District of Texas, as well as the highest courts in both D.C. and Virginia
- Member, Virginia State Bar and D.C. Bar
- Member, National LGBTQ+ and District of Columbia LGBTQ+ Bar Associations
- Global Co-Chair, PH Pride
- Board Member, Coalition for Responsible Home Education