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R. Lawrence Ashe, Jr.

r. lawrence ashe, jr.

Senior Counsel

Atlanta

lashe@phrd.com

t: (404) 420-4320

f: (404) 522-8409

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"He's a super-star and a solid lawyer. His expertise in discrimination litigation is the best in the country."

Chambers USA 2021

  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Thought Leadership

Overview

Lawrence Ashe has successfully defended and tried more discrimination class actions to judgment than any other management lawyer in the country. Acclaimed by the National Law Journal as the “Dean of the Management Class Action Bar,” Lawrence represents clients throughout the country and has litigated some of the largest such cases tried to date. His courtroom skills, gravitas, and leadership combine to make him a powerful presence in all matters he undertakes.

With a practice focused on major Employment and Civil Rights litigation matters, Lawrence primarily represents defendants, but occasionally represents plaintiffs in individual cases not presenting issue conflicts. Most of these employer client matters involve workplace discrimination, employment, and retaliation claims, both individual and class actions. A large portion of Lawrence’s practice is around employment testing and selection, including the successful defense of disparate impact claims to state teacher certification tests. Lawrence has also successfully mediated dozens of employment cases. He is regularly called on by clients for advice on employment law compliance.

Lawrence is dedicated to serving his clients. He thrives when handling their largest, most consequential matters. His diverse experience and mastery of his field allow him to lead even the most complex and impactful cases to a successful conclusion. Lawrence has held a wide variety of leadership roles in the Atlanta community, and has received numerous local, regional, and national accolades reflecting his judgment and effectiveness as a trial and appellate lawyer.

Experience

  • For more than fifty years, 95% of Lawrence's law practice has been devoted to jury and non-jury civil disputes and litigation, focusing on employment, labor, and civil rights matters. With regard to his national employment and discrimination law practice, approximately 80% has been defendant representation and 20% plaintiff representation. Employment testing issues now average being one-half of Lawrence's practice. Lawrence has also successfully mediated over two dozen cases.
  • Lead trial counsel in some of the largest class action employment and other discrimination cases actually tried to date, as well as numerous individual cases. Has tried to conclusion twelve major discrimination class actions, more than any other management lawyer in America. The highest profile defense was of California's K-12 teacher licensing test ("CBEST"). The successful U.S. District Court defense was affirmed en banc by the Ninth Circuit, which held the state K-12 teacher certification test subject to Title VII regulation, but, because it tested basic skills, sufficiently related to teaching to withstand disparate impact claims.  AMAE v. State of California, et al. (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc).
  • Served as co-lead counsel for a world renowned landscape architect in a post-settlement JAMS arbitration between the client and his former business partners, a Chinese architect and a French urban planning professional, all of whom previously operated a very successful multi-disciplinary commercial design firm in Shanghai, China. During a multi-day hearing before a London-based arbitrator the parties presented testimony from witnesses in Europe, China and the Philippines. Following the conclusion of the arbitration, the arbitrator entered a substantial award in favor of the firm’s client, including broad injunctive relief and a seven figure monetary judgment. The award was confirmed over objection and the client prevailed in an appeal to the confirmation order.
  • Defended suit by 19 plaintiffs claiming violation of constitutional and privacy rights. Addressed resolution compliance issues.
  • National employment testing and validation counsel on all relevant matters for EEI (Edison Electric Institute) and its participating members in this national trade association for investor-owned electric utilities.

Thought Leadership

  • Co-Presenter, "Legal Update," EEI 2018 Conference on Testing, New Orleans, Louisiana (June 2018).
  • Webinar Co-Presenter, "Legal Implications of Testing on Job Applicants," Lorman Education Services (March 2018).
  • Co-Editor, 1989 Five-Year Cumulative Supplement and drafter of original Scored Tests Chapter (BNA 1976) and all subsequent editions and supplements thereto (ABA), Lindemann, Grossman & Weirich Employment Discrimination Law (BNA 1983 - Present)
  • Co-author of the amicus curiae brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court by the Executive Committee of Division 14 of the American Psychological Association in Washington v. Davis, 423 U.S. 820 (1976)

Areas of focus

  • Employment Litigation & Counseling
  • Executive Compensation & Separation Agreements
  • Mediation & Arbitration Neutral Services

Education

  • Harvard Law School (LL.B., cum laude, 1967)
  • Princeton University (A.B., magna cum laude, 1962)

Accolades

  • Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© for Civil Rights Law (2013-2023), Labor and Employment Litigation (2011-2023) and Employment Law - Management (2011-2023). Has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© since 1991. 
  • Recognized by Chambers USA as Band 1 in Labor and Employment - Georgia (2013-2022)
  • Recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as a "Georgia Super Lawyer" (2004-2021)
  • Recognized by Lawdragon 500 in the Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers Hall of Fame in Labor & Employment - Litigation (2022)
  • Civil Rights Milestone Honoree Award from the State Bar of Georgia and the Center for Civil and Human Rights "as one of the Georgia lawyers who worked for justice and equal treatment for all of Georgia's citizens." (June 3, 2015)
  • One of 10 "Nation's Most Powerful Employment Attorneys - Hall of Fame" (2013)
  • Named Atlanta 2012 "Litigation Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year" by Atlanta Best Lawyers
  • Recognized as one of Georgia's "Top 10" lawyers by Georgia Trend magazine (2010, 2011, 2012)
  • Sole "Star Individual" in the 2010, 2011, and 2012 editions of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Georgia Labor and Employment lawyers
  • Selected as one of "The 100 Most Powerful Employment Attorneys in America" (May 2009, 2011 and 2012) by Lawdragon and Human Resources Executive Magazine
  • Gate City Bar Association Hall of Fame Award (2009)
  • Recognized by Who's Who Legal for Labor Employment & Benefits

Professional affiliations

  • State Bar of Georgia
  • District of Columbia Bar
  • Gate City Bar Association
  • Atlanta Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • American Employment Law Council, Founder and Executive Committee Member
  • Chair, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals Committee on Lawyer Qualifications and Conduct (2018-present); N.D. Member of the Georgia Panel, Committee on Lawyer Qualifications and Conduct (2001–present)
  • Master and Executive Committee, Bleckley Inn of Court, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia (1990–present)
  • Anti-Defamation League's first Judge Elbert Tuttle Distinguished Jurisprudence Award (1998)
  • Court Disciplinary Committee, USDC, N.D. Ga. (1992-1996)
  • Fellow, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (1996-present)
  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (1994-present)
  • Board and Executive Committee member, Center for Civil and Human Rights (2008-present)
  • Council Member of the Harvard Law School Association (1994-98, 1999-present), and Southeastern Regional Representative (1999-present)
  • Honorary Consul to the State of Georgia for the Republic of Poland (March 2011-present)
  • Board member, Piedmont Park Conservancy (2006-present)
  • Chair, Ivan Allen Society, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta (2006-2007), Campaign Cabinet (2008), and Leadership Giving Executive Committee (2009-present)
  • Board and Executive Committee member, ReGender (formerly National Council for Research on Women) (2007-2013)
  • President (1977-1980) and Director (1974-81, 1982-97), Legacy Award (2012), Urban League of Greater Atlanta

Admitted to practice

  • Georgia
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Courts of Appeals for Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and DC Circuits
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

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