Pooja Patel is Of Cousel in Lydecker’s Miami office and is a labor and employment attorney with extensive experience representing public and private employers in a wide range of workplace matters. Pooja’s practice encompasses employment litigation, administrative proceedings, and day-to-day counseling on complex employment issues. She has defended employers against claims involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour disputes, disability accommodations, and protected leave under federal, state, and local employment laws. Pooja has experience managing matters through all stages of litigation, including pleadings, discovery, depositions, dispositive motions, mediations, hearings, and settlement negotiations.
Pooja also represents employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and related state agencies. She has significant experience responding to charges of discrimination, including conducting factual investigations, analyzing relevant employment records and workplace policies, assessing potential exposure, and preparing comprehensive position statements on behalf of employers.
Additionally, Pooja counsels employers on a wide range of day-to-day workplace matters, including employee discipline and terminations, disability accommodations, and leave management. She assists employers with drafting and reviewing employment and severance agreements, employee handbooks, workplace policies, and other compliance-related materials. Pooja takes a practical, business-oriented approach to counseling employers, helping them navigate complex workplace issues, proactively address potential risks, and implement solutions that align with their operational and organizational objectives.
Pooja is also an active writer and speaker on developments affecting employers. She has authored articles for The Checkoff, a publication of The Florida Bar Labor & Employment Law Section, addressing developments in diversity, equity, and inclusion laws affecting public and private employers. She has also presented on FMLA compliance and leave management to human resources professionals at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Broward Legal Conference and the Florida Public Human Resources Association Annual Conference.
