Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations in Both the Live and Virtual Worlds (On Demand Seminar)

A pre-recorded streaming VIDEO replay of the February 2022 webcast, Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations in Both the Live and Virtual Worlds.

Effective internal investigations play a critical role in managing employment law liability risks, as well as in supporting a corporate environment in which employees will voice their concerns internally. Employee lawsuits increasingly focus on the adequacy of an organization's investigation, with outside press and legal verdicts turning on whether an investigation was properly conducted. Internally, employers highlight effective investigation practices as an important part of a “speak-up" culture. In our current environment, it is important to ensure that investigators conduct effective virtual as well as live investigations. The course objectives include:

• Identifying the stages of an investigation and the role of the investigator throughout
• Objectively characterizing allegations and outlining the scope of the investigation
• Understanding the investigator's role in gathering facts and evaluating evidence
• Planning to conduct interviews that encourage participation, get to the facts, and demonstrate the company's dedication to the process
• Balancing the need to get the facts, give the accused a fair opportunity to respond, and ensure confidentiality
• Considering issues of attorney-client privilege
• Responding to and evaluating common challenges/curveballs that may arise in investigations, especially in the virtual context

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Elizabeth A. Lalik, Littler Mendelson PC / Tysons

Elizabeth A. Lalik represents employers with respect to high-profile or high-risk matters spanning all aspects of employment law, whether executive compensation or discrimination claims, unfair competition, equal pay issues, or retaliation and whistleblowing claims (including EEO and False Claims Act retaliation). Ms. Lalik successfully minimizes risks for her clients and resolves matters through both pre-litigation strategy (including complex and/or sensitive internal investigations) and litigation. Her practice resides in the Virginia/D.C./Maryland region, but she has prevailed in courts up and down the Eastern seaboard.

Ms. Lalik regularly represents international, national, and regional clients in the consulting, government contracting, technology, financial services, hospitality, and land development industries. She speaks regularly before client and other audiences regarding a myriad of employment law issues, from recent state efforts in the paid leave and background check arenas, to government contracting issues, to FMLA and ADA concerns, to retaliation and whistleblowing issues, to complex internal investigations.  Before joining Littler, Ms. Lalik was a partner at an AmLaw 100 national law firm.