Perspectiva General

Laurie J. Rust partners with clients to understand the business, financial, and practical motivations and implications of each matter. Laurie represents employers in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies in matters involving alleged violations of the:

  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
  • Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
  • Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • Equal Pay Act (EPA)
  • Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
  • Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)
  • California Labor Code
  • Colorado Wage Act
  • Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA)

She routinely defends companies against employment-related charges and claims before administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Colorado Civil Rights Division, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, and the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

Laurie provides employment advice and counsel on a wide range of issues, such as hiring, discipline, termination, accommodating disability, wage and hour compliance and audits, federal and state immigration compliance, recreational and medical marijuana, leaves of absence, social media, and trade secrets. In addition, she works with employers to draft employment agreements, employee manuals, severance agreements, and other employment policies and procedures. She regularly provides training on harassment and all aspects of employment law.

A sampling of Laurie's representative experience includes:

  • Secured summary judgment on gender discrimination claim for energy client (July 2024)
  • Secured summary judgment in reverse discrimination claim for healthcare client (March 2024)
  • Secured dismissal of disparate treatment religious discrimination claim in high-profile COVID-19 case (October 2023)
  • First chair, trial of race discrimination and unpaid bonus claim on behalf of healthcare client (June 2023)
  • Secured dismissal of complaint for age and disability discrimination following a cause finding by the EEOC on behalf of beverage distributor (March 2021)
  • ​Secured summary judgment on behalf of former executive of crypto currency company in fraud and veil piercing case valued at $75 million (March 2020)
  • First chair, trial of race discrimination claim for national retailer (complete defense verdict) (May 2019)
  • Secured summary judgment on duty to defend under indemnification provision in master services agreement (January 2019)
  • First chair, arbitration of claims for race, national origin, and religious discrimination under the NYCHRL (complete defense verdict) (August 2018)
  • Secured summary judgment on claims for breach of contract, promissory estoppel, retaliation under the NDAA, and unpaid overtime under the Qatari Labor Code (January 2018)
  • Secured summary judgment in arbitration seeking to enforce covenant not to compete (August 2017)
  • Secured summary judgment on claims for FLSA retaliation (October 2017)
  • First chair, arbitration of breach of contract claim (complete defense verdict) (March 2017)

Afiliaciones Profesionales y Comunitarias

Participant

Colorado General Counsel Group Advisory Program

Member

Labor and Employment Section

State Bar of Colorado

Member

Colorado Women’s Bar Association

Member

Denver Bar Association

Member

Labor and Employment Section

State Bar of California

Reconocimiento

Ranked, Labor & Employment

Chambers USA

2022-2024

Named, Super Lawyer

Super Lawyers

2021-2023

Named, Rising Star

Super Lawyers

2012-2019

Named, Up and Coming Lawyer

Law Week Colorado

2008

Speaking Engagements

Moderator: Board Readiness

Littler Women’s Leadership Initiative

October 11, 2023

Women in Tech Law

Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship University of Colorado Law School

October 9, 2023

Finding Beauty in Change: The Metamorphosis of Work

Mile High SHRM Annual HR Conference 2023

February 9, 2023

Keys to Implementing Effective and Lawful DE&I Programs

2022 Rocky Mountain Regional Employer Conference, Denver, CO

October 27, 2022

The Ever-Evolving State of COVID-19 in the Workplace

March 16, 2022

MHSHRM QEE – Legal Updates

Mile High SHRM

March 9, 2022

Written Discovery Battles: From Tax Returns to Personnel Files

Colorado Bar

January 20, 2022

Ethics Obligations for In-house Counsel in the Digital World

15th Annual Ethics Day for In-house Counsel, Colorado ACC

December 1, 2021

COVID-19 in the Health Care Workplace: Recent Developments and Compliance Challenges

HCCA Regional Healthcare Compliance Conference

October 15, 2021

2021 Rocky Mountain Virtual Regional Employer Conference

Denver, CO

October 6, 2021

Denver Compliance Coffee Talk Webinar: Getting DE&I Right

Denver, CO

September 1, 2021

Conducting Efficient Remote Investigations in the COVID-19 Era

Denver, CO

May 5, 2021

The Next Normal: Preparing for the “Return to Work” in a COVID-19 and Politically Charged Environment

Littler Rocky Mountain Virtual Employer Conference

November 18, 2020

The Top Ten: Policies Every Colorado Employer Should Have in the COVID Era - Session 5

July 23, 2020

Federal Employment Law Update

2019 Rocky Mountain Employer Conference Denver, CO

October 4, 2019

The CCRD is Alive and Well: An Update on Key Developments, CCRD Investigations, and Current Areas of Focus by the Agency

2019 Rocky Mountain Employer Conference, Denver, CO

October 4, 2019

Conducting Legal Investigations in the Wake of #MeToo

Denver, CO

April 18, 2019

Ethical Issues - Can They Really Do That? Ethical Minefields and How to Dodge Them

Association of Corporate Counsel 12th Annual Ethics Day for In-House Counsel

December 6, 2018

Balancing LGBTQ Issues in an Ever-Evolving Workplace

Rocky Mountain Employer Conference

September 21, 2018

Pay Equity: Public Pushes Gender Equity & Legal Battleground Moves to States

Mile High SHRM

May 31, 2018

Litigating EPLI Claims: A Primer on Key Requirements in Your EPLI Policy and Strategies For Winning Insured Cases

Denver, CO

April 26, 2018

Don’t Get Wrecked by the Reckoning: Responding to Harassment in the Age of #MeToo

Association of Corporate Counsel Chief Legal Officer / General Counsel Group

February 2018

Attorney Goes To Jail: When Zealous Representation Goes Too Far

Association of Corporate Counsel and the DBA Young Lawyers Division

June 9, 2017

Equal Pay Claims (Title VII and Equal Pay Act)

Colorado Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section Conference

April 2016

Educación

  • J.D., University of Colorado, Boulder
  • B.A., University of Colorado, Bouldersumma cum laude

Admisión de la barra

Colorado
California

Cortes

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan