J.L. Ewing

J.L. Ewing is an Associate in Conn Maciel Carey LLP’s Labor & Employment and OSHA & Workplace Safety Practices, working out of the Chicago office.

J.L. brings labor and employment experience from private practice and the public sector, representing and advising employers in litigation, administrative proceedings, workplace investigations, and regulatory compliance matters. Her practice focuses on management-side counseling, including advising employers on the interpretation and revision of collective bargaining agreements and addressing workplace issues involving harassment, discrimination, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She also defends employers against discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes.

Before joining CMC, J.L. served as Labor Relations Counsel for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, where she provided strategic counsel to management on labor and employment matters, conducted workplace investigations, and defended the agency against charges before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), and the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL). She also guided the agency in interpreting and refining its personnel rules, department policies, and bargaining unit provisions. Previously, J.L. practiced at a labor and employment firm, where she defended employers in federal and state court and before administrative agencies in single-plaintiff discrimination claims and class and collective wage-and-hour actions. In that role, she drafted dispositive motions and settlement agreements, led pre-discovery settlement conferences, prepared mediation statements, participated in mediations, and assisted unions in resolving grievances.

Earlier in her career, J.L. served as a judicial law clerk to federal judges in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois. During her clerkships, she drafted opinions and bench memoranda, conducted extensive legal research and analysis on issues ranging from contract disputes to employment discrimination, and assisted the court with trials, hearings, evidentiary rulings, and jury instructions.

Outside the Office

J.L. enjoys international travel, ice skating, and real estate investing. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends and is committed to pro-bono legal work.