Merrell B. Renaud

Merrell Renaud is an employment lawyer and commercial litigator with nearly 25 years of experience advising public and private corporations on a wide variety of employment-related matters and litigating commercial disputes.

Her clients include corporations of all sizes, with an emphasis on government contractors and IT companies.

In the employment arena, she counsels and defends clients on all aspects of employment law, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family Medical Leave Act, USERRA, restrictions against unfair competition, and claims of discrimination in violation of Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. She has represented clients in state and federal court and before administrative agencies, including the EEOC and local human rights commissions.

Merrell also helps clients comply with applicable federal and state employment laws by conducting employment audits, performing internal investigations, drafting and reviewing corporate handbooks, and providing training on various employment law topics. She also drafts employment agreements, staffing agreements, non-compete agreements and separation and release agreements.

She has broad experience in commercial and business litigation representing clients in federal and state court in Virginia and D.C. in a full range of business disputes. Prior to entering private practice, Merrell spent seven years as a trial lawyer for the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division. During her tenure with the federal government, she tried more than 20 cases in federal and state courts.

She is the author of a chapter on the Americans with Disabilities Act in Employment Law in Virginia, published by the Virginia Law Foundation.