Mercedes Townsend Email & Phone Number

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

•Represent private and public employees in labor and employment disputes, with an emphasis on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims. •Appear before state and federal administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), federal and state Courts, and in arbitration and mediation hearings. • Represent clients subjected to police misconduct and overdetention in Section 1983 suits against the Louisiana Department of Safety & Corrections and sheriff's offices across the state. Challenge the scope of qualified immunity and address issues of unlawful search, seizure, and arrests, use of excessive force, and violations to prisoners' constitutional rights.

Dedicated to Developments in Women's Sports Law.

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

•Drafted motions and assisted with pleadings and negotiations for systemic impact litigation, including Section 1983 litigation. •Led the firm’s Covid-related access to justice efforts, addressing reopening measures in courts across 22 parishes that create barriers to access, including: violations to the Americans with Disabilities Act, inadequate language access services under Title VI to litigants with Limited English Proficiency, reliance on technology that creates barriers for low-income litigants, and health and safety concerns that violate local, state, and federal Covid-related orders.• Worked with the firm's 8 practice area groups to identify and address systemic advocacy initiatives. • Oversaw the firm’s online community education efforts and Know Your Rights blog, garnering 1.5 million page views and contributing to a 777% growth in overall traffic to the firm's website.

•Worked with local, state, and federal partners to identify and support the workforce needs of growing New Orleans industries•Analyzed policy, training, and compliance trends of federal and state workforce development programs•Administered federal funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

•Assisted local artists and non-profit organizations in issues of copyright, trademark, business formation, non-profit registration, licensing, and other entertainment law matters•Reviewed and analyzed operating agreements, licensing requests, recording contracts, and royalty agreements

•Conducted research on ADA, Title VII, and Title IX compliance issues across all levels of sport•Contributed to the Sports Lawyers Association's annual Sports Law Review as presented at the Sports Lawyers Association's National Conference

•Researched and drafted legal memorandum on various labor and employment law questions•Analyzed and summarized documents produced in discovery for deposition preparation •Attended depositions, hearings, and other court proceedings •Researched and drafted white paper on the current and proposed pay equity laws governing Louisiana and their impact

•Assisted Tulane and NCAA staff in monitoring, investigating, and processing violations of NCAA legislation•Planned and hosted compliance trainings for the coaching staff of Tulane’s 15 athletic teams •Prepared training materials on updates to NCAA legislation for Tulane’s coaching staff

New Orleans

•Researched and drafted legal memorandum on various labor and employment law questions •Analyzed and summarized documents produced in discovery for deposition preparation•Attended depositions, hearings, and other court proceedings•Researched and drafted white paper on the current and proposed pay equity laws governing Louisiana and their impact

Bronxville, Ny

•Responsible for planning, promoting, and coordinating the Office of Student Affairs CityLinks program.•Assessed, drafted, and tracked talent contracts for hired performers.•Managed the Cora Kaye "Fairy Godmother" scholarship fund. • Helped plan and coordinate the annual Sarah Lawrence Student Leadership Awards.

Bronxville, New York

•Worked closely with the Dean of Studies, Associate Deans of Studies, and Associate Dean of Studies and Disability Services.•Directed the "Digital Data Initiative" to transfer current student files to an electronic database for Disability Services. •Compiled and tracked trends on student transfers.•Drafted academic status letters sent to undergraduate students on behalf of the Committee on Student Work.•Performed clerical responsibilities including converting course materials for use with the computer program Kurzweil and organizing student files and applications.

Bronxville, Ny

•Responsible for supervising a staff of seven Resident Advisors (RAs) with the purpose of building a positive living and learning community on campus•Developed and presented training on policy enforcement, incident report writing, and the function of federal laws such as FERPA, HIPAA, The Clery Act, and Title IX•Mediated policy, academic, and socially based conflicts•Responsible for serving as Primary On-Call staff for Student Affairs on a rotational basis

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

•Read and assessed contracts and prepared documents for counter job bids.•Filed all accounting and sales documents. •Assembled and sent sales and product packages. •Performed clerical responsibilities including answering and directing phone calls and emails to sales, accounting, and executive staff.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

•Reviewed all reflection essays turned in by students as part of conduct sanctions. •Researched and compiled data on student handbooks and campus policy enforcement of peer institutions in the SEC.•Scheduled conduct appointments with students in violation of LSU Residential Life Policies, as well as those students required to take LSU’s Ethics and Decision Making Class.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Served as a referral source for incoming students and their parents, answering questions on campus housing, on-campus community, academic opportunities and responsibilities, and campus-wide policies.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

•Lived and worked in Miller Hall, LSU’s only all-female residence hall, as part of a staff with the purpose of building a positive living and learning community.• Planned, promoted, and put on educational and community-building programs. •Served as in-hall On-Call staff on a rotational basis. Additional Involvement: Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, and Summer 2013 RA, GRD, and RLC Recruitment and Selections Team Member; Equipping Resident Assistants (ERA) Conference Delegate 2012, 2013Awards: January 2012 Star RA Award; 2011-2012 Miller Hall Shining Star Award; Fall 2012 RA of the Quarter; Spring 2013 RA of the Quarter; 2013 Staff of the Year

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Activities and Societies: Senior Articles Editor-The Sports Lawyer, Editor-in-Chief-Sports Lawyer Weekly, Sports Law Society, SBA.

Master’S Degree, Women'S History

Master’s Thesis: ‘Venus to the Hoop,’ But Not to the Bank: Gender Inequity in Professional Basketball •Interdisciplinary investigation.

Bachelor’S Degree, Humanities And Social Sciences

Activities and Societies: Dance Marathon at LSU, LSU Homecoming, Student Activities Board, Leadership LSU, LSU ResLifeBachelor of Arts.