Atoyia Harris serves as special employment law counsel in the Labor and Employment Law Department, the administrative leader of Proskauer’s Discrimination, Harassment, & Title VII Practice Group, co-chair of Proskauer’s Black Lawyer Affinity Group, and member of the Women’s Alliance Steering Committee.
As a litigator with more than a decade of experience, Atoyia approaches each matter strategically to provide the best result for her clients and helps companies respond to workplace crisis situations. She has successfully defended matters on a wide variety of high-stakes and complex issues in various jurisdictions and forums at the trial and appellate levels. Atoyia utilizes her litigation experience to advise clients on ways to mitigate risks prior to litigation. She also conducts investigations and trainings on issues related to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other employment-related matters. Her practice includes counseling clients on employment and separation agreements, reductions-in-force, the WARN Act, employment policies, internal investigations, and issues arising out of social movements such as the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, and other sensitive employment issues.
Active in the legal community, Atoyia serves as an executive board member of the Young Lawyers Board for the Federal Bar Association’s New Orleans Chapter and member of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel. She previously served as the Chair of the National Defense Research Institute’s 2023 Diversity for Success Seminar, executive board member of the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society, President of the Vernon Crawford Bay Area Bar Association, and in other leadership capacities throughout her legal career.
Atoyia received her J.D. with an International Law Certification from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Atoyia served on the Moot Court Board and staff member of the Loyola Law and Technology Journal. While in law school, Atoyia interned as a law clerk for the Honorable Jay C. Zainey at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Honorable Robin Giarrusso at the Orleans Parish Civil District Court. Atoyia was also a member of the award-wining Robert F. Wagner Labor and Employment Moot Court Team.
Prior to law school, Atoyia received her Bachelor of Music in Industry Studies with emphasis in classical piano from Loyola University New Orleans and was member of the Loyola University women’s basketball team.
Education
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Loyola University New Orleans, J.D.
Member, Loyola Law and Technology Journal
Moot Court Selection Chair
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Loyola University New Orleans, B.A.
magna cum laude
Admissions & Qualifications
- Louisiana
- Alabama
Clerkships
- Orleans Parish Civil District Court - Hon. Robin M. Giarrusso
- U.S. Eastern District of Louisiana - Hon. Jay C. Zainey
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Alabama, Middle District
- U.S. District Court, Alabama, Southern District
- U.S. District Court, Louisiana, Eastern District
- U.S. District Court, Louisiana, Middle District
- U.S. District Court, Louisiana, Western District
Memberships
Defense Research Institute – The Voice of the Defense Bar
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
The Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society
New Orleans Bar Association
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
Saint Thomas More Inns of Court
A.P. Tureaud Inns of Court
Awards & Recognition
Lawyers of Color Hot List 2020 Honoree
Best Lawyers in America: One's to Watch 2021-2025
The Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, June 2019 Member of the Month
The National Black Lawyers Association, Top 40 Under 40