With a background in labor and employment litigation, Catarina helps clients stay in line with employment law, especially in the midst of corporate transactions.
Catarina collaborates with clients in the healthcare, financial and manufacturing industries to help them avoid costly labor and employment litigation and personnel issues. She concentrates much of her practice on the mergers and acquisitions of companies, including asset and stock purchases, with an eye to the myriad of employment issues inherent in corporate transactions. Catarina also assists in transitioning employees as organizations change or merge, as well as in planning and implementing workforce reductions.
In addition to her guidance during mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, Catarina counsels clients on day-to-day employment matters, including standard policies and employee handbooks, employment agreements, severance agreements, terminations, retention and recruiting practices, disciplinary procedures, and requests for accommodation.
Catarina initially began her legal career as a litigator, defending clients against allegations of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wage and hour violations, as well as assisting with internal investigations and representing clients before state and federal agencies. The experience gave her an up-close view of the multitude of ways employment situations can go wrong, impressing on her the necessity of sound policies and solid proactive legal counsel. Catarina’s professional background makes her current work all the more fulfilling: she finds great satisfaction in setting clients up for success.
Alongside of her traditional labor and employment work, Catarina is the cofounder of the firm’s Workplace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practice group. A diverse professional herself, Catarina understands the immense value of employer commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Catarina and her team look at the intersection of DEIA best practices and civil rights law, providing clients with risk assessments, performing pay equity analyses, offering trainings and drafting strategic, forward-looking plans. Catarina works with clients in all stages of DEIA planning, from those who need a program built from scratch to organizations with advanced initiatives looking for fine-tuning. Her goal is always to meet clients where they are, helping them move forward to where they want to be.