With early in-house experience under her belt, Kierra assists clients with labor and employment matters.
Kierra has extensive experience in employment law, complex commercial litigation, and general liability. Her experience in the area of employment law is deep and covers virtually all disputes that arise in the employment context, including litigation concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), discrimination claims under Title VII, and workers’ compensation retaliation claims. Kierra’s broad knowledge of the litigation process helps clients develop strategies that achieve underlying business goals in the most efficient manner possible. She routinely handles matters for a wide range of organizations, including healthcare providers, institutions of higher education, school districts, public utilities, and a variety of private businesses.
In addition to her litigation practice, Kierra 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.
Before joining Husch Blackwell, Kierra served as a judicial law clerk for an Article III judge in the Western District of Missouri. During her clerkship, she gained firsthand insight into the inner workings of the federal court system. Kierra was responsible for drafting judicial orders and opinions, performing in-depth legal research, and analyzing complex legal issues. She also assisted with courtroom proceedings and gained trial experience. Kierra now draws on this experience to skillfully represent clients in all stages of civil litigation, from pre-trial motions to trial preparation and beyond.
Additionally, early in her career, Kierra was seconded to a large, privately held automotive company, where she drafted, negotiated, and reviewed contracts; assessed marketing materials and ensured compliance with legal regulations; and handled customer complaints received from third party entities. This experience taught her how to operate in the most efficient, cost-effective manner—and how important these considerations were to in-house counsel. She also saw firsthand the value of taking preventative steps to avoid future litigation, a lesson she applies daily to her labor and employment advice.