Garen E. Dodge

Garen Dodge, a principal in the Washington, D.C. region office, has spent his career working side by side with clients looking to tackle the thorniest of labor and employment issues with creative solutions.

He has successfully defended employers, including Fortune 500 companies in a broad range of industries, including restaurants and retail, in matters involving privacy, discrimination, background checks, harassment, wage and hour, and occupational safety and health. His Washington, D.C. experience extends to representing clients before Congress and various federal agencies. He has testified before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and served as counsel of record in seminal U.S. Supreme Court and appellate cases as amicus curiae. Garen started his career as Attorney-Advisor for the Benefits Review Board of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Secretary.

Clients appreciate Garen’s ability to marshal his collective experience and agency relationships to think outside the box to solve their problems, offering fresh perspectives. For example, when a food service client was being investigated for its pay practices on a government contract, Garen not only defended the client in litigation but also met with congressional staff which helped turn the tide of the investigation.

As a trusted adviser, Garen assists companies in establishing workplace programs on harassment, affirmative action, and substance abuse. Additionally, he trains supervisors and employees on effective personnel policies and conducts workplace investigations.

Garen speaks frequently to industry and other groups on employment topics. He is the author (or co-author) of many publications, including the book Winning the War on Drugs: The Role of Workplace Drug Testing. He has been a guest lecturer at George Washington University School of Business, Georgetown University, and the University of Denver.