Michelle D. Craig

Michelle D. Craig is the founder and owner of Transcendent Law Group. Michelle has over 17 years of Am200 law firm experience. In her practice she facilitates effective negotiation, mediation, and resolution of legal matters for small to large companies in the areas of litigation, labor and employment, economic development, transactions, and Charter Schools.

Michelle incorporates project management and process improvement throughout her cases. To assist small- and medium-sized firms in their process improvement, she created and built Prosquire, a legal project management software.

Michelle began her legal career at Jones Walker, where she worked in the Baton Rouge, LA and Houston, TX offices from 2002 until 2007. In 2007, she became an Associate at Adams and Reese LLP, and in 2010, she became the first African-American Female Partner in the New Orleans office.

Michelle’s experience includes litigating state and federal cases involving Title VII discrimination cases, FLSA, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and Equal Pay Act claims and all forms of employment matters – which include drafting EEOC position statements and defending companies and organizations in administrative procedures before state and federal agencies; participating in proactive management and human resources guidance and counseling; preparing policies and procedures for employers; drafting and defending employment documents including employment handbooks, severance agreements, confidentiality and non-compete agreements, non-solicitation agreements, employment agreements; defending Wage and Hour investigations; counseling employers on the proper classification of employees under FLSA; and successfully handling all facets of labor and employment litigation, training, and counseling.

Michelle has worked for many years with various educational institutions, including charter schools with students ranging from Pre-K to High School, boards, school oversight committees, as well as both public and private universities. She has been heavily involved in the charter school movement here in Louisiana, and frequently speaks on issues related to school administration, school policy, and education law. Transcendent Legal has represented and/or consulted with a variety of charter schools and school boards in the area. We work tirelessly to ensure these organizations maintain compliance with applicable laws, policies, and procedures.

In her work for startups and entrepreneurs, Michelle advises on a variety of issues such as: incorporation and formation, partnership and operating agreements, by-laws, buy-sell agreements, business planning, employment matters, intellectual property issues, drafting and advising contracts and contract disputes, as well as day-to-day guidance.

In her spare time she is an avid reader, loves art and artistic people, and she enjoys traveling internationally.