Toll-Free: 877.716.6434
Charlottesville: 434.220.6100
Harrisonburg: 540.437.3100

Cathleen Welsh

EDUCATION:

University of Virginia School of Law

Charlottesville, Virginia
J.D., 1992

College of William and Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
B.A., 1988

ADMISSIONS:

  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia

MEMBERSHIPS:

  • Virginia State Bar
  • Virginia Bar Association
    Labor Relations
    Employment Law Section
  • West Virginia Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
    Labor and Employment Law Section
    Public Contract Law Section
  • Harrisonburg-Rockingham Bar Association

Cathleen P. Welsh 


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Harrisonburg
Phone: 540-437-3113
E-mail: cpw@lolawfirm.com
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At Lenhart Obenshain

Cathleen P. Welsh has concentrated her practice in employment law for the last nineteen years. She helps clients work through complicated employment situations including investigating employee misconduct; understanding and managing employee leaves of absence and requests for accommodation; I-9 and immigration law compliance, exempt/nonexempt classification and pay procedures; and employee discipline and termination. She has assisted clients of all sizes from small businesses not covered by most federal employment laws, to governmental employers and Fortune 500 companies. In working with clients, she gives practical cost effective answers which allow clients to determine which level of risk management best suits their organization. She is extensively involved in human resource and business organizations and is frequently asked to speak to community and professional groups on all areas of employment law.

Experience

CASE RESULTS DEPEND ON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH CASE AND DO NOT GUARANTEE OR PREDICT A SIMILAR RESULT IN ANY FUTURE CASE.

  • Advocated for numerous employers before the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, Virginia Employment Commission, Virginia Department of Labor and Industry and Virginia Human Rights Council
  • Advocated for numerous employers in charge proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  • Written Affirmative Action Plans and analyzed data for progress
  • Defended clients undergoing compliance audits with the OFCCP
  • Represented clients being investigated for wage and hour violations by the U.S. Department of Labor
  • Defended unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB
  • Represented and assisted clients being investigated for immigration law violations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
  • Represented employers in employment litigation in state and federal courts and private arbitration
  • Drafted Employment and Independent Contractor Agreements, including noncompete, nondisclosure and nonsolicitation agreements
  • Conducted HR audits reviewing documentation and practices for compliance with applicable employment laws
  • Conducted FLSA audits
  • Advised clients of legal obligations and responsibilities implicated in mass layoff and plant closing situations.
  • Drafted and revised personnel policies and employment handbooks
  • Trained hundreds of supervisors on sexual and other harassment, employment law risk management, proper interviewing, discipline and discharge, managing workers' compensation, FLSA compliance, FMLA/ & ADA compliance, employee privacy, and union avoidance strategies, among other topics.

Recognitions

  • Best Lawyers in America®
     Workers' Compensation - 2006, 2007 and 2008
     Labor & Employment and Workers' Compensation - 2009, 2010,  2011 and 2012
  • "Legal Elite," Virginia Business Magazine
     Labor/Employment - 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009  and 2010
  • "Virginia Super Lawyers," Law & Politics Magazine
     Employment & Labor - 2009, 2010 and 2011
  • BV®* Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®*

More than Lenhart Obenshain

National Society for Human Resources Management
Shenandoah Valley Chapter Society for Human Resources Management, Legislative Chair
Harrisonburg Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, President (2006), Board Member (2000-2007)
Vision 2020 Leadership Board
Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Board Member (2002-2008)
Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc., Board Member, Executive Committee
United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Board Member, Secretary





Cathleen Welsh Best Lawyers


*AV® Preeminent™ and BV® Distinguished™ are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the Bar and the Judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings fall into two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards.