EEOC’s Top Lawyer Bolsters Agency’s Role as Friend of the Court

Six months into her term as general counsel for the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Karla Gilbride is leveraging filing amicus briefs in hot-button employment law cases to help enhance ramped-up agency litigation efforts.

Gilbride, who filled the long-vacant EEOC general counsel role in October, told Bloomberg Law in an interview that in addition to major agency litigation priorities like enforcing Pregnant Workers Fairness Act regulations and workplace harassment guidance, “friend of the court” briefs have been key. The filings allow the EEOC to weigh in on discrimination cases in which it’s not directly involved.

The agency has used ...