Kelly Ann Bird

Practice Areas

Ms. Bird counsels employers on employment and human resources issues; presents workplace training programs on topics essential to the workplace or employees’ particular positions; conducts and assists in investigations into allegations of misconduct involving Title VII, Title IX, and state laws, as well as workplace and student codes of conduct and policies; develops and implements employment policies, procedures, handbooks, and contracts; responds to government agency charges, investigations, and audits; and litigates as necessary in these areas. Her clients range from small, family-owned businesses, hospitals, and higher education institutions to regional based companies with thousands of employees, representing them in proceedings in federal and state courts and state and federal civil rights agencies, as well as arbitrations and mediations.

Her practice includes:

—Developing, drafting, and assisting in implementation of employment policies, procedures, handbooks, and contracts

—Providing advice on equal employment, hiring, performance management, termination, and leave issues

—Presenting workplace training on a variety of topics

—Conducting and advising on workplace and Title IX investigations and responses to employee and student complaints

—Responding to government agency charges, investigations and audits, including by the EEOC, state civil rights agencies, and the OFCCP

—Defending management in litigation relating to discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, wrongful discharge, tort, and contract claims

—Representing individual officers, directors, and employees who have been sued personally for discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, and related tort and contract claims

—Advising clients on labor matters and supporting clients in defending labor arbitrations, unfair labor practice charges, and union organizing campaigns

Focus Areas

Employment Counseling and Training: As leader of the Gibbons Workplace Training Academy, Ms. Bird provides counseling services to help every client create a legally compliant workplace and a more productive and efficient workforce. She advises employers on employment and human resources issues and also trains employees on topics essential to the workplace or their particular positions. For example, Ms. Bird’s recent training sessions included a performance management program for a small team of supervisory employees, as well as company-wide anti-harassment training, using our national conversation about sex harassment as a means to engage employees in scrutiny of their own interactions.

Education

Ms. Bird earned her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law (1991-1995), her M.A.T. from the University of Virginia (1988-1989), and her B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross (1984-1988).

Honors & Awards

In addition to Chambers USA, Ms. Bird is listed as a leading labor and employment lawyer by New Jersey Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers®, which named her the Woodbridge, NJ area 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation – Labor and Employment. She was named one of New Jersey’s “Best 50 Women in Business” by NJBIZ in 2020.