Jody L. Newman - Of Counsel

Jody is a tenacious and passionate advocate with a record of resolving the most entrenched and contentious employment disputes.  Jody’s experience includes representing companies and individuals, from the trades to the C-suite, in all industries. Her deep background in employment litigation, including jury trials, non-jury trials, administrative hearings, and appeals, made her an early adopter of alternative dispute resolution and collaborative law practices for the valuable closure they provide without the risks and costs of litigation.

Jody is also well-versed in helping employers avoid lawsuits by adopting best practices, including lessons learned from the #MeToo Movement. She is skilled at keeping employers abreast of the rapidly evolving laws addressing paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and pay equity, as well as, most recently, advising businesses on their COVID-19 response.

Beyond client advocacy, Jody has developed an employment-focused practice as an

independent investigator of workplace discrimination and other misconduct claims.  She has served as an instructor for human resources  professionals on conducting effective internal investigations and provides individualized workplace trainings on employment law developments, implicit bias, and contemporary sexual harassment prevention.  Colleges and universities look to Jody’s strength in conducting independent investigations in gender bias and sexual misconduct claims under Title IX. She is certified to conduct Title IV investigations and serves on a panel of neutral investigators and adjudicators for Harvard Law School.

Prior Experience & Education

Jody began her career more than 35 years ago with Boston litigation firm Collora LLP, serving as Managing Partner from 2007 to 2012 prior to the firm’s merger with Hogan Lovells US, LLP.  Jody received her J.D. cum laude from Suffolk University Law School and her B.A. cum laude from the University of Delaware.  

Jody lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with her spouse who is also a lawyer, and her daughter, a recent college graduate who chose science over law and is working at a local hospital laboratory.

Associations and Community Involvement

Jody is an active member of various nonprofit organizations, devoting significant time to support their missions.  She has served on the Boards of Directors of Lawyers for Civil Rights, the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.  She has also served on the Women's Network Advisory Board of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and as Boston Chapter Co-Chair of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum.