Atoyia Harris is special employment law counsel in the Labor and Employment Department and serves as the Administrative Leader of the Discrimination, Harassment, & Title VII Practice Group. With bench trial, jury trial, and administrative hearing experience, Atoyia approaches each matter strategically to provide the best result for her clients. She has successfully defended matters on a wide variety of complex issues.
Atoyia advises and defends clients, and conducts investigations and trainings on issues related to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other employment-related matters. Her practice also includes counseling clients on reductions-in-force, Covid-19 related matters, issues arising out of social movements including Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, and other sensitive employment issues.
Atoyia is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Black Lawyer Affinity Group, serves as a member of the Firm’s Associate Council, and is on the Proskauer Women’s Alliance Steering Committee.
Active in the New Orleans legal community, Atoyia is an executive board member of the Young Lawyers Board for the Federal Bar Association’s New Orleans Chapter and other organizations. She was also appointed as the Chair of the National Defense Research Institute’s 2023 Diversity for Success Seminar.
Atoyia received her J.D. with an International Law Certification from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Atoyia served as the Moot Court Selection Chair and staff member of the Loyola Law and Technology Journal. While in law school, Atoyia interned as a law clerk for the Honorable Jay C. Zainey at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Honorable Robin Giarrusso at the Orleans Parish Civil District Court. Atoyia was also a member of the award-wining Robert F. Wagner Labor and Employment Moot Court Team.
Prior to law school, Atoyia received her Bachelor of Music in Industry Studies with emphasis in classical piano from Loyola University New Orleans and was member of the Loyola University women’s basketball team.
Education
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Loyola University New Orleans, J.D.
Member, Loyola Law and Technology Journal
Moot Court Selection Chair
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Loyola University New Orleans, B.A.
magna cum laude
Admissions & Qualifications
- Louisiana
- Alabama
Clerkships
- Orleans Parish Civil District Court - Hon. Robin M. Giarrusso
- U.S. Eastern District of Louisiana - Hon. Jay C. Zainey
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Alabama, Middle District
- U.S. District Court, Alabama, Southern District
- U.S. District Court, Louisiana, Eastern District
- U.S. District Court, Louisiana, Middle District
- U.S. District Court, Louisiana, Western District
Memberships
Defense Research Institute – The Voice of the Defense Bar
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
The Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society
New Orleans Bar Association
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
Saint Thomas More Inns of Court
A.P. Tureaud Inns of Court
Awards & Recognition
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Lawyers of Color Hot List 2020 Honoree |
Best Lawyers in America: One's to Watch 2021-2023
The Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, June 2019 Member of the Month
The National Black Lawyers Association, Top 40 Under 40