Jackie Longfellow Quoted in Article About Title VII Disparate Impact Liability

Baker Sterchi Member Jackie Longfellow is quoted in the Missouri Lawyers Media article, “EEOC takes aim at Title VII cases: What attorneys need to know about memo on disparate impact.” The article examines a recent U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel opinion addressing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s guidance on disparate impact liability under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Longfellow discusses the opinion’s potential impact on employers and future litigation. She notes that while the opinion is not legally binding and does not override existing precedent, it may provide defense counsel with additional arguments on behalf of employers, with courts ultimately determining whether the law changes through future decisions. She also advises employers to monitor developments and maintain legitimate business justifications for employment decisions.

Based in Baker Sterchi’s Kansas City office, Longfellow is a civil trial lawyer with more than 20 years of experience handling civil and employment litigation. She defends employers facing discrimination charges before local, state and federal agencies and advises businesses on workplace policies, employment agreements and compliance with employment laws. Longfellow chairs Baker Sterchi’s Employment & Labor Practice Group and serves as vice-chair of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel’s Employment Practices and Workplace Liability Section. She is licensed to practice in Missouri and Kansas.