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NEWS JUNE 28, 2021 ■ 13
as hospitals, airports and airlines, I do expect
that employers will strongly consider making
vaccinations a prerequisite for employment or
even continued employment. Delta Airlines, for
example, now requires all new employees to be
vaccinated against COVID.
The employees with the most compelling cases
against a vaccine mandate will be those who have
declined to receive the vaccine because of their dis-
abilities or sincerely held religious beliefs.
CLT: You also advocate on behalf of students
and faculty on issues related to gender discrimina-
tion and sexual harassment. How has the #Me Too
movement affected how employment attorneys,
like yourself, represent alleged victims of gender
discrimination and sexual harassment?
Pirrotti: The #MeToo movement presents a num-
ber of opportunities in settlement negotiations for
survivors of sexual harassment in the employment Attorney Nina Pirrotti. Courtesy photo
and university settings, given that it has raised the CLT: What’s the most rewarding part of repre-
public consciousness about the many different guis- senting alleged victims of workplace harassment
es sexual harassment can take and its devastating and or discrimination?
impact on survivors. Pirrotti: From a young age, my mission in life has
But the opportunities associated with the move- been to empower the powerless.
ment do not cease with the enhancement of In the third grade, I passed around a petition at
settlement value. The majority of my clients who are my school in response to the school’s policy permit-
survivors of sexual harassment and/or assault are ting only boys to carry the flag at assembly. When
just as interested in protecting and supporting those I was 16 and worked at a summer job as a telemar-
they leave behind in their workplace or university as keter, I arranged to meet with the vice president of
they are in seeking justice for themselves. the company to report a supervisor who treated her
In several major sexual harassment cases I’ve black employees less favorably than her white em-
settled not only was I able to exact large numbers, ployees.
but we insisted upon and obtained settlement terms As a prosecutor, I sought to partner with victims
which included the companies’ commitment to in the quest to hold their perpetrators accountable.
improve their training offerings (including live, as And now, as a plaintiff’s employment and civil rights
opposed to online, training and bystander training), lawyer—a job I would not give up even if I won the
reporting mechanisms, investigation techniques lottery—I am passionate about achieving that life-
and support and resources for the survivors. long mission with every client I represent.
CLT: How has the global pandemic, the closure It’s enormously gratifying to witness clients who
of the courts, and the lack of jury trials affected have been discriminated, harassed and or retali-
the rights of the clients you represent, if at all? ated against transform from feeling vulnerable and
Pirrotti: While my cases in litigation are not yet trapped when they first walk through my proverbial
jury ready, thus far there has not been any meaning- door to empowered and liberated when they depart.
ful impact to my practice. I am continuing to litigate One of my clients wrote a poem about my ad-
cases and have been pleasantly surprised at how ef- vocacy of her called “The Voice.” It’s on my bio
fective remote mediations and depositions can be. ■ Continued on PAGE 14

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