Vedder

Labor and Employment

Amy Bess helps employers manage sensitive workplace issues, comply with employment laws and regulations, and resolve disputes before they escalate. Drawing on more than three decades of experience, she works closely with employers of all sizes to minimize litigation and cultural risk.

Known for her thoughtful, business-oriented approach, Amy guides organizations toward employment decisions that are well-documented and legally sound. Clients rely on her expertise and years of experience to help them navigate difficult employment challenges, negotiate solutions, conduct internal investigations and develop strategies and policies for creating fair and compliant workplaces. She often counsels managers and business leaders facing challenging performance, discipline or termination conversations, including by drafting scripts to ensure clear communication and avoid costly missteps.

With decades of first-chair litigation experience, Amy helps clients manage and document employment decisions in a proactive manner with an eye toward placing the client in the strongest possible position to defend future litigation, while at the same time helping clients favorably resolve matters short of litigation.. In addition, Amy regularly advises senior executives in transition, helping them navigate contractual obligations and maximize professional opportunities moving forward.

Before becoming a lawyer, Amy trained and practiced as a social worker. She credits this experience with shaping how she listens, questions and skillfully navigates emotionally-charged workplace dynamics. Her ability to uncover what drives workplace behavior – and to use that insight to craft creative solutions that satisfy competing interests – allows clients to arrive at resolutions that support both legal compliance and business goals.

Member, American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section

Member, District of Columbia Bar, Labor and Employment Section

Chair, District of Columbia Bar Pro Bono Committee

Board Member, Women’s Bar Association Foundation of the District of Columbia

Member, Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia (served three-year elected term on Board of Directors)

Board Member and General Counsel, Everybody Wins! DC (children’s literacy nonprofit organization)

Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1987

Illinois State University, B.S., 1982, summa cum laude