Brooke Iley

Co-Chair, Labor & Employment Group, Blank Rome

Brooke Iley counsels and defends domestic and foreign corporations in all areas of employment and labor law compliance and litigation, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour class and collective actions, trade secret disputes and data protection, and alleged fiduciary breaches. She represents clients in negotiations, litigations, and arbitrations nationally in these areas.

Brooke also creates compliance, internal audit, and investigation programs to support public and private company operations, workforce management, and corporate governance. As a leader of Blank Rome’s Coronavirus Task Force, she guides clients through the range of business relaunch, operational, and privileged risk assessments. Brooke implemented a digital COVID-19 impact tracking application to help clients monitor litigation and government enforcement proceedings. She also provides industry-specific advice on matters related to the pandemic, including employee travel, privacy concerns, accommodation requests, layoffs and restructuring programs, policy and operational plans, reconfiguring physical office spaces and work arrangements, tax issues, time off and wage payments, and ongoing business continuity issues.

She is a trusted adviser to companies, providing practical and proactive risk management advice, such as drafting and negotiating key executive agreements, restrictive covenants agreements, and providing employment law knowledge during transactions related to due diligence, purchase agreements, employee transfers, and workforce management.

Brooke is ranked for her work in labor & employment matters by Chambers USA, which notes that she “has impressive experience in contentious matters, including internal investigations, lawsuits and arbitrations.” Client comments from Chambers 2021 include: “exceptionally skilled attorney, who is solution-oriented, practical and responsive,” “our experience with her is very good and she is a very professional and knowledgeable resource to us in sensitive employee matters,” “extremely thorough and responsive, “I think of her as a key team member and extension of our staff…continually available for us and has a unique way of succinctly summarizing issues and options.”

Brooke is a member of both Blank Rome’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) Teams where she routinely advises the highest level of executives and boards on ESG mandates, conducts proactive assessments, and provides strategic counsel related to DEI issues.

Brooke is also a member of Blank Rome’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Lateral Recruiting Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Strategic Plan Implementation Committee, Blank Rome’s Women Who Lead Client Mentor Program, and the D.C. Women’s Forum.