Darah McCray Okeke represents local, regional and national employers in all aspects of traditional labor and employment law. She advises and defends clients in state and federal courts and administrative agencies on various matters including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, wrongful discharge, defamation, independent contractor status, exempt/non-exempt classification and wage and hour disputes, non-competition, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure agreements, trade secret protection, employment and severance agreements, employee performance and discipline, disability accommodation, medical leave administration, personnel policies and practices, and terminations and reductions in force.
Darah regularly conducts human resources audits and confidential workplace investigations. She has trained hundreds of employees on effective management methods, EEO and anti-harassment laws, and workplace diversity and inclusion. Darah also assists clients in developing affirmative action plans and handles benefits proceedings before state unemployment agencies.
Darah is often involved in strategizing, researching and briefing for the group's most complex labor cases. She has co-chaired extensive representational proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and regularly works on collective bargaining disputes and arbitrations ranging from discharge cases to contract interpretation. Darah also drafts various documents pertaining to unionized workplaces.
Darah graduated, cum laude, from the University of Maryland School of Law, where she was an Associate Editor of the Maryland Law Review and a University of Maryland Leadership Scholar. Darah also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Marvin J. Garbis of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. In February 2007, Darah was presented with the AJ Cooper Award at Maryland Law's 32nd Annual Black Law Student Association Scholarship and Awards Banquet. She was also named among The Daily Record's 2012 "20 in Their Twenties" list of up-and-coming professionals under the age of 30.
During the summers of 2005 and 2006, Darah worked as a summer associate at Miles & Stockbridge.
Credentials
Alliance of Black Women Attorneys
American Bar Association: Labor & Employment Law Section
BLSA AJ Cooper Award Recipient, University of Maryland School of Law (2007)
Maryland State Bar Association: Section of Young Lawyers
Named among 2012 "20 in Their Twenties" by The Daily Record (2012)
Public Justice Center Board of Directors
The Women's Law Center of Maryland, 40th Anniversary Committee
Who's Who in Black Baltimore: Selected for Inclusion in the Inaugural Edition (2010)
Publications
"Conducting Internal Investigations," National Association of College and University Attorneys CLE Workshop (Co-Author) (March 2011).
"Minority Nation: The Changing Face of Workplace Discrimination Claims in an Increasingly Diverse Society," Maryland State Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law Newsletter, Volume XV, Number 3 (Summer 2010).
"Plaintiffs Face Heightened Burden In Age Discrimination Cases," Miles & Stockbridge News Brief (Co-Author) (August 2009).
"The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009," Miles & Stockbridge News Brief (Co-Author) (February 2009).
"Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act Creates New Whistleblower Protections," Miles & Stockbridge Newsbrief (Co-Author) (January 2009).
Speaking Engagements
"Workplace 2.0: New Technologies Create New Challenges," Miles & Stockbridge - Hot Topics in Employment Law (April 2012).
"Alumni Panel," University of Maryland Carey School of Law Leadership Scholars Day (Panelist) (March 2012).
"Documentation & EEO Related Claims Defense," Maryland Association of Affirmative Action Officers (Speaker) (November 2011).
"Employment & Labor Law Update," National Association of African-Americans in Human Resources, Greater Baltimore Chapter (Speaker) (November 2011).
"An Examination of Privilege: Protecting Internal Audit and Investigation Materials from Unwanted Disclosure," Miles & Stockbridge - Hot Topics in Employment Law (May 2011).
"Employment Law Update: ADA, OSHA, and More," National Multi-Housing Council Human Resources Forum (April 2011).
"Is Breaking Up Really That Hard to Do? What to Think About When Employees Are About to Go Out the Door," Miles & Stockbridge - Hot Topics in Employment Law (May 2010).
"Distinguished Alumni Panel," University of Maryland School of Law Leadership Scholars Day (panelist) (April 2010).
"Compensation Challenges in a Down Economy: Equal Pay, FLSA and Other New Developments," Maryland Association of Affirmative Action Officers (November 2009).
"Employees v. Independent Contractors," Miles & Stockbridge - Hot Topics in Employment Law (May 2008).