"Excellence isn't a destination. It's a process that must be continually improved." - Former NBA Coach Pat Riley, The Winner Within
Professional Experience
Ms. Settles is an experienced trial attorney who represents corporate clients and governmental entities in federal and state courts. She primarily defends private and public sector employers including boards of education and religious institutions in civil actions, including race, religious, gender and disability discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, child sex abuse, premises liability, wrongful discharge, FMLA, wage/hour, motor tort, and contract claims.
Ms. Settles manages all phases of civil litigation in federal and state courts at trial and appellate levels, including fact investigation, pre-trial discovery, extensive motions practice, settlement negotiations, witness preparation, trial advocacy and post-trial motions. She routinely represents employers in disciplinary proceedings, including termination hearings and appeals, provides counsel to executive and managerial personnel in labor and employment matters, and defends and prosecutes discrimination and relation claims before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (formerly the Maryland Commission on Human Relations).
Bar Associations
· Baltimore County Bar Association
· Maryland State Bar Association
Representative Cases
· Austin v. Howard Cnty. Bd. of Educ., et al., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 146641 (D. Md. Dec. 21, 2011)(granting summary judgment to defendant employer in race discrimination action)
· Kramer v. Bd. of Educ., Civil Action No. WMN-1:10-cv-2346 (D. Md., Nov. 8, 2011)(granting defendant employer dismissal in gender discrimination and equal pay action)
· Maupin v. Howard Cnty. Pub. Sch. Sys., No. 1:08-cv-02203-BPG (D. Md. July 15, 2010) (granting summary judgment to defendant employer in race discrimination/retaliation/state tort claims action), aff'd 420 Fed. Appx. 227 (4th Cir. Md. 2011)
· McCloud v. Adoptions Together, Inc., Baltimore City Circuit Court, Case No. 24C03006488 (Sept. 9, 2003)(granting summary judgment to defendant employer in wrongful discharge action), aff'd, Appeal No. 2009/04 (Md. App., June 26, 2006)(unreported)
· Parris v. Bd. of Educ., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 129449 (D. Md. Dec. 7, 2010); 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84074 (D. Md. July 25, 2011)(granting summary judgment in favor of defendant employer in race discrimination/retaliation action), pending (4th Cir. Record No. 11-1891)
· Tully v. Bd. of Educ., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 70582 (D. Md. June 30, 2011)(granting summary judgment in favor of defendant employer in retaliation action)
Community & Leadership Activities
· Hannah More School
- Board of Directors, 2010 - present
- Chair, Personnel Committee, 2011 - present
· Leadership - Baltimore County, Class of 2006
· Maryland Council of Local School Board Attorneys, 2003 - present
· National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys, 2003 - present
· Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, 1987 - present
- President, Mu Mu City-wide Chapter, 1987 - 1988
- Parliamentarian, Baltimore County Alumnae Chapter, 2005 - 2008
· The Links, Incorporated, 2009 - present
- Member, Patapsco River Chapter, 2009 - present
- Presenter, Youth Mentoring Workshops, 2009 - present
- Chair, Scholarship Committee, 2010 - present
· Adult & Mass Choirs, Church of the Redeemed of the Lord, 2008 - present
Additional Information
· Maryland's Top 100 Women (2009, 2012)
· Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society
· Defense Trial Lawyers Association (Defense Research Institute)
· Maryland Council of Local School Board Attorneys
· National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys
· Faculty, Maryland State Bar Association, Professionalism Course (2008 thru 2011)
· Faculty, MICPEL (The ABC's of Special Education Law) (June 2007)
· Presenter, Baltimore County Bar Association (Special Education Overview) (March 2007)
· Staff Editor, Law Forum
· Legal Writing Mentor
· Moot Court Mentor