Lecturer Bios
Valerie Rusk, Esq.
Val Rusk brings extensive experience in business operations and as in-house counsel which influences her practice supporting employers across varied industries as “outside in-house counsel.” She leverages over 10 years as in-house employment counsel with a multinational employer to offer pragmatic, actionable, business-focused advice and representation, tailoring her services to meet the needs of employers with little to no previous employment law exposure as well as to employers with experienced in-house counsel and robust HR functions.
In addition to experience navigating the impact of employment laws and regulations such as Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, and others on day-to-day business and people decision-making, Val’s strengths include negotiating executive and talent employment and separation agreements, including restrictive covenants, drafting independent contractor and vendor agreements, advising on contingent workforce issues, conducting and overseeing highly sensitive internal investigations, and delivering practical, engaging, concise employment law training for employees and management from the perspective of both a lawyer and a people-manager.
Blaine Allen JR., Esq.
Blaine Allen brings years of experience using strategic approaches to resolving disputes for clients in the private sector. Before joining ELS, Blaine served as a litigation associate resolving disputes for business clients and defending employers in federal court. Blaine has also worked at a commercial litigation firm where he drafted motions and various pleadings for civil litigation proceedings in both federal and state court.
Blaine has experience conducting depositions, participating in settlement negotiations, and appearing for court hearings. Blaine has held roles as a legal department intern assisting with the defense of EEOC charges for a large corporation; a judicial intern for the Honorable Shondeana C. Morris of the State Court of DeKalb County; as well as a research assistant for Emory University Law Professor Aaron Kirk. While in law school, Blaine was a member of the Emory Moot Court Society and Black Law Students Association.
