Renea routinely assists employers with various employment law matters, including drafting, revising, and enforcing their employee manuals, non-compete/non-solicitation agreements, and employment contracts. Renea also provides advice and on-site training for her clients on the topics of preventing harassment and discrimination in the workplace, wage/hour compliance, leave laws, performance reviews and hiring/firing. Renea regularly appears before federal and state courts and defends employers against claims of harassment and discrimination. She also defends clients against wage/hour claims. Renea represents employers in agency audits and investigations, including, but not limited to, those performed by the EEOC, Washington State Human Rights Commission, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

In addition to her representation of employers, Renea also represents businesses in various contract disputes.  Renea is also an approved arbitrator for matters subject to mandatory arbitration pending before the Washington courts located in Pierce county and FINRA.  She also serves as a volunteer mediator for Alaska’s Third Judicial District Court and the EEOC.

Presentations

• "Privacy Issues in the Workplace: What an Employer Can and Cannot Do in the Age of Social Media, Text Messaging and Smart Phones," OMRB Alaska Construction Law and Government Contracting Seminar (2012)
• “Fundamentals of Employment Law,” Client Seminar (2011)
• "Employment Law: Are Independent Contractors Your Company’s Ticking Time Bomb?" OMRB Law and Government Contracting Seminar (2011)
• "Ten Most Common Legal Pitfalls for Women Business Owners," Women's Business Solutions Group of Alaska - Empowering Businesswomen Lecture Series (March 2011)
• Business Risk Management Panel, Master Builders Assocation Professional Women in Building Conference, Seattle WA (2010)
• “FMLA Recordkeeping Requirements,” Lorman Legal Seminar (2010)
• "E Verify and Form I-9 Compliance for Federal Contractors," CFMA (2009)
• "Understanding Washington Leave Laws"
• "The Multicultural Workplace & The Legal Impacts Of The Same," KCBA Employment Law Section (2009)
• "Identifying and Preventing Sexual Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace," NAWIC (2009)

Publications

• Independent Contractors: Ticking Time Bombs?  (Construction Executive Magazine, December 2011)
• Breast-Feeding & the Workplace (Seattle Woman Magazine, October-November 2011)
• Medical Marijuana Laws vs. the Drug-Free Work Place: Can the Two Co-Exist? (Seattle Business Magazine Online, September 2011)
• Quoted: Employers Won't Tell Fired Worker the Reason for Sudden Dismissal (Anchorage Daily News, August 2011)
• Quoted: Boards not above the laws (TriCity Herald, August 2011)
• Are Independent Co ntractors Your Company's Ticking Time Bomb? Be sure you understand State and federal laws (Alaska Business Monthly, March 2011)
• Ten Things Employers Should Consider in 2010
• E-Verify or Face the Consequences - Checking out eligibility of employees fast and easy (Alaska Business Monthly, February 2010)
• Make Sure to E-Verify on Federal Contracts (Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, October 22, 2009)
• Commuting On The Company's Dime
• Think Your Financial Institution Can Dismiss Its Officers?
• Employers: Are your Shredders Humming?
• Update on Washington's Law Against Discrimination
• Think Your Noncompete Agreements Are Ironclad?
• Taking the Legal Temperature of Your Business (Seattle Woman Magazine, 2008)
  
• Oles Morrison Employment Law Update Archives
  
  September 2010: Employer reporting Requirements & September Deadlines
  Federal Contractors Are Your NLRA Posters Up?
  The Next EEO-1 Reporting Deadline Is Just Around The Corner
  Comments Regarding Contractors' Affirmative Action Obligations Due September 21, 2010
  Reminder:  VETS 100 and VETS 100A Reports Are Due September 30th
  
  February 2010: Ten Things Employers Should Consider As They Settle Into 2010
  COBRA Premium Subsidy Extended
  Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)
  H1N1 Policy
  I-9  & W-4 Forms
  Increase In Alaska's Minimum Wage  
  Job Descriptions
  OSHA Posting Period
  FMLA - Military Members & Their Families
  Social Media - Texting, Twitter, Facebook & MySpace
  Work Opportunity Tax Credits

Professional and Civic Involvement

Alaska Women Lawyers, Member (2011‑present)
Washington Women Lawyers, Member (2005 – present)
Society of Human Resources Managers, Alaska Chapter Member (2009 – present)
YWCA of Alaska, Board Member (2011‑present)
Thread Alaska, Advisory Board Committee Member (2012-present)
Washington Defense Trial Lawyers, Member (2008-present)
University of Washington Alumni Association, Alaska Chapter President (2010‑present)
Washington State Bar Association Diversity Committee (2007 – 2009)
Dress for Success Seattle, Community Advisory Board (2006 – 2009)
CityClub, Seattle Chapter, Member (2006 – 2009)

Courts

Alaska State Courts
U.S. District Court, District of Alaska
Massachusetts State Courts
U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
Washington State Courts
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Education

J.D., Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, MA, 1999
B.A., University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 1996