Lorena E. Ahumada
Lorena is Of Counsel and Employment Compliance Officer to the Firm. She also is a member of the Litigation Department. Lorena practices in the areas of complex commercial litigation, employment litigation and counseling, and insurance coverage. Lorena also serves as a Judge Pro Tempore in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas’ Mandatory Settlement Program.
Lorena has extensive experience in business litigation. She also regularly counsels private and public employers on a broad range of employment and human resources issues, including compliance with civil rights and equal employment laws, hiring and firing practices, compliance with wage and hour and FMLA requirements, and racial and sexual harassment investigation practices. Lorena also drafts and reviews employment policies, handbooks, and other contracts.
Lorena is fluent in Spanish. She also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Petrese B. Tucker in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and was an associate in the employment group of a large national law firm. Before attending law school, Lorena was a political appointee at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she served as a congressional liaison in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legislation. Before joining HHS, she served in the Environment Division of the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy.
Representative Matters
- Obtained summary judgment in federal court, declaring that property & casualty insurer had no duty to defend in an underlying construction matter. Successfully defended this insurer in Third Circuit appeal of the district court’s decision.
- Successfully defended a large insurance company in a multi-million dollar bad faith action, including obtaining judgment at bench trial and affirmance on appeal.
- Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of clients in a breach of contract dispute arising from the licensing of a highly valuable investment trading model.
- Successfully represented a public agency in a high-profile lawsuit filed by the agency’s former executive director, including obtaining partial summary judgment on plaintiff’s constitutional claim, which led to a favorable settlement after five days of federal trial.
- Successfully defended various companies and municipalities against discrimination claims filed in federal courts and state and federal administrative agencies, including sexual harassment, race discrimination, age discrimination, gender discrimination, national origin harassment, Americans with Disabilities Act discrimination, and retaliation cases.
- Successfully represented a Somali national in federal appellate court proceedings to obtain asylum status.
- Successfully represented a manufacturer in federal court to obtain favorable judgment in a breach of non-competition action.
- Advised national property management company during a U.S. Department of Labor audit of the company’s wage and hour practices, which resulted in no civil penalties being assessed against the client.
- Regularly advises clients on human resources and employment law matters, including FMLA, ADA, and FLSA compliance issues; hiring and firing practices; and racial and sexual harassment investigation best practices.
Professional Associations
Member, Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania
- Past President
- Past President, Hispanic Bar Association Legal Education Fund
- Advisory Board Member
Member, Hispanic National Bar Association
- Region IV Past President
Recognition & Accomplishments
- “Top Latino Lawyer,” Latino Lawyers Magazine (2023)
- “Top Lawyer,” AL DÍA (mid-large firm category, 2021)
- Rising Star, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (2008-2013)
- Delaware Valley Most Influential Latinos, Delaware Valley Most Influential Latinos Foundation (2012)
Community Activities
- Member, Board of Directors of the William Penn Foundation
- Member, Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Health Partnership
- Member, Board of Directors of the Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha, Inc. (APM)
- Member, Board of Directors of the Defender Association of Philadelphia