People: Minh N. Vu, Partner
Biography
Ms. Vu is a partner in the Labor and Employment department in the firm's Washington, D.C. office and the leader of the Firm’s ADA Title III Specialty Practice Team. She is also one of the leading disability law attorneys in the country. Ms. Vu recently authored the “ADA Guide for Lodging Owners and Operators,” the first book of its kind published by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
After many years of litigating cases at all levels of the federal judicial system and before state and federal agencies, Ms. Vu joined the U.S. Department of Justice where she served as Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. In that position, Ms. Vu oversaw the enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the Rehabilitation Act, as well as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. She also represented the Department of Justice on the U.S. Access Board, the federal agency charged with creating accessibility guidelines for public accommodations and commercial facilities.
Since returning to the private sector in 2004, Ms. Vu has handled a variety of complex disability discrimination matters involving public accommodations throughout the United States. Ms. Vu has successfully defended public accommodations (e.g. hotels, retailers,, restaurants, banks, and health care facilities) in a broad range of accessibility lawsuits under Title III of the ADA and similar state laws involving architectural as well as operational barriers to access. In one nationwide ADA accessibility lawsuit against a national hotel company, Ms. Vu successfully narrowed the scope of the lawsuit from more than 2800 hotels to four on a motion to dismiss. Ms. Vu also successfully obtained the complete dismissal of thirteen consolidated ADA lawsuits against a national retailer before any discovery took place.
Ms. Vu also represents companies under investigation by The Department of Justice for alleged violations of Title III of the ADA and FHA and has successfully negotiated a number of settlements and consent decrees with the Department on behalf of many companies, including leaders in the hospitality and banking industry. Ms. Vu also serves as ADA counsel to the nation's top lodging trade association and represents the lodging industry and other stakeholders in rulemaking proceedings under Title III of the ADA.
Ms. Vu’s practice includes advising clients on the requirements of the ADA and other disability laws and creating compliance policies and training programs. The country's top retailers, banks, hospitality companies, car rental companies, casinos, and equipment manufacturers have retained Ms. Vu to guide them on cutting edge disability issues such as the new 2010 ADA Title III regulations, accessible point of sale devices and equipment, hotel reservations processes, ATMs, and accessible websites. Ms. Vu also advises real estate developers, builders and architects on the design and construction requirements of the FHA for multifamily dwellings, and defends lawsuits and government investigations based on such requirements.
Ms. Vu also has extensive experience defending employers against lawsuits and government investigations brought under various anti-discrimination laws such as the ADA, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the D.C. Human Rights Act, as well as the FMLA. Ms. Vu advises employers on all aspects of the employment relationship, including employment agreements, non-competition/solicitation agreements, personnel policies and procedures, personnel actions, family and medical leave, illegal discrimination, and harassment.
Ms. Vu is a partner in the Labor and Employment department in the firm's Washington, D.C. office and the leader of the Firm’s ADA Title III Specialty Practice Team. She is also one of the leading disability law attorneys in the country. Ms. Vu recently authored the “ADA Guide for Lodging Owners and Operators,” the first book of its kind published by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
After many years of litigating cases at all levels of the federal judicial system and before state and federal agencies, Ms. Vu joined the U.S. Department of Justice where she served as Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. In that position, Ms. Vu oversaw the enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the Rehabilitation Act, as well as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. She also represented the Department of Justice on the U.S. Access Board, the federal agency charged with creating accessibility guidelines for public accommodations and commercial facilities.
Since returning to the private sector in 2004, Ms. Vu has handled a variety of complex disability discrimination matters involving public accommodations throughout the United States. Ms. Vu has successfully defended public accommodations (e.g. hotels, retailers,, restaurants, banks, and health care facilities) in a broad range of accessibility lawsuits under Title III of the ADA and similar state laws involving architectural as well as operational barriers to access. In one nationwide ADA accessibility lawsuit against a national hotel company, Ms. Vu successfully narrowed the scope of the lawsuit from more than 2800 hotels to four on a motion to dismiss. Ms. Vu also successfully obtained the complete dismissal of thirteen consolidated ADA lawsuits against a national retailer before any discovery took place.
Ms. Vu also represents companies under investigation by The Department of Justice for alleged violations of Title III of the ADA and FHA and has successfully negotiated a number of settlements and consent decrees with the Department on behalf of many companies, including leaders in the hospitality and banking industry. Ms. Vu also serves as ADA counsel to the nation's top lodging trade association and represents the lodging industry and other stakeholders in rulemaking proceedings under Title III of the ADA.
Ms. Vu’s practice includes advising clients on the requirements of the ADA and other disability laws and creating compliance policies and training programs. The country's top retailers, banks, hospitality companies, car rental companies, casinos, and equipment manufacturers have retained Ms. Vu to guide them on cutting edge disability issues such as the new 2010 ADA Title III regulations, accessible point of sale devices and equipment, hotel reservations processes, ATMs, and accessible websites. Ms. Vu also advises real estate developers, builders and architects on the design and construction requirements of the FHA for multifamily dwellings, and defends lawsuits and government investigations based on such requirements.
Ms. Vu also has extensive experience defending employers against lawsuits and government investigations brought under various anti-discrimination laws such as the ADA, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the D.C. Human Rights Act, as well as the FMLA. Ms. Vu advises employers on all aspects of the employment relationship, including employment agreements, non-competition/solicitation agreements, personnel policies and procedures, personnel actions, family and medical leave, illegal discrimination, and harassment.
Education
-
J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School (1993)
with honors - B.A., Columbia College (1989)
Admissions
- District Of Columbia
- Virginia
Courts
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
