Rachelle S. Young, Esq., is a Partner and the Director of Litigation of The Law Firm of John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorneys at Law, pllc.
With over 15 years of employment law experience, Attorney Young’s law practice concentrates on representing federal employees on complex matters against federal agencies, including:
- Defending employees against proposed disciplinary and adverse actions in written and oral replies to deciding officials;
- Appealing unjustified adverse actions to the MSPB (Merit Systems Protection Board);
- Filing EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) complaints challenging unlawful employment discrimination, retaliation, and harassment in the workplace based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetics, and/or prior EEO activity;
- Litigating EEO claims in hearings before the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), as well as in federal district courts;
- Filing complaints of whistleblower reprisal and other prohibited personnel practices with the OSC (Office of Special Counsel) and agency Inspectors General;
- Advising and guiding employees on administrative misconduct and Congressional investigations; and
- Representing employees and applicants in security clearance and suitability proceedings.
As a passionate advocate for persons with disabilities, Ms. Young regularly prepares comprehensive reasonable accommodation requests and litigates cases against agencies failing to provide effective accommodations to otherwise qualified disabled federal employees. Ms. Young also prepares applications for disability retirement to OPM (Office of Personnel Management).
A skilled litigator, Ms. Young’s favorable development and execution of case strategies have earned her client monikers such as “a bulldog” and the “beast.” She has significant experience representing clients at various stages of litigation, including discovery, depositions, motions practice, and hearings, as well as during settlement negotiations and mediations.
She has achieved successful outcomes for her clients, including EEOC decisions finding agencies liable for discrimination and retaliation; default judgments and other sanctions against federal agencies for witness or evidence tampering, as well as procedural violations; cancellation of proposed removals and mitigation of disciplinary actions; clearing the reputation of employees from the shroud of misconduct investigations; and reasonable settlements before and even in the midst of EEOC and MSPB hearings.
Ms. Young serves on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA) and is a member of the Virginia Employment Lawyers Association (VELA). Prior to joining The Law Firm of John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorneys at Law, pllc, Ms. Young was a Partner in the federal employment practice group of Tully Rinckey PLLC in its Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Virginia offices.
Ms. Young holds a Juris Doctor from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. and dual B.S. degrees from Southern Connecticut State University, where she graduated at the top of her class. She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia and District of Columbia, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Ms. Young resides with her two daughters and English Bulldog. She serves as a board member and participant on several other non-profit and civic organizations.
