Naima Farrell is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. She is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment and Litigation Departments.
Naima has represented clients in a wide range of employment litigation matters, including cases involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour violations. Naima has significant experience in defending against employment-related class and collective actions. She has represented employers in federal district and appellate courts across the country, as well as in arbitration and mediation, and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other federal and state employment agencies. Most recently, Best Lawyers in America© has recognized Naima as “One to Watch” in Appellate Practice (2023).
Recent representative litigation matters include:
- Obtained dismissal of a putative wage-and-hour class and collective action for a major retailer; then secured affirmance in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
- Secured a complete defense victory on a former employee’s allegations of age discrimination following a five-day arbitration in Washington, D.C.
- Successfully defended a global company against novel, wide-ranging claims of age discrimination in social media advertising.
- Won a motion to compel individual arbitration in a putative wage-and-hour class and collective action on behalf of a large technology company.
- Secured decertification of a large disability discrimination class action before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
- Defeated two attempts at class certification in a 31-plaintiff sexual harassment lawsuit.
- Represented an employer in a high-stakes breach of contract and trade secrets dispute with a former executive, which settled favorably after a three-week arbitration.
In addition to her litigation experience, Naima often advises clients on employment-related issues ranging from sensitive personnel decisions to employee classification; conducts pre-litigation investigations of employment-related claims; and assists clients in drafting and reviewing employment agreements and policies.
Naima also has a vibrant pro bono practice, with a particular focus on immigration issues and constitutional challenges. Naima previously served on the Legal Advisory Committee for the Amica Center and was named to their Pro Bono Honor Roll in recognition of her work on behalf a young victim of human trafficking.
Recent representative pro bono matters include:
- Successfully briefed and argued a motion for preliminary injunction in a lawsuit asserting constitutional claims on behalf of immigrants detained at Farmville Detention Center during a massive and lethal COVID-19 outbreak.
- Submitted an amicus brief on behalf of an immigrant advocacy organization in an appeal challenging the government’s termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) program.
- Represented a young man from El Salvador seeking immigration relief before the Board of Immigration Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
- Obtained a visa for victims of human trafficking for a young woman from Honduras.
- Represented a local non-profit organization in response to a confidential inquiry by D.C. Office of the Attorney General.
Before joining the firm, Naima served as a law clerk to the Honorable O. Rogeriee Thompson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She received her law degree magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2013, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as an articles editor of the Georgetown Journal of International Law. She also worked as a student attorney in Georgetown’s Center for Applied Legal Studies, where she successfully represented a client seeking asylum, and interned for the Public Defender Service of the District of Columbia.
Prior to practicing law, Naima served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bénin. She graduated from Yale University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Ethics, Politics, and Economics.
Naima is a member of the Massachusetts and the District of Columbia bars. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fourth, Eighth, and Ninth Circuits, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia, the District of Colorado, and the Eastern District of Michigan. She is a member of the firm’s Global Pro Bono Committee.
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- Georgetown University - 2013 Juris Doctor
- Yale University - 2007 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- District of Columbia Bar
- Massachusetts Bar
Clerkships:
- US Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit, Hon. O. Rogeriee Thompson, 2013 - 2014