Marla focuses her practice on representing employers in complex wage and hour disputes, class and collective actions, and discrimination claims under Title VII, the ADEA, the ADA, and state tort theories. She has a strong record of success, having prevailed in trials before juries and judges in both state and federal courts, and securing favorable outcomes in appeals before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the West Virginia Supreme Court, and various appellate courts in Pennsylvania.
Beyond litigation, Marla provides ongoing counsel to employer clients by reviewing and revising employee policies, advising on termination decisions, and conducting human resource and wage audits. She also has extensive experience drafting a variety of employment agreements and regularly delivers comprehensive training to managers and supervisors on all facets of employment law, including supervisory skills, sexual harassment prevention, investigation procedures, and leave management.
In addition to representing employers in the retail, restaurant, and service industries, institutions of higher education seek Marla's assistance with third-party investigations, guiding universities through Title IX compliance, developing comprehensive Title IX/Sexual Violence policies and procedures, and training responsible persons, investigators, and hearing panels.
Prior to joining the firm, Marla was the office managing principal of the Pittsburgh office of a national law firm where she co-chaired the women’s initiative and served as a core member of the Trial and Higher Education Group. She is active in several volunteer roles in the Pittsburgh community and is a former professor of Legal Research and Writing at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law.
Marla earned her B.A. from the University of Mount Union and her J.D. from the Duquesne University School of Law, where she was recognized with the Lynette Norton Award for excellence in trial advocacy.