Dedra S. Curteman

Dedra S. Curteman is of counsel in the Washington, D.C. Region office of Jackson Lewis P.C. As a former Assistant United States Attorney who represented the government in employment disputes, Dedra knows that workplace conflicts involve people and so naturally present complex factual scenarios. She relishes the opportunity to distill intricate patterns for all fact finders to develop persuasive, unassailable arguments leading to optimal outcomes for employers.

Dedra has argued over one hundred cases in various courts and served as first and second chair in federal jury and bench trials and leverages this diversified litigation experience to develop advice and litigation solutions for any workplace conflict. In a recent three-year period, she won eight motions to dismiss and summary judgment in employment discrimination and/or retaliation cases for eight different clients. Dedra uses her courtroom experience to develop strong defenses through proactive compliance. Critical now is the experience she brings to government contractors at risk for alleged FCA violations. While Dedra is not shy about taking a case to trial, she is equally eager to help employers pursue their best defenses early on in litigation and utilizes her successful litigation experiences to proactively counsel employers on avoidance strategies. 

Having grown up in a small town in the middle of Kansas, “where everybody knows your name,” Dedra is a self-described extrovert who enjoys connecting people—and developing relationships with clients. Clerking for a federal district judge in her home state of Kansas, Dedra was drawn to workplace law as she became interested and immersed in the specific facts that seem to underlie every employment dispute. Since then, her passion for practicing employment law has grown, marrying her affinity to relate to people—and the human aspect of the practice – with the opportunity of getting to know a business, its stakeholders and the employees that make them successful.

Following law school, Dedra clerked for The Honorable J. Thomas Marten (ret.), in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. She also served as the Articles Editor for the North Carolina Journal of International Law & Commercial Regulation.

Though Dedra considers the Washington D.C. metro region her home, she has a soft spot for her first home state of Kansas and its wide-open spaces.  She lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband, her teenage son, and her two Boston Terriers. 

Representative Experience:

• First chair in defense of Title VII race and sex discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment claims involving $8.77 million in alleged damages, resulting in a complete win on all counts in a jury verdict returned in less than two hours.
• Senior counsel and second chair in defense of Title VII sex discrimination claims in a non-selection case, resulting in a complete defense verdict obtained after one hour of jury deliberation.
• Obtained summary judgment on Age Discrimination in Employment Act and retaliation claims in case involving an agent employed by a national security agency who was subject to a mobility agreement.
• Prevailed on summary judgment for the defense on all race and sex Title VII employment discrimination claims and Age Discrimination in Employment Act claims in a non-selection case and achieved the district court's rejection of the plaintiff’s statistical evidence.

Honors and Recognitions

• United States Department of Justice, "Team Award" (2024)
• United States Department of Justice, "Civil Division, Comradery & Support Award" (2024)
• United States Department of Justice, "Special Achievement Award" (2022-2023)

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• Gonzaga College High School Mother's Club, Gala Co-Chair