Milena Radovic

Milena Radovic is an associate in the Norfolk, Virginia, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Her practice focuses exclusively on assisting employers with workplace issues from defending them in litigation to providing day-to-day advice and counseling to conducting internal investigations.

From responding to demand letters, to drafting position statements for claims and charges pending before federal, state, and local administrative agencies, to defending against claims brought in arbitrations, federal and state courts, Milena assists employers with every aspect of litigation. Whether an employee brings a claim under a federal or state statue (such as, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, Virginia Human Rights Act, Virginians with Disabilities Act, Virginia Wage Payment Act, Virginia Minimum Wage Act, Virginia Whistleblower Protection Law), a common law tort (such as, assault and battery, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, negligent hiring and retention, defamation, tortious interference, breach of a duty, misappropriation of trade secrets), or breach of contract, Milena has extensive experience litigating against these claims. Milena also helps employers navigate labor law issues, including organization campaigns, collective bargaining agreements, grievance arbitrations, and unfair labor practice charges. Milena regularly assists clients with garnishments issues, advising clients on how to respond to garnishment summons, preparing answers to garnishments, and negotiating settlements related to show causes issued and judgments entered for failure to answer garnishments.

In addition to her litigation practice, Milena provides employers with day-to-day advice and counseling, including answering questions and creating strategies to address employee discipline and termination, performance management, complaints of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, accommodations requests for sincerely-held religious beliefs, disabilities, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, and lactation, leave requests under the Family Medical Leave Act and various state laws, minimum wage and overtime compliance, employee misclassification, and reductions-in-force. Milena also works with employers by drafting, reviewing, and revising employee handbooks, policies, job description, disciplinary action notices, compensation plans, and agreement, including employment, confidentiality, non-compete, and non-solicitation, for compliance with federal, state, and local law. To maximize the effectiveness of workplace policies, procedures, and practices, Milena also regularly provides workplace training, virtually and in-person, on a wide variety of topics, including DEI, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, and leave and accommodation. As a part of her practice, Milena also assists employers by responding to personnel file requests and conducting internal investigations, culture surveys, and audits.

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Milena was a prosecutor in the Office of the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney. She now uses her prosecution experience to guide employers through criminal issues, investigations, and prosecutions, including understanding the results of background check, addressing crimes in the workplace, such as embezzlement and acts of violence, obtaining protective orders, facilitating communications with police departments and prosecutor’s offices, and conducting internal investigations.

Milena’s love and passion for labor and employment law started in law school when she took Labor Law, Employment Law, Comparative Employment Law, and ADR in the Workplace. While in law school, Milena externed for the Employment Unit of the Virginia Office of the Attorney General and was a teaching assistant for Appellate Advocacy. Milena was also a research assistant for Professor Ann C. Hodges, and assisted her in the drafting of Public Sector Employment: Cases and Materials, (West 3d ed. 2016) and Modernizing Disability Income for Cancer Survivors, 35 Hofstra Lab. & Emp. L.J. 2  (Spring 2018). During law school, Milena also served as a manuscript editor of the Richmond Journal of Law and Technology. As a member of the University of Richmond School of Law Trial Advocacy Board, Milena competed and finished as an advancing finalist in the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association’s Trial Advocacy Tournament and regional runner-up in the American Association for Justice’s Regional Trial Advocacy Tournament. Milena received the Pro Bono Certificate from the Harry L. Carrico Center for Pro Bono & Public Service for performing more than 120 hours of pro bono service.

Honors and Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Ones to Watch: Labor and Employment Law – Management" and "Ones to Watch: Litigation – Labor and Employment” (2024-present)
• Virginia Super Lawyers®, “Rising Stars” (2023-present)
• Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach, League Leadership Award (2020)
• CoVaBiz Magazine, Millennials on the Move (now known as NEXTGen Awards) (2020)
• Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Member of the Year Award (2022)

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach
  • New Member Class (August 2018 - May 2019)
  • Chair Elect of Women's Initiative Committee (June 2019 - May 2020)
  • Vice President of Community Council, (June 2020 - May 2022)
  • New Member Mentor, (June 2022 - present)
• Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources Management
  • Director of Publicity (January 2019 – December 2020)
  • Director of Legal Affairs (January 2021 – December 2022)
  • Director of Programming (January 2023 – present)
• Hampton Roads Chamber, Lead757 (Class of 2022)
  • tHRive | Young Professionals of the Hampton Roads Chamber

Speeches

• “#MyEmployer: Let the Games Begin,” Hampton Roads Chamber (November 2022)
• “The Impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ’22 rulings on Employment Law and Other Recent Developments Impacting the Workplace,” Hampton Roads Chamber (September 2022)
• “Let’s Not Sugarcoat It – Effective Employee Performance Management,” Hampton Roads Chamber (May 2022)
• “Welcome to the New Normal: The Workplace in 2022,” Hampton Roads Chamber (March 2022)
• “What’s New in ’22? Employment Law Update,” Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources Management (February 2022)
• “Updating Your Handbook to Comply with the Recent Onslaught of State and Federal Changes,” Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources Management (November 2021)
• “TikTok: The Game Doesn’t Stop,” Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources Management (September 2021)
• “Top Ten Employment Law Mistake of Nonprofits,” Academy for Nonprofit Excellence (December 2020)
• “The High Cost of Wage & Hour Issues: Navigating Virginia’s Wage and Hour Laws,” Academy for Nonprofit Excellence (December 2020)
• “Innocent Until Proven Guilty: When Employment Law Becomes Criminal,” Academy for Nonprofit Excellence (December 2020)
• “Innocent Until Proven Guilty: When Employment Law Becomes Criminal,” Hampton Roads Chamber (November 2020)
• “Innocent Until Proven Guilty: When Employment Law Becomes Criminal,” Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources Management (November 2020)
• "Is Virginia the New California? A Review of Recent Virginia Legislation Changing the Landscape for Employers in 2020,” Academy for Nonprofit Excellence (June 2020)
• “Reopening & Re-imagining the Workplace Series: COVID-19 Employment Considerations,” Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources Management (June 2020)
• "Is Virginia the New California? A Review of Recent Virginia Legislation Changing the Landscape for Employers in 2020,” Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources Management (May 2020);
• "Working Through a Pandemic: The Impact of Coronavirus on Employment Law,” Academy for Nonprofit Excellence (April 2020)
• “Wage & Hour Mistakes You Never Knew You Were Making,” Virginia Association of School Personnel Administrators (March 2020;
• “Minding the Gap: The Difference Between Title VII and Title IX,” Virginia Association of School Personnel Administrators (March 2020)
• “A Critical Look at Your Employee Handbook: Are you in Compliance?,” Hampton Roads Chamber (February 2020)
• “Sourcing Talent in a Competitive Market,” Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources Management (November 2019)
• “Wage & Hour Mistakes You Never Knew You Were Making,” Hampton Roads Chamber (November 2019)
• “Investigations in the Workplace: The HR Sleuth,” Hampton Roads Chamber (September 2019)
• “HR Department of One,” Hampton Roads Chamber (July 2019)
• “Beyond #MeToo: When Sexual Harassment Becomes Criminal,” Tidewater Paralegal Association (February 2019)
• “Employment Law Hot Topics: The impact of 2018 and the Year Ahead for Employers in 2019,” Hampton Roads Chamber (January 2019)