Overview

Roberta Limongi Ruiz, a trilingual attorney fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and English, advises and represents employers in a broad range of employment matters arising under federal and state laws, including:

  • Whistleblowing and retaliation
  • Discrimination and harassment
  • Wage and hour issues
  • Wrongful termination
  • Unfair competition

Roberta represents clients in federal and state courts and during proceedings before various federal, state and local administrative agencies, such as the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. She also advises management in traditional labor issues and counsels multinational companies on how to meet their workforce needs worldwide. 

An active member of Littler’s Whistleblower and Retaliation Practice Group, Roberta has briefed evolving issues such as what is “protected activity,” what constitutes an “adverse action,” and how an employer negates an inference of causation under a wide variety of whistleblower statutes. She has advised clients regarding the myriad whistleblowing and retaliation issues facing employers and provided approaches and solutions for preventing and defending whistleblowing and retaliation claims. She extensively contributed to various publications for the National Employment Law Institute on responding to and preventing retaliation claims.

Roberta has experience advising and assisting clients with:

  • Drafting and implementing employee handbooks and policies
  • Developing best practices for human resources professionals
  • Conducting field investigations in response to claims of discrimination, whistleblowing, retaliation, and unfair labor practices
  • Defending wage and hour class action lawsuits
  • Conducting audits and risk assessments related to compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act
  • Preparing and customizing employers’ protective covenants and severance agreements for multi-state compliance

Previously, Roberta worked as in-house counsel for an electric utility company. She has served in leadership positions for the Hispanic National Bar Association.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

Hispanic National Bar Association

Member

Massachusetts Bar Association

Member

Maine State Bar Association

Former Regional President

Region I (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT)

Hispanic National Bar Association

2009-2011

Former Deputy Regional President

Region I

Hispanic National Bar Association

2008 and 2009

Books & Book Chapters

  • Retaliation & Whistleblowing: A Guide for Human Resources Professionals and Counsel, contributing author, LexisNexis, http://littlerapps/#/people_detail/00565
  • Employment Contracts: An Employer Perspective, Massachusetts Employment Law, Chapter 2, co-author, MCLE, 2nd Ed.
  • The Proof Involved In Litigating Claims Of Sexual Harassment, Massachusetts Employment Law, Chapter 7, co-author, MCLE, 2nd Ed.
  • Unfair Competition & Trade Secrets In Massachusetts, Massachusetts Employer, Chapter 4, contributing author, Littler Mendelson
  • Brazil, The Littler Mendelson Guide to International Employment and Labor Law, chapter editor, LexisNexis, 1st and 2nd Ed.
  • More States May Qualify To Use Growth Models To Track AYP, Section 504 Compliance Handbook

Speaking Engagements

Critical Changes to the Labor Landscape in Latin America and the Implications for U.S. Employers

Dallas, TX

April 4, 2013

Education

  • J.D., Boston College Law School, 2007
  • B.A., Boston College, 2004cum laude

Languages

  • Portuguese
  • Spanish

Bar Admission

Texas
Maine
Massachusetts

Courts

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maine
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts