Education

  • The George Washington University Law School, J.D., honors
  • University of Michigan, B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland

Kris D. Meade

Partner
kmeade@crowell.com
+1.202.624.2854

Compliance with employment laws and regulations is always a challenge — particularly when an employer’s workforce is highly skilled, mobile and innovation-focused. With an emphasis on technology, consulting, healthcare and other information-driven industries, Kris works with boards of directors and senior corporate leadership to achieve their business goals through development of effective strategies focused on critical areas, including pay equity, the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in making employment decisions, racial equity and civil rights audits, and retention of top talent.

Kris has decades of experience as a trusted advisor to leading multinational corporations and is a highly regarded labor and employment thought leader. With equal facility, he collaborates with senior executives, regulators, employee representatives, labor economists, and industrial and organizational psychologists to help businesses develop, implement and manage forward-thinking, proactive employment policies and initiatives.

Kris recognizes that every organization must address multiple audiences simultaneously: employees, subcontractors and other internal team members, as well as shareholders, regulators, community groups and related external stakeholders. As an advisor who recognizes the importance of listening, Kris synthesizes complex information and multiple points of view to develop and deliver guidance aimed at building consensus and achieving practical results.

Among other issues, Kris counsels clients on racial equity and civil rights audits; gender-, race- and age-based claims of systemic discrimination; environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives; human capital reporting requirements; the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics tools in hiring, training, promotion and other employment processes; privacy standards and frameworks; and legislative advocacy and policy development. He has extensive experience advising clients on corporate management reviews, affirmative action compliance audits and sophisticated statistical analyses in connection with employment class action litigation and investigations by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and other agencies.

Based in Washington, D.C., Kris has developed highly effective relationships with federal and state regulators across the country. Believing that action must be based on information, Kris has authored hundreds of articles, client alerts, and blog posts and speaks frequently before industry and legal groups on labor and employment regulation, compliance, litigation and strategy.

Kris serves as co-chair of Crowell’s Labor & Employment Group.



Insights


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Press Coverage



Firm News & Announcements

August 18, 2022 The Best Lawyers in America 2023 Recognizes 54 Crowell & Moring Attorneys, Three Selected as Lawyer of the Year
June 1, 2022 Chambers USA 2022 Ranks 70 Crowell & Moring Lawyers and 37 Practice Areas Among Best in U.S.
September 21, 2021 The National Law Journal Names Kris Meade a Crisis Leadership Trailblazer
May 20, 2021 Chambers USA 2021 Ranks 63 Crowell & Moring Lawyers and 30 Practice Areas Among Best in U.S.
January 8, 2021 Law Firms Unite to Defend Constitutional Democracy
January 7, 2021 In Defense of Constitutional Democracy
April 23, 2020 Chambers USA 2020 Ranks 53 Crowell & Moring Lawyers and 21 Practice Areas Among Best in U.S.
March 11, 2019 Crowell & Moring Expands International Trade and Global Employment Practices with Four Senior Lawyers; CMI Breaks New Ground in Shanghai
February 13, 2017 Three Crowell & Moring Lawyers Recognized as BTI Consulting Group’s "2017 Client Service All-Stars"
January 13, 2015 Crowell & Moring Releases Third Annual Litigation Forecast Report and Inaugural Regulatory Forecast
January 29, 2013 Crowell & Moring Releases Report, "Litigation Forecast 2013"