Makenzie Way is a labor and employment specialists who regularly counsel’s clients on the many intricacies of local, state, federal, and international employment laws and regulations. Her clients rely on her expertise to guide them through a wide range of employment related issues, including wage and hour compliance, discrimination laws, disciplinary actions, reductions in force, leaves of absence, and accommodations and policies, as well as rapidly evolving areas, such as the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) and the metaverse in the workplace, restrictive covenants, and confidentiality agreements. She also advises clients on the labor and employment implications of merges and acquisitions as well as on traditional labor matters. 

As part of her practice, Ms. Way regularly works with clients to prepare a variety of employment-related documents, including handbooks, workplace policies, employment agreements, commission plans, severance agreements, response letters, investigation procedures, and prepares and conducts trainings on topics including harassment and discrimination and reduction in force preparation and communication. Ms. Way also represents management clients in employment matters in state and federal court proceedings, as well as before administrative agencies such as the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 

Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Way was an associate at another large law firm in Boston in its labor and employment department, and before that was an Equal Justice America Fellow and legal intern for Greater Boston Legal Services. During law school, Ms. Way was an editor of the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Social Change and worked as a law student mediator for the University of Pennsylvania Mediation Clinic.

Ms. Way currently serves as pro bono general counsel for Beyond Kids Reading, an education services nonprofit in Boston.