In our Meet the Member series, we showcase the creative professionals in The Shop’s vibrant community who are making an impact in their industry. From non-profit organizations, to software developers, design firms, and more– our members represent a diverse range of backgrounds and businesses.
Your next personal or professional connection might be working in the Commons area right next to you. We’ll help you discover them.
Jones Walker attorneys handle a diverse range of matters in more than thirty areas of practice across the nation, including their New Orleans office at The Shop. As part of the firm, The Shop member Maggie Spell is a partner in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group, where her practice involves cases brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and similar state and local laws governing employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
Ahead of The Shop and Jones Walker’s “Lunch And Learn With Maggie Spell” event, where Maggie will host a discussion for Shop members on how to approach the employment process and make hiring for your first few employees as painless as possible, we caught up with the employment attorney to talk coworking, food in New Orleans, and her charity work as a board member of Magnolia Community Services.
How did you first become aware of and involved with Jones Walker?
Jones Walker was founded in 1937, so I’ve been aware of the firm for a while! I joined straight out of law school and have worked there for a little over nine years.
What does your day-to-day look like at Jones Walker? Has The Shop’s coworking environment impacted your work?
I love my days at The Shop! It’s got such a great energy, and I enjoy breaking up my week at our more traditional office with a day at The Shop.
Each day is different, which is one of my favorite things about my job. I might be providing wage and hour compliance advice to help a company follow the laws on how and how much to pay its employees one day, and traveling out of state for a hearing on a motion during litigation the next.
The majority of my time is spent helping employers of all sizes resolve employment-related disputes across the country and providing day-to-day compliance advice regarding workplace issues.
What’s your favorite thing to do in New Orleans outside of work?
Eat! I love exploring new restaurants and all of the different types of food this wonderful city has to offer. I currently can’t get enough of Saba, which is (for better or worse) walking distance from my house. To balance that out, there’s a lot of walking my dogs in Audubon Park or along random streets to check out the gorgeous houses in New Orleans while listening to podcasts (typically of the comedy and/or true crime variety).
What are some exciting projects you have coming down the pipeline?
I’m on the board of Magnolia Community Services, an organization providing high quality support to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Magnolia offers services in twenty-one group homes, supported community living, vocational/day habilitation and wellness programs, and supported employment. Our annual gala is coming up on November 2nd, and it’s something I look forward to every year because it’s lots of fun and supports an amazing organization!
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