Ms. Newkirk is a partner at K&L Gates. Her practice is balanced equally between employment law counseling and litigation. She works with clients on complex issues such as managing discipline and terminations in high risk scenarios (which may involve employees who fall within multiple protected categories or are high ranking executives), managing leaves of absences and navigating the issues raised by the FMLA, ADA and workers' compensation statutes, and conducting sensitive internal investigations. Ms. Newkirk also has significant experience in planning and executing reductions in force, which includes evaluating the risks raised by the proposed reductions, drafting the necessary communications and severance agreements, and coordinating with outside consultants, such as public relations firms, on how to most effectively announce the reductions both internally and externally. Ms. Newkirk assists clients with protecting their confidential information and trade secrets through drafting employment agreements and containing covenants not to compete, confidentiality agreements, and covenants not to solicit clients or employees, and regularly advises clients on classification of employees as exempt or non-exempt under FLSA. Ms. Newkirk regularly represents clients in lawsuits and administrative proceedings involving these issues as well as discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.