Ashlyn E. Dowd
Associate
Legal Administrative Assistant Jessica K. Rubin
Ashlyn participated in Mirick O’Connell’s Summer Associate Program in 2019. In October 2020, she joined the firm as an associate in the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Group. Ashlyn provides legal advice to public and private employers regarding human resources issues, including the hiring and termination of employees, leaves of absence, disciplinary matters and reductions in force. She counsels management on Massachusetts and federal employment laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and Massachusetts wage and hour laws. She also assists employers before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and state and federal courts in connection with discrimination cases.
In addition, Ashlyn drafts employee handbooks, personnel policies and all types of employment-related agreements. She also has experience assisting clients in the area of collective bargaining, including navigating through the grievance and arbitration process and defending them against unfair labor practice charges before the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations. In 2023 and 2024, Boston magazine and Law & Politics named Ashlyn a Massachusetts “Rising Star.”
Prior to joining the firm, Ashlyn previously served as a judicial intern for Honorable Paul M. Yee, Jr. in Somerville District Court. She was also previously a legal assistant at the Law Office of Kevin C. Larson and the Law Office of Paula A. Smith, LLC.
Bar & Court Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- U.S. District Court for Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court for Connecticut
- Suffolk University Law School JD, cum laude, Editor in Chief, Journal of Health and Biomedical Law
- Roger Williams University BS, cum laude
Publications/Presentations
- "Navigating Hot-Button Political and Cultural Issues in the Workplace," Mirick O'Connell Annual Employment Law Seminar (October 8, 2024)
- “Best Practices in Conducting Workplace Investigations,” Mirick O'Connell Annual Employment Law Seminar (May 4, 2023)
- “Overtime Protections Expanded for Millions of Workers,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, April 25, 2024
- “U.S. Department of Education Releases Final Rule Under Title IX,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, April 22, 2024
- “Dartmouth College Men’s Basketball Team Held to Be Employees of Institution and Allowed to Unionize,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, February 12, 2024
- “NLRB General Counsel Expresses Views on Non-Competes Violating the NLRA,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, June 6, 2023
- “Best Practices in Conducting Workplace Investigations,” Mirick O’Connell Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Annual Seminar (May 4, 2023)
- “SJC Finds Public Meeting Comment Restrictions Unconstitutional,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, March 10, 2023
- “2023 Changes in Massachusetts Employment Laws,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, January 5, 2023
- 'Employers Must Remember Their Obligations under the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, October 27, 2022
- “U.S. Department of Education Releases Proposed Revisions to Title IX Regulations,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, June 28, 2022
- Featured in Community Legal Aid, March, 2022
- “U.S. Department of Education Announces Timeline for Revisions to Title IX Regulations,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, December 14, 2021
- "OSHA's COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) - Temporarily Blocked," Mirick O'Connell Client Alert, November 8, 2021
- “Handling Public Comment and Public Records Requests in Light of Critical Race Theory, COVID-19 and Other Contentious Issues,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, October 14, 2021
- “OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard,” Mirick O’Connell Employment Law Webinar (August 5, 2021)
- “Supreme Court Finds School District Violated First Amendment for Off-Campus Speech,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, June 25, 2021
- “Remote Public Meetings Authorized Through April of 2022,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, June 18, 2021
- “Remote Public Meetings Authorized Through April of 2022; New Law Extends Additional COVID-19 Emergency Rules,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, June 18, 2021
- “Employer Tax Credits for Employee Paid Leave Due to COVID-19 Applies to Government Entities,” Mirick O'Connell Client Alert, April 29, 2021
- "COVID-19 Mandates in the Workplace," Mirick O'Connell Client Alert, April 21, 2021
- “DOL Publishes Model Notices for COBRA Subsidies,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, April 9, 2021
- “American Rescue Plan Act Contains COBRA Subsidies,” Mirick O’Connell Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Law Blog, March 16, 2021
- “Massachusetts Federal Court Denies Motion to Dismiss Defamation Claim After Employee is Escorted Out of Work Following Termination,” Mirick O’Connell Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Law Blog, March 16, 2021
- “EEOC Opinion Letter: Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA),” Mirick O’Connell Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Law Blog, January 29, 2021
- "New Gatherings and Capacity Restrictions Effective December 26; SJC Upholds Governor's Authority to Issue COVID-19 Orders," Mirick O'Connell Client Alert, December 23, 2020
Professional / Community Affiliations
- Worcester County Bar Association
