Atoyia Harris is a special employment law counsel in the Labor and Employment Department and a member of the Employment Litigation & Counseling Group. With bench trial, jury trial, and administrative hearing experience, Atoyia approaches each matter strategically to provide the best result for her clients. She has successfully defended matters on a wide variety of issues.

Atoyia advises clients and conducts investigations and trainings on issues related to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Her practice also includes counseling clients on reductions-in-force, Covid-19 related matters, issues arising out of social movements including Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, and other sensitive employment issues.

Atoyia is co-chair of the Firm’s Black Lawyers Affinity Group, serves as a member of the Firm’s Associate Council, and is on the Proskauer Women’s Alliance Steering Committee.

Active in the New Orleans legal community, Atoyia is a member of the Young Lawyers Board for the Federal Bar Association’s New Orleans Chapter and other organizations. She is also a member of the national Defense Research Institute’s Membership Committee and Diversity and Inclusion Planning Committee.

Atoyia received her J.D. with an International Law Certification from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Atoyia served as the Moot Court Selection Chair and staff member of the Loyola Law and Technology Journal. While in law school, Atoyia interned as a law clerk for the Honorable Jay C. Zainey at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Honorable Robin Giarrusso at the Orleans Parish Civil District Court. Atoyia was also a member of the award-wining Robert F. Wagner Labor and Employment Moot Court Team.

Prior to law school, Atoyia received her Bachelor of Music in Industry Studies with emphasis in classical piano from Loyola University New Orleans and was member of the Loyola University women’s basketball team.