Jessica E. Leaven

Jessica is dedicated to getting justice for those who've been sexually harassed, discriminated against, have Family and Medical Leave Act issues, or suffered retaliation at work. Jessica focuses her practice on employment law, workers' compensation, and personal injury. Since she became an attorney in 2001, Jessica has litigated cases in both state and federal court and before the North Carolina Industrial Commission, and she has an extensive background in appellate work before the North Carolina Supreme Court, North Carolina Court of Appeals, and North Carolina Industrial Commission. She obtained a successful ruling from the North Carolina Supreme Court in an employment lawsuit under the North Carolina Whistleblower Act. She has also litigated a wide variety of other employment law cases, including sexual harassment, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act (REDA) cases, and wage and hour class and collective actions. Jessica is currently an at-large member of the Executive Committee of the Buncombe County Bar and the past Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association's Labor and Employment Section. She is an active member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice for which she has also been the Chair of the Employment Law Section and a speaker at Continuing Legal Education seminars at conventions hosted by the NCAJ. Jessica has served as the President of the WNC Chapter of the NC Association of Women Attorneys and on the Board of Directors of the NC Association of Women Attorneys. In 2019 and 2017 Jessica was selected to Business North Carolina's Legal Elite in the category of Employment Law. She was selected for inclusion in the 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020 North Carolina Super Lawyers list and North Carolina Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" lists in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.