Tamara is the managing officer and chair of the board of Gray Plant Mooty. She is also a principal in the Employment Law practice group and is cochair of the firm's Higher Education practice group. She advises employers in personnel-related matters, including discrimination and sexual harassment, Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility issues, the Family and Medical Leave Act, wage-hour concerns, drug testing, employment and independent contractor agreements, noncompete clauses, affirmative action, employee handbooks, and defamation. She also advises colleges and universities on a wide range of higher education issues including accreditation, FERPA, student affairs, and faculty issues.
Publications
- “Who Qualifies? Defining ‘Individual With A Disability’ Under the ADA,” Bench & Bar, October 1999, coauthored by Mark S. Mathison
- “Just Managing: Employment Law for Law Firms,” Bench & Bar, February 1989, coauthored by Susan L. Segal, reprinted in The Altman & Weil “Report to Legal Management” May 1989
- “A Step Toward Insurance Equity: Arizona Governing Committee v. Norris,” 7 Harvard Women’s Law Journal 251, Spring 1984
Presentations
- “Making Tough Personnel Decisions in a Global Recession: Doing it Right and Minimizing Liability,” Employment Law Alliance Webinar, March 24, 2009
- “Employment Law Update for College and University HR Professionals,” MnCUPA HR Fall Conference, November 5, 2008
- “Ethical Leadership in the Legal Profession,” St. Thomas Law School, October 8, 2008
- “Employment Law Update 2007,” Minnesota State Bar Association, Business Law Institute, May 16-17, 2007
- “Employment Law Update for Higher Education HR Professionals,” Minnesota College and University Professional Association, April 18, 2007
- “What The Business Lawyer Needs To Know About New Employment Laws,” Minnesota Bar Association Business Law Institute, May 3, 2006
- “Employment Law Update for Higher Education HR Professionals,” Minnesota College and University Professional Association, March 29, 2006
- “Employment Law Update for Healthcare Professionals,” Gray Plant Mooty Health & Human Services Seminar, July 21, 2005
- “Effective Management of Legal Costs; Creating an Effective Working Relationship with Outside Counsel,” Global Employer Conference of the Employment Law Alliance, San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 14, 2005
- “Employment Law Update 2004: 2004 Fair Labor Standards Act Regulations,” Minnesota State Bar Association, Business Law Institute, May 12-13, 2004
- “Employment Law Update,” Minnesota College and University Professional Association, April 6-8, 2004
- “Employment Law 2002-2003: Developments and Trends for Health Care Providers,” Gray Plant Mooty Health & Human Services Seminar, July 24, 2003
- “Troubled Students, Troubled Staff: Legal Considerations for Colleges, or How to Avoid Turning the Crisis on Campus into the Campus Crisis,” Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, October 11, 2002
- “Genetic Testing and the Employment Relationship,” Gray Plant Mooty Employment Law Seminar, October 24, 2001
- “Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Higher Education,” Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, September 28, 2001
- “Accommodating Persons with Mental Health Issues,” Access to Employment, October 24, 2000
- “Student and Employee Privacy Rights,” Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, September 29, 2000
- “Attracting and Retaining Female Faculty Members: Suggestions for Remedying Gender Disparities on College and University Faculties,” National Association of College and University Attorneys, June 28, 2000
- “Electronic Communications and the Workplace: Recognizing the Legal Issues and Minimizing Liability,” Associated Colleges of the Midwest Human Resources Conference, April 11, 2000
- “Big Verdict Cases From Around The Country: What Happened?,” Minnesota State Bar Association, Employment Law Institute, May 24-25, 1999
- “At Whose Expense?: Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response,” Massachusetts Medical Society Management Symposium, Waltham, Massachusetts, February 6, 1998
- “Medical Inquiries and Testing, Americans With Disabilities Act,” Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, January 29, 1998
- “Purchase and Sale of a Business (Employment Law Issues),” Minnesota State Bar Association, December 18, 1997
- “Summary of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act,” Minnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators, January 16, 1997
- “Legal Challenges to Student Disciplinary Proceedings,” Minnesota College Personnel Association, November 14, 1996
- “Employment Issues for Franchisors,” Gray Plant Mooty Franchisor Roundtable, November 16, 1995
Education
- Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1986
Harvard Women’s Law Journal, executive editor - Moorhead State University, summa cum laude, 1982
Professional Activities
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Minnesota Women Lawyers
- Hennepin County Bar Association
Honors and Distinctions
“Super Lawyer,” Minnesota Super Lawyers, 2005-2010
One of the "Top 100 Women Super Lawyers," Minnesota Law & Politics, 2008-2009
Named one of Minnesota’s top employment and labor law attorneys by Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2009
- "Top 40 Employment Law Attorney," Minnesota Law & Politics, 2008
- Received the "Distinguished Alumni" award, Moorhead State University, 2007
- "Women in Business—Industry Leader," Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, 2007
- Author’s Award, Minnesota State Bar Association, 1989
- Taught “Women and the Law” at the University of Minnesota
Community Involvement
- People Incorporated, board of directors
- Dunwoody College of Technology, board of trustees
- Hope Presbyterian Church, volunteer