Lorisa D. LaRocca

Lorisa D. LaRocca

Chair, Labor & Employment Practice Group, Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Years in current role: 3 (20 with Woods Oviatt)

What do you enjoy most about practicing labor and employment law?

What I most enjoy about practicing labor and employment law is the variety. No two days are ever the same and I find tremendous satisfaction in helping clients find creative approaches and solutions to their labor issues. I love it when a client tells me: “That’s a great idea. I never would have thought to do that. I’m so glad I called you.”

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve dealt with over the past year?

I do not think many other legal areas were as challenged by COVID regulations as the labor and employment field. Trying to keep up with the — sometimes daily — changes to guidance, regulations, Executive Orders, and laws on a state, federal and local level made counseling clients very difficult at times. You could literally provide advice to a client in the morning and have to follow-up with revised advice in the afternoon.

What do you see as the biggest changes in labor and employment law in the next 3-5 years?

I think the biggest changes in labor and employment law in the next 3-5 years will revolve around the flexibility that so many workers, particularly Millennial workers, are demanding from their employers. This demand for flexibility will likely result in a sustained movement toward remote work arrangements which mean that employers may need to be prepared to have employees working literally anywhere in the world. That reality means significant changes to the way that we operate, communicate, manage and engage with our employees, customers/clients and stakeholders.

What community organizations do you support as a volunteer and why?

I support a number of different community organizations, but I am most passionate about my role as Chair of the Board for Children Awaiting Parents, Inc. CAP is a longstanding Rochester nonprofit organization that has undergone a tremendous revitalization over the last three years. Dedicated to finding forever families for children with the longest wait in the foster care system, CAP also provides multi-state adoption services, therapeutic foster care placements, and support for children who have aged out of foster care through its SSAFE program. The work CAP does to create family bonds for vulnerable young people in our communities is unparalleled.