Carly E. Gibbons

Carly assists clients with labor and employment counseling, litigation, and transactional needs. In her counseling work, she guides employers through hiring considerations, preparation of employment policies, disciplinary advice, pay equity (including pay equity audits), pay transparency, restrictive covenants, and reductions in force, layoffs and other group employee termination actions. In transactional matters, Carly is experienced at tackling employment-related diligence, drafting deal-related employment documents, and reviewing disclosure schedules. Carly also has experience handling US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Department of Justice charges, including through written response and mediation. In her litigation-related work, Carly has handled restrictive covenants disputes, employment contract disputes, discrimination and harassment-related matters, and more, and she has worked with clients toward effective resolution. Carly has tackled the employment needs of a clients in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to technology, venture capital and life sciences.

Carly is dedicated to pro bono representation, with experience in voting rights impact litigation, asylum applicant representation, serving as a guardian ad litem in petitions for guardianship and discharge of guardianship of a minor, petitions for clemency, and more. Within the firm, she currently serves on the Chicago office’s pro bono committee. Carly also is involved in the Chicago office’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, as well as its Cooley Cares committee (which works to fundraise and provide volunteer support to charitable organizations in the community).

As a staffer of the University of Chicago Law Review, Carly gained extensive research, writing and editing skills. In 2018, Carly received the Mark Mamolen Prize in Business for her grade in the Business Organizations course at the University of Chicago. As an undergraduate, she participated in the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations’ Honors Program. In her free time, Carly is an active volunteer for her sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma, and advises a local chapter in Chicago. She also serves as the awards committee chairman for Phi Sigma Sigma’s headquarters, working to recognize excellence within the ranks of the sorority’s collegians and volunteers.