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Kalpana Kotagal is a Civil Rights & Employment Partner at Cohen Milstein and the co-author of the "Inclusion Rider," referenced by Oscar-winning actress Frances McDormand in her 2018 Best Actress acceptance speech.
Ms. Kotagal is also a highly-accomplished plaintiffs’ lawyer, representing women and other disenfranchised people in high-profile employment and civil rights class actions, involving issues related to the Title VII, Equal Pay Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act.
A noted public speaker, Ms. Kotagal is often called on to address issues of employment and civil rights law, class actions, mandatory arbitration, and diversity in the workplace to a wide-range of audiences, including TEDxLinz, the Democratic Attorneys General Association, the American Constitution Society, among others. Along with Cohen Milstein’s Anita Hill, she was featured in the highly-acclaimed documentary, “This Changes Everything,” produced by Geena Davis, which addresses gender discrimination in Hollywood.
For her continued work in championing equity, diversity, and inclusion through her practice of law, Ms. Kotagal has received numerous industry recognitions, including being named Law360’s “Employment Law MVP,” recognizing the top five most influential employment lawyers in the United States.
In 2018, Harvard Law School named Ms. Kotagal a Wasserstein Public Interest Fellow. She also has had the honor of being the commencement speaker before the graduating classes of University of Pennsylvania Law School (2019) and University of California, Irvine School of Law (2018).
Ms. Kotagal is also a prolific writer. Her recent Op-Eds include: “Push for Diversity in Hollywood Paves Path for Rest of America,” The Hill, March 28, 2018; “The ‘Inclusion Rider’ Should Be a Hollywood Standard,” The Washington Post, March 9, 2018; and “The Need for Female Equality and Diversity in Hollywood,” Variety, February 23, 2017 (Co-Authored with Cohen Milstein’s Anita Hill.)
Ms. Kotagal is a member of the Advisory Board of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and sits on the Board of Directors of A Better Balance. She is also a member of American Constitution Society Task Force on #MeToo in the Legal Profession and is a member of the Dean’s Council for Penn Law Women at the University of Pennsylvania. She has also served as a member of the Center for Worklife Law’s Working Group on Pregnancy Accommodation and the National Employment Lawyers Association.