Kate Mueting - Washington, DC
Attorney at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP
Discrimination and Harassment Lawyers in Washington, DC
700 Pennsylvania Avenue SE Suite 300 Washington, DC 20003
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
19
Years
Experience
Washington Discrimination and Harassment Lawyer
Updated: 10/09/2026
Areas of Practice
- Discrimination and Harassment
- Retaliation
Attorney Information
Overview
Kate Mueting is the Firm Administrative Partner, Co-Chair of the firmâs Discrimination and Harassment Practice Group, and Co-Chair of the firmâs Executive Representation Practice Group. Since joining Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Kate has been recognized by U.S. News as among the âBest Lawyersâ in America for representing individuals in employment law. She has also been among a handful of employment lawyers nationwide honored as a âRising Starâ by Law360 in 2019, and the National Law Journal recognized her as one of Washington, DCâs Rising Stars in 2017. The Profiles in Diversity Journal also recently recognized her as among its Women Worth Watching in Leadership. The District of Columbia Womenâs Bar Association also awarded Kate with the Mussey-Gillet Shining Star Award in 2018, which recognizes one member each year who makes extraordinary contributions to the organization. At Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Kateâs practice has focused on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation matters, representing individuals and classes. Kateâs representations have included:
- Litigating on behalf of a class and collective action of accounting and consulting professionals, culminating in a $10 million court-approved settlement agreement with KPMG, LLP
- Negotiating a confidential seven-figure exit package for a female equity partner with race, gender, and retaliation claims against an international law firm
- Renegotiating a non-compete agreement for a company president
- Engaging an expert witness to value for stock options in a pre-IPO tech start-up and negotiating a severance accounting for the options
- Obtaining paid maternity leave for an executive after an employer denied it, assuming she would not return to work after having a child
- Negotiating multiyear severance for senior vice president prevented from advancing any further
- Persuading the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to issue numerous findings of discrimination, including one for pay discrimination against a medical device company and another for race discrimination on behalf of a non-profit executive
Kate received her law degree with Highest Honors from the University of Iowa College of Law and her Bachelor of Journalism with Highest Distinction from the University of Nebraska. While at the University of Iowa, Kate was Senior Articles Editor for the Iowa Law Review. Her volunteerism in law school earned her a Boyd Service Award. Kate is a member of the District of Columbia bar. She has authored and been quoted in articles that have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Fast Company, Law360, and other publications. She has presented internationally at numerous conferences, law schools, and law firms on a broad range of topics that include gender and pregnancy discrimination, gender pay gaps in professional services firms, maternal walls, professional development and career advancement, bias in the legal profession, diversity and inclusion, employee privacy rights, mediations, and class and collective actions. Kate is an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa College of Law. She serves on the board of the Womenâs Bar Association Foundation. She is also a member of the NYU Center for Labor and Employment Law Advisory Board, the Legal Network for Gender Equity, and the International Forum of Senior Executive Advisers. Before joining Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Kate completed clerkships for the Honorable Michael J. Melloy of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and for the Honorable Richard J. Leon of the District Court for the District of Columbia. Kate has also worked as a lawyer with Covington and DCâs Childrenâs Law Center and as a Team Leader with AmeriCorps. When Kate is not lawyering, she enjoys spending time outside with her husband and their two daughters.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Washington, DC Super Lawyersâ âTop-Rated Employment Litigationâ Selectee, 2025 - 2026
- Washington, DC Super Lawyersâ âRising Starâ Selectee, 2015 - 2020
- Best Lawyersâ Top-Rated Attorney for âEmployment Law â Individualsâ and âLitigation â Labor and Employmentâ, 2021 - Present
- Benchmark Litigationâs Litigation Star, 2025 - 2026
- Benchmark Litigationâs Labor and Employment Star (Northeast), 2018 - 2021
- Law360â˛s âRising Starâ, 2019
- Law.comâs âRising Starâ Selectee, 2017
- Profiles in Leadership Journalâs Mentoring Leadership Award Recipient, 2025
- Profiles in Diversity Journalâs Emerging Leaders Award Recipient, 2024
- Profiles in Leadership Journalâs Women Worth Watching in Leadership, 2021
- District of Columbia Womenâs Bar Associationâs Mussey-Gillett Shining Star Award, 2018
- Lawdragonâs â500 Leading Civil Rights and Plaintiff Employment Lawyersâ Selectee, 2020 - 2026
- U.S. News as among the âBest Lawyersâ in America
- Mussey-Gillet Shining Star Award, 2018
Other Sources of Feedback About Kate Mueting
Included on the 2026 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
Education
Legal Education
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University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa, 2007
J.D.
Honors: Boyd Service Award
Honors: With High Distinction
Honors: Order of the Colf
Law Review: Iowa Law Review, Senior Articles Editor
Non Legal Education
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University of Nebraska, 2002
B.J.
Honors: Highest Distinction
Current Employment Position(s)
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Firm Administrative Partner
Past Positions
- Hon. Michael J. Melloy, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, Judicial Clerkship, 2007 - 2008
- Hon. Richard J. Leon, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, Judicial Clerkship, 2008 - 2009
- Covington & Burling, LLP, Associate
- University of Iowa College of Law, Adjunct Professor
- Covington and DCâs Childrenâs Law Center, Lawyer
- AmeriCorps, Team Leader
Representative Cases
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University of Arizona Gender Discrimination Collective Action
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University of Arizona Gender Discrimination Class Action
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KPMG Gender Pay, Promotion and Pregnancy Discrimination Class Action
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US Marshals Race Discrimination Class Action
Published Works
Articles
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How AI âCultural Fitâ Assessments Can Be Analyzed For Bias, Law360, November 17, 2023
Co-Author -
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnightâs Comment on the EEOCâs Proposed Rule RIN 3046-AB30 to Implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Co-Author, October 10, 2023
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Employer Lessons In Avoiding Intersectional Bias Claims, Law360, September 8, 2021
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What Employees Should Know About Recent Developments at the EEOC, Co-Author
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AI Bias in Hiring: Algorithmic Recruiting and Your Rights, Co-Author
Bar Admissions
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- District of Columbia, 2010
- U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit
- U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia
- U.S. Supreme Court
Other Affiliations
- District of Columbia bar (Member)
- Womenâs Bar Association Foundation (Board)
- NYU Center for Labor and Employment Law Advisory Board (Member)
- Legal Network for Gender Equity (Member)
- International Forum of Senior Executive Advisers (Member)
Photo
Contact
700 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20003
Phone Number: 888-681-5583
Fax Number: 202-499-5199
Email: Send a message
Website: https://sanfordheisler.com/
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