Elizabeth B. Valerio
evalerio@dwboston.com
Principal

Areas of practice: A principal of Deutsch Williams, Ms. Valerio focuses her practice on public and private sector management-side labor and employment law and in school law.

Work for clients: Ms. Valerio has extensive experience in representing clients in arbitration and before State and Federal agencies including the Massachusetts Division of Labor Relations, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission, the Massachusetts Joint Labor Management Committee, the Massachusetts Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ms. Valerio represents clients in negotiations and collective bargaining and has experience in traditional and collaborative bargaining. Ms. Valerio advises public and private sector employers regarding various labor, employment, discrimination, and harassment matters. She trains management personnel on collective bargaining, on civil service laws, unlawful discrimination and harassment, and on hiring, disciplining, and discharging employees. Ms. Valerio reviews and revises employee evaluation instruments, employee handbooks and personnel manuals and advises employers on policy development and implementation. As a former school committee chairperson, Ms. Valerio is very aware of the many challenges facing today’s schools. She regularly trains new school committee members throughout Massachusetts on collective bargaining for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

Professional activities: Ms. Valerio is a founding-member and past president of the Massachusetts Council of School Attorneys (COSA), an attorney affiliate of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, and a former Co-chairperson of the Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Committee (2000-2001) of the Massachusetts Bar Association. She is also an executive board member of the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys and the American Bar Association.

Personal/Community activities: Ms. Valerio has been a member of the Wrentham Personnel Board since 2001 and is the present Chairperson. She was a member of the Wrentham School Committee from 1991 to 1997 and served as the Committee Chairperson for several years.

Publications/Presentations: Ms. Valerio was a Chapter contributor to MCLE School Law in Massachusetts in 2003 and the 2007 supplement. Ms. Valerio has also lectured on employee leave and education law issues for Lorman Education Services and on labor issues for the New England Consortium of State Labor Relations Agencies. She trains school committee members on collective bargaining for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

Education: Ms. Valerio holds a Bachelors Degree, cum laude, with Distinction in English, from Boston University, a Masters Degree in English from Boston University Gradate School, and a J.D., magna cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School.