Co-Managing Partner of the Washington, DC Office and Discrimination And Harassment Practice Group Co-Chair
Schwanda Rountree is Co-Managing Partner of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight‘s Washington, DC office, Firmwide Co-Head of Litigation, and Co-Chair of the firm’s Discrimination and Harassment Practice Group.
At Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Schwanda’s practice has focused on whistleblower, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour violation cases, representing both individuals and classes.
In 2024, Schwanda was named in The National Black Lawyers Top 100.
Before joining Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Schwanda served as Deputy General Counsel, Labor and Litigation for Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Office of General Counsel. During her more than 20 years working in the federal government sector, Schwanda litigated class action discrimination cases and class action labor grievances. She began her career working in the area of disability discrimination investigations and litigation with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, after completing a summer clerkship for the late Honorable Judge George W. Mitchell of the D.C. Superior Court.
Schwanda received her law degree from North Carolina Central School of Law, and her B.A. from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. While at North Carolina Central School of Law, she worked as a student advocate for the Juvenile Law Clinic, representing defendants before the criminal division of Durham County District Court and representing students in due process hearings before the Durham County School Board. She also provided pro bono services for abused and neglected women and children at the North Carolina Center for Child and Family Health. She was a North Carolina Governor’s Scholar finalist in the Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition, recipient of the Best Oralist Award, Clifton E. Johnson Moot Court Competition, and member of the Trial Advocacy Board.
A member of the District of Columbia and Maryland bars, Schwanda has presented training on e-discovery and reasonable accommodations for federal government managers.
