Charlotte began her unconventional journey into the legal field by working as a Human Resources Manager for large national companies for more than ten years. In this role, she advised managers on human resources compliance, benefits, recruiting, policies and procedures, and affirmative action planning. She also provided employment law training for managers and supervisors across the country and investigated and resolved employment discrimination and wage and hour complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). During this time, she earned her certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR).
In 2003, Charlotte chose the road less traveled by enrolling in law school with the goal of working in employment litigation. While in law school, she participated in several legal and judicial internships involving employment law, criminal law, and real estate transactions. She also served in several leadership positions, including Vice-President of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). Her leadership and community service earned her scholarships from the Atlanta Bar Association and the Leadership Academy for Women of Color Attorneys. In 2008, Charlotte completed the Legal Professional Development Program sponsored by the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA).
Today, Charlotte focuses her practice on labor and employment matters affecting both employees and employers in the private and public sectors.
Outside of her legal practice, Charlotte enjoys spending time with her husband and two energetic young children, reading, playing tennis, traveling, participating in community service, and supporting the local Atlanta arts community.
Education
- Hampton University, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with honors
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- Mercer University, Walter F. George School of Law, Juris Doctor, 2006
Bar Admission
- Admitted to the Georgia Bar, 2006
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- Georgia State and Superior Courts
Professional Memberships
- Georgia Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
- American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
- Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA), Labor and Employment Section
- National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA)
- Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
- Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
Honors & Recognition
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR)
- Psi Chi Honor Society, Hampton University
- Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, Hampton University
- Psychology Department Award, Hampton University
Justin serves as Principal Counsel at Apple, where he oversees a diverse portfolio of domestic and international litigation, including consumer and commercial class actions, regulatory inquiries, corporate secretary matters, and finance-related disputes. With more than a decade of in-house legal experience, he has built a strong career at the intersection of commercial litigation, regulatory compliance, technology, and financial services.
Prior to joining Apple, Justin held senior leadership roles at Bank of America, where he managed high-stakes consumer banking litigation and regulatory investigations as Associate General Counsel and Senior Vice President.
He is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Georgetown University.
Kapri Saunders is a litigator who represents private and public companies, as well as business professionals, in complex civil litigation, government investigations, and white collar criminal matters.
Kapri has advised clients on disputes arising out of business contracts, consumer fraud and protection, mortgage lending and real estate transactions, public corruption, violation of federal criminal statutes, and investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) regulations, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulations.
Kapri has experience at every stage of litigation. She has managed and conducted factual investigations and discovery, drafted successful dispositive motions and appellate briefs, argued motions, developed trial strategies, and has negotiated settlements. She also has civil and criminal trial experience.
Prior to practicing law, Kapri worked in higher education administration at a small private college, developing the residence life department, creating campus programming, and advising students.
Kapri maintains an active pro bono practice with a particular focus on advocating on behalf of wrongfully convicted persons and helping domestic abuse survivors obtain restraining orders against their abusers.
Practices
Business & Tort Litigation
Locations
San Francisco
Education
University of Iowa (J.D. with distinction and special honors 2011; Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Gender, Race & Justice); Northern Arizona University (B.A. in Modern Languages: French & Spanish, summa cum laude with honors)
Aji Abiedu is a civil defense litigator, representing clients in a variety of labor and employment matters.
Professional Background
Aji has over a decade of extensive experience in labor and employment litigation and a keen ability to navigate complex legal issues. Using this background, she confidently manages a voluminous and complex multi-jurisdictional litigation docket, working to achieve favorable outcomes for her clients. Aji's litigation prowess includes representing clients in a range of litigation matters, including wage and hour class and PAGA actions, EEOC and DFEH charges, and claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful termination. She has prevailed on motions to compel arbitration and opposing motions under novel statutes, demonstrating her proficiency in both legal strategy and advocacy.
With a deep understanding of federal and California employment law, Aji also advises clients on a wide range of issues impacting the modern workplace, including employee compensation and benefits, diversity, equity and inclusion, ADA, FMLA, and other leave issues, whistleblower claims, and workplace investigations. She is committed to delivering strategic counsel that helps clients stay compliant and mitigate risk in today's dynamic legal landscape.
Professional Affiliations National Employment Law Council, Member
Personal In her free time, Aji enjoys traveling, hiking and horseback riding.
Emmanuel Charles is an associate in the Miami office of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. Mr. Charles is an experienced civil litigator whose practice centers on managing the full lifecycle of litigation, from initial investigation through trial preparation and resolution. His practice focuses on general and civil litigation, insurance defense, premises liability, products liability, commercial and business litigation, contract disputes, and personal injury defense.
Mr. Charles has extensive experience in motion practice, comprehensive legal research, and the execution of multifaceted discovery strategies. Throughout his career, he has established a record of collaborating with corporate stakeholders and partners to mitigate risk and achieve optimal outcomes through negotiated settlements and contested hearings.
In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Charles possesses a strong foundation in judicial and commercial analysis. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a summer law clerk for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida's Complex Business Litigation division. In that role, he researched and drafted bench memoranda for high-stakes disputes involving real estate contracts, employment law, business plans, patents, and fraud. This background allows him to approach case strategy with a unique perspective on judicial decision-making and statutory interpretation.
In 2016, Mr. Charles earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he was highly active in advocacy and negotiation. He competed in the Nelson Mandela International Negotiation Competition and the Board of Advocates Negotiation Competition. He also served as Vice President of the Black Law Student Association and Vice Justice of Phi Alpha Delta. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Political Science from Florida State University.
Mr. Charles is licensed to practice law in Florida.
Memberships & Affiliations
- The Florida Bar
- National Black Law Student Association (NBLSA)
Awards and Honors
- National Black Law Student Association Small Chapter of the Year