Dorthy Lukens

Associate

Dallas

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214.965.7726 direct

DLukens@perkinscoie.com

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Dorthy Lukens' labor and employment practice includes litigating Title VII discrimination claims and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) failure-to-accommodate claims.

She conducts nonsupervisory to executive-level internal employment investigations and advises companies on employment policies, separations, reasonable accommodations, and discrimination claims.

Prior to law school, Dorthy was a trusted corporate human resources executive. Her experience includes leading the human resources department for a national healthcare provider. Reporting to the president and CEO, Dorthy counseled senior management on local, state, and federal labor and employment matters and managed adverse employment action claims filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Texas Commission on Human Rights, and other state workforce agencies.

Desiring to make a greater impact, Dorthy attended law school with a focus on advanced research and trial advocacy. Her research includes the discriminatory impact of employment technology, and she recently coauthored articles titled "The Growing Regulation of AI-Based Employment Decision Tools" and "How AI and Automated Systems Use Can Lead to Discrimination in Hiring." While attending the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, Dorthy held a legal extern position at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of the Solicitor, providing support for ERISA and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) matters. In addition, Dorthy served as both a legal extern and a contractor for PepsiCo, where she helped the employer defend against discrimination law suits and other adverse employment action claims.

Dorthy is passionate about teaching, training, and developing students, small business owners, and human resources leaders. When not advising companies, she volunteers with the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, assists small businesses and startup companies, and speaks at conferences and symposiums nationwide. Dorthy frequently posts helpful labor and employee law updates on Linkedin.

Areas of focus

Services

Labor & Employment

Education & Credentials

Education

Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law, J.D., 2022
Michigan State University, M.A., Higher Adult and Lifelong Education, 2012
Central Michigan University, B.A.A., Integrated Public Relations, 2008

Bar and Court Admissions

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Texas

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas

Related Employment

PepsiCo, Inc., Dallas, TX, Legal Contractor, 2022; Legal Extern, 2021
Perkins Coie LLP, Dallas, TX, Summer Associate, 2021, 2020
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Dallas, TX, Legal Extern, 2020
PepsiCo, Inc., Dallas, TX, Legal Contractor, 2022; Legal Extern, 2021
Perkins Coie LLP, Dallas, TX, Summer Associate, 2021, 2020

Professional Recognition

Recognized as The National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, 2025

Impact

Professional Leadership

Recognized as a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
Recognized as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR)
The National Black Lawyers, Member