Ellen Rudolph is an attorney in the firm’s Labor, Employment & Higher Education Practice Group. She represents employers in a wide range of labor and employment matters, providing both strategic counseling and vigorous defense of workplace claims. Ellen collaborates with business leaders and human resources professionals to identify risks, navigate complex employment issues, and develop practical solutions that support organizational objectives while minimizing legal exposure.

A seasoned litigator, Ellen focuses her practice on employment litigation and represents employers of all sizes, including manufacturers, hospitals, non-profits, religious entities, colleges and universities, school districts, and K-12 educational institutions. Her experience spans all phases of litigation, from discovery strategy and motion practice to briefing, oral advocacy, mediation, and trial. She regularly appears before state and federal courts and has successfully guided clients through administrative proceedings, settlement negotiations, alternative dispute resolution, and investigations by state and federal agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”).

Ellen is a dedicated advocate known for combining persuasive written advocacy with effective courtroom presentation. In addition to achieving favorable jury trial outcomes, she has secured summary judgment and other dispositive rulings on behalf of clients facing complex employment-related claims. Ellen has also obtained favorable results for clients at the appellate level when lower-court rulings were challenged. Her practical approach and commitment to client service help employers resolve disputes efficiently while protecting their business interests.

Before joining Lathrop GPM, Ellen practiced labor, employment, and civil rights litigation at another national law firm. In that role, she was a key member of the trial team that obtained a defense verdict following a high-stakes two-week jury trial involving claims for breach of contract and intentional interference with contractual and prospective business advantage brought against a medical practitioner.

Areas of Focus

Credentials

Education

  • University of Kansas School of Law (J.D., 2018)
    • Business & Commercial Law Certificate
  • University of Arkansas (B.S.B.A., Business Economics; Financial Management and Investment, 2015)

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Kansas
  • Missouri

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Presentations

  • Co-presenter, “Employment Law 101: The Building Blocks of Federal and State Employment Laws,” and "Employment Law 102: Putting the Building Blocks of Employment Laws Into Action," Lathrop GPM 2024 Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 1, 2024 (Kansas City); October 23, 2024 (Minneapolis)
  • Co-presenter, "National Labor Relations Board Puts All Employers Under the Microscope," Lathrop GPM 2023 Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 24, 2023 (Minneapolis)
  • Co-presenter, "The Fundamentals of the ADA, FMLA, and FLSA: What Every Employer Needs to Know," Lathrop GPM 2023 Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 5, 2023 (Kansas City); October 24, 2023 (Minneapolis)
  • Co-presenter, "Salary Disclosure, Remote Work and Lunch Breaks, Oh my! Updates in Employment Law 2023," Missouri Employment Conference, May 17, 2023

Professional Activities

  • Kansas Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Centurions Leadership Program, Class of 2028