Jessi seeks to help companies thrive by helping them plan for, and respond to, issues involving their workforce. She has advised companies on wage and hour issues, FMLA/ADA compliance, Title VII and other discrimination claims, non-competition and other agreements, and social media usage policies. She conducts employment policy reviews and training on workplace inclusivity.

Most recently, she has devoted much of her time to counseling clients on appropriate responses to the current COVID-19 pandemic, including new federal paid leave laws and staffing adjustments made necessary by stay-home orders.

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Jessi represents employers in all levels of state and federal courts, as well as before administrative agencies. She has litigated wage and hour disputes, claims for violations of major employment laws like Title VII and the ADA, and challenges to independent contractor classification. She also counsels clients through contentious pre-litigation disputes.

Recent representative experience includes:

  • Federal collective action alleging misclassification of independent contractors and corresponding violations of wage and hour laws.
  • Defending charges of discrimination and ADA non-compliance before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
  • Negotiating exit package for company executive to ensure company stability in the midst of leadership dispute.
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Jessi brings her impressive experience with the North Carolina Business Court to bear for her clients, developing thorough and assertive litigation strategies to handle a wide range of business disputes, including contracts, corporate governance, shareholder disputes, and trade secrets, among other issues.

Recent representative experience includes:

  • North Carolina Business Court case involving a family business dispute and dissolution of a company.
  • North Carolina Business Court case involving breach of contract claims under the Uniform Commercial Code. This case provided clarity for practitioners on how the UCC is applied to the sale of goods in North Carolina.
  • North Carolina Business Court case involving a dispute over the valuation of stock shares in a publicly traded company.
  • Matter pending before the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings regarding contracts awarded by the State of North Carolina as part of the planned privatization of North Carolina’s Medicaid program.
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Recognized by her peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina's "Legal Elite(link is external)" in Employment Law (2021)

Member, Board of Directors, Diabetes Family Connection (2019-present)

Member, North Carolina Bar Association (2013–present)

Board Member, Arts Access (2017-2019)

Member, NCBA Young Lawyers Division (2015–present)

Member, Wake County Bar Association (2013–present)

Member, 10th Judicial District (2013–present)

Co-presenter (with Beth Langley), "Maintaining Business Operations Under COVID-19 and Ongoing Workplace Regulations," Nov. 17, 2020

Author, "'Skirting' Trouble When the Law is Anything but 'Uniform': Creating and Enforcing a Dress Code in a Changing Legal Landscape," Business North Carolina Law Journal, October 2020

Co-presenter (with Beth Langley), "Maintaining Business Operations Under COVID-19 and Ongoing Workplace Regulations," Recycling Association of North Carolina, Aug. 26, 2020

Co-author (with Charles Baldwin), "You’ve Reopened Your Business After COVID-19. Now What?" June 17, 2020

Co-presenter (with Natalie Sanders), "Returning Employees to Work in a COVID-19 World," UBS Financial Services’ 30 at 3 phone call series, June 2020

Co-author (with Charles Baldwin), "Preparing Your Business for a Post-COVID-19 World," May 8, 2020

Co-presenter, "Minding Others' Business: Navigating Gossip, Defamation, and Employee Use of Social Media," Association of Corporate Counsel meeting, November 2019, Geneva Group International Southeast Chapter Continuing Legal Education Webinar, April 2020

Author, "Best Practices for ADA Compliance," Workforce.com, October 29, 2019

Author, "Inclement Weather Checklist for Employers," The TJB American Business Magazine, March 2019

Co-presenter, "Entrepreneur 101: A Legal & Financial Toolbox for Women Starting a Business," Cary, NC, February 2018

Co-presenter (with Bill Cary), "Workplace Sexual Harassment: Still Alive & Kicking," UNC School of Law Festival of Legal Learning, February 2018

My approach to the practice of law is very similar to my approach to life: I believe the right combination of planning and flexibility can solve most problems. 

I attribute this in large part to my experiences as the oldest of five children.  If you’ve ever taken a group of five children anywhere, you know that the right supplies and attitude can go a long way. In my experience, the same applies to business management: communicating expectations and contingency planning are essential, as is the ability to adapt and think creatively when things don’t go as planned.

Outside of work, I love exploring local parks with my family and reading everything from novels to advice columns. I have also lived for more than twenty-five years with Type I Diabetes. I serve on the board for The Diabetes Family Connection, an organization with the mission to positively transform life with diabetes through the power of community.  I am proud to be an ambassador for the Type I Diabetes community and believe that visibility is key to showing what is possible. 

Recent Publications & Media

Group of employees, employment concept

New DOL Independent Contractor Rules

Insight
/
January 13, 2021
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced new rules, effective March 8, 2021, clarifying how to determine if an individual is an employee–entitled to minimum wage, overtime, and other statutory protections—or an independent contractor. Prior...(read more)

Speaking Engagements

Recognitions

Twenty-six Brooks Pierce attorneys have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2021...(read more)

Recent Publications & Media

Group of employees, employment concept

New DOL Independent Contractor Rules

Insight
/
January 13, 2021
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced new rules, effective March 8, 2021, clarifying how to determine if an individual is an employee–entitled to minimum wage, overtime, and other statutory protections—or an independent contractor. Prior...(read more)

The CDC (and Others) Change Guidance

Insight
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July 22, 2020
The one constant in the COVID-19 pandemic is that the guidance keeps changing. We have highlighted it before and we’ll do it again: Part of every employer’s COVID-19 preparedness and response plan needs to include the designation of someone in the...(read more)
Open sign in business

You’ve Reopened Your Business After COVID-19. Now What?

Insight
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June 17, 2020
As doors are re-opening and employees are returning to work, businesses should take measures to protect themselves—including their employees, customers, finances, and brand—as much as possible. Outlined below are a few measures businesses can take...(read more)
Open sign on business

Preparing Your Business for a Post-COVID-19 World

Insight
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May 8, 2020
As shelter-in-place orders begin to lift around the country and here in North Carolina, it is time for companies to shift from disaster response—making it through the immediate needs of the COVID-19 crisis and related shutdown—to plans for long-term...(read more)
coronavirus under microscope

Returning Employees to Work in a COVID-19 World

Insight
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May 4, 2020
The crisis has not passed, but many employers are reaching out to us about returning their employees to work. In some cases, it’s because employers have received PPP funds and want to make sure they are appropriately managing employee payroll,...(read more)
Close up of hundred dollar bills

Employer Tax Relief Under COVID-19 Legislation

Insight
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March 18, 2020
Update: President Trump signed these Acts into law on March 18. They are expected to take effect no later than April 2. Much has been made of the cost to employers of the leave required by the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family...(read more)
Close-up of hands on laptop typing

Jessi Thaller-Moran Writes Article on ADA Compliance

Firm News
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November 14, 2019
Brooks Pierce attorney Jessi Thaller-Moran recently published an article on workforce.com discussing compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the workplace. The article, entitled “Best Practices for ADA Compliance,” provides tips...(read more)
Group of people concept, employment

Best Practices for ADA Compliance

Insight
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November 7, 2019
This article was originally published by Workforce.com on October 29, 2019. This summer marked the 29th anniversary of the original Americans with Disabilities Act. I have Type 1 Diabetes, which makes me a beneficiary of the ADA (as amended). The...(read more)
Snow, icy road, dangerous conditions

Inclement Weather Checklist for Employers

Insight
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March 13, 2019
This article was originally published in the March 2019 issue of The TJB American Business Magazine. It’s afternoon on the day before forecasts are calling for a snowstorm. The excitement and trepidation around the office are contagious—will the...(read more)

Brooks Pierce to Sponsor mfgCON 2018 Event in Durham

Firm News
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November 2, 2018
Brooks Pierce will sponsor the 2018 mfgCON in Durham, North Carolina, from Nov. 13 to 14. Tailored to North Carolina manufacturers, the two-day event will provide networking opportunities along with innovative advice and strategies for developing...(read more)
Jessi Thaller-Moran

Jessica Thaller-Moran Joins Brooks Pierce

Firm News
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November 4, 2015
Brooks Pierce is pleased to announce that attorney Jessica Thaller-Moran has joined the firm as an associate in its Raleigh office, where she will focus her practice on business litigation. Before joining Brooks Pierce, Thaller-Moran served as a law...(read more)