Tiffany L. Gooden - Partner

Tiffany L. Gooden concentrates her practice in the areas of labor and employment, sports and entertainment and school law. Through her labor and employment law practice, Tiffany represents business clients in all stages of the litigation process, including pre-litigation counseling, alternative dispute resolution, trial, and appeal. She defends employers before federal and state agencies such as the EEOC, NLRB, and state civil rights and industrial commissions. Tiffany also performs comprehensive FLSA audits and advises clients pertaining to the nuances of federal and state wage payment laws. She provides supervisory training on various anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation laws and policies pertaining to Title VII, the FMLA, ADA, FLSA, ADEA, and workers’ compensation. Moreover, Tiffany conducts diversity training for supervisors and hourly employees and has frequently presented at labor and employment law seminars.

With respect to her school law practice, Tiffany provides a broad range of legal services to primary, secondary, and post-secondary public and private schools. She has served as school corporations’ chief spokesperson during teacher contract negotiations and has represented school corporations on a myriad of unfair labor practice complaints and matters pertaining to teacher and student discipline, sports and other extra-curricular issues (including IHSAA athlete transfer matters), civil litigation, and curriculum development. Tiffany also handles issues arising with respect to TERF, ADA, Title VII and Title IX compliance, and other applicable laws. She has presented at special education and other school law seminars regarding topics addressing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, the dangers of workplace romance, and sexual harassment.

Through her sports law practice, Tiffany has helped municipalities attract and maintain college basketball conference tournaments and related sporting events. For example, she helped the City of Indianapolis successfully procure a five-year contract with the Big Ten Conference to host the Men’s and Women’s Big Ten Basketball Tournaments beginning in 2008. The multiyear deal is expected to generate up to $100 million in revenue for the City of Indianapolis. Tiffany also provides counsel on matters pertaining to Title IX and executive contracts, including coaching contracts. Furthermore, she has represented professional athletes who have competed in the NBA, WNBA, and internationally. Along with representing athletes’ interests during contract negotiations with professional basketball teams, Tiffany has advised them on issues pertaining to the merchandizing and marketing of their name, likeness, and image. She has also advised individuals and groups within the sports industry on legal issues arising from the creation and maintenance of non-profit associations and foundations, as well as the operation of various sports camps and clinics.

Tiffany graduated with honors from The University of Iowa with a B.A.in communication studies and a minor in English. She earned her J.D. from The University of Iowa College of Law. While at The University of Iowa, she played on two Big Ten championship Iowa women’s basketball teams and a Big Ten Tournament championship team. Tiffany added to her 1994 Miss Indiana Basketball title and Naismith and Parade Magazine National High School Player of the Year awards by earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 1995 and All-Big Ten honors thereafter. Before attending law school, she also played professional basketball and competed against U.S. Olympic gold-medalists such as Teresa Edwards, Yolanda Griffith and Katie Smith.

Tiffany earned a 2006 Future 40 Award from the Fort Wayne Business Journal in recognition of her professional accomplishments and civic commitment. She was also featured in the May and July 2006 issues of the Fort Wayne Business Journal and the April 2006 issue of the Fort Wayne Business Weekly. Moreover, Tiffany was featured in the 2007 issue of Fort Wayne Magazine as one of the “10 People You Ought to Know” and was selected in 2007 by the Fort Wayne Mayor to serve on a special task force assembled to address various issues pertaining to downtown development and revitalization efforts.

Tiffany is admitted to practice before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, and Indiana state courts.