Overview

Dionysia Johnson-Massie is a litigator who focuses her practice on federal employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wage-hour litigation and strategic compliance issues, including diversity and inclusion strategies and matters arising under:

  • Title VII and Section 1981
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act
  • The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
  • The Family and Medical Leave Act
  • The Fair Labor Standards Act

Dionysia uses a combination of legal skills and business acumen to offer her clients creative and cost-effective strategies that minimize exposure to a myriad of legal risks. She regularly provides advice and counsel on the practical and legal implications of everyday employment decisions. She also has extensive experience investigating potential legal issues and developing appropriate legal and compliance strategies for companies.

Through mediations, arbitrations, trials or summary judgment motions, she effectively resolves difficult and complex “bet the company” matters. She also has unique experience handling religious accommodation matters for employers in a variety of industries and promotion and tenure issues for educational institutions.

A dynamic presenter on employment law topics, Dionysia has conducted numerous training sessions for clients and presented to business associations and organizations, including the Atlanta and American Bar Associations, Corporate Counsel Association,  Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Corporate Counsel Women of Color, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), National Association of African Americans in Human Resource professionals and other legal and human resources organizations throughout the country. She has authored a number of articles and papers and has been quoted in national and local publications regarding employment law issues.

Dionysia has experience representing and counseling the following types of clients:

  • Financial services
  • Retail
  • Entertainment
  • Telecommunications
  • Healthcare
  • Consumer services
  • Manufacturing
  • Higher education
  • Religious organizations
  • Restaurants
  • Hotels
  • Public sector

Dionysia has an emeritus role and serves in an advisory capacity to the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Council. She was among the founding members of the D&I Council and served as its co-chair for many years. She is also co-chair of the firm’s Career Advocacy Program (CAP). Dionysia is a member of the firm's National Recruitment and Governance committees and formerly served as the hiring shareholder for the Atlanta office.

Previously, Dionysia worked with another labor and employment boutique in Atlanta and also served as a general counsel for another entity.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

Caldwell Partners International Inc. Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council

2018

Columnist

Legal Smarts

Atlanta Tribune, The Magazine

Assistant Secretary, Board of Directors

Big Bethel Towers, Inc.

Member, Board of Directors

Atlanta Legal Diversity Consortium

Steward, Board of Directors

Bethel A.M.E. Church

Member

State Bar of Georgia

Member

Chart Your Own Course Foundation

Member

Corporate Counsel Women of Color

Member

Minority Corporate Counsel Association

Member

National Employment Law Council

Member

Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys

Member

Georgia Association of Women Lawyers

Member

Nordstrom’s Scholarship Board, Southeast Region

Member, Board of Directors

Wellspring Living

Recognition

Named, Best Mentor

The American Lawyer

2022

Recipient, Law and Justice Award

Women Works Media Group

2018-2019

Selected, One of 2019's Most Influential Women in Corporate America

Savoy Magazine

2019

Recipient, Leadership Excellence Award

Georgia Chapter

National Diversity Council

2018

Fellow

American Bar Foundation

2018

Named, Most Influential Black Lawyers

Savoy

2015, 2018, 2022

Recipient, Diversity and Inclusion Trailblazer Award

Littler Bollo

2016

Selected, 2014 Women of Character, Courage and Commitment

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Atlanta Branch

Selected, Member

Leadership Atlanta Class of 2012

Selected, Sweet 16

Women Leaders Changing Atlanta

2011

Selected, Senior Fellow

Litigation Counsel of America

2008

Named, Super Lawyer

Georgia

Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition

2008

Named, Super Lawyer

Georgia

Super Lawyers

2004-2007

News, Analysis & Press

#MeToo On My Mind

Atlanta Tribune Magazine

March 19, 2018

What The Olympics Teach Us About Diversity

Today’s General Counsel

October 1, 2016

HR Must Work Hard to Root Out Unconscious Bias

Bloomberg BNA Human Resources Report

July 25, 2016

Office Holiday Parties – Some Advice on Having Fun….Lawfully

Atlanta Tribune

December 2015

HURRY: California’s Fair Pay Act (SB 358) Demands IMMEDIATE Attention From Georgia Employers with California Operations

Atlanta Tribune

December, 2015

Is Bullying Occurring in Your Workplace?

Atlanta Tribune

November 2015

GINA Shields Defecating Employees in Company Investigation – Say What??

Atlanta Tribune

September 2015

The Dodd-Frank Act’s Joint Policy Statement on Diversity Opts for Voluntary - Compliance Model

Atlanta Tribune

June 2015

Pregnant Employees Receive Support from the United States Supreme Court

Atlanta Tribune

May 2015

The Honest Belief Defense Often Shields Employers From Liability, Even If Decisions Are Based On Inaccurate Facts

Atlanta Tribune

February 2015

The Honest Belief Defense Often Shields Employers From Liability, Even If Decisions are Based on Inaccurate Facts

Atlanta Tribune

December 2014

Accommodating Religious Requests in the Workplace

Atlanta Tribune

September 2014

U.S. Supreme Court Expands Sox Coverage To Include More Private Employers

Atlanta Tribune

June 2014

ADA Disability Claims: How Medical Documentation Can Support Accommodation Requests

Atlanta Tribune

May 2014

What Is the Current Impact of the Dodd-Frank Act’s Diversity Provision?

Atlanta Tribune

February 2014

Retaliation Claims: The Difficulty of “Making the Connection” Between Complaints and Alleged Negative Conduct

Atlanta Tribune

December 2013

Settling Fair Labor Standards Act Claims Still Requires the Department of Labor’s Supervision or a Court Approved Stipulated Judgment in Georgia

Atlanta Tribune

October 2013

Does the Supreme Court’s Fisher Decision Impact Private Employer Diversity Related Efforts?

Atlanta Tribune

August 2013

Littler Mendelson P.C. Creating Opportunities for Diversity

Multicultural Law Magazine

August 1, 2013

Avoiding Retaliation Claims: A “Win-Win” For Employers and Employees

Atlanta Tribune

July 2013

Electronic Use Policy: Critical For Any Employment Environment

Atlanta Tribune

March 2013

The Family and Medical Leave Act Protects More Georgia Employees

Atlanta Tribune

August 2012

Georgia Public Employers: Discriminating Against Transgender Employees violates the Law

Atlanta Tribune

April 2012

New Year's Resolution: Make Time for an Employment Law Check-up

Atlanta Tribune

January 2012

Workplace Diversity: Who is Championing African-American Professional Women in the Workplace?

Atlanta Tribune (Diversity Issue)

September 2011

Significant New Fair Labor Standards Act Case: One More Reason to Strengthen Policies, Procedures & Training

Atlanta Tribune

July 2011

Employer's Diversity & Inclusion Strategies: Why "Now" is Indeed the Time for Action

Atlanta Tribune

May 2011

Avoiding Workplace Headaches: Training is Critical

Atlanta Tribune

March 2011

Help! Navigating Challenges to Employers’ Diversity Efforts

Lead-Zine E-Magazine

October 3, 2008

Speaking Engagements

Workplace 2.COVID: Trends, Traps and Regulatory Mischief

Atlanta, GA

October 6, 2021

Panelist, Effective Diversity and Inclusion Management in the Workplace: What You Should Know and Do

The Knowledge Group, LLC, Live Webcast

February 21, 2020

Connecting the Dots in Federal Contract Compliance: Moving from Burden to Benefit

Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ

May 3, 2018

Accommodating a Multireligious and Multicultural Workforce

Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ

May 3, 2018

Challenges and Differences in Accommodating Religion, Pregnancy and Disabilities in the Workplace

Webinar

December 13, 2017

Challenges and Differences in Accommodating Religion, Pregnancy and Disabilities in the Workplace

September 19, 2017

Pay Equity: A Rapidly Expanding Frontier

The 2017 Executive Employer® Conference

May 11, 2017

The Role of HR Professionals in Investigating Compliance and Whistleblower Claims

The 2016 Executive Employer® Conference

May 5, 2016

Workplace Bullying: Identifying, Preventing and Managing It in the Workplace

Women in Power and Law (WIPL) Conference, Washington, D.C.

October 2015

What Every In-House Counsel Needs to Know About Employment Law

Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC) 11th Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA

September 2015

Past, Present & Future of Employment & Labor Law: Lessons Learned, Critical New Developments & Future Challenges

2015 Atlanta Employer Conference, Atlanta, GA

August 2015

Sexual Harassment Policy and Investigation Procedure

C4CM Webinar

August 2015

5 Critical Employment Law Challenges for HR Professionals

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA

April 2015, April 2014, April 2013, April 2012, October 2011

Out in Front: Harnessing (in)Visible Differences for Career Development

Women’s Transformative Leadership Forum - Thomson Reuters, New York, NY

March 3, 2015

Out in Front: Harnessing (in)Visible Differences for Career Development, Women’s Transformative Leadership: Empowering by Improving Participation and Representation

Thomas Reuters, New York, NY

March 2015

Acknowledging and Overcoming Unconscious Bias

Georgia Diversity Program - State Bar of Georgia

September 24, 2014

Practical Strategies and New Opportunities: What Do the Law, Dodd-Frank’s Diversity Provision and Workplace Innovation Mean for Diversity and Inclusion?

August 26, 2014

Atlanta Employer Conference

Atlanta, GA

September 28, 2012

Defusing the Potential Explosion: Practical Approaches to Disarming Some Key FMLA and NLRA Time Bombs

Atlanta Employer Conference

Littler Mendelson, Atlanta, GA

September 28, 2012

Critical Compliance Issues Facing Today’s Employers

Atlanta, GA

July 27, 2012

Getting Beyond Diversity Day: Developing Meaningful (and Legal) Strategies That Support Your Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

The 2012 Executive Employer® Conference

Littler Mendelson, Scottsdale, AZ

May 10, 2012

2011 Employment Law Conference

Atlanta, GA

September 23, 2011

How to Navigate the Legislative, Regulatory, and Judicial Developments in Today's Enforcement Era

Annual Employment and Labor Law Update - Association of Corporate Counsel, Atlanta, GA

September 2011

Demystifying DeStefano: Walking the Diversity Tightrope

2010 Executive Employer Conference® - Littler Mendelson, Phoenix, AZ

April 2010

Corporate Ethics and Compliance-the Employment Law Perspective

Atlanta Chapter Meeting - Society for Human Resource Management, Atlanta, GA

April 2010

Strategic Insights: Women on Corporate Boards

October 1, 2009

Strategies for Litigating Religious Discrimination and Harassment Cases

2009 Fall Conference and Induction of Fellows - Litigation Counsel of America, Charleston, SC

October 2009

How Do You Spell Retaliation? A Look at the Ever Expanding World of Retaliation Claims

Employment Law Conference - Littler Mendelson, Atlanta, GA

September 2009

Navigating Retaliation Claims in a Post-Burlington World

American Conference Institute, New York, NY

January 2009

Driving Diversity & Inclusion Efforts: Steering through the Legal Minefield

CM Resources/Littler Regional Conference, Atlanta, GA

September 2008

Accommodations Battleground: Religious and Cultural Differences in the Workplace

American Bar Association, Denver, CO

August 2008

Diversity Compliance: Balancing Diversity-Focused Business Objectives Resulting From Demographic Realities & Threats of Reverse Discrimination Claims

National Employment Law Conference, Dallas, TX

May 2007

Education

  • J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 1993
  • B.A./B.A., Yale University, 1989

Bar Admission

Georgia

Courts

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • Georgia Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Georgia