Erin N. Schiffman is an Associate at Odin Feldman Pittleman, where she focuses her practice on employment law and trade secret litigation, handling both transactional and courtroom matters. Erin believes that the law should be a tool for clarity, fairness, and problem-solving—not confusion. With these things in mind, she advises employers on personnel policies, negotiates severance and employment agreements, conducts workplace investigations, and represents clients in employment litigation, restrictive covenant disputes, and trade secret misappropriation cases.
Erin’s practice blends a sharp eye for detail with a practical, business-minded approach to help clients see the big picture, understand their options, and move forward with confidence—whether that means resolving matters quietly, negotiating favorable settlements, or litigating when necessary. She has gained substantial experience representing businesses and individuals in high-stakes litigation, including successfully resolving multimillion-dollar trade secret and employment disputes before state and federal courts. Her transactional work includes crafting and negotiating agreements that protect clients’ interests while ensuring compliance with employment laws.
A native of the DC-metro area, Erin comes from a family of attorneys, including her parents and brother. Erin graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law, where she concentrated her studies on business, employment, and disability/special education law. Her passion for disability and employment law led her to the Civil Rights of Persons with Disabilities Clinic, where she provided legal assistance and advice to clients with disabilities in conjunction with the National Association of the Deaf and supervised other clinic students.
Prior to joining the firm, Erin was an associate at a boutique business and employment law firm in Fairfax, Virginia.
Outside of her regular practice, Erin is passionate about helping students obtain accommodations in school and testing-related settings ranging from pre-K through professional licensing exams. She is also a board member of The Arc of Northern Virginia and co-chairs the Employment Law Forum for the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia.
In her free time, Erin enjoys horseback riding, spending time with her family and three-pound Yorkie, doing art, and baking.
- Won summary judgment in favor of defendant on forgery and identity theft claims in D.C.
- Successfully negotiated $1.5 million separation agreement and package for C-Suite employee against global banking entity
- Successfully defeated Virginia trade secret claims in an arbitration
- Won partial summary judgment in favor of individual defendant on federal and Virginia trade secret, fiduciary duty of loyalty, and conversion claims brought by former employer in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- Successfully defeated spoliation of evidence motion against individual defendant in trade secret misappropriation case brought by former employer claiming damages in excess of $23.3 million
- Successfully defeated motion to dismiss 14-count complaint for: failure to provide reasonable accommodations, disparate treatment disability discrimination, disparate treatment/wrongful discharge, and retaliation in violation of the ADA; sexual harassment, gender discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation in violation of Title VII; FMLA retaliation and interference; and failure to accommodate and disability discrimination/harassment, sex discrimination and harassment, hostile work environment, and retaliation in violation of the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- Obtained accommodations under the ADA, Section 504, and IDEA for elementary school child with disabilities
- Obtained accommodations under the ADA and Section 504 for high school student with disabilities
- Obtained damages for plaintiff on claims for unpaid wages under federal and Virginia law, and retaliation, and successfully pierced the corporate veil against owners of two corporations in Virginia state court
Practice Areas
- Employment Litigation
- Trade Secret Litigation
- Labor & Employment Law
- Enforcement of Restrictive Covenants & Confidentiality Agreements
- Severance and Employment Agreement Negotiations
- Civil Litigation
- Corporate Litigation and Shareholder Disputes
- Business Law
Education
- University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland
- J.D. - 2022
- Honors: cum laude
- University of Maryland College Park
- 2019
- Major: Business and Marketing
Bar Admissions
- Virginia
- Maryland
- District of Columbia
- Supreme Court of the United States of America
- U.S. District Court District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Other Affiliations
- Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia
- Fairfax Bar Association
- Virginia Bar Association
- Maryland State Bar Association
- Board Member, The Arc of Northern Virginia
Pro Bono Activities
- Help students obtain accommodations in school and testing-related settings ranging from pre-K through professional licensing exams