Maia Goodell is a civil rights lawyer for people facing employment discrimination or disability discrimination. A graduate of Yale and the University of Michigan law schools with 15+ years of experience, including work for racial justice, Maia provides the highest level of legal expertise and insight, empowering her clients to accomplish their goals. In addition to legal action, Maia works outside the courtroom, offering consultations about legal rights and support negotiating reasonable accommodations.
Recognized for her plaintiff-side employment work, Maia has represented a wide range of professionals in understanding and defending their rights. She rejoined Vladeck, Raskin & Clark PC after nearly a decade in public service, bringing extensive experience in nonprofit advocacy and disability impact litigation.
Maia leads the firm’s disability rights and justice practice, focusing on enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act and related civil rights laws. She has served as class counsel in state and federal courts and has led impactful actions against major institutions.
Her work reflects a commitment to advancing equity and dignity, with a client-driven, community-based approach to achieving meaningful, lasting change.
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Education
- LL.M., Yale Law School
- J.D., University of Michigan Law School
- B.S., Stanford University
Experience
Disability Access
- Lead attorney in class action lawsuit against Medical Management Group alleging the for-profit company schedules Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) for disabled people at facilities that are not ADA-compliant
- Supervising attorney in case challenging physical inaccessibility of the New York City subway system; argued and defeated motion to dismiss
- Represented community based organization and students in case challenging leave policies that discriminated against Yale University students with mental health disabilities; obtained settlement including new policies
- Represented independent living center and people with mobility and vision disabilities to challenge sidewalk barriers in Philadelphia
Employment
- Supervising attorney in case challenging systemic discrimination against veterans with PTSD in employment; obtained EEOC determination of probable cause
- Lead appellate attorney for case challenging same-sex sexual harassment of a probation officer: defeated summary judgment motion in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- Represented workers in claims of unpaid overtime and race, sex, and sexual orientation discrimination against retail loss prevention workers: class action settlement of unpaid wages; discrimination damages
Prior Experience
- Supervising Attorney, Disability Rights Advocates
- Supervising Attorney, Workplace Justice Project, Mobilization for Justice
- Litigation Associate, Foley Hoag LLP
- Clerkship: Hon. M. Margaret McKeown, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Super Lawyers, 2025
- Recognized in The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers for Employee & Civil Rights Litigation
- Super Lawyers Honoree
- Fellow, Racial Justice Institute of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Class of 2016
- Chair, Mental Health Law Committee, New York City Bar
- Former Chair, Military Affairs and Justice Committee, New York City Bar
- Member, Civil Rights Committee, Federal Bar Council
- Member, Disability Rights Bar Association
- Member, National Employment Lawyers’ Association/New York
Practice Areas
