Anna McKenzie is of counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she currently practices in the firm’s Litigation and Labor & Employment Departments.
She has represented clients in a range of employment litigation matters, including cases involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour violations. Representative matters include:
- Served as lead associate representing defendant in three-week jury trial in the Southern District of New York; argued motion seeking judgment as a matter of law; prepared witnesses, exhibits, and demonstratives for trial; drafted materials for jury study.
- Defended global company against novel claims of age discrimination in social media advertising in a Northern District of California case involving putative class of millions of Facebook users, significantly narrowing the case through dispositive motions practice and ultimately achieving a favorable settlement.
- Second-chaired five-day FINRA arbitration in executive compensation and whistleblower case, resulting in denial of all claims against client; prepared witnesses to testify; cross examined witness; drafted post-hearing briefing.
- Represented government contractor in putative class action involving wage and hour laws, breach of contract, and business torts, resulting in dismissal of all claims; successfully briefed and argued motion to exclude opposing party’s expert witness in the Eastern District of Virginia.
- Assisted clients in drafting employment agreements, separation agreements, and arbitration provisions; conducted pre-litigation investigations of employment-related claims; and advised clients on a variety of employment-related issues.
Anna joined the firm in 2013, after clerking for the Honorable Rebecca Beach Smith, who was then the chief judge in the Eastern District of Virginia. Anna left the firm in 2020 to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where she represented federal agencies and officers in a wide variety of defensive matters, including cases involving employment discrimination, constitutional law, the Administrative Procedure Act, complex jurisdictional issues, Touhy requests, and medical malpractice. She returned to the firm in 2025.
Anna received her law degree from the University of Virginia, where she was an editor of the Virginia Law Review and participated in the Child Advocacy Clinic. She graduated summa cum laude from the Robert E. Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in political science.
Anna is a member of the Virginia and District of Columbia bars, and also is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Virginia, the Supreme Court of Virginia, and the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Fourth Circuit.
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- University of Virginia - 2012 Juris Doctor
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania - 2007 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- District of Columbia Bar
- Virginia Bar
Clerkships:
- USDC, Eastern District of Virginia, Hon. Rebecca Beach Smith, 2012 - 2013