Lage Appointed New EEOC Deputy General Counsel

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced the appointment of Christopher Lage as the agency’s deputy general counsel, effective Oct. 24.

Lage has served as an EEOC assistant general counsel since 2002, overseeing and supporting district court litigation.

“Chris brings to this new role a deep knowledge of the agency’s mission and operations, as well as tremendous experience representing the interests of EEOC’s litigation program,” said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows. “For many years, he has advocated to vindicate the rights of employees, and he has collaborated with the Commissioners and other EEOC program offices on important agency initiatives.”

Lage began his career in 1994 as a trial attorney in the EEOC’s San Antonio office, where he successfully tried cases to favorable jury verdicts. While serving as an assistant general counsel, he continued his active involvement in litigation, often partnering with district office legal units on high-impact cases. Some of his recent significant resolutions include EEOC v. Baltimore County, Civil Action No. 07-2500 (D. Md. Apr. 24, 2020) (systemic ADEA case involving age-discriminatory pension benefits, resolving for $5.4 million for over 2,000 individuals) and EEOC v. Cintas Corp., Civil Action No. 04-40132 (E.D. Mich. Nov. 25, 2015) (systemic Title VII sex discrimination in hiring case, resolving for $1.5 million for over 1,000 individuals).

Lage also has represented the EEOC’s interests in his interactions with other federal agencies and external stakeholders. He has written several articles related to the agency’s work for the ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law, and he served for four years as public co-chair of the ABA’s Section of Labor & Employment Law Ethics & Professional Responsibility Committee.

Lage said, “I am honored that I have been chosen to serve the EEOC and those who depend on it in this new role. The EEOC’s mission for the nation is crucial and indispensable, and I embrace the opportunity to contribute more towards promoting equal employment opportunity.”

Lage earned a J.D. from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.