Our Team

When I was growing up, I remember seeing relatives and friends constantly out of work or, when lucky enough to have work, getting treated like dirt.  I could see on their faces how much it hurt not to have a job and provide for their families, and the pain and confusion of having a boss who acted like you never do anything right when you're working hard.  I realized that what unites all people is the need for meaningful and dignifying work.  I decided to become a lawyer, and to get involved with the labor movement.  

After college and law school at Harvard, I clerked for a fabulous federal judge.  That gave me an inside view of the court system.  Afterwards, I went into law practice to help folks like the family and friends I remember from when I was a kid.  I want to help people turn that sadness and confusion into hope and joy.  

Sonal and I were in love and had nothing to lose, and had just gotten engaged.  Start a law firm...why not?!  That's the power of love.  I'm a law nerd, but that's not the most important thing.  One of the many things Sonal and I share is a love of storytelling.  We tell each other stories all the time, and come up with them together.  

I enjoy reading good books (especially Joyce) and writing poetry.  I'm a runner and am very interested in politics (I have good friends across the spectrum and love hearing a diversity of viewpoints).  In my spare time, I'm trying to learn French and Hindi.  

I'm looking forward to hearing your story and sharing mine with you!

Contact E.E. at ee@keenanfirm.com

I'm passionate about helping kind, hardworking employees heal from the trauma of a toxic and abusive workplace. (It changes your body and mind--I know from my own personal experience.)  

During the recession, I worked in sales: all day,  I cold-called companies to sell software products.  There's a silver-lining to everything, and I learned to love the power of negotiation, of connecting with people's pain points and solving problems. 

I loved studying English Literature as an undergraduate at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. But I focused on creative writing because I love storytelling: give me a good myth or fairytale any time!  I earned my first $10 selling a poem when I was in college, and it gave me hope that I could use my creative skills someday in my work.

In law school at Washington University in St. Louis, I co-designed and co-taught a class on gender and the law for brilliant Washington University undergrads.  Teaching turned into another life-committment for me.  I also represented violence survivors in a clinic, and working on a team, drafted the ABA's guidelines for legal practitioners working with incarcerated violence survivors.  (An experience I had firsthand.) 

I love natural wine (ask me about it!), cooking for dinner parties with my friends, and being a political junkie and an activist for causes I care about--like getting big corporations and lobbyist money out of our political system.  I speak some French, some Spanish, some Hindi/Urdu and lots of English. 

Your employment story and your success are in my heart.

I hope to meet you and understand  your goals, and ultimately help you stand up to your employer and achieve your career dreams.  I am so happy and grateful to work with the love of my life (E.E.), and a great team (including you!) to describe your story and ensure that you obtain the best and most fulfilling result for you.  We are on this journey together--you will never be alone.

Contact Sonal at sonal@keenanfirm.com

As a first-generation college graduate, I am aware of the struggles accompanying working for a living and earning a paycheck.  My parents were both hard-working blue-collar workers who often struggled to make ends meet.  I know what it’s like to see people struggle with issues in the workplace.  I decided to dedicate my law practice to help people like my parents.  I look forward to putting the hard work ethic instilled in me by my parents to work for you. 

At Washington University, I earned a degree in History and graduated magna cum laude.  I also wrote a senior honor’s thesis on the Scottish Enlightenment.  My time studying at Washington University instilled in me a lifelong appreciation of the liberal arts and reading.  Some of my many favorite authors include Richard Hofstadter, Thomas Mann, Hans Fallada, and Kazuo Ishiguro.

I earned my law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.  At SLU, I was a staff member and editor on the Saint Louis University Law Journal and worked as a research assistant for two professors.  My time at SLU taught me to think like a lawyer and pursue a career-path working on behalf of employees. 

Prior to joining Keenan & Bhatia, I spent nearly 10 years at a sophisticated boutique labor and employment law firm located in St. Louis, Missouri.  At this law firm, I had the unique opportunity to work on a variety of labor and employment matters, including individual and collective actions for unpaid wages brought under a federal law known as the Fair Labor Standards Act.  I also worked on other complex matters involving items as diverse as federal securities law and franchise law.  Whatever the legal issue, I enjoyed hearing my client’s story and working hard on their behalf to achieve resolution of the matter at hand.   

I have a passion for helping workers facing tough and often brutal situations in the workplace.  I look forward to working with you to tackle your issues and aggressively advocate on your behalf.  

Contact Mark at mark@keenanfirm.com

I love connecting with employees, hearing their stories, and working hard to bring them a sense of justice, dignity, and closure.

My parents immigrated to the United States from Kiev, Ukraine (former Soviet Union) in 1989.  They left Kiev because of the widespread discrimination against Jewish people - they could not even get accepted into college because of stringent quotas, let alone find jobs.  My family made the courageous decision to start a new life together in New York, not just for themselves, but for me!

My parents instilled in me the values of hardwork and hunger.  Work is so much more than a pay check - it is passion, love, and purpose.  My parents' drive and resilience in the face of discrimination is what brought me to this moment, and it is what makes me so passionate about employees' rights.

I majored in Economics and Political Science at Swarthmore College, where I took a particular interest in health economics, behavioral econimics, constitutional law, political psychology, and social justice.  During my junior year, I had the honor of taking a class alongside inmates at the SCI - Chester Correctional Institution.  I was also the captain of the women's tennis team at Swarthmore.  From tennis court to courtroom, I bring my love for competition, strategy, and problem-solving  everywhere I go.  

I met Sonal and E.E. through a shadowing experience during my junior year at Swarthmore College and I absolutely fell in love with this work and the clients.

I plan on attending law school in the fall of 2021.  Until then, I have the privilege of immersing myself in this important work.

Outside of the office, I am a self-taught make-up artist, a mac & cheese enthusiast, a crossword solver, and a true crime geek. 

I can't wait to have the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and listening to your story!

Contact Julia at julia@keenanfirm.com