Attorneys

Principal

Dean Sparlin

Dean Sparlin is a lawyer and affirmative action consultant based in Fairfax, Virginia.  He represents and advises management on employment issues, specializing in affirmative action plans and other applications of sophisticated statistical techniques to the field of employment law.  In doing so, he draws upon his legal education at the College of William and Mary, a masters degree in statistics at George Mason University, and more than 30 years of experience as a practicing attorney and affirmative action consultant.

Mr. Sparlin earned his J.D. in 1986 from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary.  While at William and Mary, he served as Managing Editor of the William and Mary Law Review and became a member of the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for top law students at select member institutions.  He is a member of the bars of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the District of Columbia, and various federal courts.

Immediately after his graduation, Mr. Sparlin became associated with the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a leading national law firm, where he practiced law for 17 years.  Drawing upon his experience, education, and aptitude in mathematics, Mr. Sparlin honed his expertise in the application of statistics and quantitative analysis in the field of employment law.  In addition to acting as an affirmative action consultant for numerous clients, he analyzed salary structures, the race and gender impacts of proposed reductions in force, and patterns of alleged discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, and disability in connection with litigated matters.

Mr. Sparlin also applied his quantitative expertise in other labor-related fields.  For example, during a lawsuit seeking alleged unpaid overtime wages for a class of several thousand employees, Mr. Sparlin developed a computerized algorithm designed to isolate individual claims that were likely to be inaccurate or overstated.  The algorithm was successfully applied in mediation to limit the client’s total damages.  Mr. Sparlin also prepared a comprehensive critique of the economic analysis supporting the Department of Labor’s proposed ergonomics standard.  This 206-page critique became part of formal submission by industry interests challenging the standard, which later was rescinded by a majority vote of Congress.

In 2003, Mr. Sparlin left Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP to establish an independent practice, offering his services as a lawyer and affirmative action consultant.  This move also facilitated an opportunity to formalize and expand his qualifications as an affirmative action consultant through graduate study in statistics at George Mason University.  Mr. Sparlin completed his M.S. in Statistical Science at George Mason in 2006.

Mr. Sparlin has spoken before numerous groups on labor-related issues, including the National Industry Liaison Group, American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity, American Bar Association, the Industrial Relations Research Association, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Aerospace Industries Association.  He appeared on the syndicated television series, It’s Your Business, as an expert on the application of federal employment laws to the United States Congress.  His writings have appeared in several publications including the Wall Street Journal and the National Law Journal.

Prior to receiving his legal education, Mr. Sparlin served on the staffs of Senator Henry Bellmon and Congressman Mickey Edwards, handling, among other responsibilities, legislation involving employment, labor and general economic issues.  He resides in Springfield, Virginia, with his wife Debbie, his son, Christopher, and his daughter, Cindy.

Education

William and Mary School of Law
Juris Doctor, 1986
Honors: Order of the Coif
Law Review: Managing Editor, William and Mary Law Review, 1985 – 1986

George Mason University
M.S., Statistical Science, 2006

Catholic University of America
B.A., 1980

Activities & Affiliations

• Virginia Bar Association, Diversity Conference Board Member
• American Association for Access Equity and Diversity, Treasurer & Board Member

Bar Admissions

• Virginia, Washington, D.C.

Published Works

• Wall Street Journal
• National Law Journal
• Seminars in Spine Surgery (Co-author), Elsevier Science, 2003