Lauren D’Cruz

Attorney

Lauren D’Cruz is an employment litigator specializing in workplace discrimination, retaliation, and sexual harassment cases. Lauren’s tenacity and dedication make her a perfect fit to represent employees who have been wronged. She is motivated by her ongoing commitment to advocating for her clients. Her passion landed her on the Minnesota Rising Stars list, an honor reserved for lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice, from 2018-2023.

As an experienced and tested attorney, Lauren has prevailed on behalf of her clients in trials with both juries and judges. Notably, in 2019, she represented her client, a medical device account executive, in a jury trial in Colorado federal court. The jury found her client’s former employer liable for fraudulent inducement and awarded her client $1.38 million in damages. Lauren has also resolved numerous cases for her clients for six-figure settlements.

In her free time, Lauren enjoys volunteering, traveling, and staying active. She volunteers as a mentor with TreeHouse Hope, a nonprofit organization aimed at ending hopelessness among teens. She serves as the Mentor Chair for the Warren E. Burger American Inn of Court. In her role, she leads a mentoring program that pairs law students and new attorneys with experienced attorneys and judges. She also serves as the Director of Legal Affairs for the House Corporation Board of Alpha Phi Sorority at the University of Minnesota. If you believe you have been wronged in the workplace, reach out to Lauren for a confidential consultation on how she can fight to uphold your rights as an employee and pursue the justice you deserve.

Education

Juris Doctor, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, 2013
Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Minor in Spanish, University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2008

Admissions

Minnesota Supreme Court
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado

Professional Memberships

TreeHouse Hope, Brooklyn Park, MN. Mentor (2021 – Present).
Toastmasters International, Minneapolis, MN. Member, (2020 – Present).
Warren E. Burger American Inn of Court, Saint Paul, MN. Mentor Chair, (2019 – 2024).
Alpha Phi Sorority House Corporation Board, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Director of Legal Affairs, (2014 – Present).

Honors

Selected to the Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers in 2018 – 2024
Listed as one of “Top Women Attorneys in Minnesota” in the April 2019 – 2023 issues of Minneapolis/St.Paul Magazine

Publications & Presentations

Lauren D’Cruz and Mark Fredrickson, Apportioning Fault Between a Negligent Tortfeasor and an Intentional Tortfeasor in Minnesota, Minnesota Defense, Summer 2015, at 11.

Representative Cases

Van Dellen v. Aon Service Corporation, 2020 WL 2468759 (D. Minn. May 12, 2020) (denial of defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim of age discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act because a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether defendant’s reason for terminating plaintiff was pretextual)

Client Reviews

“I highly recommend Joni and Lauren, along with the entire top notch staff at Wanta Thome. They took time to listen, understood our situation, were upfront, caring, patient, and honest.” –Nicole H.
“Very happy with the team of lawyers here! Was able to get the results I wanted regarding an employment law case! Big thanks to Joni & Lauren! Without their dedication and knowledge I dont know where I would be!” –Ethan P.
“Jerry, Lauren, and Michelle were all incredible to work with and I’d recommend them to everyone. I had reached out to numerous attorneys, (maybe 7 others) and what set these ladies apart was that they were genuinely kind and cared about what I had to say. Their knowledge of the law also went above and beyond the others I had spoken with.” –Chelsea S.