Lydia Makande is a seasoned litigator with over a decade of experience in federal and state administrative law. Before joining Sligo Law Group, she served as the Deputy Assistant General Counsel for the Division of Business and Administrative Law in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of General Counsel. In that capacity, Lydia developed substantial experience advising on the Freedom of Information Act, appropriations, federal procurement, labor, and employment law. She also served as the principal legal advisor to the Department’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Services and its Alternative Dispute Resolution Center.

Prior to her federal career, Lydia was an Assistant General Counsel for the D.C. Department on Disability Services, where, in her capacity as primary counsel to the agency’s Rehabilitation Services Administration, she litigated matters pertaining to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Randolph-Sheppard Act, and advised the agency on its provision of vocational rehabilitation services to District residents.

Drawing on her distinguished career in public service, Lydia offers clients an in-depth knowledge of compliance with federal and District statutes pertaining to government transparency, labor and employment, and disability law. She provides strategic guidance to clients, helping them navigate complex and evolving statutory and regulatory frameworks, mitigate risks, and resolve disputes effectively, using a client-centered approach.