angela.sekerka@wilsonelser.com

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Angela McManus Sekerka specializes in employment and housing law. Angela has successfully defended numerous employers, property managers and management companies in litigation before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Circuit Court of Cook County as well as the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Angela also defends employers and property management companies before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the New York State Division of Human Rights and other state agencies throughout the country. She has obtained dismissals in hundreds of cases and has achieved favorable settlements for the firm’s clients at mediations in court and at the EEOC, HUD and various state agencies. 

Areas of Focus

Employment
Angela’s employment work involves race, color, sex, national origin, age and religious discrimination, sexual harassment, disability discrimination and equal pay violations. Angela also provides advice and counseling to clients on all aspects of employment law, reviews and drafts employee handbooks, and conducts internal employment investigations and sexual harassment training.

Housing
Angela’s housing work includes defending property managers and management companies against discrimination and harassment complaints as well as providing fair housing training. Angela also handles discrimination cases in public accommodations and accessibility litigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Angela operates a Discrimination Hotline and is co-editor of a Fair Housing Newsletter for a major insurance company. 

    Education

    • DePaul University College of Law (J.D., 2005)
    • Indiana University (B.A., 1999)

    Bar Admissions

    • Illinois
    • New York

    Court Admissions

    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
    • Supreme Court of Illinois
    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
    • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

    Professional Affiliations

    • American Bar Association
    • New York State Bar Association
    • Chicago Bar Association
    • New York City Association of Insurance Women

Events

Angela McManus Sekerka specializes in employment and housing law. Angela has successfully defended numerous employers, property managers and management companies in litigation before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Circuit Court of Cook County as well as the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Angela also defends employers and property management companies before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the New York State Division of Human Rights and other state agencies throughout the country. She has obtained dismissals in hundreds of cases and has achieved favorable settlements for the firm’s clients at mediations in court and at the EEOC, HUD and various state agencies. 

Angela M. Sekerka

Attorney Articles

CLM Publishes Meer and Sekerka Article on EEOC's New National Enforcement Plan

June 29, 2026 - CLM Magazine

Insights

HUD Issues New Guidance on Emotional Support Animals Under the Fair Housing Act

June 1, 2026

Authors: Jonathan E. Meer and Angela M. Sekerka

Jonathan Meer and Angela Sekerka Emotional Support Animals Insight

Attorney Articles

Law360 Features Meer and Sekerka Article Analyzing EEOC Subpoena Powers Amid Renewed Enforcement Focus​

March 31, 2026 - Law360

Attorney Articles

PLI Chronicle Features Meer and Sekerka Article on Navigating Mental Health Accommodations in the Workplace

February 2, 2026 - PLI Chronicle: Insights and Perspectives for the Legal Community

Attorney Articles

Law360 Features Article by Meer and Sekerka on Regulations Targeting Algorithmic Rent-Setting

December 12, 2025 - Law360

Attorney Articles

Westlaw Today Publishes Meer and Sekerka on OBBBA’s Outsized Impact on PEOs

November 20, 2025 - Westlaw Today

Attorney Articles

CLM Features Article by Meer & Sekerka on Mold-Related Claims

October 8, 2025 - CLM Magazine: Daily Claims News

Insights

Discrimination in Places of Public Accommodation an Increased Focus of the Department of Justice

September 11, 2025

Authors: Angela Sekerka and Jonathan Meer

Jonathan Meer and Angela Sekerka - Employment and Labor Insight

Insights

How Will the EEOC’s Investigation of Anti-American Bias and Antisemitism Impact Organizations?

May 22, 2025

Authors: Jonathan Meer and Angela Sekerka

Jonathan Meer and Angela Sekerka - Employment & Labor Discrimination Insight

Insights

HUD’s Enforcement of the Violence Against Women Act: What Housing Providers Should Know

April 1, 2025

Authors: Jonathan Meer and Angela Sekerka

Jon Meer and Angela Sekerka - Fair Housing Employment & Labor Insight

Insights

Do Tenants Have a Right to Ring Cameras? Courts Are Weighing In

January 14, 2025

Authors: Jonathan Meer and Angela Sekerka

Jon Meer and Angela Sekerka - Employment and Labor Doorbell Cameras Insight

Insights

Gearing Up for the NYC Fair Chance for Housing Act

December 10, 2024

Authors: Jonathan E. Meer and Angela M. Sekerka

Jonathan Meer and Angela Sekerka Employment & Labor Insight

Insights

Emotional Support Parrots & the Six-Figure New York Fair Housing Settlement

September 5, 2024

Author: Angela Sekerka

Angela Sekerka - Employment and Labor Insight

Angela M. Sekerka

Meer and Sekerka Prevail in Housing Discrimination Matter

Jonathan Meer (Partner-New York, NY) and Angela Sekerka (Of Counsel-Chicago, IL) secured dismissal of two housing discrimination charges before the Texas Workforce Commission.

On May 4, 2026, the Commission issued a letter of determination dismissing claims of housing discrimination based on race and retaliation.  The Commission found that the Respondent did not act to terminate the Complainant’s tenancy, nor did they take an action against this tenant that was different from someone in a different protected class.  The Commission found that the Respondents presented direct evidence suggesting that many of the actions were standard and universally applied in their policy enforcement.  It noted that the Complainant provided no evidence that a tenant of a different racial group or disability status committed a similar lease violation and was not issued an infraction or faced more lenient treatment.  After conducting an on-site inspection, the Commission also noted that interviews with other residents generally supported the absence of observed racial or disability discrimination.  As to the claim of retaliation, the Commission found that the Complainant did not even engage in an activity protected by the Texas Act, let alone be subjected to an adverse action.

In a separate matter on May 8, 2026, the Commission dismissed claims of housing discrimination based on national origin and retaliation.  The Commission found that while the Respondent did restrict the Complainant’s use of the community workshop until she signed a waiver and issued formal violations, it was not due to her national origin.  The Complainant and all residents, including those who identify with a different national origin, were required to sign a waiver, and the Commission found that the Complainant was denied access solely because she explicitly refused to sign the mandatory safety form.  The Commission noted that she received a notice to vacate, not because of her national origin but because her rent was unpaid.  With respect to the claims that she was unfairly targeted by the annual audit process, the auditor who worked remotely had never met the Complainant, was unaware of the Complainant’s national origin, and used the income calculation using a locked-cell spreadsheet based on standardized state formulas used for all tenants, including those for non-Russian residents.  Further, the Commission found that there was no retaliation as the Respondents had documented issues with lease violations and failure to complete the income audit before she engaged in any potentially protected activity.

Jonathan E. Meer and Angela M. Sekerka

Meer and Sekerka Obtain No Probable Cause Determination in Housing Discrimination Matter

Jonathan Meer (Partner-New York, NY)​ and Angela Sekerka (Of Counsel-Chicago/New York, NY) secured dismissal of a disability discrimination housing claim before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. The charge, brought by the tenants' children, arose from a request to modify the tenant’s shower in the unit to accommodate a disability. During its investigation, the Commission found that the respondents permitted the requested modification, provided the tenant covered the cost, as required under applicable law. When the tenant indicated they could not afford the modification and instead requested early termination of the lease, the respondents also granted that request, allowing termination without a penalty.  As such, the Commission found that the allegations of disability discrimination were unsupported and dismissed the charge.

Jonathan E. Meer and Angela M. Sekerka

Sekerka and Meer Secure HUD Dismissal of National Origin Discrimination Claim

Angela Sekerka (Of Counsel-Chicago/New York, NY) and Jonathan Meer (Partner-New York, NY) secured dismissal of a claim alleging national origin discrimination in housing before the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In this matter, HUD found no probable cause that national origin was considered in the respondents’ handling of the claimant’s maintenance requests or his concerns regarding unauthorized vehicles in his assigned parking space. HUD noted that even if the comment “go back to your country” was made, this single isolated comment did not rise to the level of harassment or discriminatory intent in connection with the respondents’ processing of the claimant’s maintenance requests. HUD also noted that additional maintenance requests could not be completed because the complainant refused to grant access to his unit. With respect to the parking issue, HUD found insufficient evidence of discriminatory motive based on national origin, observing that the respondents attempted to locate the vehicle owner parked in the complainant’s spot and, when unsuccessful, offered the claimant’s monetary compensation for the inconvenience.

Angela M. Sekerka and Jonathan E. Meer

Meer and Sekerka Obtain No Probable Cause Determination Before Maryland Commission on Civil Rights

Jonathan Meer (Partner-New York, NY) and Angela Sekerka (Of Counsel-White Plains, NY) secured a no probable cause determination for a landlord client in a housing discrimination matter before the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. The complainant tenant alleged that our client/respondent discriminated against her based on disability and source of income, as well as claiming retaliation. The investigation established that the respondent lacked knowledge of the complainant’s physical disability and determined that the only request for reasonable accommodation by the complainant included documentation exclusively supporting the need for an emotional support animal (ESA). The complainant, however, asserted that she requested accommodation for a severe breathing disorder, while our client maintained that no such request or medical documentation of a respiratory condition was ever received. While the complainant successfully obtained accommodation for her mental health needs, no evidence supported the existence of a formal request concerning a physical breathing disability. The investigation concluded that the respondent did not treat the complainant differently from other tenants or subject her to harassment based on her disability or source of income.

Jonathan E. Meer and Angela M. Sekerka

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