2017 HR Legal Roundtable

Speaker Bios:

John Hagan – ‘Employee Arbitration Agreements: Why Your Company Cannot Afford Not to Have One’

John Hagan is the managing attorney for the Hagan Law Group.  As a trial lawyer, he is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and focuses primarily on employment law in the Firm's Allen office. He advises and defends corporate employers, both large and small, on employment disputes, including clients who have nonsubscribed to the Texas Workers' Compensation Act and those with unionized employees. He advises and defends corporate clients on commercial and insurance litigation issues.

Mr. Hagan also helps employers avoid and, if possible, resolve employment disputes before they ever reach litigation. He advises clients on a wide variety of employment issues arising under both state and federal law, including issues arising under applicable collective bargaining agreements. He will review company policies, procedures and handbooks for compliance with the law, and will suggest and implement appropriate revisions. Having enforced numerous arbitration agreements, he can also advise clients whether an arbitration policy would be appropriate for their business.

In the event litigation does arise, however, Mr. Hagan has considerable experience in both court and arbitration successfully defending employment claims. He has handled claims for discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge and sexual harassment under a variety of state and federal employment laws.

Mr. Hagan was named as a Texas SuperLawyer (Thomson Reuters) for six years in a row, 2011 - 2016.”

Shannon Norris - ‘Accommodating Disabilities Without Disabling Your Company’ - Employers are required to provide "reasonable" accommodations to disabled employees.  The difficulty often arises in determining what is "reasonable" under the circumstances. This discussion will cover the employer's legal obligations and offer practical guidance for real-world applications.

Shannon Norris has spent over two decades navigating the intricacies of employment law, business litigation, employee benefits, and corporate law. Business owners, executives, Human Resource professionals, and other attorneys consistently look to Shannon to resolve their complex business and employment disputes. He is also a Certified Fraud Examiner, which gives him valuable insights into preventing, detecting, and litigating cases involving employee and commercial fraud.  His clientele covers a broad spectrum of employers, employees, and other professionals – from small businesses and individuals to Fortune 100 companies.

Russell Cawyer – ‘FLSA 2017-18: What You Need to Know’

Russell D. Cawyer is a partner at Kelly Hart in the firm’s Labor and Employment practice group. He received his juris doctor, cum laude, from Texas Tech University School of Law, where he also served as a Note Editor on its law review. Mr. Cawyer received his Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from the University of North Texas. 

Mr. Cawyer’s practice focuses exclusively on labor and employment-related legal matters, including litigation in federal and state courts; administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, United States Department of Labor, the Texas Workforce Commission - Civil Rights Division, the National Labor Relations Board (including defending both charges of unfair labor practices and representation election proceedings); and proceedings before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other state fair employment practices agencies.  Mr. Cawyer is a frequent author and speaker on human resource, employee relations and labor and employment law developments. He has been board certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2000.”

Art Lambert - ‘How to Stop FMLA Abuse’

Art Lambert is a partner in Fisher Phillips’ Dallas office. On behalf of employer clients, Art regularly counsels and litigates employment law matters including sexual harassment, discrimination charges, wrongful termination, and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) disputes. He appears frequently before federal and state courts, administrative tribunals, and arbitrators. Art has extensive experience in all facets of litigation, including pre-trial motion practice, bench and jury trials, as well as specialized hearings and appeals. He defends collective (class) actions, multi-plaintiff lawsuits, and handles injunction proceedings. Art also litigates disputes that arise under employment agreements, including non-competition and customer non-solicitation disputes.

Art is a frequent speaker at business and professional conferences on various employment-related topics, and is widely published.

Art is board-certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, "AV" rated by Martindale Hubbell, identified among the top employment lawyers in the United States by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in 2010-2011 and 2013-2016, and has been listed in Texas Super Lawyers from 2006-2015.”

Vianei Lopez Braun - ‘Top Tips in Responding to Discrimination Charges and Unemployment Claims’ - Dealing with agencies like the EEOC and the Texas Workforce Commission can be tricky. They each have their unique procedures and preferences, along with little-known quirks that can make or break an employer’s defense. We will discuss the latest developments at these agencies, as well as top tips on responding to discrimination charges and unemployment claims.

Vianei Lopez Braun is a labor and employment attorney at Decker Jones, P.C.  She has been representing employers for more than 25 years, providing practical advice on employment law compliance and avoiding litigation.  Vianei’s diverse experience includes representing large publicly traded companies, governmental entities, small to mid-sized businesses as well as individual professionals and executives. In addition to defending employers in litigation and arbitration matters, Vianei handles administrative matters involving the EEOC, TWC, DOL, OFCCP, NLRB and other federal and state agencies. She also reviews and updates employer policies and procedures, provides customized management and employee training programs, and provides advice and counsel on personnel matters and litigation avoidance.

Vianei is licensed in Texas, having graduated from University of Texas School of Law.  At age 19, she was the youngest female ever to graduate from Princeton University.

Vianei is an author and frequent speaker on employment law issues, and was a contributing author to the treatise Texas Employment Law (James Publishing) and the book Texas School Law: A Practical Guide (Education Law Association).

Vianei previously practiced law in Houston and in Abilene, and moved to Fort Worth in 2015 when her husband Jason joined the SEC as an Enforcement Attorney.

Rory Divin - ‘What Plaintiff’s Attorneys Look for When Your Ex-employee Walks Into Their Office’ - This presentation will help HR professionals become better aware of which departing employee situations are currently higher risk in terms of your organization potentially facing a legal claim.

Rory Divin is board certified in Labor and Employment Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. A shareholder and director with McDonald Sanders, he has more than 32 years of experience as a practicing attorney.

Rory has worked with numerous clients, including large and small companies, public organizations and individuals. He has developed considerable expertise in the field of employment and labor law and has extensive counseling and trial experience representing employers in Title VII, sexual harassment, age discrimination, ADA, wrongful termination, wage and hour, trade secret, unfair competition and non-competition matters.

During his tenure at McDonald Sanders, Rory has helped public and private employers develop effective employment policies and comply with labor and employment laws. He has also assisted employers in defending again against claims filed in state and all federal courts and before governmental agencies.”

Andrea Paris – ‘How Far Should or Can I go Back in My Employee Background Checks’

Andrea Paris is an attorney at the Brackett & Ellis, P.C.  She practices primarily in the areas of school law, employment and general litigation. She assists clients in a broad range of litigation matters, including researching and preparing motions, briefs and other pleadings. Ms. Paris assists with discovery, witness preparation, depositions and other pre-trial matters in federal and state district courts. She has tried employment and personal injury cases in Texas courts.

Ms. Paris advises educational entities in employment, special education, open government and a variety of other school law matters. She regularly provides in-service training for school administrators and staff. In addition to assisting educational entities, Ms. Paris advises businesses and individuals in wage and hour disputes before the Texas Workforce Commission and in federal and state district courts.

Ms. Paris was chosen by her peers for inclusion in the List of Top Attorneys in 2013-2014 for Civil Litigation in Fort Worth, Texas Magazine.”

This event is preapproved for 2.50 recertification credit towards SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP through SHRM and 2.50 recertification credit towards PHR, SPHR, and GPHR recertification through HRCI.

Mid-Cities HR Association is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP.

All online reservations are due by NOON on the Monday before the meeting.  Online registration will be closed at that time. 

Attendees not registered online will be considered Walk-In registrations and will be charged the guest rate of $50 provided space is available.

Cancellations:
We regret that we must charge members and guests the cost of the event when cancellations are not received at least 48 hours prior to the event day. By submitting your registration, you agree to these conditions. We appreciate your understanding and support.