Laura M. Merritt

Advise clients in all areas of labor and employment law, including all federal and state anti-discrimination statutes, executive employment agreement drafting and negotiation, noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements, separation agreements, collective bargaining, employment agreements, employment policies and procedures, workers’ compensation retaliation, immigration, reductions in force, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, National Labor Relations Act, WARN Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Pay Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, and Older Workers’ Benefits Protection Act.

Labor and employment law litigation in state and federal courts including discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower cases, wrongful discharge cases, wage and hour cases, breach of employment contracts, covenants not to compete, workers’ compensation retaliation, sexual harassment, Family and Medical Leave Act, Taft-Hartley Act, WARN Act and employment torts.

Manager and employee training regarding human resources best practices and labor and employment law compliance, including lawful hiring and recruiting techniques, labor union relations, religious accommodation, disability law compliance, leave management, lawful and effective discipline and documentation practices, harassment prevention and investigation, and investigations of employee misconduct allegations.

Extensive administrative practice before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division, Department of Labor, and National Labor Relations Board Practice includes employer responses and statements of position as well as representation of employers at investigations and administrative hearings.

Significant experience advising clients in mergers and acquisitions, and negotiating definitive agreements as well as ancillary employee-related documents, with a focus on assisting clients in structuring corporate transactions to minimize employment-related risks and maximize the value of the transaction from an employment law perspective.

Significant representation of companies in labor union matters including collective bargaining, pursuit and defense of unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board, bargaining unit certification proceedings, union elections, grievance procedures and arbitrations. Advise clients and train managers regarding lawful employee relationsstrategies, collective bargaining and election campaign techniques.

Frequent speaker on labor and employment law topics at State Bar and university-sponsored CLE programs, human resources and business organization seminars, and client seminars.

Author of numerous articles on various employment topics, including: lawful hiring, religious accommodation, termination and documentation, employee surveillance and investigation, employee benefits and leave of absence, sexual harassment, disability law, workers compensation retaliation, employment law implications of technology in the workplace, remote work, workplace violence, covenants not to compete/trade secrets, and National Labor Relations Act issues.