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Best Lawyers Near You in Houston, Texas for Labor and Employment Law - Management
Employment Law Legal Guide 2025
View Legal GuideTeresa Valderrama is a partner in the firm's Houston office. She has more than 25 years of experience representing employers in all aspects of workplace law, including corporate investigations and compliance, wage & hour collective action defense, and defense of all manner of discrimination, workplace harassment and other work-related claims. This includes advice and counsel regarding trade secrets/business-asset protection, defense of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX) and other whistleb...
Eileen is a former state trial judge who tries and appeals cases in state and federal courts for both plaintiffs and defendants. She brings a unique perspective to litigation problem-solving, having served during her career as an advocate, judge, arbitrator and mediator. Eileen also has the benefit of having sustained both substantial trial and appellate practices for 30 years. As a result, she not only knows how to try a case to win, but does so with an informed view of how to keep (or rever...
David L. Barron focuses his litigation practice on labor and employment law. David assists his clients with all their labor and employment needs, including representing clients at trials involving wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, collective action overtime claims and whistle-blower suits before a variety of state and federal courts. He counsels clients on labor negotiations, elections, strikes, and corporate campaigns by unions; litigates disputes before the National Labor Re...
Anthony G. Stergio is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management. Anthony G., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Anthony G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joe Gagnon is a partner in the Houston office. He is an experienced trial attorney who represents employers in litigation and arbitration filed in every region of Texas. Joe's broad experience includes the defense of a wide variety of discrimination and discharge claims brought under Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and whistleblower statutes. He routinely defends state law claims including workers' comp retaliation, breach of contract, fr...
Katherine (Kit) Flanagan handles all areas of employment law for employers, including matters involving: Claims of sex, age, national origin, race, disability and pregnancy discrimination and harassment Retaliation and whistleblower claims Wrongful termination claims Other employment-related litigation Drug and alcohol testing Employment policies and handbooks Counsel and advice regarding employee investigations and employment contracts Kit's practice focuses primarily on employment litigatio...
Andrea “AJ” Johnson, a director at the Firm, has been practicing in employment law and employment/commercial litigation for more than 30 years. She represents clients all over the nation, provides day-to-day advice on critical, time-sensitive business and employment matters, has tried numerous cases to successful verdict and/or to dispositive adjudication, and has arbitrated and enforced mandatory arbitration programs in several states. AJ has a straight-forward approach. She seek...
John D. Surma is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. John D., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Elaine Howard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Elaine, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Elaine is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Demetri Economou is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Demetri, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Demetri is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kelcy L. Palmer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Kelcy L., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kelcy L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Scott R. McLaughlin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Scott R., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Scott R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Amy Karff Halevy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Amy Karff, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amy Karff is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
It has been said that helping others is its own reward, and Stewart Hoffer would definitely agree. Over the years, Stewart has found that one of the most rewarding aspects of being an attorney is seeing the positive impact his work has had on the people and companies he represents. Stewart knows that the outcome of a case affects real people. Sure, winning a case feels good, but for Stewart, the greatest satisfaction comes from knowing that his assistance can help his clients to focus on what...
Barham Lewis, a shareholder at Ogletree Deakins, focuses his practice on employment-related litigation before state and federal courts and other civil litigation. Mr. Lewis has tried to jury verdict cases ranging from sexual assault/sexual harassment, retaliation/wrongful discharge claims to commercial disputes and wrongful death causes of action. He also represents companies in arbitrations including discharge/discipline cases and contract interpretation disputes. Mr. Lewis is board certifie...
A shareholder in the Firm’s Houston office, Mr. Mitchell's practice focuses primarily on employment-related litigation in federal and state court and representing clients before the various federal and state agencies charged with the enforcement of employment and labor laws. Mr. Mitchell also advises clients regarding various issues related to employee rights and benefits and employer obligations and policies. His practice also includes both creation and review of employment policies an...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.