Best Lawyers Near You in Houston, Texas for Labor and Employment Law - Management
Rob Carty has been litigating cases for more than 30 years. During that time, he has handled a wide range of disputes and developed extensive courtroom experience. He began his legal career in the United States Air Force, serving four years as a judge advocate. After his military service, Rob spent years working within the corporate legal environment, gaining firsthand insight into how large companies and insurance carriers evaluate and defend claims. That background informs his approach toda...
Nick Spiliotis is a partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group, where he counsels employers regarding a broad range of workplace issues. He is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Nick’s practice crosses multiple industries, representing clients in the oil and gas, restaurant and hospitality, banking, maritime, manufacturing, and construction arenas. He acts as a strategic advocate who seeks to minimize the possib...
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.
Teresa 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...
Carolyn Roch is a trial lawyer at Kean Miller based in Houston, Texas, with a practice focused on complex commercial litigation and employment law matters for management. She began her legal career as a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office after graduating from The University of Texas School of Law. While serving as a prosecutor, Carolyn first-chaired more than 50 jury trials and argued multiple appellate matters, building a strong foundation in courtroom advocac...
Ethel J. Johnson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management. Ethel J., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ethel J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kelley Edwards is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Kelley, 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 Kelley is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kerry E. Notestine represents employers in all aspects of employment matters, including litigation under federal, state, and local anti-discrimination statutes, as well as the common law; administrative proceedings before various federal and state government agencies; and counseling employers regarding employment issues, particularly leaves and reductions-in-force. Kerry’s book, Employment Law Trials: A Practical Guide, published in 2005 by LexisNexis Publishing, is a leading work on th...
Sarah Morton concentrates her legal practice on the representation of employers in issues related to labor and employment law, and is the managing partner of FordHarrison's Houston office. Sarah Morton defends management clients in individual and multi-plaintiff actions alleging violations of federal, state, and local discrimination, harassment, and leave and accommodation laws, and in class and collective actions arising under the FLSA and related state wage and hour laws. Sarah is an accomp...
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...
Carolyn Russell represents management in a variety of employment-related matters, including litigation involving age, disability, race and sex discrimination claims, covenants not to compete, trade secrets, wage and hour claims, ERISA claims, and other workplace torts. Her practice focuses on employment litigation and consultation and commercial litigation. She handles all varieties of employment disputes, including claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination and b...
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.
J. Bradley Spalding is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. J. Bradley, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J. Bradley is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Charles “Chuck” Jeremiah represents employers as trial counsel in litigation. With over 30 years of experience and a strong track record handling hundreds of matters, Chuck knows how to formulate early, efficient and effective strategies, and lead a team to achieve the best possible results for clients. His practice includes all aspects of employment law with an emphasis on overtime, discrimination and non-compete/trade secret defense matters. He has successfully handled both sing...
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...
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.