Labor and Employment Practice
Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP regularly provides labor and employment advice to business clients involved in a broad range of industries.
These include manufacturing and retail companies, real estate developers, property management companies, restaurant, hotel and service companies, financial institutions, healthcare facilities, broadcasting companies and corporations involved in the airline and related transportation industries. Our clients include both union and non-union businesses.
We advise clients on matters of compliance with federal, state and local laws concerning discrimination, minimum wage and overtime laws, unemployment compensation, and matters involving the Railway Labor Act and the National Labor Relations Act. We offer advice on employment contacts, employee handbooks and policies, hiring processes, training and evaluations, disciplinary actions and terminations, as well as such matters as drug testing, employee background checks, restrictive covenant agreements, separation agreements and recordkeeping requirements. We assist our clients in resolving issues and defending against claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and numerous other federal, state and local employment laws.
In addition, we represent employers in various employment and labor mediations and arbitration proceedings. Our attorneys regularly represent clients in lawsuits, jury trials, administrative proceedings and other contested employment and labor disputes, including claims brought under federal and state discrimination laws and other related civil right actions, employment related tort claims, breach of contract actions, and injunction litigation involving restrictive covenant agreements, illegal slowdowns, work stoppages and secondary boycotts.
We also advise clients with respect to employment and labor implications involved in corporate restructurings, downsizings, mergers and acquisitions. We work with our clients to provide training for managers, supervisors and employees in order to assist our clients in the prevention of employment claims and the limitation of liability connected with such claims.
