Concentration

Representation of management exclusively in all aspects of labor and employment law, including defending allegations of discrimination, unfair labor practices, wage and hour, OSHA claims, whistleblowing complaints and wrongful discharge; counseling and training to employers on managing workplace issues and preventing employment lawsuits

Summary

Dennis Duffy, chair of the labor and employment practice, represents management exclusively in all aspects of labor and employment law. Prior to joining Baker Botts, Mr. Duffy was vice president and associate general counsel for labor and employment for Time Warner Inc.

Mr. Duffy has extensive strategic and advisory legal experience in handling global corporate human resources issues, and in collaborating with businesses to provide counsel and training on how to prevent and/or manage workplace legal issues and to avoid escalation and litigation. He also has extensive experience in handling acquisition/divestiture employment issues, including due diligence, pre-merger planning and post-merger integration issues.

Prior to joining Time Warner, Mr. Duffy was general counsel of the University of Houston System. Mr. Duffy was also the first general counsel of the U.S. Office of Compliance, which is responsible for administering and enforcing the Congressional Accountability Act, which applies various civil rights, labor, and workplace safety and health laws to the U.S. Congress and its associated agencies. Earlier in his career, Mr. Duffy taught law at the University of Houston Law Center and the University of Virginia. He also was a management labor and employment lawyer with firms in San Antonio, Texas and San Francisco, California.

Mr. Duffy also served as a law clerk to the Honorable George P. Kazen of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Publications, Speeches and Presentations

Publications

• "(Oops!): Mitigating the Risks of Inadvertent or Deliberate Disclosure of Confidential Information in the Electronic Workplace," Bloomberg Corporate Law Journal, Spring 2007
• Ethics and Professionalism Handbook for Labor and Employment Lawyers, 4th edition, National Employment Law Institute, 2009 

Recent Speeches and Presentations

• "Ethical Issues and Challenges for Counsel Advising Executives and Business Units: How Far Do You Go in Pressing Your Advice, and Where Do You Draw the Line?," 17th Annual Conference, American Employment Law Council, Laguna Niegel, October 2009
• "Religious Discrimination, Harassment, Accommodation, and Retaliation," National Employment Law Institute Public Sector EEO and Employment Law Conference, Washington D.C., August 2009
• "Selected Ethics Issues in Employment Cases," American Bar Association 2009 Annual Meeting, Chicago, August 2009
• Ethics Update for Lawyers and HR Professionals" and Traps & Snares for the Ethical Advocate - An Employment Litigation Cameo, Pacific Coast Labor & Employment Law Conference, Seattle, June 2009
• "Selected Ethics and Professionalism Issues in Labor and Employment Cases," The University of Texas School of Law 16th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, Austin, May 2009
• "Ethical Issues in Employment Litigation," Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, The Woodlands, Texas, May 2009
• "Settlement Strategies/Drafting Releases," National Employment Law Institute, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington D.C., May 2009
• "Conducting Lawful and Effective Internal Investigations," 2009 South Texas Human Resources Symposium, San Antonio, May 2009
• "Hot Topics in Ethics," National Employment Law Council, Miami,  May 2009
• "Hot Topics in Labor and Employment Law," NPRA Labor Relations and Human Resources Conference, The Woodlands, TX, April 2009
• "Selected Ethics Issues," National Employment Law Institute, Employment Law Briefing, Key West, and San Diego, March 2009
• "Ethical Problems in Employment Litigation," ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington D.C., December 2008
• "Consumer Privacy Issues," State Bar of Texas, Advanced Consumer & Commercial Law Course, Dallas, November 2008
• "Selected Ethics and Professionalism Issues in Labor and Employment Law," Employment Law Conference, National Employment Law Institute, Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Washington D.C., November/December 2008
• "Practical Issues in Establishing Global Codes of Conduct," American Employment Law Council Conference, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, October 2008
• "Professionalism and Ethics Issues," 37th Annual Institute on Employment Law, Practising Law Institute, New York, October 2008