Concentration

Representation of management in all aspects of labor and employment law; counseling and training employers on managing workplace issues and preventing lawsuits; employment litigation; affirmative action planning; and implementation of reductions in force

Summary

Jennifer Trulock counsels companies on how to manage workplace legal issues and prevent employment lawsuits. She also is experienced in handling acquisition/divestiture employment issues, including due diligence, pre-merger planning and post-merger integration issues.

Ms. Trulock advises employers on developing and applying personnel policies and in responding to and resolving complaints before reaching litigation. In addition, she assists employers in protecting their business information by writing, implementing and enforcing non-competition and non-disclosure agreements.

Ms. Trulock defends employers against claims of discrimination and harassment based on sex, race, disability, religion, age and national origin; wrongful discharge; wage and hour violations; breach of contract; breach of covenants not to compete; misappropriation of trade secrets; breach of fiduciary duty; and retaliation. She represents clients in administrative proceedings and helps companies respond effectively to charges of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and charges of unfair labor practice filed with the National Labor Relations Board.

Ms. Trulock is experienced in developing affirmative action plans for employers who contract with the government and in responding to compliance reviews by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

Representative Engagements

• Prevention of unfair competition by former employees
• Protection of trade secrets
• FLSA collective actions and other wage and hour issues
• Affirmative action planning and defense of OFCCP compliance reviews
• EEOC, U.S. Department of Labor, OFCCP, NLRB, and other state and federal agency matters
• Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Employment discrimination suits
• Wrongful discharge cases
• Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower claims
• Implementation of local and companywide reductions in force

Publications, Speeches and Presentations

• “Ethical Problems in Employment Litigation,” ALI CLE Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., March 2013
• “Avoiding Data Leakage Through Employees,” Baker Botts Seminar: Need-to-Know Legal Trends for Tech Companies, Dallas, March 2013
• “Top Trends in HR for 2013,” Baker Botts Labor and Employment Seminar, Dallas and Houston, February 2013
• “Ethics and Professional Responsibility,” ALI-ABA Current Developments in Employment Law, Santa Fe, July 2012
• “Certification in the Wake of Wal-Mart v. Dukes: the Evolving Standards for Certification and How Courts are Applying this Landmark Case in the Wage and Hour Context,” American Conference Institute 15th National Forum on Wage & Hour Claims and Class Actions, New York, May 2012
• “Ethical Problems in Employment Litigation,” ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., March 2012
• “In House Roundtable: Preventing and Managing Wage and Hour Claims/Class Actions,” Moderator, American Conference Institute 13th National Forum on Wage & Hour Claims and Class Actions, San Francisco, September 2011
• “Ensuring Ethical Conduct in the Litigation and Settlement of Wage and Hour Claims,” American Conference Institute National Advanced Forum on Wage & Hour Claims and Class Actions, Miami & New York, February & May 2011
• “The Family and Medical Leave Act,” ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., February 2011
• “Ethical Problems in Employment Litigation,” ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., February 2011
• “Ensuring Ethical Conduct in the Litigation and Settlement of Wage and Hour Claims,” American Conference Institute 9th National Advanced Forum on Wage & Hour Claims Actions, New York, May 2010
• “The Family and Medical Leave Act: New Developments,” ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., February 2010
• “Ethical Problems in Employment Litigation,” ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., February 2010
• “Mock Jury Trial Demonstration: Argument to a Mock Jury in an Employment Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Case,” ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., February 2010
• “Avoiding Employment Law Claims, Top Ten Ways to Avoid Getting Sued by Employees,” Advising Business In A Troubled Economy, University of Houston Law Foundation, June 2009
• Ensuring Ethical Conduct When Litigating and Settling Employment Discrimination Claims,” American Conference Institute’s National and Advanced Forum on Employment Discrimination Claims and Class Actions, San Francisco, June 2009
• “Ensuring Ethical Conduct When Litigating and Settling Wage and Hour Claims,” American Conference Institute 7th National Advanced Forum on Wage & Hour Claims Actions, New York, May 2009
• “Getting to Yes: Creative, Ethical, and Effective Settlement Releases,” 16th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, University of Texas School of Law, Austin, May 2009
• “Workplace Investigations: How the Employer Should Do Them; How The Plaintiff Can React to Them,” Advanced Employment Law, University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston and Dallas, January, February and May 2009
• “Selected Ethics and Professionalism Issues For Labor and Employment Lawyers,” American Bar Association, Section of Labor & Employment Law, Ethics & Professional Responsibility Committee Meeting, Key West, March 2009
• “Labor and Employment law Year in Review: Developments and Forecasts,” Dallas Bar Association Appellate Law Section, Dallas, March 2009
• “Avoiding Employment Law Claims, Advising Businesses in a Troubled Economy,” University of Houston CLE Seminar, Dallas and Houston, January 2009
• “A Framework for Data Protection: Legal & Technical Measures to Guard the Secrecy of an Employer’s Business Information,” Dallas Bar Association Friday Clinic, Dallas, January 2009
• “After Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White: An Update on Retaliation,” 15th Annual Labor & Employment Law Conference, University of Texas School of Law, Austin, May 2008
• “Family Responsibilities Discrimination: The Faultline Between Work and Family,” Texas Employment Relations Symposium, San Antonio, July 2008
• “Workplace Investigations: How the Employer Should Do Them and How the Plaintiff Can React to Them,” Advanced Employment Law, University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston, Dallas, and Austin, April, May, and December 2008
• “Workplace Investigations: Doing Them Right the First Time,” Dallas Bar Association Friday Clinic, Dallas, March 2008
• “Family Responsibilities Discrimination,” Baker Botts Labor and Employment Conference, Dallas and Houston, October and November 2007
• “Workplace Investigations: How the Employer Should Do Them and How the Plaintiff Can React to Them,” Advanced Employment Law, University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston, Dallas, and Austin, June and July 2007
• “Hot Topics in Employment Law,” Baker Botts Labor and Employment Conference, Dallas, Fall 2002 through 2007
• “Employee Documents and Handbooks,” Employment Law Seminar, University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston and Dallas, April 2004