 |
|
Education and Honors
|
|
J.D. ( magna cum laude), University of Houston Law Center, 1993 Order of the Coif
Order of the Barons
Chief Articles Editor, Houston Law Review
M.S., journalism, University of Kansas, 1977
B.S., English and journalism, University of Kansas, 1977
|
|
Admissions and Affiliations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Practice Areas
|
|
|
|
|
|
Concentration Civil trial law and appeals, focusing on employment and ERISA litigation
Summary Maryanne Lyons maintains both a general trial and an appellate practice. She represents employers and benefit plans in employment and ERISA matters (including discrimination and retaliation claims, benefits claims, preemption issues, noncompetition agreements and trade secret disputes, as well as class action issues) and she has assisted clients in responding to investigations by federal agencies and in the investigation of internal company matters. Additionally, she has provided counseling assistance to employers on a wide variety of matters, including issues related to discipline, termination, FMLA and ADA compliance, employment agreements and litigation avoidance.
In addition to her employment/ERISA practice, Ms. Lyons represents clients in various types of appellate matters and has handled a wide variety of civil appeals in state and federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, several United States Courts of Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court and several of the intermediate Texas courts of appeals.
Ms. Lyons has served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center and has taught courses in legal research and writing, trial procedure and appellate procedure.
Before joining Baker Botts, Ms. Lyons served as a law clerk to the Honorable Carolyn Dineen King, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Representative Engagements Employment Litigation
- International designer/manufacturer of marine geophysical equipment – race and national origin
- National energy exploration company – executive employment agreements and Sarbanes Oxley issues
- National midstream energy company – disability discrimination, FMLA
- National provider of offshore services – executive employment agreements
- Major oil company – age discrimination
-
National communications company – gender discrimination and hostile work environment
-
National midstream energy company – age discrimination
-
National telecommunications company – compensation and bonus issues
-
Major oilfield services company – gender discrimination, disability discrimination, harassment and retaliation
-
National credit services company – FMLA
-
National oilfield services company – race discrimination and retaliation
-
Houston-based manufacturing company – age and national origin discrimination
-
International transportation/distribution company – multiple cases involving race discrimination, gender discrimination, disability discrimination and retaliation
-
Major private U.S. university – gender discrimination
- Houston-based e-commerce business – trade secret and noncompetition issues
- Multiple cases involving administrative proceedings before the Texas Workforce Commission
ERISA Litigation
-
National oilfield services company pension plan – multiple cases involving preemption issues, plan interpretation, benefits claims and breach of fiduciary duty claims
-
Houston-based 501(c)(3) organization – benefits claims, notice issues and plan interpretation
-
National oilfield services company disability plan – multiple cases involving benefits claims and breach of fiduciary duty claims
-
U.S. airline company – preemption issues, breach of fiduciary duty claims, benefits claims, notice issues, plan interpretation and issues related to Qualified Domestic Relations Orders
-
National oilfield services company – multiple cases involving preemption issues, notice issues, plan interpretation, benefits claims and breach of fiduciary duty claims
-
National law firm – preemption issues and benefits claims
Recent Publications, Speeches and Presentations
-
"Writing Like a Lawyer," Baker Botts In-house presentation, Houston, May 2010
-
"Legal Writing Workshop," Baker Botts In-house presentation, Houston, November 2009
-
"Workplace Violence," In-house client presentation, Houston, September 2009
-
"Law Update," ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law, Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 2009
-
"Ethics Issues in Employment Litigation," ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law, Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 2009
-
"Ethical Issues in Employment Litigation," In-house client presentation, Houston, March 2009
-
"The Family and Medical Leave Act: New Regulations," ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., December 2008
-
"Ethics and Professionalism Issues in Labor and Employment Cases," ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., December 2008
-
"Trial and Jury Deliberation Demonstration: Argument to a Mock Jury in an Employment Discrimination and Retaliation Case," ALI-ABA Advanced Employment Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., December 2008
-
"Thinking Like a Lawyer, Writing for Your Audience," In-house presentation, Houston, November 2008
-
"Ethical Considerations in Handling Employment Law Problems," ALI-ABA Employment and Labor Relations Law for the Corporate Counsel and the General Practitioner, Chicago, May 2008
-
"The Occupational Safety and Health Act," ALI-ABA Employment and Labor Relations Law for the Corporate Counsel and the General Practitioner, Chicago, May 2008
-
"Retaliation Claims in Federal and State Court," University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston and Dallas, July 2006
|
|
|
|
|