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Lightfoot's experienced employment lawyers focus on proactive advice and business-driven solutions.

As employment litigation has grown across the country, Lightfoot’s employment practice tracks the latest developments and trends — and we put that knowledge to use. Our attorneys represent defendants in employment-related suits and disputes before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and in state and federal courts.

We handle all types of employment-related matters, including:

  • Noncompete claims
  • Race, age, disability and gender discrimination claims
  • Retaliatory discharge
  • Wrongful termination
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) claims

Lightfoot attorneys advise clients on how to avoid employee disputes and litigation, but when these issues do arise, our team helps to resolve them. We have extensive experience conducting internal investigations of employee complaints and disputes, and drafting employment contracts. If litigation occurs, we are comfortable in the courtroom and have represented numerous clients before juries, judges and arbitrators.

Employment disputes are complex — it’s about more than just winning or losing. Lightfoot works closely with every client in the early stages of litigation to assess the economic realities of each matter and determine the client’s ultimate goals for the case. Those goals dictate our approach from start to finish.

Lightfoot’s employment lawyers represent a diverse group of businesses in nearly every industry. Our clients include leading product and textile manufacturers, retail clothing companies, chemical companies, insurance companies, medical practice groups and intercollegiate athletic departments. Whether advising clients on how to avoid employee disputes or assisting clients once a dispute arises, Lightfoot has what it takes to help clients achieve their workplace goals.

Representative Matters

Defending the Birmingham-based deep foundation contractor Morris-Shea in a case brought under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Won a motion for summary judgement dismissing 21 of the initial 22 claims. After a three-day trial on the remaining claim, secured a federal jury verdict fully in favor of Morris-Shea.

Obtaining a defense verdict in a case brought against a nationwide retailer for violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Our client argued that the accommodation requested by plaintiff was not reasonable, that she failed to put the company on notice of a need for FMLA qualifying leave, and that the plaintiff was discharged for other reasons having nothing to do with her complaints or requested accommodation or leave. The jury verdict followed a five-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Winning a defense verdict in a “failure to promote” race discrimination trial in federal court on behalf of a textile manufacturer.

Defending a class action against a large retail department store chain in which the employee class claimed our client had wrongfully withheld commissions on certain transactions. After an evidentiary hearing on class certification, the trial court refused to certify the class.

Obtaining summary judgment on an Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) suit brought by a laborer who suffered a back injury that prevented him from performing his job. The summary judgment was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Obtaining summary judgment for a chemical manufacturer in a reduction-in-force ADEA and gender discrimination suit. The plaintiff had worked for our client for nearly 20 years. She complained that several younger male employees who were less qualified and who had been employed for a shorter period of time were retained as part of the downsizing. The summary judgment was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Winning summary judgment in a hostile environment suit against an insurance company where the plaintiff, a former agent, claimed that he had been subjected to racial slurs and inappropriate comments during his employment. The judgment was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Winning summary judgment in a sexual harassment/wrongful termination case against a law firm and in numerous discrimination and workers’ compensation retaliatory discharge cases throughout the state.

Winning summary judgment in a race discrimination/hostile environment suit brought by multiple plaintiffs against a national industrial coating company and its regional subsidiary.

Taking over an employment discrimination case involving allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation as well as disability discrimination. The defendant hired Lightfoot after two of its outside counsel left their firm to accept in-house counsel positions. One of those departing lawyers strongly recommended our firm to handle the remainder of the case. We made such an impression on the defendant’s general counsel that he retained our firm for all employment matters arising out of the company’s facilities in Alabama and Georgia.

Obtaining summary judgment in a case where the plaintiff alleged sex discrimination and age discrimination after a layoff at one of our client’s facilities. We then handled the plaintiff’s appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, where the appellate court affirmed the summary judgment order.

Obtaining summary judgment in a breach of contract case in which the plaintiff seized upon an obvious mistake in the severance paperwork that his previous employer had provided upon his termination. As a result of this mistake, the plaintiff claimed the company owed him almost $500,000 in severance pay. We removed the case from federal court to secure a more favorable forum for our client’s legal arguments. After extensive battles in discovery — including a successful effort to defeat a motion to compel — the court granted our motion for summary judgment in our client’s favor. The plaintiff did not appeal the result.

Representing a company in response to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charges. The plaintiff alleged that the company’s owner had sexually harassed her and created a hostile work environment due to that harassment. We conducted a full-scale investigation of the plaintiff’s allegations by reviewing relevant documents and interviewing company personnel, including an emotionally charged interview of the business owner’s wife, who was also an employee of the company. After we submitted a thorough written response to the plaintiff’s charges, the EEOC eventually issued a right-to-sue letter to the plaintiff. However, she never acted upon that invitation to file a lawsuit. The business owner was pleased, not only with the favorable outcome, but with the delicate and professional manner in which our office handled the investigation of a very sensitive matter.

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Lightfoot's experienced employment lawyers focus on proactive advice and business-driven solutions.

As employment litigation has grown across the country, Lightfoot’s employment practice tracks the latest developments and trends — and we put that knowledge to use. Our attorneys represent defendants in employment-related suits and disputes before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and in state and federal courts.

We handle all types of employment-related matters, including:

  • Noncompete claims
  • Race, age, disability and gender discrimination claims
  • Retaliatory discharge
  • Wrongful termination
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) claims

Lightfoot attorneys advise clients on how to avoid employee disputes and litigation, but when these issues do arise, our team helps to resolve them. We have extensive experience conducting internal investigations of employee complaints and disputes, and drafting employment contracts. If litigation occurs, we are comfortable in the courtroom and have represented numerous clients before juries, judges and arbitrators.

Employment disputes are complex — it’s about more than just winning or losing. Lightfoot works closely with every client in the early stages of litigation to assess the economic realities of each matter and determine the client’s ultimate goals for the case. Those goals dictate our approach from start to finish.

Lightfoot’s employment lawyers represent a diverse group of businesses in nearly every industry. Our clients include leading product and textile manufacturers, retail clothing companies, chemical companies, insurance companies, medical practice groups and intercollegiate athletic departments. Whether advising clients on how to avoid employee disputes or assisting clients once a dispute arises, Lightfoot has what it takes to help clients achieve their workplace goals.

Representative Matters

Defending the Birmingham-based deep foundation contractor Morris-Shea in a case brought under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Won a motion for summary judgement dismissing 21 of the initial 22 claims. After a three-day trial on the remaining claim, secured a federal jury verdict fully in favor of Morris-Shea.

Obtaining a defense verdict in a case brought against a nationwide retailer for violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Our client argued that the accommodation requested by plaintiff was not reasonable, that she failed to put the company on notice of a need for FMLA qualifying leave, and that the plaintiff was discharged for other reasons having nothing to do with her complaints or requested accommodation or leave. The jury verdict followed a five-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Winning a defense verdict in a “failure to promote” race discrimination trial in federal court on behalf of a textile manufacturer.

Defending a class action against a large retail department store chain in which the employee class claimed our client had wrongfully withheld commissions on certain transactions. After an evidentiary hearing on class certification, the trial court refused to certify the class.

Obtaining summary judgment on an Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) suit brought by a laborer who suffered a back injury that prevented him from performing his job. The summary judgment was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Obtaining summary judgment for a chemical manufacturer in a reduction-in-force ADEA and gender discrimination suit. The plaintiff had worked for our client for nearly 20 years. She complained that several younger male employees who were less qualified and who had been employed for a shorter period of time were retained as part of the downsizing. The summary judgment was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Winning summary judgment in a hostile environment suit against an insurance company where the plaintiff, a former agent, claimed that he had been subjected to racial slurs and inappropriate comments during his employment. The judgment was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Winning summary judgment in a sexual harassment/wrongful termination case against a law firm and in numerous discrimination and workers’ compensation retaliatory discharge cases throughout the state.

Winning summary judgment in a race discrimination/hostile environment suit brought by multiple plaintiffs against a national industrial coating company and its regional subsidiary.

Taking over an employment discrimination case involving allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation as well as disability discrimination. The defendant hired Lightfoot after two of its outside counsel left their firm to accept in-house counsel positions. One of those departing lawyers strongly recommended our firm to handle the remainder of the case. We made such an impression on the defendant’s general counsel that he retained our firm for all employment matters arising out of the company’s facilities in Alabama and Georgia.

Obtaining summary judgment in a case where the plaintiff alleged sex discrimination and age discrimination after a layoff at one of our client’s facilities. We then handled the plaintiff’s appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, where the appellate court affirmed the summary judgment order.

Obtaining summary judgment in a breach of contract case in which the plaintiff seized upon an obvious mistake in the severance paperwork that his previous employer had provided upon his termination. As a result of this mistake, the plaintiff claimed the company owed him almost $500,000 in severance pay. We removed the case from federal court to secure a more favorable forum for our client’s legal arguments. After extensive battles in discovery — including a successful effort to defeat a motion to compel — the court granted our motion for summary judgment in our client’s favor. The plaintiff did not appeal the result.

Representing a company in response to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charges. The plaintiff alleged that the company’s owner had sexually harassed her and created a hostile work environment due to that harassment. We conducted a full-scale investigation of the plaintiff’s allegations by reviewing relevant documents and interviewing company personnel, including an emotionally charged interview of the business owner’s wife, who was also an employee of the company. After we submitted a thorough written response to the plaintiff’s charges, the EEOC eventually issued a right-to-sue letter to the plaintiff. However, she never acted upon that invitation to file a lawsuit. The business owner was pleased, not only with the favorable outcome, but with the delicate and professional manner in which our office handled the investigation of a very sensitive matter.

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