Making the most of your greatest asset
If people are truly every business’ greatest asset, then people issues are critical to every business’ success or failure. Legal surprises can affect morale, productivity and, eventually, the bottom line. We work with our clients to prevent or reduce liability, to avoid the morale-sapping conflicts that too often come with labor and employment legal issues.
With one of the most experienced labor practices in the Southeast, Burr & Forman has been at the forefront of developments in labor and employment law for more than half a century; our practice extends nationwide. Our attorneys have represented employers before almost every government agency, as well as in dozens of state and federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.
We advise clients in such areas as:
- Employment policies and procedures, including “best practices”
- Wrongful termination and employment discrimination disputes, including class actions
- Employment considerations of mergers and acquisitions
- Wage and hour, overtime and exemption issues, including collective actions
- Disability, family and medical leave and employee accommodation
- Unfair labor practice litigation
- Grievance arbitrations
- Employment contracts
- Safety and health
- Hiring, training and job selection criteria
- Responding to union organizing activity
- Strikes, picketing and boycotts
- Civil rights
- Employee benefits
- Workplace torts, co-worker violence and harassment, including technology issues
- Unfair competition, restrictive covenants and trade secrets
Preventing Employment Problems
Above all, we help our clients take the necessary steps to prevent potential liability. Our attorneys advise clients on improving day-to-day operations such as employment and disengagement agreements, policies and procedures, regulatory compliance, employment publications and employee training. We evaluate and analyze cases in order to suggest innovative solutions to avoid costly litigation, workforce disruptions and bad publicity.
Resolving Employment Disputes
Burr & Forman represents employers in a variety of disputes including individual and class action employment discrimination cases, workplace safety actions and workers’ compensation claims. Not only do we defend workers’ compensation actions, but we have also represented the Business Council of Alabama in connection with new workers’ compensation laws enacted by the Alabama Legislature.
Employee Benefits
Our attorneys know the complex laws governing the design and administration of employee benefits plans and are well equipped to handle litigation related to these issues. We are experienced in defending plan trustees, plan sponsors and the benefits plan itself. We also handle challenges to the validity of the plan, challenges relating to fiduciary duty and the denial of benefits and other issues that arise under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).