Editorial: Management Labour & Employment in Georgia

01 April 2007

Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP is an established power in the market, with four individuals selected in these pages – more than any other firm. They are led in the voting by the “superb” Geoffrey Weirich, the 2006–2008 management chair of the equal employment opportunity committee of the American Bar Association’s section on labour and employment law. Praise focused on Weirich’s “sophisticated practice”, which includes a recent engagement as nationwide coordinating counsel for Boeing in a series of gender discrimination class actions – he secured extremely favourable rulings in two of the cases. He also gained praise from his peers for his academic activities, primarily for his role as editor-in-chief of the fourth edition of Employment Discrimination Law (B Lindemann and P Grossman, 2007). John Wymer is another “leader in the field” according to our research. Sources regard him as something of a “heavyweight” of the bar. Weyman Johnson is “an excellent attorney”, “top” for representation management in employment litigation and traditional labour relations. Johnson served from 2002 to 2006 as vice-chair of the firm’s employment law department for the east coast offices. Leslie Dent focuses her practice on employment litigation and has developed a reputation for being a “smart and ethical lawyer”. Dent has defended employers in large multiple-plaintiff cases and class action litigation, representing corporate clients from a variety of industries, including national retail merchandisers, manufacturers, airlines, banks, newspaper publishers and national restaurant chains. 

Kilpatrick Stockton LLP’s lawyers fared well in the research. James Coil, who has been with the firm for the duration of his career in private practice, has been involved in the defence of class action and multiplaintiff claims. As well as a “skilled litigator” Coil also advises on general employment issues and affirmative action compliance. Richard Boisseau is “a prolific speaker and solid attorney”. With a broad practice that covers all areas of employment law, Boisseau is regarded as “an expert on the National Labour Relations Act”. William Boice is a litigator of considerable reputation, described to us as a “king in the courtroom” – which is reflected by his nomination in the commercial litigation chapter. Boice has extensive experience in employment-related cases; representative clients include Delta Air Lines (who Boice has represented for over 25 years), Lockheed Martin and the Weather Channel. 

Ashe Rafuse & Hill LLP is the first of eight firms in this chapter with a focus on employment law. Two name partners are included in this chapter. Lawrence Ashe is “very prominent in the Atlanta bar” and “one of the great lawyers in the US”. His practice is focused on class actions and civil rights matters and – adding a distinctive element to the firm’s practice – expertise in employee selection and test validation issues. Ashe’s clients include Coca Cola, Equitable Life Assurance Society, Home Depot and Procter & Gamble. He is regarded by clients and peers alike as “one of the top in the US for class actions”, “a very creative thinker and practical”. Managing partner Nancy Rafuse has a “very good reputation”, representing clients in employment and civil rights litigation as well as in class actions. A regular speaker on labour and employment issues, Rafuse presents annually to employers and management lawyers on the ‘Use and Abuse of Statistics’. She is also an authority on the use of experts in employment cases. 

We recognise two partners from Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC, a labour and employment firm with offices nationwide. Homer Deakins is described as “top-notch” for his handling of the highprofile union elections held in the US on behalf of employers. His practice also includes employment litigation and appellate cases as well as class actions. John Anderson has represented clients before various governmental agencies, such as the NLRB, the EEOC, the wage and hour division of the US Department of Labour, and the OFCCP. Anderson served as a staff member of President Nixon’s Economic Stabilisation Programme from 1972 to 1974 and as assistant general counsel of the Pay Board (subsequently the Cost of Living Council). 

Elarbee Thompson Sapp & Wilson LLP is another Atlanta-based labour and employment firm. Brent Wilson was hailed as “prominent and very sharp” by a fellow nominee. His practice involves both litigation and counselling for employers, including communications companies, service providers, educational institutions, non-profit groups, public entities and manufacturing operations. In employment discrimination litigation Wilson successfully defended a large restaurant chain against a sex discrimination claim by the EEOC and has served as an intern and field attorney with the National Labour Relations Board. Stanford Wilson is the other half of this dynamic duo who also divides his time between litigation and counselling. He is “very well known” and was lead counsel in a multi-plaintiff age discrimination case against a major paper manufacturer. 

Ford & Harrison LLP was founded in Atlanta in 1978 with 14 lawyers and has grown to house over 170 labour and employment specialists in 16 offices nationwide. Managing partner Lash Harrison is considered “one of the top employment lawyers in the state”. Harrison has particular experience representing clients in the airline industry. The “excellent” David Hagaman focuses his practice on employer-employee relations, union organising campaigns, NLRB cases, arbitrations, labour negotiations, wage and hour matters, employer and supervisor training and employment discrimination litigation. 

Troutman Sanders LLP has two individuals listed in this chapter. Stephen Riddell is the managing partner of the Atlanta office with an “impressive practice”. Riddell is counsel to companies including Southern Company entities (including Georgia Power Company) and AT&T Corp. Fellow nominees regard Robert Buckler as “brilliant” and “incredibly experienced”. He has litigated various employment claims for Printpack Inc, provided advice for Sea Ray Boats Inc and been the principal outside labour counsel to Georgia-Pacific for over 20 years. 

Constangy Brooks & Smith LLC began life in Georgia and has grown into a national labour and employment law firm with 14 offices across the US. We recognise Lee Boeke and Frank Shuster. Prior to joining private practice, Boeke was a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and worked as an attorney with the National Labour Relations Board in the Northeast. Described to researchers as “top tier”, Boeke provides strategic advice to clients on employment issues. Shuster is co-chair of the firm’s labour relations practice group and focuses on union avoidance consulting and campaigns, labour relations, employee relations counselling and NLRB litigation. 

Rogers & Hardin LLP is home to the research’s most highly nominated practitioner, Hunter Hughes. Regarded by clients and peers as a “superstar”, “top shelf [and] one of the biggest and best in the country” Hughes is “nationally recognised” as a leader in the field of labour and employment law. He has represented Coca Cola in racial discrimination class action and is ‘known as a mediator’, acting in this role for Home Depot, Winn Dixie and the Publix class action. Hughes is also included in the arbitration chapter. 

Fisher & Phillips LLP, a specialised firm headquartered in Atlanta, is represented by senior partner Tex McIver. McIver advises both buyers and sellers in employment issues regarding mergers and acquisitions, consolidation and streamlining of companies. 

Wimberly Lawson Steckel Wethersby & Schneider PC is a national labour and employment focused firm with one representative from its primary office in Atlanta. James Wimberly is “outstanding” and highly respected for his “broad practice”. Wimberly advises clients in the lumber, furniture, apparel and food processing industries, and various state trade associations in the poultry and trucking industries. He is the author of Georgia Employment Law (Harrison Publishing) and has been a professor of labour law and a general attorney at the US Department of Labour in Washington, DC. 

Miller & Martin PLLC is home to Shelby Grubbs. He is well known for his role as lead counsel for a ‘Big Five’ accounting firm for whom he defeated a class certification in a nation-wide employment discrimination claim. Grubbs is also “an experienced mediator” who received many positive commendations from other nominees. 

Penn Payne LLC is a business and employment litigation firm based in Atlanta. Penn Payne draws the spotlight onto the “very fine” firm she founded. As well as litigating employment disputes, she is also a mediator and arbitrator, and conducts internal investigations of employee complaints for corporations or outside counsel. 

Samuel Matchett represents King & Spalding LLP in this chapter. Fellow nominees “heard great things” about this “up and coming” attorney. Matchett is a partner in the firm’s labour and employment practice group who centres his practice on employment relationship matters and litigation. Recent cases include the defence of a major insurer against a race discrimination case and resolving a disability discrimination claim for a large manufacturer. 

Alston & Bird LLP’s Forrest Hunter came “highly recommended” by peers during the research process. Hunter represents management in both litigation and arbitrations, serving as lead counsel in sex, race, age, disability, national origin and contract cases in federal courts. He also counsels and trains clients’ and their supervisors and managers on union avoidance and the prevention of related litigation.

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