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Biography
Russell D. Cawyer is a partner in the firm’s Labor and Employment practice group. He received his juris doctor, cum laude, from Texas Tech University School of Law, where he also served as a Note Editor on its law review. Mr. Cawyer received his Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from the University of North Texas.
Mr. Cawyer’s practice focuses exclusively on labor and employment-related legal matters, including litigation in federal and state courts; administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, United States Department of Labor, the Texas Workforce Commission - Civil Rights Division, the National Labor Relations Board (including defending both charges of unfair labor practices and representation election proceedings); and proceedings before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other state fair employment practices agencies.
Additionally, Mr. Cawyer has defended employers in multiple complex wage, hour and benefit class actions having nearly 20,000 total putative class members. He also has litigated both federal and state court cases involving numerous workplace claims, including, among others, alleged discrimination, harassment and retaliation; workers’ compensation retaliation; breach of contract; and the enforceability of numerous covenants-not-to-compete. Mr. Cawyer’s defense of employers has included both successful jury and bench trials.
Mr. Cawyer regularly advises employers on employment issues involving federal and state court cases alleging discrimination and sexual harassment. He has litigated employment cases and arbitrated matters arising under collective bargaining agreements. Mr. Cawyer is a frequent author and speaker on human resource, employee relations and labor and employment law developments. He has been board certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2000.
In 2005, 2006 and 2007, Texas Monthly recognized Mr. Cawyer as a "Rising Star" in Labor and Employment Law, an honor bestowed annually to only 2.5% of all Texas attorneys. Similarly, he was named one of Fort Worth’s Top Labor and Employment Lawyers in Fort Worth, Texas magazine in 2004, 2005 and 2006. He also has been recognized as a "Forty Under Forty" honoree by the Fort Worth Business Press. Russell and his wife have two sons and a daughter.
Education & Honors
University of North Texas, B.S., cum laude, 1992
Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1995
Texas Tech Law Review, Note Editor
Board Certified, Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, since 2000
Recognized as "Rising Star" in Texas Labor and Employment Law by Texas Law and Politics and Texas Monthly, 2005, 2006 and 2007
Named one of Fort Worth’s Top Labor and Employment Lawyers by Fort Worth, Texas magazine, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007
Fort Worth Business Press Forty Under Forty honoree
Admission & Affiliations
Supreme Court of Texas
U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Tarrant County Bar Association
State Bar of Texas, Labor and Employment Law Division
Personnel Committee, YWCA
Significant Matters
Cox v. Nextiraone, 169 S.W.3d 778 (Tex. App.-Dallas 2005, no writ) (affirming summary judgment in worker's compensation retaliation where plaintiff sought over $2.8 million in damages)
Golston v. American Airlines, Inc., 2004 WL 1969842 (N.D. Tex., Sept. 7, 2004) (opinion granting defendant's motion for summary judgment on race discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims based on Railway Labor Act preemption)
Brown v. Sabre Inc., et al., 173 S.W.3d 581 (Tex. App.-Fort Worth, no writ) (affirming summary judgment for employer in putative class action over failure to pay accrued but unused vacation upon separation of employment)
Serrin-Brandel v. Pier 1 Imports (U.S.), Inc., 2004 WL 1212205 (E.D. Mich., May 19, 2004) (opinion granting defendant's motion for summary judgment on state whistleblower and public policy wrongful termination claims)
Griffin v. EFW, Inc., 2004 WL 906393 (N.D. Tex., Mar 04, 2004) (opinion granting employer's motion to dismiss FMLA Claims)
Griffin v. EFW, Inc., 2004 WL 1898254 (N.D. Tex., Aug. 23, 2004) (NO. 4:04-CV-314¬A) (opinion granting defendant's motion to dismiss Griffin ll's FMLA Claims)
Publications & Speeches
"Defending Employment Discrimination, Retaliation and Harassment Claims," Southwestern Legal Foundation's 45th Annual Institute on Labor and Employment Law, 1998.
"Using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)Procedures to Resolve Employment Disputes," Strasburger & Price, L.L.P.'s 1999 Corpus Christi Client Seminar on Developments in Labor and Employment Law, 1999.
"Batson and its Progeny Prohibit the Use of Peremptory Challenges Based Upon Disability and Religion: A Practioner's Guide for Requesting a Civil-Batson Hearing," 26 Tex. Tech. L. Rev. 109, 1995.
"The Americans with Disabilities Act," Kelly, Hart & Hallman, P.C. 2001 Labor & Employment Law Conference, 2001.
"Workplace Technology: Achieving a Symbiotic Relationship Between Business Interests and Employee Privacy," Kelly, Hart & Hallman, P.C. 2001 Labor & Employment Law Conference, 2001.
"Protecting Confidential and Trade Secret Information,"
Advanced Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Course, Texas Bar Association, September 30 -October 1, 2004, San Antonio Texas. |
