During the 26th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, Jackson Walker partners John V. Jansonius and Sarah Mitchell Montgomery presented insights on developments under Rule 23 and class action employment litigation and on the increase and variance of state and local employment laws and ordinances across the nation.

Hosted by The University of Texas at Austin School of Law from May 9-10, 2019, the CLE conference also featured a discussion from both sides of the bar regarding the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a presentation series on litigation strategies and workforce solutions, and updates on federal and state law, including developments at the National Labor Relations Board.

Class Action Employment Litigation: What’s Left and What’s New

In addition to serving on the conference’s Planning Committee, John spoke during the Litigation Strategies track regarding recent changes in class action employment litigation, including amendments to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the aftermath of and notable cases following

Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis and Wal-Mart v. Dukes.

To view the presentation, check out “Class Action Employment Litigation: New Rules, New Obstacles, New Strategies.” For further insights regarding Epic Systems, visit John’s article “Supreme Court Okays Class Action Waivers in Employee Arbitration Agreements” contributed to The Texas Lawbook in May 2018. For a detailed look at updates in labor and employment law, read “The Labor and Employment Horizon—2019,” which highlights some of the more salient prospects for change in 2019 that will impact employers’ policies and employee relations practices.

In his practice, John focuses on contract and compensation negotiations and disputes with corporate officers and managers; defense of employment discrimination claims and wrongful discharge claims; collective bargaining, representation cases, and unfair labor practice claims under the National Labor Relations Act; denial of benefits claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act; and advising on employment and labor aspects of business transactions. He has represented clients in numerous jury and non-jury trials in state and federal court and has presented oral arguments to the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal circuit courts of appeals. John is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Emerging Local Regulations and the Multistate Employer

During the opening of the conference, Sarah presented on the challenges multistate employers face between state and local laws, including paid sick leave, Ban the Box, salary history bans, marijuana laws, and harassment training, maintaining consistency in how employees are treated from location to location, and consistently keeping employee files and documentation.

Outside her practice, Sarah serves as a Commissioner for the Town of Sunnyvale, Texas’s Planning and Zoning Commission, a Staff Quality and Recruitment Committee Member for the Sunnyvale Independent School District Strategic Planning Team, and a Trustee for First United Methodist Church in Downtown Dallas. Sarah is also a participant in the Texas Women’s Foundation’s Leadership Institute.

To explore Jackson Walker’s experience in labor and employment law, visit our Labor & Employment, Employee Benefits, & Executive Compensation practice page. For more information about the event, view the UT Law CLE website or conference brochure.