Katy has devoted over 30 years counseling and advising employers on all aspects of human resources management and has extensive experience with the myriad rules governing the decisions employers make every day that affect the workplace. An accomplished litigator, Katy represents employers in a variety of labor and employment matters in state, federal and class action litigation in multiple jurisdictions. Her litigation experience provides an invaluable perspective on what triggers employee disputes, making her uniquely prepared to proactively partner with employers to provide common sense and practical solutions to workplace issues.

Katy’s experience includes:

• Advising on all manner of human resources and employment related issues, such as hiring, discipline, investigations, accommodations, leave and termination.
• Advising and assisting in group layoffs and facility closings.
• Conducting thorough and proactive internal investigations, including those involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation and whistleblower allegations.
• Creating and updating employment policies and procedures.
• Drafting employment and separation agreements.
• Defending employers in employment discrimination, whistleblower, wage and hour and retaliation lawsuits.

Katy is board certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Florida Bar, and served with distinction for six years on the Florida Bar’s Labor and Employment certification committee to evaluate the certification qualifications of other Florida lawyers. She regularly writes and speaks on legal developments in employment law. She is co-author of the federal discrimination claims chapter in the fourth edition of the recognized treatise, Handbook on ERISA Litigation, published by Wolters Kluwer.

Katy earned a B.S. in Business Management, summa cum laude, from the University of West Florida, and her J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law. She is a member of the American Bar Associations Labor and Employment Section, the Academy of Florida Management Attorneys, and the Florida Bar’s Labor and Employment Section.