Jessica Glatzer Mason
Partner
When trade secret disputes or employment issues threaten a business, Jessica Mason is often the first call.
A partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment and Litigation practices, her talents have been recognized by Chambers USA: American’s Leading Business Lawyers:
“Jessica is an outstanding lawyer. She is responsive, practical and has an excellent ability to ensure that we understand the issues and the risks as we are making decisions.” “She provides very practical advice and is very approachable.”
Clients deeply appreciate that unlike most other L&E lawyers, Jessica’s “end-to-end” experiences as both a savvy trial lawyer and a trusted employment counselor give her the unique ability to craft winning strategies both in and out of the courtroom.
In Jessica’s extensive unfair competition and protection of trade secrets practice, she regularly represents clients in matters relating to non-competition agreements, non-solicitation, and theft of trade secrets, including frequently defending and prosecuting applications for emergency relief. She regularly handles temporary restraining orders and temporary and preliminary injunction matters in state and federal courts across the country.
In addition to trade secret and unfair competition issues, Jessica has a deep understanding of many other aspects of employment matters, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases (including claims made under Title VII and state law), and wage and hour matters.
Another valued component of Jessica’s practice is her up-to-the-minute grasp of the ever-changing regulatory landscape. This knowledge allows her to design approaches to proactively position her clients for success.
She also advises employers and handles claims relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and Family and Medical Leave Act as well as employment policies, EEO compliance, executive equity disputes, executive agreements and separations, and other workplace issues. In addition, Jessica also has the understanding necessary to advise clients on compliance with premises accessibility under the ADA, including website accessibility for the blind.
Jessica is also fully committed to helping clients avoid problems by regularly teaming with employers to provide guidance and training relative to preventative measures that reduce litigation, complaints, and limit liability. She often trains employers on the protection of confidential information as well as training employees on the ins-and-outs of respectful workplaces.
Representative Experience
Unfair Competition Representation
- Represented a chemical manufacturing and distribution company in a suit against a group of former employees who misappropriated proprietary technical and operational business information in an effort to launch a competitor, successfully obtaining injunctive relief in federal court
- Represented an equipment manufacturer in a federal court, successfully obtaining injunctive relief against a competitor and former employee who violated his restrictive covenants and misappropriated the manufacturer’s trade secret and proprietary business information for use in unfair competition
- Represented an innovative plastics solutions company in a suit filed against former employees where a jury returned a multimillion-dollar verdict establishing the trade secret nature of the technology and the misappropriation by the defendants
- Represented a drilling company in defense of claims the drilling company misappropriated a competitor’s alleged trade secrets associated with its oilfield drilling equipment and technology
- Represented businesses across multiple industries in emergency actions, including prosecuting and defending injunction matters, often prevailing in evidentiary hearings with little to no discovery
- Represented a professional services companies in several cases against employees for misappropriation of confidential information, breach of fiduciary duties and breach of non-solicitation agreements
- Represented a chemical company in defense of non-compete actions and in prosecution of non-compete and trade secret actions
- Represented utility company in non-compete enforcement actions and trade secret actions in multiple jurisdictions
Trial and Litigation Experience
- Successfully obtained a unanimous jury verdict in defense of an energy company alleged to have engaged in illegal discrimination and retaliation
- Represented a leading hospital against claims of unlawful conduct, securing summary judgment on all constitutional claims
- Represented a chemical company against harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed by employee in federal court with successful results on summary judgment
- Represented a services company in trial asserting claims of Title VII discrimination, securing victory in federal court
- Represented a temporary staffing agency against discrimination claim based on criminal background check filed by applicant
- Represent companies in both defending and prosecuting claims based on executive employment contracts, including equity disputes relating to departing executives
- Represented foreign defendants in special appearance hearings to avoid jurisdiction of Texas courts
- Represented employers in wage and hour disputes under the Fair Labor Standards Act for improper payment or classification of workers, including several collective actions by current and former employees
Representation Involving Federal and State Retaliation and Discrimination Laws
- Represented oil and gas services companies in many instances of litigation and charges filed by former employees alleging race, age, sex and national origin discrimination
- Represented professional services companies in defending claims regarding disability and failure to accommodate and in multiple discrimination matters
- Represented professional services companies in defending claims regarding disability and failure to accommodate
- Represented numerous companies in conducting on-site audits and analysis for compliance with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires the removal of obstacles that might limit access by disabled individuals
- Represented companies in matters relating to accessibility of websites and online presences relating to Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Represented companies in negotiations with state and federal agencies charged with employment oversight
Pro-Active Preventative Counseling and Representation
- Investigate and respond to EEOC and state agency charges of discrimination
- Assisting employers in developing and managing ADA and FMLA leaves, policies and practices
- In-house training of employers on anti-discrimination and respectful workplace training
- Conduct training of managers regarding strategies to avoid litigation or governmental investigations
- Draft policies and procedures and guidelines to help companies comply with federal and state laws
- Assist employers in the documentation and initiation of terminations and mass layoffs in conjunction with federal and state laws including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, OWBPA and WARN
- Train HR on handling harassment and discrimination complaints
- Assist premises owners and operators in complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act relating to the accessibility of public accommodations
Awards and Recognition
- Recognized, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the practice area of Employment & Labor (2021, 2022, and 2024)
- Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Employment Law – Management (2020-2023)
- Recognized, Texas Super Lawyers®, a Thomson Reuters business, as published in Texas Super Lawyers Magazine
- Employment & Labor (2017-2023)
- Recognized, Top 50 Women Lawyers, National Diversity Counsel (2019)
- Recognized, Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers®, a Thomson Reuters business, as published in Texas Super Lawyers Magazine
- Employment & Labor (2010, 2012-2017)
- Recipient, Daniel R. Ginsberg Leadership Award, Anti-Defamation League (National, 2011)
Affiliations
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Member, Anti-Defamation League, Executive Committee
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
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