Karen Denney is a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group and is board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Karen represents employers in employment litigation and arbitration matters involving a variety of claims, including claims concerning age, sex, gender, race, national origin, disability, religion, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, retaliation, misappropriation, gross negligence, breach of contract, defamation, tortious interference, covenants not to compete and other employment laws and related torts. She also has represented employers in negotiations and/or proceedings with the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission and parties in numerous arbitrations before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the American Arbitration Association. She frequently prepares employment agreements and employment-related policies, provides management training, and counsels employers on various employment issues concerning hiring, disciplining and terminating employees, investigating employee complaints, social media-related issues, covenants not to compete and in a variety of other areas.

Karen is a frequent speaker on a variety of labor and employment law topics and authors articles for national audiences on topics related to Employment Law and Social Media. One of her most recent publications, “Social Media and Labor and Employment Law in 2015 and Beyond,” was featured in Bloomberg BNA Social Media Law & Policy Report.

Karen is a member of the Tarrant County Bar Association, Texas Bar Foundation, and the Tarrant County Bar Foundation and in 2012 was named the 2012 Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas by the Texas Young Lawyers Association. In her local community, Karen serves as a board member for and is a past chair of the board for Casa Mañana, Inc.

Bar Admissions
Texas

Education
J.D., University of Texas at Austin School of Law, 2002
B.S., Texas Tech University, 1999 summa cum laude

Significant Accomplishments
Successfully obtained and/or defended numerous temporary and permanent injunctions in misappropriation of trade secrets and covenant not to compete cases.
Representation of securities brokerage firms in disputes with financial advisors, including a complete defense award against former advisor challenging stock forfeiture provisions in an incentive compensation plan.
Obtained numerous summary judgments and dismissals for employers in employment litigation matters involving defamation, tortious interference, race, sex, age, sexual harassment, pregnancy, the Family and Medical Leave Act, disability and retaliation claims.
Obtained summary judgments for companies on breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference, premises liability, quantum meruit, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and unjust enrichment claims.
Obtained defense verdict in jury trial against employees claiming retaliation.
Obtained defense verdict in jury trial for employer based on alleged negligence of an employee.
Obtained plaintiff verdicts in bench trial and arbitrations against ex-employees who violated covenants not to compete and confidentiality agreements.

• Hurricane Harvey: Employer Considerations in Office Closures and Reopenings

  By Karen Denney |August 2017