Overview
Amber’s national practice assists clients with traditional labor relations and litigation, employment advice and counseling, and complex employment litigation. Amber is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and is a trial lawyer who has extensive experience representing and advising clients in traditional labor relations, such as collective bargaining, representation elections, decertification elections, unfair labor practice charges, arbitrating grievances, contract administration and interpretation, and union avoidance strategies.
Amber’s litigation experience includes regularly representing clients in wage and hour collective and class actions, trade secrets and post-employment restrictive covenant disputes, and complex employment discrimination. As a part of Amber’s partnership with clients to avoid litigation, she frequently conducts and coordinates sensitive corporate investigations, and provides training presentations for clients on a multitude of topics.
Amber’s practice also focuses on defending employers before administrative agencies.She represents clients in all industries, and has particular experience working with clients in the energy and utilities, financial institutions, health care, food processing, staffing, manufacturers, transportation, and retail sectors.
To complement her practice, Amber serves as the Hiring Partner for the firm’s Dallas office. Amber also serves as co-chair of the Firm’s Oneness Diversity Luncheon, is an Associate Editor of the American Bar Association’s, Labor and Employment Law newsletter, and also is a contributing author to the firm’s Employment & Labor Perspectives blog. In addition to her work at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Amber is a dedicated volunteer at the Legal Lines Program and Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program.
Amber is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Seventh Circuit, Eighth Circuit, Ninth Circuit, District of Columbia, the Northern District of Texas, Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Experience
- First-chaired federal court trial on claims of race and national origin discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation; verdict in favor of defendant.
- First-chaired state court jury trial on claims of race and sex discrimination and retaliation; obtained directed verdict.
- Obtained judgment as a matter of law in federal jury trial on claims of pregnancy discrimination, retaliation, and FMLA retaliation.
- Argued and won before the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (Oncor Electric Delivery v. NLRB, 850 F. App’x 255 (2021) (finding NLRB erred by ordering Oncor to provide names of non-unit workers to union, and NLRB incorrectly identified the bargaining unit).
- Argued and won before the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (STP Nuclear Operating Company v. NLRB, 975 F.3d 507 (2020)) (consolidated cases reversing NLRB’s bargaining orders concerning two groups certified to be represented by the IBEW).
- Argued and won before the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (US v. Loftis, 607 F.3d 173 (2010)) (Federal Debt Collection Procedure Acts claim).
- Regular first-chair experience litigating and arbitrating claims under collective bargaining agreements and employment-related matters.
- Litigated and defended management in numerous state and federal civil lawsuits and agency investigations.
- Litigated multiple class and collective actions in federal and state courts under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state wage and hour laws.
- Regularly engaged in transactional matters for publicly traded and privately held businesses to create employment and contractor agreements, non-disclosure agreements, non-compete agreements, severance and retention agreements, and confidentiality agreements.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- Named to the Texas 100, Dallas Business Journal, 2023
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Recognized in Corporate Counsel’s 2022 Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards, 2022
- Named to the Leaders in Diversity Awards, Dallas Business Journal, 2022
- Named as an “On the Rise” honoree at the Texas Legal Excellence Awards, ALM Media and Texas Lawyer, 2021
- Named to the inaugural list of Trailblazers South, The American Lawyer, 2021
- Recognized in the inaugural “They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40,” Bloomberg Law, 2021
- Named a Law360 Employment Rising Star, 2021
- Dallas Business Journal 2020 Women in Business Awards honoree
- Recommended for Labor and Employment Disputes (Including Collective Actions): Defense, Legal 500 United States, 2020
- Named among 2020 Women Worth Watching, Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2020
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Recognized by the Texas Legal Awards as a Diversity and Inclusion Champion, Texas Lawyer, 2020
- Recognized as one of the “Best Lawyers Under 40,” D Magazine, 2019
- Listed as a Labor and Employment Star, Texas, Benchmark Litigation, 2018-2024
- Selected as a Super Lawyer for Employment & Labor Law, Texas Monthly magazine, 2018-2020, 2022-2023
- Recognized as a “Top Woman Lawyer” by the Texas Diversity Council, 2018
- Recognized as a “Top 50 Multicultural Lawyers in Dallas” by National Diversity Council, 2017
Affiliations
Professional
- Member, The American Employment Law Council (membership by invitation only)
- Vice-Chair, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Newsletter Committee
- Participant, DBA WE LEAD: Women Empowered to Lead in the Legal Profession, (Inaugural Class, 2018)
- Chair, Employment Law & HR Compliance Committee, Dallas HR
- Barrister, Patrick E. Higginbotham Inn of Court
- Fellow, Leadership Council on Leadership Diversity (LCLD)
- Participant, American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section’s Leadership Development Program (Class of 2016)
- Founding Member, Board of Directors, and former Secretary (four years), The Network of Empowered Women (N.E.W.) Roundtable, Inc.
- Co-Chair, Small Business Symposium committee, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Co-Chair, Young Employment Labor Lawyers committee, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Co-Vice Chair, Dallas Bar Association’s Law Day committee
- Member, Dallas Women’s Lawyers Association
- Member, Dallas Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Leadership Class 2015
- Member, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Leadership Class 2014
- Member, Dallas Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
- Member, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Member, J.L. Turner Legal Association
- Member, Dallas Black Women Attorneys committee
- Member, American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
Insights
Legal Updates
Events & Speaking Engagements
Publications
Blog Posts
News
Education
JD, The University of Texas School of Law, with honors, Notes Editor, The Review of Litigation, 2006
BA, Trinity University, cum laude, 2003
Admissions
Texas
Areas of Focus
- Labor and Employment
- Labor-Management Relations and Labor Litigation
- Unfair Competition and Employee Raiding
- Wage and Hour Class Actions
- Complex Employment Litigation
- Affirmative Action and OFCCP Compliance
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Counseling
- Energy
- Financial Services
- Retail and Consumer Products