Firm News

Attorney Ashley Barr Joins McKinney Law Firm

Chris McKinney — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:22:35 +0000

We are pleased to announce that Ms. Ashley Barr has joined the firm as a trial lawyer in San Antonio. Ms. Barr graduated from Baylor Law School, where she was awarded the Dean's Academic Excellence Scholarship. She received her undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University where she graduated cum laude. Ms. Barr is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the San Antonio Young Lawyers Association. She represents clients in all types of harassment and discrimination cases. She also handles cases involving claims of unpaid overtime under the FLSA.1

1. Not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

McKinney named to Texas Super Lawyers.

Chris McKinney — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:28:09 +0000

Christopher McKinney has been chosen as one of only six plaintiff-side employment lawyers in the State of Texas to be identified by Texas Super Lawyers as a "Rising Star." Candidates for the honor are determined by the organization through examination of 12 distinct categories of peer recognition and professional achievement, including: verdicts, settlements, experience, scholarly lectures and writings, honors and awards.

McKinney named one of San Antonio's Best Lawyers.

Chris McKinney — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:51:30 +0000

Scene In SA Magazine - July 2009

Christopher McKinney has been chosen by his peers as one of "San Antonio's Best Lawyers" in the area of employment law again in 2010. Few of the city's employment lawyers have been chosen for this award.

Verdict Report: Doctor Awarded $3.6 Million for Discrimination and Retaliation

Chris McKinney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:45:22 +0000

UT Southwestern has been ordered to pay Egyptian-born doctor $3.6 million for discrimination and retaliation stemming from its 2006 constructive discharge of an Egyptian-born Muslim American citizen.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the jury took little time in deciding for the plaintiff in the case.

It is noted that the verdict may be reduced by the Court in accordance with applicable statutory damages caps.

Links:

Copy of the Lawsuit Pleadings

Dallas Morning News Article

Jury Awards over $250 Million Verdict Against Novartis in Sex Discrimination Case

Chris McKinney — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:43:19 +0000

A federal jury on Monday found that the U.S. unit of Swiss drug maker Novartis AG engaged in a "pattern or practice" of discrimination against its female employees.

Following a six-week trial, the jury issued a verdict ordering the company to pay a class of women employees $3.3 million in compensatory damages. On Tuesday, the jury awarded $250 million in punitive damages against the company.

The lawsuit on behalf of about 5,600 current and former women employees alleged that while working for Novartis, they were systematically denied promotions, paid less and subjected to differential treatment.

Jobs Coming to San Antonio

Chris McKinney — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:01:51 +0000

Some good news on the employment front here in San Antonio. The Express News is Reporting that the Kohl's department store chain will soon open an operations center in San Antonio that's expected to employ more than 1,000 people within three years.

Wisconsin-based Kohl's has signed a 10-year lease to occupy the 102,000-square-foot Westover Office Center I at 10000 Rogers Run in the Westover Hills area.

Kohl's stands to receive $750,000 from the Texas Enterprise Fund for a commitment to create 150 jobs, but the company expects to create more than 1,000 jobs, according to a statement from the governor's office.

You can read the entire story here.

Government Sues AT&T for Disability Discrimination

Chris McKinney — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:43:34 +0000

AT&T Services, Inc., doing business as Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, L.P. (AT&T), a major telephone company, violated federal law by refusing to hire an applicant simply because he is an insulin-dependent diabetic, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed last week.

COBRA Health Insurance Subsidies for Recently Terminated Employees

Chris McKinney — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:39:19 +0000

Many employers and employees appear to still be unaware of the temporary COBRA premium reduction passed by Congress. Here is some background:

Unemployment Compensation in Texas - Frequently Asked Questions

Chris McKinney — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:48:18 +0000

More often than not, individuals do not hire attorneys to represent them with regard to unemployment compensation because the economics involved make such representation difficult. Navigating the unemployment system can be difficult however. So we have constructed this page to provide some basic information regarding the Texas unemployment insurance system. At the bottom of the page is a link to a free report with more information regarding unemployment claims in Texas.

Sexual Harassment These Days is More Subtle and Often Involves New Technology

Chris McKinney — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0000

MSNBC has an interesting article out this past week called "Where ‘omg, u look gr8’ can land you in court" in which they look at the evolution of sexual harassment in the modern workplace.

Welcome to the new sexual harassment. It's (usually) not about the stuff you see on Mad Men, and it's not chasing the secretary around the desk. . . . [It is more subtle now.] Those subtle areas can include everything from flirtation at a company party to a complimentary text message or an unwelcome invitation to discuss the latest project over dinner or drinks.

The article also has some discussion about the implications of the use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc) and the fact that it is somewhat easier to misconstrue an instant message or cell phone text message than it is a verbal statement.