Jeff S. Mayes

Jeff regularly represents employers in state and federal courts across the nation. Some of his representative matters include the following:

• Testified as an expert witness on workplace harassment investigations at trial in Texas state district court
• Successfully argued before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals after obtaining summary judgment for large steel manufacturing employer in complex FMLA matter
• Obtained favorable verdicts in trials involving single and multiple plaintiffs in harassment, discrimination and retaliation matters
• Obtained summary judgments or dismissals for employers in state and federal courts across the country, including in Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina, California, Washington, Utah, Illinois, Indiana and Mississippi
• Successful litigation of non-competition and trade secret matters, which often included monetary awards for clients
• Achieved favorable judgments and resolutions of class and collective actions under Title VII, Section 1981 and the FLSA
• Provides regular training for employers on all aspects of labor and employment law, including harassment, discrimination, disability and leave issues, discipline, interviewing and hiring, and union avoidance

Education

• J.D., South Texas College of Law, 1996
• B.A., Texas A&M University, 1992

Admission to Practice

• Texas
• Arkansas
• U. S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth, Fifth and Eighth Circuits

• Arkansas Bar Association (Labor & Employment Section)
• Pulaski County Bar Association
• Central Arkansas Human Resources Association
• Arkansas Industry Liaison Group
• Texas State Bar (Labor and Employment Section)
• Houston Bar Association (Labor and Employment Section)

• Ogletree Deakins Texas Labor and Employment Law Update – “Red Tape and Blue Pencils: Are Your Restrictive Covenants Compliant?” – November 3, 2023
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Violence in the Workplace: Preventive Measures for Employers in Tragic Times” – April 19, 2023
• Strafford Webinar – “Implementing Workplace Weapons Policies After SCOTUS’ Bruen Decision: OSHA, State Laws, Insurance, Safeguards” – February 8, 2023
• Ogletree Deakins Briefing – “Documentation Deep Dive: Improve Your Performance Management Practices and Documents” – Houston – February 26, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Briefing – “Reel Ethics: Duties to Prevent Illegality” – Houston – 2018

• September 22, 2022 – ACC – “Guns in the Workplace After the Supreme Court’s Bruen Case: What Has Changed, and What Can Employers Expect?”
• 2019 – Chambers Global Practice Guide, USA Regional Employment – “Extra-territorial Application of Texas Law”

• December 12, 2022 – The HR Weekly – “Guns in the workplace? Watch the Supreme Court”
• May 19, 2021 – SHRM Online – “Independent-Contractor Classifications May Need to Be Reviewed”
• January 8, 2018 – Law360 – “Ogletree Deakins Adds 2 Shareholders In Seattle, Houston”
• September 28, 2000 – Houston Chronicle – “Woman’s removal from oil rig off Nigeria brings bias lawsuit”

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Employment Law – Management (2024-2025)
  • Litigation – Labor and Employment (2024-2025)
• Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law since 2002