The Atlanta Lawyer January/February 2011 | Page 12

section news Labor & Employment Section Update By Ian E. Smith King & Spalding LLP T he Labor & Employment section continues to keep its members abreast of the most important issues affecting the labor-and-employment community and recently recruited a new pair of very capable hands to further those efforts. In November, the section welcomed its newest Board member, Benjamin I. (Ben) Fink, of Berman Fink Van Horn PC, who will also assume the role of Communications Director in charge of the section’s quarterly newsletter. Ben has been a frequent contributor to the section’s many endeavors, and we are honored to have him join our Board. Over the last few months, the section has held programs aimed at the most timely and relevant labor and employment i s s u e s . On October 28, days before Georgia voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing sweeping changes to the enforcement of restrictive covenants, the section held its fall luncheon at The Capital City Club and invited Representative Kevin Levitas, of Georgia’s 82nd House District, and Ben Fink to discuss “The New Restrictive Covenants Act -- Will it Make Georgia More Economically Competitive?” [email protected] continuing impact of social media, noncompetition agreements, summary judgment, and an update on the evolving interpretations of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Iqbal and Twombly decisions. And, lastly, in an effort to address an important ongoing need, the Board has discussed potential initiatives to facilitate the attendance of unemployed lawyers at section events. The Board welcomes suggestions. *** The Labor & Employment Section’s Board comprises Chair Mary M. (Peggy) Brockington, Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect Daniel Klein, Secretary/Treasurer William C. (Cory) Barker, Immediate Past Chair Robert W. Capobianco, Andrea Doneff, Amanda A. Farahany, Marcia A. Ganz, Ellen B. Malow, A. Lee Parks Jr., Michelle E. Shivers, Ian E. Smith, Michael A. Sullivan, James M. (Jim) Walters, and Benjamin I. (Ben) Fink. On December 9, 2010, the section joined the State Bar of Georgia’s Labor & Employment Section to sponsor the 40th Annual Labor & Employment Law Institute. Co-chaired by Jay Rollins and Peggy Brockington, the program included discussions on a broad range of topics including the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), workers’ compensation, ethics and professionalism, an introduction to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MHSA) agency, court mediation, and a general discussion on civil rights. The program boasted an equally wide-ranging faculty as it featured speakers from private practice, academia, the judiciary, various federal agencies, and the State Bar of Georgia. On the horizon, the section is planning its flagship program, the Advanced Employment Law Seminar, to be held March 17, 2011 at the W Midtown Atlanta Hotel. The seminar will address various topics including discussions on amendments to the ADA, the FMLA, workers’ compensation, GINA, FLSA, e-discovery, the 12 THE ATLANTA LAWYER January/February 2011 The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association