section news
Labor & Employment Law Section
By Ian E. Smith
King & Spalding LLP
M
uch like December for retailers, April for tax preparers,
or July for fireworks salespeople, March is usually a big
month for the Labor & Employment Law Section. This
March was no exception.
The month began with the Board saying goodbye to a retiring
member and welcoming another. After three years of service, the
Board bids farewell to Michael Sullivan, wishes him the very
best, and thanks him for his service to the Section. In his place,
the Board welcomes and looks forward to working with Adriana
Midence of Elarbee Thompson Sapp & Wilson, LLP.
As the month progressed, the Section convened and carried out
its flagship Advanced Employment Law seminar. Held on March
17, 2011, at the W Midtown Hotel, this year’s seminar, The New
Employment Law Puzzle: Putting the Pieces Together, featured
thoughtful discussions on some of the most timely and noteworthy
issues confronting the labor-and-employment community. Topics
included the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008
and its newly adopted regulations; the continuing and growing
impact of social media; the changing landscape for noncompetition
agreements in Georgia following sweeping legislative changes; an
update on the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act
of 2008; and an update on the evolving interpretations of Iqbal
and Twombly; as well as a consideration of the Family Medical
Leave Act of 1993, Georgia workers’ compensation law, and the
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended.
By any measure the seminar was a success. The quality of the
speakers, the breadth and depth of the subjects covered, and the
high number of attendees, which greatly eclipsed the Board’s
loftiest goals, were but a few indications of the seminar’s success.
Many contributed to this success, so we begin by recognizing
and thanking our speakers, including: William C. Barker, Paul
Hastings; Hon. Alan J. Baverman, Magistrate Judge, U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of Georgia; Joshua B.
Belinfante, RobbinsFreed; Emily Borna, Jackson Lewis LLP;
Patricia J. Craft, U.S. Department of Labor; Andrea Doneff,
Buckley & Klein, LLP; Michael Dubus, General Electric Power
12 THE ATLANTA LAWYER
March/April 2011
[email protected]
Systems; Ottrell Edwards, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission; Amanda A. Farahany, Barrett & Farahany;
Benjamin I. Fink, Berman Fink Van Horn, PC; Lisa B. Golan,
Attorney at Law; Brian M. Herman, Fisher & Phillips LLP;
Janet E. Hill, Hill & Associates PC; Weyman T. Johnson, Jr.;
Paul Hastings; Daniel M. Klein, Buckley & Klein, LLP; Adriana
R. Midence, Elarbee Thompson Sapp & Wilson, LLP; Robert
P. Riordan, Alston & Bird LLP; David N. Schaeffer, Chilivis,
Cochran, Larkins & Bever, LLP; Jeffrey A. Schwartz, Jackson
Lewis LLP; and Tessa Warren, Nakamura, Quinn, Walls, Weaver
& Davies, LLP. The Section also welcomed members of the
Litigation Section of the Atlanta Bar Association and thanks the
Litigation Section for generously co-sponsoring the seminar.
Following the day-long seminar, participants attended a cocktail
and networking reception graciously sponsored by the Labor &
Employment Section of the State Bar of Georgia. And, finally,
we must thank the more than 100 practitioners, jurists, academics,
students, and others that entrusted us with their professional
development needs.
On the horizon, the section plans its spring luncheon in May
at the Capital City Club. The speaker(s) and topic are to be
determined.
Finally, the Board congratulates its Immediate Past Chair Robert
W. Capobianco and his bride on their recent nuptials. ■
The Labor & Employment Law Section’s Board includes Chair Mary
M. (Peggy) Brockington, Vice-Chair Daniel Klein, Secretary/
Treasurer William C. (Cory) Barker, Immediate Past Chair Robert
Capobianco, Andrea Doneff, Amanda Farahany, Benjamin I.
(Ben) Fink, Marcia Ganz, Ellen B. Malow, Adriana Midence, A.
Lee Parks Jr., Michelle E. Shivers, Ian E. Smith and James M.
(Jim) Walters.
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association