Practice Areas

We defend employers in employment-related disputes in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies. Our approach focuses on minimizing disruption and cost, with strategic options for early resolution, including negotiation and alternative dispute resolution. When litigation is necessary, we advocate vigorously to protect our clients’ interests.

Our experience includes defending claims involving wage and hour matters (including class actions), discrimination and harassment, disability, race, sex, age, national origin, leave laws, and wrongful discharge.

We conduct workplace investigations into allegations of misconduct, including harassment, discrimination, and other sensitive matters. Our investigations are prompt, thorough, and impartial, providing clear, actionable findings that help employers assess risk and determine next steps.

Royal Parker Spruce attorneys recognize that engaging in protracted litigation is not always the best solution to a problem. Alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation and arbitration, is an important consideration to litigation, which can become time-consuming and costly. Our attorneys' expertise in litigation avoidance and alternative dispute resolution includes evaluating and advising clients on the advantages of utilizing alternative dispute resolution as an option. When such alternatives are available and worthwhile, our attorneys represent clients during mediation and arbitration.

At Royal Parker Spruce, we advise businesses on terminations, layoffs, and reductions in force. We ensure compliance with applicable laws while helping clients manage these processes efficiently and reduce litigation risk. Our approach is practical and aligned with business objectives, with a focus on minimizing disruption and maintaining consistency.

Employers face significant obligations under state and federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Royal Parker Spruce works with clients in drafting leave and accommodation policies, responding to requests for leave or requests for accommodation, managing employee absences, and ensuring that hiring procedures comply with the ADA's requirements regarding disability-related inquiries and medical examinations.

A myriad of state and federal laws require employers to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. The attorneys at Royal Parker Spruce have extensive experience defending employers against claims of discrimination and harassment. Our firm also works closely with clients to reduce the risk that employees will file claims of discrimination by providing valuable advice in all aspects of the employment relationship, including hiring, promotion, discipline, and discharge.

When employers receive internal complaints of discrimination or harassment, our firm provides guidance in responding to such complaints and assists clients in conducting prompt and thorough investigations and remedying any discrimination or harassment that may have occurred. Royal attorneys also provide training to employees and management regarding discrimination and harassment and draft comprehensive non-discrimination and non-harassment policies for their clients.

Royal Parker Spruce attorneys have significant experience defending employers in both individual and class action wage/hour litigation. Our broad expertise includes defense in the following types of wage/hour cases: misclassification of employees as exempt, misclassification of employees as independent contractors, failure to pay minimum wage, failure to pay and/or properly calculate overtime pay, failure to pay for all time worked, including failure to pay commissions, improper tip pooling, failure to provide meal breaks, and failure to pay for "off-the-clock" time. With wage/hour litigation on the rise and the increased penalties for violations, our firm offers various preventive services to employers in order to reduce the risk of a viable wage/hour claim and to otherwise comply with applicable wage/hour laws. 

Because we believe that careful planning and counseling can reduce the likelihood of a lawsuit or can at least improve the likelihood for success should litigation arise, we offer a variety of litigation avoidance-related services, such as preparing, reviewing, and updating employment policies and handbooks, conducting audits to ensure businesses are compliant with all applicable state and federal laws, and providing employee and management training on a variety of training topics, such as sexual harassment and anti-discrimination, discipline and documentation, the ADA and reasonable accommodations, wage and hour, leaves of absences, electronic issues in the workplace, independent contractor status, joint employment issues, and maintaining a union-free environment

We have successfully defended numerous companies in business litigation matters, including the following:

• Business tort and casualty litigation matters
• Unfair competition claims
• Contract disputes
• Real Estate disputes
• Construction claims
• Product liability