MELISSA CRANFORD
Senior Attorney
PRACTICE AREAS
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION
Veteran labor and employment lawyer who provides experienced defense to management in employment disputes, including wage and hour, discrimination and retaliation claims. Employs a collaborative approach with employers in proceedings involving the EEOC, DOL, TWC and other regulatory agencies. Experienced counselor and negotiator in labor disputes and executive contracts.
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Aggressively represents employers in arbitration and litigation in matters involving allegations of discrimination, retaliation, “just cause” terminations and non-compete agreements.
- Counsels employers in wage and hour disputes, grievances and pre-litigation claims.
- Negotiates on behalf of employers in labor disputes, including collective bargaining, executive work outs and regulatory agency interactions.
- Performs workplace investigations.
- Drafts policies and trains company leaders on supervisory practices.
- Advises employers on day-to-day employment law issues.
Texas Tech University School of Law, JD, May 1999
Abilene Christian University, BA Mass Communication, May 1994