Jennifer W. Hilburn
Jennifer Hilburn joined the firm in 1998 after resigning from her post with the Regional Solicitor of the United States Department of Labor in Dallas, Texas after four years of dedicated service as a trial attorney safeguarding employee rights and enforcing federal employment laws related to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA); Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including minimum wage and overtime laws; Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA); Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA); and other federal statutes. Jennifer has taken her experience as an insider and now efficiently and effectively represents employers, as well as employees, in administrative claims, and other defensive matters that arise out of alleged violations of state and federal employment regulations and statutes. Jennifer has also built a significant practice counseling and advising clients in wrongful termination claims based on statute, private contract or union collective bargaining agreements. She also assists in negotiating executive compensation and benefits severance packages; drafting, prosecuting and defending non-competition, non-solicitation and other restrictive covenants used in employment contracts and handles a variety of other claims related to labor and employment law in addition to maintaining an active interest in personal injury, business and civil litigation handled by the firm.
Bar Admissions
Jennifer has been licensed to practice law in Texas since 1994 and was admitted to the bar in Louisiana in 2002. Jennifer is also currently admitted to practice law in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana and the Northern District of Texas.
Education
Jennifer received a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Oklahoma in 1986. Jennifer earned her law degree in 1994 from the University of Tulsa College of Law in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to numerous activities and awards, Jennifer was managing editor of the Energy Law Journal from 1993-1994 and was selected for membership in the Phi Delta Phi law honor fraternity.
Publications
In 1993, Jennifer’s legal writing skills were acknowledged with the publication of her case note “Supreme Court Standing and the Dormant Commerce Clause: Has Wyoming v. Oklahoma Set the Stage for Future Conflict?” 14 Energy Law Journal 153 (1993). In 2004, Jennifer co-authored with Cary, “Managing Leaves, Absenteeism, and Substance Abuse Issues Under Current ADA, FMLA, Workers’ Compensation and Other Laws and Regulations” (September 2004). Jennifer frequently lectures on labor and employment law topics to lawyers, human resource professionals, and other groups.
Affiliations
Jennifer currently serves on the Employment Law Advisory Commission to the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. Jennifer also served a five-year term appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court as the Torts Examiner for the Louisiana Bar Exam from 2010-2015. Jennifer is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Texas State Bar Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Shreveport Bar Association. Jennifer has also served in a number of positions with her church and other community organizations.
Positions
Prior to joining the firm, Jennifer was employed as a trial attorney with the United States Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor in Dallas, Texas from 1994 to 1998. While there, she was named Outstanding Trial Attorney in 1996 and 1997. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Jennifer worked as marketing manager for Western Digital Corporation in Irvine, California from 1988 to 1991.