Kelley Edwards

Kelley Edwards has dedicated her career to counseling and advocating on behalf of employers. While the clients she partners with are diverse in size, scope, and focus, she has deep experience advising clients in the energy and healthcare industries. Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Kelley has worked with clients in nearly every facet of employment law, from advising employers on implementing legal requirements in the daily workplace, to assisting clients with drafting and revising employment policies and agreements, to representing companies in complex employment disputes. A trusted advisor, Kelley makes a point to understand her clients’ business practices and preferences so that she can appropriately tailor her advice and representation to meet their business needs.

Substantively, Kelley has experience in a variety of labor and employment litigation matters, including discrimination, wage and hour, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and unfair competition. She performs training seminars, prepares and reviews personnel handbooks and policies, manages large-scale audits, and conducts workplace investigations. Kelley also has particular experience in the area of reductions-in-force, WARN, and other issues related to business restructuring. In this capacity, Kelley’s legal assistance runs full circle, from advising clients on hiring decisions, to counseling them through terminations, to defending them in any ensuing litigation.

A seasoned litigator, Kelley has tried dozens of cases to verdict in federal, state, and local courts and has handled numerous arbitrations and mediations, having obtained defense verdicts in jury trials involving discrimination on the basis of race, age, disability, national origin, and sexual harassment. Kelley excels at relating to jurors and effectively advocating for her clients to factfinders, including judges and arbitrators. A small sampling of her notable litigation successes includes:

• Trying two high-profile race discrimination cases for a national fast food franchisee, both resulting in complete defense verdicts
• Successfully defending a telephone directory company in a multiplaintiff federal bench trial alleging wrongful denial of overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act
• Obtaining a complete defense verdict for a Texas healthcare provider in a national origin retaliation case following a three-day jury trial in federal court
• Successfully uncovering evidence fabricated by the plaintiff in a sexual harassment case, resulting in a voluntary dismissal of the case in exchange for a waiver of costs
• Winning a directed verdict at the trial of an age discrimination and retaliation case against a national chain of convenience stores
• Obtaining a complete defense verdict on behalf of a large hospital system in a multiplaintiff pregnancy discrimination case

Kelley also has an active appellate practice, having argued multiple times before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has successfully defended favorable trial verdicts and awards of summary judgment in ERISA, workers' compensation, disability, and Title VII cases before state and federal appellate courts.

Kelley is the Houston Office Managing Shareholder and previously served on Littler’s Board of Directors. She is a founding member and current Co-Chair of the firm’s Energy Industry Group and has served on the firm’s Client Investment Management Committee as well as the Associates Committee. Kelley is a classically trained musician who previously performed as a flautist with the Houston Ballet Orchestra and currently plays with the Spring ISD Alumni Band. She serves on the Band’s board of directors and is also active in a variety of local nonprofit agencies, having recently served on the board of directors for a Houston-based organization providing education services to children.