Adam Gates is a litigator in the Firm’s Jackson office, where he practices labor and employment law and general business litigation. Mr. Gates represents a wide variety of clients, including manufacturers, health care facilities, food processing plants and trucking companies.
He advises his clients on day-to-day personnel issues, helps them operate in a way that minimizes exposure, defends them against charges of discrimination filed with the EEOC, and handles various matters in litigation and arbitration.
In the course of representing one of Mississippi’s largest manufacturers, Mr. Gates helped defend the company in an employment discrimination class action that was severed into 80 individual cases. He played an extensive role in arbitrating more than 60 of them, presenting numerous opening and closing arguments, and examining hundreds of witnesses.
In addition, he has defended manufacturers, food processors and waste management companies in collective actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act in which plaintiffs claimed they were owed compensation for unpaid overtime, meal and rest breaks, travel to their work sites, and donning & doffing clothing and protective gear.
Mr. Gates also has experience with general commercial litigation, including contract disputes, premises liability claims and litigation involving former executives.
EDUCATION:
- Mississippi College School of Law, J.D., 2006, magna cum laude
- Louisiana Tech University, B.S., 2003, cum laude
ADMISSIONS:
- Mississippi, 2006
- Louisiana, 2012
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 2006
- U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi, 2006
- U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana, 2012
Representative Matters : Defending poultry processor against race, national origin and gender discrimination, retaliation, and harassment claims brought by 11 individual plaintiffs and a pattern and practice claim brought by the EEOC seeking to recover equitable relief, compensatory damages, and punitive damages on behalf of over 100 class members.
Professional Honors & Activities:
- Member – American Bar Association, Mississippi Bar Association, Louisiana Bar Association and The Capital Area Bar Association
- Member – Jackson Young Lawyers Association
- Graduate – Mississippi Bar’s Leadership Forum, Class of 2015
- Graduate – 2014 International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy, Stanford University
