Kelline Linton

Kelline R. Linton is an associate in the Houston office of Locke Lord LLP where she represents companies in all aspects of labor and employment counseling and litigation. Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Kelline concentrates her practice on counseling, litigating, and resolving the full range of employment-related claims and issues.

She actively advises in-house counsel, human resources professionals, and senior management on compliance matters, company policies and agreements (such as employee confidentiality, noncompetition, and nonsolicitation agreements), employee handbooks, investigations and audits (including investigations of employee sexual harassment complaints and wage-and-hour audits), separations and terminations, employee leave, and employment due diligence issues with business acquisitions.

Kelline also represents and defends employers through all phases of state and federal litigation, arbitrations, administrative proceedings (Texas Workforce Commission, EEOC, NLRB), and appeals.

She regularly defends companies and management in federal and state employment discrimination/retaliation litigation, wrongful discharge litigation, wage-and-hour litigation (collective actions and single plaintiff), and non-compete/trade secret litigation.

She also advises owners and operators of public accommodations regarding compliance with the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), and employers on reasonable accommodation issues.

Representative Experience :

• Revised and updated employee handbooks and employee policies for nationwide companies to ensure compliance with current federal, state, and local laws
• Conducted and/or advised on internal investigations of numerous harassment, discrimination, and retaliation complaints, including those based on sex, race, age, and other protected characteristics
• Drafted agreements for and counseled clients in various states regarding the enforceability of non-compete, non-solicit, and non-disclosure covenants
• Advised employers on the use of arbitration agreements for potential employment-related claims
• Performed nationwide due diligence for numerous sales and purchasing agreements, including issues involving non-compete obligations, employee claims, employee compensation, and employee classifications
• Drafted and obtained complete dismissal of a Title VII discrimination and retaliation case for a multinational foodservice corporation at the beginning stage of litigation
• Assisted in the defense of a Houston-based hospital against a pregnancy discrimination claim brought by a nursing assistant alleging discrimination in termination
• Participated in the defense of employers against discrimination and retaliation claims brought under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Texas Labor Code
• Defended multi-plaintiff, single plaintiff, and collective action claims for unpaid overtime and misclassification of employees and independent contractors in numerous lawsuits and arbitrations
• Obtained a temporary restraining order for a waste disposal company whose former employee misappropriated sensitive information involving trade secrets

Professional Affiliations :

• Federal Bar Association
• Houston Bar Association
• Texas Young Lawyers Association
• Houston Young Lawyers Association

Education :

• J.D., Pepperdine University School of Law, 2012
• B.S., Journalism, summa cum laude, Abilene Christian University, 2009

Admissions : Texas; California

Admitted To Practice :

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
• Supreme Court of California