Sara Longtain

Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Sara C. Longtain has counseled clients and handled litigation addressing a broad range of employment-related issues, including, on-boarding procedures and practices, performance management, executive compensation, wage and hour compliance, terminations and disciplinary actions, reductions in force/layoffs, furloughs, voluntary early retirement programs (VERPs), compliance with the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act), leaves of absence under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), interactive process and reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended (ADA), employee claims of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation under both state and federal law.

Sara has extensive experience drafting, negotiating and enforcing executive and other employment agreements, separation and release agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, including, non-disclosure, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, as well as conducting due diligence and drafting representations and warranties associated with employment matters in both equity and asset transactions.

Sara likewise has represented clients in both state and federal court and before various administrative bodies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor (DOL) and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

Sara has both first and second chair experience in every stage of litigation in a variety of employment-related disputes, including, but not limited to, claims of discrimination, harassment, failure to accommodate (both religion and disability) and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), wage and hour disputes under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (both single plaintiff and collective actions), defense and enforcement of covenants not to compete and non-solicitation agreements, and workers’ compensation retaliation claims.

Sara also assists companies in developing employment policies and procedures, including reviewing and revising an existing employment handbook, creating an entire employment handbook appropriately tailored to the company’s business, and drafting piecemeal employment policies related to workplace violence or misconduct, leaves of absence, vacation/sick leave, employee privacy, internet/social media use, drug testing, use of company property, the protection of confidential and trade secret information and so forth.

Sara defends owners and operators of public accommodations in claims of inequitable access to facilities or services brought under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and comparable state laws. She also advises owners and operators of public accommodations regarding compliance with the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).

In the same vein, Sara advises owners and managers of multi-family housing developments regarding Fair Housing Act (FHA) compliance and defends against claims under the FHA.

Sara serves as a member of the Recruiting Committee in the Houston Office, and is an active volunteer with the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program (HVLP) and C-Bar for which she has assisted pro bono clients in a variety of matters, including divorce, counseling on employment-related issues and revision of employment policies, and preparation of an offer in compromise to the IRS.

Representative Experience :

• Assisted materials company in wind down and relocation of corporate office, including, preparation of employee notices, separation and release agreements, retention agreements and relocation expense reimbursement agreements, and advice and counsel regarding WARN compliance.
• Represented national oilfield services client in wage and hour collective action brought by current and former mud engineers.
• Represented oilfield services client in multiple wage and hour collective action lawsuit filed by former and current wireline and torque and test operators.
• Represented national audio-video equipment and service company and obtained a judgment notwithstanding the verdict on allegedly unpaid wage claim barred by res judicata (First Chair).

Professional Affiliations :

• Member, State Bar of Texas
• Member, Houston Bar Association
  • LegalLine Committee Co-Chair (2008 to 2014)
  • IDEA Committee Member (2012-2013)
  • IDEA Committee Co-Chair (2013-2014)

Education :

• J.D., cum laude, University of Houston Law Center, 2007
• B.A., with honors, The University of Texas at Austin, 2004

Admissions : Texas, 2007

Admitted To Practice :

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas