Whitney Dowdy

Whitney M. Dowdy represents employers and management clients regarding all aspects of employment law, with an emphasis on the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims.

As a shareholder in the Memphis office, Ms. Dowdy has extensive experience representing clients in employment matters before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, state agencies, and in various state and federal courts.

Ms. Dowdy’s work for employers includes drafting employee handbooks and policies, training supervisors and managers on the implementation of these policies, and providing guidance and advice on current employment-related legislation and agency initiatives.

Ms. Dowdy has successfully defended employers against employee claims and audits by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and various other state and federal agencies.

Ms. Dowdy also regularly advises higher education institutions on matters related to Title IX. Specifically, Ms. Dowdy serves as a Title IX investigator and provides training on Title IX investigations for higher education institutions. Ms. Dowdy has experience representing other clients in eminent domain matters, appellate actions, and business or commercial litigation.

EDUCATION:

• University of Kentucky College of Law, J.D., 2004
• Transylvania University, B.A., 2001

ADMISSIONS:

• Tennessee, All Courts
• Kentucky, All Courts
• United States District Court for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky
• United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee

Representative Matters:

• Successfully handled audits by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, OSHA, and the OFCCP for multiple employers.
• Successfully enforced employee agreements, particularly covenants not to compete and other restrictive covenants in various jurisdictions.
• Secured Summary Judgment for medical device manufacturer in a case filed by former employee alleging disability discrimination, FMLA interference, and workers’ compensation retaliation.
• Handled numerous eminent domain proceedings on behalf of municipality acquiring property as part of multiple urban renewal projects.
• Secured numerous “no cause” findings for multiple employers before Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Tennessee Human Rights Commission, and many other state agencies.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment for global aggregates company defending against multiple lawsuits brought by mineral lessors. The ruling was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Professional Honors & Activities:

• Member – Association for Women Attorneys
• Member – American, Federal, Tennessee and Kentucky Bar Associations
• Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Class Graduate (2016)
• Member – Memphis Bar Association; MBA Leadership Forum 2009 – 2010 Class Member
• Frank J. Glankler Jr. Pro Bono Award