Allison Bowers

Bar / Professional Activity

• Panelist at Austin Bar Association Diversity Summit, 2022
• Speaker, Texas State Bar’s Advanced Administrative Law Course, 2022
• Member, Texas Minority Counsel Program Steering Committee, 2017
• Board of Directors, Austin Human Resources Management Association, 2015

Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)

• 318 F.Supp.3d 983, 2018
• 2018 WL 4688769, 2018
• 831 F.3d 309, 2016

Pro bono / Community Service

• Texas Bar Foundation

Honors

• Included in The Best Lawyers™ in the United States 2022 in Litigation – Labor and Employment, Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers, 2022
• Included in The Best Lawyers™ in the United States 2021 in Litigation – Labor and Employment, Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers, 2021
• AV-Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
• Law Firm of the Year -- Hutcheson Bowers LLLP, Travis County Women Lawyers' Association, 2014
• Order of the Coif, University of Texas School of Law, 1999
• Member, National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, 2014

Educational Background

• University of Texas at Austin, with Highest Honors in Plan II, elected Phi Beta Kappa, 1996

White Papers

• How to Play the Best Offense and Defense to Protect Trade Secrets, 2015
• GINA, 2016

Scholarly Lectures / Writings

• Austin Bar Diversity Summit, Panelist, Parental Leave, Austin Bar Association, 2022
• The laws affecting free speech in the workplace are complex and varied in their application. For example, employees in the private (non-governmental) sector have no general First Amendment right of free speech in the workplace, and political affiliation is not generally recognized as a protected category under the discrimination laws governing private sector employment (e.g., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act, etc.). However, private sector employees are protected from retaliation based on their speech if that speech is considered protected, concerted activity under the National Labor Relations Act, or the speech meets the definition of protected activity under the anti-retaliation provisions of Title VII, the ADEA, ADA, or other employment discrimination laws. By contrast, employees of public sector (i.e., government) employers are entitled to a significant level of First Amendment free speech protection – including some workplace speech. In addition, the right of freedom of association under the First Amendment protects most public sector employees from discrimination based on political or political party affiliation (subject to certain exceptions). But since the National Labor Relations Act doesn’t apply to public sector employment, the concept of protected, concerted activity under that statute affords no protection to public sector employees in Texas., Speaker, The Intersection of Employment Law, Social Media, and the First Amendment, Texas State Bar’s Advanced Administrative Law Course, 2022
• COVID Return to Office Education, Austin Human Resources Association (2021), Panelist, COVID Return to Office Education, Austin Human Resources Association, 2021
• Stump the Experts: A Legal Panel Discussion of FFCRA, COVID-19, and Return to Work Issues, Austin Human Resources Association (2020), Panelist, Stump the Experts: A Legal Panel Discussion of FFCRA, COVID-19, and Return to Work Issues, Austin Human Resources Association, 2020
• Taught class at UT Law as a Guest Lecturer on the topic of employment agreements., Guest Lecturer, What Every Corporate Lawyer Needs to Know about Employment Agreements, University of Texas School of Law, 2019
• #MeToo in the Law Firm: Lessons on Conducting Effective Trainings to Reduce Harassment, Austin Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators (2018), Speaker, #MeToo in the Law Firm: Lessons on Conducting Effective Trainings to Reduce Harassment, Austin Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators, HR, Legal Profession, 2018
• The Intersection of Employment Law, Social Media, and the First Amendment, Texas State Bar’s Advanced Administrative Law Course (2018), Speaker and Author, The Intersection of Employment Law, Social Media, and the First Amendment,, Texas State Bar’s Advanced Administrative Law Course, 2018
• How to Succeed in Mediation and Arbitration, Texas Minority Counsel Program (2016), Panelist, How to Succeed in Mediation and Arbitration, Texas Minority Counsel Program, 2016
• Speaker, GINA, Texas State Bar Advanced Employment Law Course, 2016
• The Case of the Moonlighting Employee, University of Texas Annual Technology Law Conference (2016)2016, Speaker and Author, The Case of the Moonlighting Employee, University of Texas Annual Technology Law Conference, 2016
• How to Play the Best Offense and Defense When it Comes to Trade Secret Protection: A Comprehensive Guide from Recruitment to Separation, Speaker, How to Play the Best Offense and Defense to Protect Trade Secrets, Austin Human Resources Association, 2015
• Speaker, Social Media & Non-Compete Law: From Hiring to Firing, HR High Tech Roundtable, 2014
• Speaker, ADA/FMLA Issues, SHRM-Texas State Council Legislative Conference, 2013
• Author and Speaker, Arbitration: The Pros, the Cons, and the How-tos, Univ. of Texas Annual Labor & Employment Conference; Texas Association of Business, TAB/SHRM Employment Relations Symposium, 2012

• Financial Services
• Food and Restaurants
• Health Care
• Manufacturing
• Technology