Russell D. Cawyer
Top rated Employment & Labor attorney in Fort Worth, Texas
Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP
Practice areas: Employment & Labor
Licensed in Texas since: 1995
Education: Texas Tech University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2009 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2005 - 2009 Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP
201 Main StreetSuite 2500
Fort Worth, TX 76102 Phone: 817-878-3562 Email: Russell D. Cawyer Visit website
Details 
Russell D. Cawyer is a partner in the firm’s Labor and Employment practice group. Mr. Cawyer’s practice focuses exclusively on labor and employment-related legal matters, including litigation in federal and state courts; administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, United States Department of Labor, the Texas Workforce Commission - Civil Rights Division, the National Labor Relations Board (including defending both charges of unfair labor practices and representation election proceedings); and proceedings before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other state fair employment practices agencies.
First Admitted: 1995, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.kellyhart.com/attorney/Russell-D-Cawyer
Bar / Professional Activity
- Board Certified, Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization 2000-present
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Tarrant County Bar Foundation, Fellow
- State Bar of Texas, Labor and Employment Law Section
- Tarrant County Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section Secretary, 2010-2011
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Spence v. American Airlines, et al., 4:23-CV-0052 (N.D. Tex. Jun. 2024) (lead trial counsel in class action ERISA breach of fiduciary duty case alleging failure to monitor 401k investment managers’ proxy voting practices; decision pending), 2024
- Goesling v. American Airlines, Inc., 342-314565-20, 352nd Judicial District Court, Tarrant County, Texas (May 12, 2022) (obtained defense jury verdict in multi-week sexual assault case filed by flight attendant and seeking $26.5M in damages), 2022
- Michalak v. BNSF Railway Co., 96-299451-18, 96th Judicial District Court, Tarrant County, Texas (Nov. 11, 2021) (obtained defense jury verdict in an age discrimination case filed by former employee seeking $2.2M), 2021
- McIver v. American Eagle Airlines, Inc., 4:08-CV-740-A, In the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (January 19, 2010) (lead trial attorney obtaining a defense verdict in the jury trial of an age discrimination claim filed by former employee), 2010
- Franco v. Pier 1 Imports (U.S.), Inc., 2008 WL 4217848 (C.D. Cal, Sept. 11, 2008) (opinion granting summary judgment in breach of contract and disability discrimination case applying California State law) , 2008
- Rodriguez v. American Eagle Airlines, Inc., Cause No. 2008-541,950, 99th Judicial District Court, Lubbock, County, Texas (July 2, 2009) (Lead trial attorney obtaining defense verdict in jury trial of age, sex and race discrimination and retaliation claims filed by former employee), 2009
Special Licenses / Certifications
- Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization --Labor and Employment Law
Educational Background
- University of North Texas, B.S., cum laude, 1992
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Author, New Requirements for Noncompetition Agreements with Non-Physician Health Care Practitioners, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, Nov 2025, Author, New Requirements for Noncompetition Agreements with Non-Physician Health Care Practitioners, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2025
- Author, Additional Requirements for Physician Non-Competes Takes Effect, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, Sept 2025, Author, Additional Requirements for Physician Non-Competes Takes Effect, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2025
- Author, Fifth Circuit Clarifies Highly Compensated Employee Exemption Under FLSA for Oilfield Quality Control and Advisory Roles, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, July 2025, Author, Fifth Circuit Clarifies Highly Compensated Employee Exemption Under FLSA for Oilfield Quality Control and Advisory Roles, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2025
- Author, U.S. Supreme Court Confirms that “Reverse Discrimination” is Just Plain Discrimination: No Heightened Evidentiary Showing Required for Members of Majority Groups, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, June 2025, Author, U.S. Supreme Court Confirms that “Reverse Discrimination” is Just Plain Discrimination: No Heightened Evidentiary Showing Required for Members of Majority Groups, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2025
- Author, Texas Commission on Human Rights Act Does Not Shield Employees from Common Law Tort Claims Made by Their Co-workers, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, May 2025, Author, Texas Commission on Human Rights Act Does Not Shield Employees from Common Law Tort Claims Made by Their Co-workers, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2025
- Author, "U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Burden of Proof for Employer to Prove Exempt Status," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, January 2025, Author, https://www.texasemploymentlawupdate.com/2025/01/articles/case-summaries/u-s-supreme-court-clarifies-burden-of-proof-for-employer-to-prove-exempt-status/, Texas Employment Law Update, January 2025, 2025
- Author, "U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies When Job Transfers May Violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2024, Author, "U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies When Job Transfers May Violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act", Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2024, 2024
- Author, “DOL Publishes Final Rule Raising Salary Basis Threshold for Many Overtime Exemptions,” Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2024, Author, DOL Publishes Final Rule Raising Salary Basis Threshold for Many Overtime Exemptions, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2024, 2024
- Author, “U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies “Cost” Burden for Employer Showing of Undue Hardship under Title VII,” Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, July 2023, Author, U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies “Cost” Burden for Employer Showing of Undue Hardship under Title VII, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, July 2023, 2023
- Author, “NLRB Finds Nondisparagement and Confidentiality Provisions Found in Many Severance Agreements Unlawful,” Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2023, Author, NLRB Finds Nondisparagement and Confidentiality Provisions Found in Many Severance Agreements Unlawful, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2023, 2023
- Author, “Employers Not Ordinarily Required to Provide Competition-Free Transfers to Disabled Employees as Reasonable Accommodation Absent Special Circumstances Says Fifth Circuit,” Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, March 2023 , Author, Employers Not Ordinarily Required to Provide Competition-Free Transfers to Disabled Employees as Reasonable Accommodation Absent Special Circumstances Says Fifth Circuit, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, March 2023, 2023
- Co-Author, “FTC Proposes Banning Noncompetition Agreements with Employees, ” Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, January 2023, Co-Author, FTC Proposes Banning Noncompetition Agreements with Employees, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, January 2023, 2023
- Author, "Fifth Circuit Remands Title VII Case to Consider if EEOC’s Two Right to Sue Notices Misled Employee," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2023, Author, Fifth Circuit Remands Title VII Case to Consider if EEOC’s Two Right to Sue Notices Misled Employee,, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2023
- Author, "Lack of Employer Signature on Arbitration Agreement Not Necessarily Fatal to Arbitration Enforcement, " Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, January 2023, Author, Lack of Employer Signature on Arbitration Agreement Not Necessarily Fatal to Arbitration Enforcement, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2023
- Author, "Expanded Accommodations for Women with Need to Express Breast Milk at Work," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, January 2023, Author, Expanded Accommodations for Women with Need to Express Breast Milk at Work, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2023
- Author, "Pregnant Employees Get Additional Protections in Congress’ Omnibus Spending Bill," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, December 2022, Author, Pregnant Employees Get Additional Protections in Congress’ Omnibus Spending Bill, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2022
- Author, "The Robots are Coming," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, December 2022, Author, The Robots are Coming, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2022
- Author, "Texas Supreme Court Holds Discovery of Cell Phone Data Limited to Time When Cell Phone Use Could be Contributing Cause of Incident," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, December 2022, Author, Texas Supreme Court Holds Discovery of Cell Phone Data Limited to Time When Cell Phone Use Could be Contributing Cause of Incident, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2022
- "Texas Employees Can Reject Suitable Work and Maintain Unemployment Benefits," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, May, 2020, Author, Texas Employees Can Reject Suitable Work and Maintain Unemployment Benefits, Texas Employment Law Update Blog, 2020
- City of Fort Worth Issues Disaster Declaration Closing all Non-essential Businesses for COVID-19," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, March 2020, Author, City of Fort Worth Issues Disaster Declaration Closing all Non-essential Businesses for COVID-19, Texas Employment Law Update, March 2020, 2020
- Texas Employees Who Refuse to Return to Work May Lose Unemployment Benefits," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2020, Author, Texas Employees Who Refuse to Return to Work May Lose Unemployment Benefits, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update,, 2020
- DOL Issues Temporary Regulations on Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency FMLA Expansion Acts," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, April 2020, Author, DOL Issues Temporary Regulations on Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency FMLA Expansion Acts, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2020
- "CARES Act Establishes Low Interest/Forgivable Loans For Small Businesses to Weather the COVID-19 Crisis," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, March 2020, Author, CARES Act Establishes Low Interest/Forgivable Loans For Small Businesses to Weather the COVID-19 Crisis, Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2020
- "Texas Employees Beware: CBD Oil Remains Illegal in Texas", Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2019, "Texas Employees Beware: CBD Oil Remains Illegal in Texas", Texas Employment Law Update, Blog, 2019
- "U.S. Supreme Court Invalidates Arbitration Agreements of Interstate Truck Drivers", Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2019, Author, "U.S. Supreme Court Invalidates Arbitration Agreements of Interstate Truck Drivers", Texas Employment Law Update, Blog, 2019
- "Fifth Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Employer in Transgender Title VII Case", Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2019, "Fifth Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Employer in Transgender Title VII Case", Texas Employment Law Update, Blog, 2019
- "San Antonio Passes Ordinance Requiring Private Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave," Blog, Texas Employment Law Update, 2018, "San Antonio Passes Ordinance Requiring Private Employers to Provide Paid Sick Leave", Texas Employment Law Update, Blog, 2018
- Cawyer R. and Kuenzi E. Jury Waivers Are Alternatives to Arbitration Agreements. Texas Lawyer. December 3, 2012., Jury Waivers Are Alternatives to Arbitration Agreements, Texas Lawyer
- Cawyer R. and Kuenzi E. Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Drennen. SBOT Corporate Counsel Section Newsletter, Fall 2014., Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Drennen, SBOT Corporate Counsel Section Newsletter
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Mr. Cawyer is the publisher of the Texas Employment Law Update.
Honors
- Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, 2009-2026, Texas Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2015-2026 Employment Law Management Labor Law Management Litigation Labor & Employment, Best Lawyers in America®, Best Lawyers in America®
- Top Attorney in Labor & Employment Law and Worker's Compensation, 360 West magazine, 2017-2025, Top Attorney, 360 West magazine
- Top Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine, 2004-2025 Labor & Employment, Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine
- Rated AV® by Martindale-Hubbell "Peer Review Rated", Rated AV® by Martindale-Hubbell "Peer Review Rated", Martindale-Hubbell
- Honored as one of Fort Worth's "40 Under 40" by the Fort Worth Business Press, 40 Under 40, Fort Worth Business Press
- Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star in Texas Labor and Employment Law by Thomson Reuters, 2005-2009, Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star, Thomson Reuters
Industry Groups
- Airline
- Energy
- Manufacturing
- Retail
- Transportation
Office location for Russell D. Cawyer
201 Main Street
Suite 2500
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Selections
18 Years Super Lawyers
5 Years Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2009 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2005 - 2009