Biography
Sarah Mitchell Montgomery is an employment law attorney with substantial experience representing employers and management in complex cases involving employment discrimination, retaliation and unfair practices and related workplace and business disputes. Sarah regularly assists clients on challenging work-related issues, including high risk discipline and termination scenarios, managing leaves of absence, navigating issues raised by Title VII, the FMLA, the ADA, the ADEA, USERRA and workers’ compensation statutes, investigating allegations of harassment and discrimination, drafting and updating affirmative action plans, and creating and implementing effective and compliant employee-related policies and procedures.
Sarah’s proactive approach to employee relations enables her clients to address employee disputes efficiently and effectively. Sarah distinguishes her practice through her accessibility and responsiveness to clients, her preparation and knowledge of current laws and regulations, and her use of creative and practical strategies for handling employment litigation and resolving personnel disputes and issues with minimal disruption to the employer’s operations.
Sarah litigates employment cases in both state and federal courts, conducts employment law compliance training, counsels employers on preventative compliance strategies, and frequently appears on behalf of employers before numerous administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and the Texas Workforce Commission.
Sarah is also experienced in evaluating and counseling clients on diversity and affirmative action initiatives and practices, including developing, implementing and updating affirmative action plans. Sarah regularly advises clients on governmental contracting, compliance and other regulatory requirements under Executive Order 11246, the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA), and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Sarah represents clients from a wide range of industries, including retail, law firms and other professional service firms, financial services, oil and gas, physician practices and hospitals, manufacturing, restaurants, and hospitality.
Education
B.A., magna cum laude, Baylor University
- Phi Beta Kappa
J.D., summa cum laude, Texas Tech University School of Law
- Order of the Coif
Bar Admissions
Texas
Court Admissions
United States District Court for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
Employment Litigation
- Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
- Failure to Accommodate
- Improper Denial of Medical Leave
- Wrongful Termination
- Breach of Contract
- Defamation
- Whistleblower Claims
- False Imprisonment
- Workplace Torts
Wage and Hour
- Unpaid Wages, Overtime and Commissions
- Employee Misclassification
- Tip Sharing
- FLSA Retaliation
Restrictive Covenants and Confidential Information
- Breach of Restrictive Covenants
- Breach of Fiduciary Duties and Duties of Loyalty
- Theft of Trade Secrets
- Misuse and Disclosure of Confidential Information
Employment Advice and Counseling
- Executive Contracts and Term Negotiations
- Personnel Policies and Practices
- Removal of Architectural Barriers
- Affirmative Action Plans
- Workforce Reductions and Reorganizations
- Severance Agreements
- Employment Contracts and Independent Contractor Agreements
- Disciplining and Terminating Employees
- Accommodating Disabled Employees
- Complicated Employee Leave Issues
- Obtained jury trial victory for Midland hospital in a sexual harassment and retaliation case brought by a former employee, and successfully defended on appeal the jury verdict. Rodriquez v. Midland Cnty. Hosp. Dist., No. 21-50635, 2022 U.S. App. LEXIS 14704 (5th Cir. May 27, 2022).
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), 2021-2023
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, 2023
- Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2021-2023
- Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers, 2022
Publications
- Co-Author, “No One-Size-Fits-All Rules for Business in the Pandemic,” The Texas Lawbook (July 23, 2020)
- Co-Author, “Responding to the Covid-19 Pandemic — The Families First Coronavirus Response Act and Other Tools for Employers,” Bloomberg BNA Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal (April 2020)
- “What Texas businesses need to know about how coronavirus impacts employees,” Dallas Business Journal (March 23, 2020)
- Author, “Employer Headaches: New Sick Leave Laws Expanding Across the US, But Remain in Limbo in Texas,” LinkedIn.com (July 24, 2019)
Speaking Engagements
- “Keeping the Doors Open: Managing Workplace Medical and Legal Risks in the Pre-Vaccine Era,” Jackson Walker webinar (July 10, 2020)
- “COVID-19: Returning to Work,” Jackson Walker webinar (May 1, 2020)
- “Back to the Wild World of Work,” Women in the Know webinar (April 27, 2020)
- “Into The Weeds With The COVID-19 Regulators: A Closer Look At The New Federal Guidance,” FEI Houston (April 24, 2020)
- “COVID-19 & Your Business: Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” Jackson Walker webinar (March 18, 2020)
- “Emerging Local Regulations and the Multistate Employer,” UT Law 26th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference (May 9, 2019)
- “State and Local Law: Solutions for Multistate Employers,” Labor & Employment Law Symposium (October 11, 2018)
- Texas Young Lawyers Association
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
- First United Methodist Church in Downtown Dallas, Board of Trustees
- Town of Sunnyvale, Texas, Commissioner – Planning and Zoning Commission
- Sunnyvale Independent School District Strategic Planning Team, Staff Quality and Recruitment Committee Member
- Rob Fest (a fundraiser that raises money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – North Texas Chapter), Organizer and Fundraiser
November 17, 2022
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – November 2022
View Jackson Walker’s November 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.
September 27, 2022
Client ResultsJackson Walker Represents Novaria Group in Completing Six Acquisitions in Seven Months
Novaria Group, a leading manufacturer of specialty hardware, components, and coatings for the aerospace and defense industries, recently completed its acquisition of STROCO Manufacturing, Inc. This deal marks the sixth acquisition Novaria has announced from December of 2021 through July of 2022, taking place after its successful acquisitions of FMi Chemical, Hohman Plating, Advanced Coating, Hydro Fitting, and GK Mechanical Systems.
August 18, 2022
NewslettersLabor & Employment Dispatch: August 2022
View the August 2022 edition of the Labor & Employment Dispatch.
August 18, 2022
Attorney News‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 214 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2023 Edition, Including 11 “Lawyers of the Year” and 41 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 214 Jackson Walker attorneys across 6 offices and 79 specialty practice areas in its 2023 edition, including 11 Lawyers of the Year and 41 Ones to Watch. Best Lawyers listings are based on an exhaustive peer review survey of thousands of attorneys who vote on the legal abilities of others in their practice areas.
August 12, 2022
Attorney NewsJackson Walker Congratulates 17 Attorneys Named to 2022 Lawdragon 500 Lists
Jackson Walker announces the selection of 17 attorneys to Lawdragon‘s lists of the 500 leading practitioners in bankruptcy and restructuring law and corporate employment law.
November 2, 2021
WebinarsJoin Jackson Walker for Virtual Labor & Employment Law Symposium
This year’s Fall Labor & Employment Symposium is going virtual! Join Jackson Walker and Lockton Dunning Benefits for our lunchtime sessions.
October 5, 2021
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – October 2021
View Jackson Walker’s October 2021 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.
September 17, 2021
InsightsCOVID-19 Employment Update: President Biden’s Vaccine Mandates
By Sarah Mitchell Montgomery
On September 9, 2021, President Biden introduced his administration’s “Plan to Stop the Delta Variant and Boost COVID-19 Vaccinations,” which will be instituted through two executive orders that will mandate vaccines for employees of the Executive Branch of the federal government and for employees of federal contractors and subcontractors.
September 3, 2021
NewslettersLabor & Employment Dispatch: September 2021
View the September 2021 edition of the Labor & Employment Dispatch.
August 19, 2021
Attorney News‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 178 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2022 Edition, Including 8 “Lawyers of the Year” and 31 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 178 Jackson Walker attorneys across 6 offices and 67 specialty practice areas in its 2022 edition, including 8 Lawyers of the Year and 31 Ones to Watch. Best Lawyers listings are based on an exhaustive peer review survey of thousands of attorneys who vote on the legal abilities of others in their practice areas.