Houston Employment Law Attorney

Dennis Clifford is a former partner at an international law firm, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, where he also served as chair of the firm’s employment and labor department in Houston. He is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by less than 1% of Texas attorneys. He is also a former faculty member with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and a former mock trial coach at the University of Houston Law Center. For several years, he has been honored on the Super Lawyers® list and he was recently profiled by Chambers USA for his “noted expertise in unpaid compensation litigation.”

Mr. Clifford is skilled in handling class-action lawsuits regarding unpaid wages. He has served as co- or lead counsel on numerous high-profile cases, including several “bet-the-company" matters. He is also sought after to advise clients on complex compensation issues, such as the classification of workers as contractors or overtime-exempt, commission and bonus plans, travel pay, day-rate plans, per diem pay, training pay, and compensation for pre- and post-shift activities.

Mr. Clifford has extensive experience litigating discrimination, retaliation, and harassment lawsuits. He is well-versed in the Texas Labor Code, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Sarbanes–Oxley Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and Title VII. He also regularly advises clients on employment agreements and non-compete and non-solicitation matters.

Mr. Clifford also serves as a mediator in employment-related disputes, including class and collective actions involving claims for unpaid overtime wages. To learn more about this area of his practice, please visit our mediation page.

Mediation Services in Houston

Settling Employment Disputes

The Clifford Law Firm has developed a strong reputation among employment litigators as a knowledgeable and trustworthy employment attorney in Houston. Mr. Clifford has practiced employment law on both sides of the docket and he appreciates the dynamics at play in most employment lawsuits. Click here to learn more about his background.

Mr. Clifford’s Mediation Commitments

• He will carefully read your case memorandum before the mediation.
• He will hold separate telephone conferences with counsel for each party prior to the mediation.
• He will provide his undivided attention throughout the day.
• He will not disclose information to your opponent (unless you give him express permission to do so).
• If the case does not settle, he will hold post-mediation settlement conferences with counsel for both parties at mutually agreeable times.

Timing & Fees

Full-day mediations run from 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM. The mediation fee for cases involving three or fewer plaintiffs is $3,000. The mediation fee for class and collective-action cases is $5,000. Exception pricing is available for collective-actions involving ten or fewer plaintiffs.

Half-day mediations run from 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM. The half-day mediation fee is $2,000. Mr. Clifford does not offer half-day mediations for class or collective-action cases.

Amenities

• Easily accessible parking
• Printing
• High-speed internet
• Flat screen monitors with HDMI connections
• Beverages, coffee, and snacks
• Lunch for full-day mediation sessions

To learn more, or to schedule your mediation in Houston, call (713) 242-1445.

Education:

• University of Houston Law Center, J.D. (2005)
  • Byron McCoy Excellency in Advocacy Scholarship
  • Advocate of the Year
  • Order of the Barristers
• University of Houston, Clear Lake, B.A (2001)

Affiliations:

• Committee Member – American Bar Association, Fair Labor Standards Legislation Committee
• Council Member – Houston Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section
• Board Member – Open Door Mission
• The Texas Bar College Honorary Society
• Texas Board of Legal Specialization - Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law

Admissions and Courts:

• Licensed to Practice in all Texas Courts
• Admitted to U.S. District Court for the Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
• Admitted to Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals