Practice Areas
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Employment Law
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Class and Collective Action Litigation
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Wage and Hour Litigation
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Appellate Litigation
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Traditional Labor Relations
Education
Georgia State University College of Law
- J.D. 1992
- Georgia State University Law Review, Asst. Managing Editor
Indiana University
- B.A. Sociology 1984
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Georgia
Court Admissions
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U.S. Supreme Court
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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
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U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, Northern District of Florida and Northern District of Indiana
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Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
Gary E. Thomas
Gary E. Thomas has practiced labor and employment law for over 25 years and has extensive experience in employment litigation, arbitration, mediation, class and collective actions, and jury trials. Gary has represented private and public sector employers of various sizes, including large national and multi-national corporations, in disputes in state and federal courts throughout the United States. Gary also represents clients in appellate courts and before various state and federal administrative agencies. Gary has successfully defended employers against claims arising under Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the ADAAG, the National Labor Relations Act, the Railway Labor Act, and numerous other federal and state laws. Gary also has significant experience with workplace investigations and counseling companies and their managers with respect to hiring, firing, employee discipline, leaves of absence, accommodations, discrimination and harassment, policy reviews, and other workplace matters.
Gary earned his undergraduate degree in Sociology from Indiana University, and his Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law. Gary served as Assistant Managing Editor of the Georgia State Law Review and his Article-Georgia’s Tripartite Nightmare: Attorney Disqualification in Successive Representation Cases-was published at 7 Ga. St. U. Law Rev. (1990). Gary has been recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyer® since 2008 and has been named AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell.
- Obtained defense jury verdict in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina for warehouse-based contracts logistics company in workers’ compensation retaliation lawsuit.
- Obtained defense jury verdict in a race discrimination lawsuit brought in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against a church employer.
- Obtained judgment as a matter of law in jury trial in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama in a race discrimination case against a national retail furniture company.
- Obtained defense jury verdict in sexual harassment lawsuit brought in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona against a national hotel chain.
- Successfully defended several university clients in numerous lawsuits involving claims of age, race, gender, disability and national origin discrimination in federal court, and breach of contract and tenure disputes in state court, prevailing at the summary judgment stage in nearly every case.
- Represented major multinational electronics corporation in individual and class action race discrimination lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
- Represented auto dealership in an age discrimination lawsuit brought under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination in the Superior Court of Gloucester County, New Jersey; negotiated nominal settlement of the case on the eve of trial.
- Successfully represented and defended fast food restaurant chains and movie theatre owners in ADA accessibility lawsuits brought in the United States District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia.
- Obtained summary judgment for national turnkey mechanical and process construction firm on national origin discrimination, harassment, and retaliation lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.
- Obtained summary judgment in multi-count state law lawsuit against nonprofit 501 organization involving claims of breach of contract, fraud, conversion, violation of Georgia’s Fair Business Practice Act, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
- Represented milk and dairy products manufacturer against individual and class action race discrimination and race harassment lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, successfully resolving individual claims and defeating class certification.
- Successfully defended hospital client in administrative hearing before the Florida Commission on Human Relations on sex discrimination claim. Johnson v. Ormond Beach Memorial Hospital, No. 93-1556, 1993 WL 943863 (Fla. Div. Admin Hearings Sept. 17, 1993).
- Represented dairy manufacturer in NLRB administrative hearings in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands involving claims of unfair labor practices under the National Labor Relations Act.
- Defended various clients in individual wage and hour lawsuits and putative collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Regularly represent clients before federal and state administrative agencies in wide array of employment matters, including Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FSLA, and unemployment compensation matters.
- Routinely advise companies regarding employment policies and personnel decisions, including employee handbooks, discipline and termination decisions, and non-competition agreements.
- Conducted numerous independent investigations for employers regarding sexual harassment, workplace violence, and other policy violations.
- Smith v. Charter Communications, Inc., No. 3:18-cv-80, 2020 WL 3606391 (W.D. N.C. July 2, 2020)
- Hajiani v. Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Inc., No. 4:18-cv-207, 2020 WL 16665302 (S.D. Ga. Apr. 3, 2020)
- Jones v. Lake Wildwood Association, Inc., No,5:18-cv-32, 2019 WL 4261116 (M.D. Ga. Sept. 9, 2019)
- Tucker v. Drew, Eckl & Farnham, LLP, No. 1:18CVoo891, 2018 WL 3354917 ((N.D. Ga. June 8, 2018)
- Fields v. Atlanta Independent School System, 916 F. Supp.2d 1348 (N.D. Ga. 2013)
- Holliman v. Clark Atlanta University, Inc., 162 Fed. App’x 911 (11th Cir. 2006)
- Givens v. Morehouse College, No. 1:08CV2417, 2010 WL 115087023 (N.D. Ga. Feb. 8, 2010)
- Butler v. Matsushita Communication Industrial Corp., 203 F.R.D. 575 (N.D. Ga. 2001)
- Johnson v. Ormond Beach Memorial Hospital, No. 93-1556, 1993 WL 943863 (Fla. Div. Admin Hearings Sept. 17, 1993)
- Recognized as one of Georgia’s Super Lawyers®
- Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell®
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Georgia