Member Firm Profile

Neel, Hooper and Banes, P.C.

Firm Profile

Address:

Neel, Hooper and Banes, P.C.
1800 West Loop South
Suite 1750
Houston, Texas 77027

Phone: (713) 629-1800
Fax: (713) 629-1812

Firm Size:

9 Lawyers

Primary Contact:

Bryant S. Banes
bbanes@nhblaw.com

Attorneys Admitted to Practice In:

Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Texas
Washington

Firm Description

Neel, Hooper & Banes, P.C., which was established in 1972, represents management in all phases of labor and employment law and employee relations. Our services broadly include union avoidance; defending claims of discrimination arising under various civil rights acts before administrative agencies and courts; representing employers in wrongful termination suits and other employment related litigation; handling claims arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act and other federal and state wage-related statutes; defense of OSHA matters; defense of claims of violation by employers of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; representation of employers in contract negotiations and grievances under collective bargaining agreements; representing employers before the National Labor Relations Board; assisting employers in drafting and seeking enforcement of employment contracts; and ongoing advice and counsel regarding employment issues, including the review, development and implementation of company policies and employee handbooks. We also provide our clients with particular expertise in assisting with government contract-related issues.

While we continue to handle more traditional labor work such as union organizational campaigns, unfair labor practice trials, arbitrations and the like, the bulk of our case load since the late 1980's has been in representing employers in various forums on claims of discriminatory treatment. Over that period, we have handled to conclusion at the trier of fact level, cases involving alleged sex (including sexual harassment), age, race, national origin, disability or retaliation discrimination; alleged breaches of employment contracts created by oral promises and/or handbooks or other written pronouncements; claimed breaches of an alleged good faith and fair dealing obligation; alleged discriminatory treatment because of an employee's filing a workers' compensation claim or complaining about unsafe practices; slander, libel, blacklisting, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and alleged tortious interference with contractual relationships.

To learn more, visit http://www.nhblaw.com.

Firm Representatives

Bryant Banes

713-629-1800

bbanes@nhblaw.com

As Managing Partner of Neel, Hooper & Banes, P.C., Bryant Banes has extensive litigation experience. Mr. Banes specializes in management-side labor and employment law with an emphasis in government contracting, petrochemical and steel industries. He is also a recognized expert in government contracts and fiscal law, including litigation, compliance, and investigations. Mr. Banes provides clients with business-minded, proactive solutions. He is recognized as a leading practitioner by Chambers USA and is a Fellow with the Wage and Hour Defense Institute.

Practice Specialties

  • Employment Litigation Defense
  • Responses to administrative agency charges
  • Wage and hour/FLSA defense/Employment standards
  • Class actions
  • Internal complaint investigations
  • FMLA
  • EEOC/EEO investigations
  • Class, collective and representative actions (defense of)
  • Wrongful discharge/Wrongful dismissal
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Discrimination/Human rights
  • Employment Counseling and Advice
  • WARN Act/Plant closings/RIF Planning
  • Wage and hour audits
  • Personnel policies
  • Leave laws
  • Compliance/Compliance audits
  • Handbook Review
  • Supervisor and harassment/violence training
  • Labor Unions/Labor Relations
  • Strikes and lockouts (planning and related court and board litigation)
  • Construction labor relations
  • Unfair labor practices
  • NLRB/Labor Relations Board Proceedings
  • Mediation
  • Arbitration
  • Supervisor training
  • Collective bargaining
  • Union avoidance and elections
  • Employment Contracts and Litigation
  • Non-compete/non-solicit agreements
  • Confidentiality and trade secret agreements
  • Trade secrets and non-compete agreements
  • Executive employment agreements (including change of control)
  • Pension, benefit and bonus provisions
  • Termination provisions (statutory requirements and reasonable notice)
  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • OSHA inspection and compliance (US)
  • Employee Benefits and Compensation
  • Pay equity
  • Executive compensation
  • ERISA
  • Employee benefits
  • Workplace Privacy
  • Human Rights
  • Workers Compensation
  • Immigration

Sean Forbes

713-629-1800

sforbes@nhblaw.com

Sean Forbes, a Partner at Neel, Hooper & Banes, P.C. since 2009, has extensive experience in management-side labor and employment law, as well as government contracts law. He has been recognized as one of the Top Lawyers in Houston for 2016 by Houstonia Magazine, as a Texas Super Lawyer-Rising Star by Law & Politics Magazine and Texas Monthly from 2009-2016, and is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. His experience includes handling large-scale collective action litigation under the Fair Labor Standards Act, non-compete/trade secret litigation, OSHA citations and investigations, and wage and hour issues peculiar to government contractors.

Practice Specialties

  • Employment Litigation Defense
  • Responses to administrative agency charges
  • Wage and hour/FLSA defense/Employment standards
  • Class actions
  • Employment-related criminal defense
  • Internal complaint investigations
  • Retaliation/Whistleblower claims
  • FMLA
  • EEOC/EEO investigations
  • Wrongful discharge/Wrongful dismissal
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Discrimination/Human rights
  • Employment Counseling and Advice
  • Supervisor and harassment/violence training
  • Handbook Review
  • Compliance/Compliance audits
  • Leave laws
  • Personnel policies
  • Wage and hour audits
  • WARN Act/Plant closings/RIF Planning
  • Labor Unions/Labor Relations
  • Mediation
  • NLRB/Labor Relations Board Proceedings
  • Unfair labor practices
  • Construction labor relations
  • Strikes and lockouts (planning and related court and board litigation)
  • Arbitration
  • Supervisor training
  • Collective bargaining
  • Union avoidance and elections
  • Employment Contracts and Litigation
  • Trade secrets and non-compete agreements
  • Executive employment agreements (including change of control)
  • Pension, benefit and bonus provisions
  • Termination provisions (statutory requirements and reasonable notice)
  • Confidentiality and trade secret agreements
  • Non-compete/non-solicit agreements
  • Defamation
  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • OSHA inspection and compliance (US)
  • Employee Benefits and Compensation
  • Pay equity
  • Executive compensation
  • ERISA
  • Employee benefits
  • Workplace Privacy
  • Human Rights
  • Workers Compensation
  • Immigration