Steven F. Griffith Jr.

Steven F. Griffith Jr., shareholder in the New Orleans office, practices in the area of business litigation with a focus on clients in the construction, hospitality and maritime industries. He focuses on the unique wage and hour issues in these industries and defends nationwide collective actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as related class actions across the country. His practice includes defending and counseling clients with respect to Chinese Drywall and other toxic gypsum claims, as well as defending and pursuing complex antitrust, trade secret and unfair trade practice claims.

Mr. Griffith's experience also includes the negotiation and drafting of non-competition and non-solicitation agreements both here in the United States and internationally. His experience also includes extensive litigation experience on civil rights claims, Title VII, the ADA, FMLA, and ADEA. And, he has represented clients before the Louisiana Department of Insurance, Louisiana Department of Justice, United States Department of Labor, and the EEOC.

Prior to practicing, he served as judicial clerk for Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero Jr., in the Louisiana Supreme Court from 2000 to 2001.

Being based out of the New Orleans office, and in the wake of the tragedies incident to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Mr. Griffith's practice includes counseling his clients on the unique legal problems presented by large-scale disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. That advice includes navigating complex regulatory and statutory obligations, disaster planning, response and relief efforts, housing and workforce issues, and the investigation and defense of both civil and criminal claims related to events occurring during and after the storms.

Publications & Speaking Engagements

• "Federal and Louisiana Employment Law Update," Louisiana Society of Human Resource Management, Annual State Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 27, 2012
• "Fifth Circuit Limits 'Employer' Status Under the FLSA," Baker Donelson Employment Alert, March 27, 2012
• "Top Ten Ways to Avoid Employment Litigation," New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, March 16, 2012
• "Ten Employment Pitfalls Faced by Start-Up Companies," Collaborative for Enterprise Development, Idea Village, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 16, 2011
• "Fourth Circuit Draws a Line for Retaliation Suits under the FLSA," Baker Donelson Employment Alert, August 17, 2011
• "Privacy and Social Media in the Workplace," National Association for Women in Construction, Region 5 Annual Forum, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 15, 2011
• "Top Ten Mistakes by Contractors," National Association for Women in Construction, Region 5 Annual Forum, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 15, 2011
• "General Contractor Liable for Jobsite Harassment," Baker Donelson Construction and Employment Alerts, April 11, 2011
• "The Nuts and Bolts: FLSA/Wage and Hour Critical Update," 5th Annual Fundamentals of Employment Law, Sterling Educational Series, February 23, 2011
• "Privacy and Social Media in the Workplace," 5th Annual Fundamentals of Employment Law, Sterling Educational Series, February 23, 2011
• "The Cutting Edge - Chinese Drywall: The Homeowner Carriers' Perspective," 15th Annual Texas Insurance Law Symposium, South Texas College of Law, January 20, 2011
• "Top Ten Ways to Reduce the Risk of Employment Litigation," Baker Donelson Emerging Company Boot Camp, November 18, 2010
• "Class Certification Hearings and Decisions," Chapter 4, A Practitioner's Guide to Class Actions, published by the American Bar Association, TIPS Section on Class Actions, 2010
• "The Payroll Risk From Within," Baker Donelson Labor and Employment News, March 12, 2010
• "The Elephant in the Room: Understanding the FLSA in the Construction Industry," National Teleconference, Lorman Educational Services, September 18, 2008
• "The Principal/Subcontractor Relationship: Wage/Hour Issues Post-Katrina," presented to the ABA Committee for Liaison with EEOC, OFCCP and Department of Justice, April 16, 2008
• "Can a General Contractor Get More Than It Bargained For? The Risk of Subcontractors' Wage Law Violations," presented to ABA Regional Conference, Affordable Housing Lessons from Katrina, New Orleans, February 8, 2008
• "Taking and Defending Effective Depositions," Lorman Education Services, New Orleans, September 20, 2007
• "The General Contractor's Gamble:  the Risk of Subcontractors' Wage Law Violations," Construct!, Vol. 16, Issue 3, Summer 2007
• "Fifth Circuit Holds Assignment Statutes Not Preempted by ERISA," Impact Law Brief, Vol. 21, No. 10, October 27, 2006
• "The Fifth Circuit Continues the Trend of Scaling Back ERISA Preemption," Health Law Litigation, Vol. 6, Issue 1, Fall 2006
• "Confidentiality and Choice: Application of the Attorney-Client Privilege in the Corporate Context in the Fifth, Sixth and Eleventh Circuits," Baker Donelson Litigation News, December 2006
• "Force Majeure in Louisiana in the Wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," Baker Donelson Litigation News, Spring 2006
• "Nevada v. Hibbs: An Unsound Departure From the States' Rights Trend," Engage: The Journal of the Federalist Society's Practice Groups, Vol. 4, Issue 2, October 2003
• "The Impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 on Employers and the Employment Lawyer," presented to the ABA Committee for Liaison with EEOC, OFCCP and Department of Justice, March 19, 2003
• "Recent State and Federal Court Employment Decisions Approving Substantial Front Pay Awards," presented to the ABA Committee for Liaison with EEOC, OFCCP and Department of Justice, March 20, 2002
• "If You Scratch My Back, I'll Scratch Yours: Mary Carter Agreements in Louisiana," 45 Loyola Law Review 725, 1999
• "Porteous v. St. Ann's Café & Deli: 'If You Shuck Enough Oysters, You Will Find a Pearl,'" 44 Loyola Law Review 811, 1998

Professional Honors & Activities

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in Labor & Employment Litigation (2012)
• Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers as a leading Labor & Employment lawyer since 2010
• Member – Federal Bar Association (Board Member, New Orleans Chapter)
• Member – Louisiana State Bar Association
• Member – American Bar Association
• Member – Fifth Circuit Bar Association
• Member – New Orleans Bar Association
• Member – Thomas More Inn of Court
• Member – Society for Human Resource Management
• Recipient – Baker Donelson Louisiana Pro Bono Attorney of the Year (2007)

Civic Activities

• Volunteer – New Orleans Pro Bono Project
• Fellow – Louisiana Bar Foundation (Member, Grants Committee)
• Member – Louisiana Supreme Court Historical Society
• Member – Save Our Cemeteries
• Member – Hurstville Neighborhood Association
• Volunteer and Firm Liaison – Habitat for Humanity
• Board Member and Former President – St. Martin's Episcopal School Alumni Association

Admissions

• Louisiana
• Texas, pro hac vice
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
• United States District Courts, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
• United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, pro hac vice
• United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, pro hac vice
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, pro hac vice
• United States District Court, Southern District of Mississippi, pro hac vice
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, pro hac vice
• United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, pro hac vice
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma, pro hac vice
• United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, pro hac vice
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, pro hac vice

Education

• Loyola School of Law, J.D., 2000, magna cum laude
  • William L. Crowe Sr. Scholar
  • Law Review
  • Moot Court
• Rhodes College, B.A., 1997, cum laude
  • Dean's list