Stephanie C. Gaston
Partner at Strasburger
An experienced counselor and litigator, Stephanie C. Gaston focuses her practice on resolving labor and employment law matters for private employers, public entities, and non-profits. She also represents school districts, housing authorities, special districts, and governmental entities.
Stephanie regularly defends companies facing discrimination, harassment, retaliation, class actions, and other claims under federal, state, and local laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII, ADA, FMLA, USERRA, and the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act. She advises and counsels employers on minimizing the risks of litigation, developing employment policies, and drafting and enforcing employment and severance agreements, including those with non-competition, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure provisions. Stephanie has prepared numerous affirmative action plans and represents clients in administrative agency investigations.
Stephanie also represents business clients in the area of commercial litigation. She has particular experience defending clients in complex business litigation and arbitration matters, such as general contract, deceptive trade practice, fraud, fiduciary duty, and tortious interference claims.
EXPERIENCE
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in ADEA, ADAAA, and FMLA case brought by former employee against international medical and emergency services provider (January 2017).
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in breach of franchise agreement case brought by franchisor against franchisee (Galveston County, February 2016).
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in breach of franchise agreement case brought by franchisor against franchisee (Harris County, December 2015).
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in breach of franchise agreement case brought by franchisor against franchisee (Harris County, February 2016).
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in breach of franchise agreement case brought by franchisor against franchisee (Dallas County, March 2016).
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in breach of franchise agreement case brought by franchisor against franchisee (Dallas County, April 2016).
• Obtained affirmation of summary judgment in Southern District of Texas in favor of employer in suit brought by former employee alleging violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (October 2015).
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in ADEA and racial discrimination case brought by a former employee against a community college (Southern District of Texas, March 2014). Presented and defended fact witnesses at depositions in discrimination disputes.
• Prepared numerous position statements in discrimination disputes before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Texas Workforce Commission.
• Prepared affirmative action plans for business clients and government contractors and subcontractors.
• Represented national business clients in administrative investigation under the Fair Labor Standards Act by the Department of Labor and obtained closure of investigations with no adverse findings against employer.
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
• Represented global transportation services provider in large commercial contract dispute, obtained favorable settlement terms.
• Represented professional services company in catastrophic injury, obtained favorable settlement terms.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in breach of contract case against national leasing company and successfully collected entire judgment including attorney’s fees and costs post-judgment (September 2014).
• Drafted Appellate Brief to Fifth Circuit in Section 1782 Discovery Dispute for global transportation service client.
• Presented and defended fact witnesses at depositions in commercial and personal injury disputes.
• Negotiated settlement of commercial disputes for national retail and construction clients.
• Deposed numerous claimants, doctors, vocational experts and other subject matter experts in preparation for litigation.
• Presented oral argument at various discovery and subject matter hearings, and performed direct and cross-examinations of witnesses.
EDUCATION
• Baylor Law School, J.D., 2008
• University of St. Thomas, B.A., 2005, summa cum laude
HONORS
• Named to the Second Annual Hot List by Lawyers of Color (2014)