Practice/Organization Description
Stokes Wagner is a firm of seasoned trial attorneys, creative problem solvers, and strategic thinkers. Our mission is to provide effective and responsive services to reduce your exposure to legal problems and associated costs, no matter what legal challenge you may face, actual or prospective. We are experienced in all aspects of employment law. We not only vigorously defend and advocate you in and out of court, but also provide preventative services such as Affirmative Action Planning, handbooks, training programs, Union/labor negotiations, operations counseling, and in-house investigations.
Stokes Wagner’s labor and employment attorneys have served clients in every U.S. state and 7 foreign countries. Many of the country's most prominent firms in the hospitality and restaurant industries place their trust in Stokes Wagner, as do scores of start-ups and small businesses. We successfully try employment cases every year, when doing so serves your best interests.
Over the past 40+ years, we have acquired insight into employment practices unique to the hospitality industry. When we go to court, we go to win. Our attorneys have proven themselves in the courtroom before, during, and after trial. We have produced scores of victories for clients by challenging pleadings, defeating class certification, prevailing on summary judgment, trying cases to verdict, and positioning cases for optimum settlement.
Our experience serving your industry has earned us a deep understanding of hotel and restaurant operations. This familiarity enables us to speak your language and get to the heart of your labor and employment law needs. For instance, we know to ask how you handle “service charges;” how you round your time clocks; who participates in your employees’ tip pools; when and how you pay commissions for front-desk upsells; whether your sous chef is classified as exempt; how you handle room credits for housekeepers; whether your employees are “on-call” even when on break; and whether you use temporary labor from an outside vendor. We apply this expertise in every area of our practice to better serve you. We are not a general practice firm; we are a firm dedicated to you.
Professional Associations & Memberships
Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association, California Hotel & Lodging Association, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, American Hotel & Lodging Situation, International Society of Hospitality Consultants
