With more than 35 years of experience as a labor and employment attorney, Wesley Redmond has a unique approach to litigation and particular experience representing retail clients and religious institutions.
Wesley is the Office Managing Partner for FordHarrison's Birmingham office and head of the firm’s Religious Institutions Practice Group. He regularly represents clients in state and federal courts as well as before administrative agencies, and he counsels them in complying with the many federal and state employment and labor laws. His litigation approach is to test as early as possible the validity of claims made by employees before costly discovery begins, which results in significant cost savings for his clients. In just one example, Wesley obtained dismissal before trial of FLSA overtime claims in two separate cases based on application of the Motor Carrier Act Exemption.
Wesley has a unique understanding of the issues facing retailers. He worked his way through college at a local retailer that became a well-known and respected regional brand. After returning to Birmingham from law school in Washington, D.C., he had the privilege of representing that retailer and several others in employment matters.
He also understands the concerns of religious institutions. Growing up a minister's son, and with two brothers who are ministers, Wesley has represented various churches, temples, and religious organizations and institutions in employee-related matters. In addition to representing these entities in court and before administrative agencies, Wesley has drafted handbooks and policies for these entities and confidentiality agreements and been involved in the unique world of drafting restrictive covenants/noncompetition/nonsolicitation agreements for ministers and other religious institution employees.
In both litigation and counseling, Wesley has represented clients from a number of other industries as well, including the restaurant and service industries, real estate, manufacturing, transportation, construction, computer, health care, educational institutions, and not-for-profit organizations.
In litigation, Wesley’s experience covers the spectrum of employment suits, from defending employers against allegations of discrimination, sexual and racial harassment, wrongful discharge and violations of wage and hour laws, to handling cases under the ADA, FLSA, FCRA, ERISA, FMLA, and various retaliatory discharge statutes. He also represents employers in matters involving covenants not to compete, trade secrets, and employment contracts. Recently, he has been involved in various class and collective actions alleging wage and hour and other violations. His early legal experience included a law school clerkship that exposed him to an employment discrimination case before the United States Supreme Court, and, in a separate matter, what was the largest employment discrimination class action ever filed at that time.
Wesley's experience is not limited solely to defense. He provides advice and counsel to clients on how to minimize potential liability under state and federal employment laws, including in connection with mass layoffs and reductions in force, and presents harassment and discrimination, diversity, and wage and hour training for clients. Wesley has been trained on two occasions to provide diversity training and is on the Firm’s Diversity Advisory Board. He advises companies concerning employment policies and procedures, employee handbooks, confidentiality agreements, and severance and release agreements.