FordHarrison LLP, one of the country’s largest management-side labor and employment law firms, is pleased to announce that Lavern J. Wilson will become the firm’s first Talent and Recruiting Partner. Lavern joined FordHarrison as a first year associate in 2006 and was promoted to partner in the Tampa office in 2013.
In Lavern’s new role, she will be responsible for recruiting and developing lawyers firm-wide. Lavern will oversee the hiring and on-boarding of new lawyers, manage utilization and workflow, and design and implement talent development initiatives to support the career growth of our lawyers. She will be based in Atlanta and will report to the firm’s Chief Operating Officer, Meg Holman.
“Lavern’s professional excellence as a partner, demonstrated commitment to the firm, and passion for the development of our lawyers set her apart from any other candidate we might consider for the role,” said Al McKenna, FordHarrison’s Managing Partner.
“Having spent my entire legal career at FordHarrison, I am excited to serve the firm in this new and challenging role,” said Lavern. “Without question, I can say that the firm’s talent development initiatives were instrumental in my development and success. I welcome the opportunity to work with our current group of lawyers, as well as recruit new lawyers.”
Lavern concentrated her practice on defending employers in discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, whistle-blower, retaliation, employment/business torts and wrongful termination litigation, in both state and federal courts. She represented employers in defending charges of discrimination before the EEOC and state and local human rights commissions. Lavern has experience representing employers in a variety of industries, including airline, banking, cable installation, correction, healthcare, insurance, retail, restaurant, and not-for-profit industries. She would frequently counsel employers on employee disciplines, terminations, sexual harassment avoidance, and internal investigations and conducted employee trainings, drafted settlement agreements and general releases, as well as employee policies and employee handbooks. She is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Florida Bar.