Jonni S. Walls

Partner

Jonni Walls specializes in employment litigation for management, as well as supervisor training and counseling with respect to Human Resource issues. Ms. Walls was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee/Knoxville (B.A. With High Honors, 1968). She graduated from Southern Methodist University School of Law (J.D., cum laude & Order of the Coif, 1991) in Dallas, Texas. While at SMU, Ms. Walls was Notes & Comments Editor for the Journal of Air Law & Commerce.

Ms. Walls’ areas of practice include litigation of statutory and common law claims arising in the employment context; practice before administrative agencies; arbitration of disputes arising under employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements; contract negotiation; drafting of employment policies and handbooks; management training seminars; enforcement of confidentiality and non-competition agreements; and alternative dispute resolution. Her experience also includes traditional labor law, union campaigns, defense of unfair labor practice charges, litigation of cases alleging hybrid duty of fair representation and breach of contract claims, and practice before the National Labor Relations Board and the National Mediation Board.

Representative Matters

Obtained a favorable opinion from the Texas Supreme Court in In re AutoNation, Inc., 228 S.W.3d 663 (2007), which held that a forum selection clause in a covenant not to compete, designating another state as the appropriate forum, is enforceable in Texas.

Obtained favorable court rulings or arbitration awards, completely vindicating her clients, in DuPont-Lauren v. Schneider (USA),Inc., 994 F.Supp. 802 (S.D. Tex. 1998) (sex discrimination); Farone v. Bag’N Baggage, Ltd., 165 S.W.3d 795 (Tex. App.-Eastland 2005) (breach of contract); Davis v. AutoNation U.S.A. Corp., et al, 226 S.W.3d 487 (Tex. App.-Houston [1^st Dist.] 2006) (race and sex discrimination); Brenda A. Ricketts v. Champion Chevrolet, et al, C.A. No. C-04-242, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (sex discrimination); Campanello v. Anthony & Sylvan Pools Corp.; C.A. No. 3-03-CV-1884-G, United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (sex discrimination); Eric Greene v. Charlie Thomas Courtesy Ford, Inc., Cause No. 02-2998-G, 319^th Judicial District Court of Nueces County, Texas (race discrimination); Melvin Pierce v. AutoNation USA Corp., et al, Cause No. 2002-59956, 157^th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (race discrimination); Gene Richardson v. AutoNation USA Corporation, et al, Cause No. 2002-59954, 270^th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (race discrimination); Olivier Zitoun v. AutoNation, et al, Cause No. 05-04568-D, 95^th Judicial District Court of Dallas County, Texas (wrongful discharge); Carter Burress vs. Fred Oakley Motors, Inc. et al (Matter in Arbitration 2006) (age and disability discrimination); Victor H. Smith v. AutoNation USA Corporation, et al (Matter in Arbitration 2007) (age discrimination).

Memberships

• Dallas Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
• State Bar of Texas, Labor and Employment Section

Professional Activities

• Adjunct Professor for the Southern Methodist University School of Law, 1992 to present