Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Kristen L. Brightmire, head of the firm's Employment Law Practice Group, has substantial experience in:

• Title VII cases (discrimination, harassment, retaliation based upon gender, race, national origin, sex, religion)
• Age Discrimination in Employment (ADEA)
• American with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) and state wage and hour issues
• Wrongful discharge in violation of public policy
• Retaliatory discharge for pursuing rights under the workers' compensation act
• Drug and alcohol testing

Ms. Brightmire began her practice at Doerner Saunders in 1990 representing employers in a myriad of labor and employment matters. In 2002, she left to join one of her clients, CITGO Petroleum Corporation, as in-house counsel responsible for its employment, labor, and employee benefits legal matters. She remained with CITGO until its relocation of its corporate offices to Houston. Ms. Brightmire returned her labor and employment practice to Doerner Saunders and now heads the firm's Employment Law Practice Group.

Ms. Brightmire exclusively represents employers in every aspect of the practice. In non-litigation matters, Ms. Brightmire counsels clients as to employee-related matters as well as drafts or reviews policies, handbooks, employment contracts, severance programs, severance agreements, and relocation programs. She has also represented clients at every step of the litigation process from the administrative agency through trial and appeal.

The Firm's Employment Law Practice Group also publishes a free monthly e-newsletter, "The Employer's Legal Resource, Preventing Problems, Providing Solutions®",devoted to the issues facing employers. To subscribe, just sign up at http://www.newsletters.dsda.com. It's published the first business day of each month.

Areas of Practice

• Labor and Employment Law
• Benefits Litigation

West Practice Categories

Employment Law -- Employee, Employment Law -- Employer, Pensions, Benefits & Compensations -- Employer, Labor Law, Litigation & Appeals

Bar Admissions

• Oklahoma, 1990
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Oklahoma
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Oklahoma
• U.S. District Court Western District of Oklahoma
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Arkansas
• U.S. District Court Western District of Arkansas
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section
• Oklahoma Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section
• Tulsa County Bar Association
• Undercroft Montessori School (Board of Directors, Chair of Policy Committee)

Honors and Awards

• Ranked "Up and Coming in Labor & Employment - Oklahoma" by Chambers USA, 2009
• A-V Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating
• Listed in Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition, 2007 - 2008
• Listed in Super Lawyers 2007 Edition

Classes and Seminars

• New FMLA Regulations: FMLA Documents, Audio Conference, January 8, 2009
• New FMLA Regulations: How to Operate Day-to-Day Under the New Regulations, Audio Conference, January 15, 2009
• New FMLA Regulations: Military Caregiver Leave and Qualifying Exigency Leave, Audio Conference, January 22, 2009
• FMLA Regulations, Tulsa County Bar Association Employment Law Section Meeting, February 19, 2009
• Best Practices for Hiring and Firing in Today's Complicated Legal Environment, The Oklahoma Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (OKAHSA), March 11, 2009
• The Employer's Legal Resource 2009 Workshop Topics: Union Avoidance, ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Drug & Alcohol Testing in the Workplace, the New FMLA Regulations, Tulsa 3/26/09 - OKC 4/2/2009
• Drug and Alcohol Testing, TAHRA's Annual Employment Law and Practices Seminar, November 6, 2008
• ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Tulsa County Bar Center/Employment Law Seminar, November 4, 2008
• FMLA Regulations Effective January 16: Are You Ready?, Oklahoma Bar Association, January 7, 2007

Past Employment Positions

• Senior Counsel, Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits, CITGO Petroleum Corporation, 2002 - 2004

Education

• University of Tulsa College of Law, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1990
  Juris Doctor
  Honors: With Honors
• University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  Bachelor of Science
  Honors: cum laude
  Major: Business Administration

Accepts Credit Cards

Published Works

• A Defendant's Perspective: Kruchowski Raises More Questions Than Answers, 80 OKLA. BAR J.491, 2009

Address

320 South Boston Avenue
Suite 500
Tulsa, OK 74103-3725

Phones

918-591-5204

Faxes

918-925-5204

Emails

kbrightmire@dsda.com

Websites

http://www.dsda.com