Lynlee Wells Palmer

Lynlee Wells Palmer is a principal and the office litigation manager in the Birmingham, Alabama, office at Jackson Lewis, P.C. Employers of all sizes rely on Lynlee for proactive strategies and strong policies to manage employee-related issues with minimal disruption to business operations. Partnering with employers to provide business-oriented solutions throughout the lifecycle of the employment relationship, she delivers practical solutions for charges of discrimination and retaliation, harassment, wage and hour issues, employee leave issues, employment policies and procedures, non-compete agreements, and employee discipline and termination.

Lynlee provides strategic legal advice for unionized employers navigating collective bargaining, grievance arbitrations, and unfair labor practice charges. Lynlee represents employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Skilled at proactive risk management and litigation avoidance, Lynlee partners with her clients to understand their specific needs. For her healthcare clients, for example, she provides guidance on employee issues associated with state and federal survey issues and plans of correction, balancing employee, patient and provider rights.

Cases of Note

• Summary judgment for employer in state law case alleging negligence and harassment (2022)
• Summary judgment for employer in race and age discrimination case, including state law claims of negligent hiring, training, supervision, and retention (2021, affirmed by 11th Circuit 2022)
• Summary judgment for employer in race discrimination, retaliation, and defamation case (2021)
• Summary judgment for employer in retaliatory discharge case under Tennessee state law (2020)
• Summary judgment for employer in reverse race and age discrimination case (2020)
• Jury verdict for employer in race discrimination and retaliation case (2020)
• Dismissal of claims of religious and gender discrimination and retaliation (2018)
• Summary judgment for employer in race, age, disability, and retaliation litigation (2017)
• Summary judgment for employer in § 1981 race discrimination case (2017)
• Summary judgment for employer in age, disability, and retaliation case (2016)
• Jury verdict for employer in workers’ compensation retaliatory discharge litigation (2016)
• Summary judgment for employer in Title VII retaliation litigation (2015)
• Summary judgment for employer in gender discrimination, religious discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation litigation (2015)
• Summary judgment for employer in race discrimination and retaliation litigation (2015); affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (2015)
• Summary judgment for employer in disability discrimination litigation (2015)
• Summary judgment for employer in FMLA retaliation, breach of contract, and covenant of good faith and fair dealing litigation (2013)
• Dismissal of Plaintiff’s litigation alleging gender discrimination in pay (2013)
• Summary judgment for employer in four plaintiff race discrimination, racial harassment litigation (2012)
• Dismissal of Plaintiff’s litigation for breach of employment contract, defamation, conspiracy, and negligent/wanton failure to investigate (2012)

Honors and Recognitions

• Mid-South Super Lawyers©, "Super Lawyers" (2016-present)
• Alabama Super Lawyers©, "Super Lawyers" (2013-2015)
• Alabama Super Lawyers©, "Top 25 Women Lawyers" (2015) and "Top 50 Lawyers" (2018)
• The Best Lawyers in America©, "Lawyer of the Year: Labor Law – Management” (2019)
• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Employment Law – Management”, “Labor Law – Management” and “Litigation - Labor and Employment” 
• Mid-South Super Lawyers©, "Top 50 Women Lawyers" (2017-2019) and "Top 50 Lawyers in Birmingham" (2018)

Speeches

• “Hot Topics Facing Employers in 2022,” Medical Group Management Association (Shelby County, Alabama, September 2022) (presenter)
• “Ethics Issues When Lawyers are Gig Economy Workers,” American Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law, Ethics and Professionalism Committee (Clearwater, Florida, March 2018) (panelist)
• “Leave Me Alone: Medical Leave, Not Just the FMLA Anymore,” Alabama Nursing Home Association (Gulf Shores, Alabama, April 2017) (presenter)
• “Document, Document, Document,” Assisted Living Association of Alabama (Birmingham, Alabama, March 2017) (presenter)