Bio overview
Paul Ross is a trial lawyer whose primary practice involves the representation of employers in labor and employment disputes. His experience includes first-chair management of discrimination, retaliation and wrongful discharge matters in both federal and state courts, trial and appellate, as well as in arbitration and before governmental agencies. He routinely represents employers in a wide variety of matters, including claims arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act and other federal and state laws governing employers.
Paul also provides training and on-demand advice to employers regarding litigation avoidance and assists in day-to-day planning and decision-making, discrimination and harassment investigations, development of policies and procedures, employment contracts, non-competition and confidentiality agreements, reductions-in-force, and alternatives to reductions-in-force. His diverse client base includes municipalities and nonprofit organizations as well as companies engaged in a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, energy, telecommunications, retail and business services.
Paul previously served as leader of the firm’s Labor and Employment Group, one of the largest of its kind in the region. He is a highly regarded speaker on issues in employment law, regularly addressing various human resource groups and management-level employees, and is an editor and contributing author to the Oklahoma Employment Law Letter. He has also provided training to other Oklahoma lawyers on employment law topics through the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Law of the Workplace program in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
In 2011, Paul was appointed to serve as an administrative law judge for the Oklahoma Department of Labor.
Outside of the labor and employment arena, Paul’s experience includes representation of business clients in a variety of complex commercial disputes. He has actively participated in litigation surrounding commercial contracts and business relationships, as well as shareholder derivative claims and toxic mold exposure. He also actively represents Oklahoma Native American tribes with respect to gaming and other regulatory issues with the federal government.
Paul’s achievements have earned him inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (employment law – management; labor law – management; labor and employment litigation) and Oklahoma Super Lawyers.
Prior to embarking on his legal career, Paul taught mathematics at Edmond Santa Fe High School in Edmond, Oklahoma. He also supervised a 100+ member customer service staff at one of the nation’s largest mortgage servicing companies.
Paul and his wife Tristi are the proud parents of two daughters and one son.
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At The Podium
Employment Compliance Strategies for a Changing Workforce
2022 Corporate Counsel Seminar
Oklahoma City, OK |
December 8, 2022
Navigating the Challenges of Intersecting Employee Leave Laws
EmployerLINC22
Tulsa, OK |
March 23, 2022
Navigating the Challenges of Intersecting Employee Leave Laws
EmployerLINC22
Oklahoma City, OK |
March 22, 2022
The Continuing and Lingering Impact of COVID-19 in the Workplace
2021 Corporate Counsel Seminar
Oklahoma City, OK |
December 2, 2021
Wage and Hour Hot Spots of Compliance
EmployerLINC21
Online |
March 10, 2021
COVID-19: The Pandemic’s Impact on ADA/FMLA Claims and Complying with the FFCRA
OELA 2020 Employment Law Seminar
Oklahoma City, OK |
December 4, 2020
COVID-19 Employment, Finance and Regulatory Issues
Federal Bar Association - Oklahoma City Chapter Virtual CLE
Online |
May 21, 2020
Tele-Town Hall: HR/Funding/Business Issues Forum
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce
Conference Call |
March 24, 2020
2020 Employment Law Outlook
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies' 2020 Spring Conference
Oklahoma City, OK |
March 5, 2020
Medical Marijuana in 2019: Rights and Responsibilities of Employers
2019 Oklahoma Hospital Association Annual Convention
Oklahoma City, OK |
November 13, 2019
Medical Marijuana in 2019: Rights and Responsibilities of Oklahoma Colleges and Universities
2019 Oklahoma CUPA-HR Annual Conference
Oklahoma State University Campus |
October 24, 2019
The Changing Landscape of Wage and Hour Regulations at the U.S. Department of Labor
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce's Elevate Conference 2019
Oklahoma City, OK |
October 23, 2019
Oklahoma Medical Marijuana and Patient Protection Act
OBA 2019 Labor & Employment Law Update CLE
Oklahoma City, OK |
October 4, 2019
Oklahoma Employment Law Update
2019 Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies (OKACAA) Annual Conference
Oklahoma City, OK |
September 19, 2019
Oklahoma Rural Health Association
Norman, OK |
May 30, 2019
McAfee & Taft Webinar Series
Online |
May 15, 2019
Clear and Present Danger: Preparing for litigation
EmployerLINC19
Tulsa, OK |
April 4, 2019
Clear and Present Danger: Preparing for litigation
EmployerLINC19
Oklahoma City, OK |
April 3, 2019
2018 Corporate Counsel Seminar
Oklahoma City, OK |
December 6, 2018
What Hospital Administrators Need to Know to Implement Oklahoma Legalization of Medical Marijuana
Oklahoma Hospital Association
Oklahoma City, OK |
November 28, 2018
Medical Marijuana: An Action Plan for Oklahoma Employers
State Chamber of Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, OK |
September 24, 2018
AGC of Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, OK |
July 20, 2018
McAfee & Taft Webinar Series
Online |
July 19, 2018
EmployerLINC18: Workplace Issues in the News
Tulsa, OK |
March 29, 2018
Healthcare Headlines Seminar
Tulsa, OK |
March 29, 2018
EmployerLINC18: Workplace Issues in the News
Oklahoma City, OK |
March 27, 2018
Healthcare Headlines Seminar
Oklahoma City, OK |
March 27, 2018
2017 Corporate Counsel Seminar
Oklahoma City, OK |
December 7, 2017
2017 Advanced Employment Issues Symposium Pre-Conference Workshop
Las Vegas, Nevada |
November 15, 2017
Ready to Work Conference & Expo
Shawnee, Oklahoma |
September 15, 2017
EmployerLINC17: Back to Basics
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
March 23, 2017
EmployerLINC17: Back to Basics
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
March 22, 2017
What’s Hot in Healthcare 2017 Seminar
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
March 22, 2017
2016 Corporate Counsel Seminar
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
December 8, 2016
EmployerLINC16: Employers Under Pressure
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
April 5, 2016
EmployerLINC16: Employers under pressure
Oklahoma City, OK |
March 30, 2016
Oklahoma Trucking Association Midwinter Conference
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
March 3, 2016
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies - Region VI 2015 Annual Training Conference
Catoosa, Oklahoma |
October 22, 2015
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies - Region VI 2015 Annual Training Conference
Catoosa, Oklahoma |
October 22, 2015
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies - Region VI 2015 Annual Training Conference
Catoosa, Oklahoma |
October 22, 2015
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies - Region VI 2015 Annual Training Conference
Catoosa, Oklahoma |
October 22, 2015
EmployerLINC 2015: Case studies in costly mistakes
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
April 30, 2015
EmployerLINC 2015: Case studies in costly mistakes
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
April 28, 2015
EmployerLINC Webinar
Online |
February 25, 2015
2014 Corporate Counsel Seminar
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
December 4, 2014
EmployerLINC Webinar
Online |
October 22, 2014
EmployerLINC 2014: In Compliance, Out of Court
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
April 17, 2014
EmployerLINC 2014: In Compliance, Out of Court
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
April 16, 2014
Enid Society for Human Resource Management
Enid, Oklahoma |
October 8, 2013
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
September 19, 2013
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
September 19, 2013
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
September 19, 2013
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
September 19, 2013
S*X in the Workplace: Don’t Lose Your Asterisk Over It! CLE Seminar sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
September 6, 2013
S*X in the Workplace: Don’t Lose Your Asterisk Over It! CLE Seminar sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
September 5, 2013
EmployerLINC 2013: 'Government Gone Wild'
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
April 26, 2013
EmployerLINC 2013: 'Government Gone Wild'
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
April 23, 2013
EmployerLINC 2012: ‘Adventures in HR’
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
April 10, 2012
EmployerLINC 2012: ‘Adventures in HR’
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
April 3, 2012
EmployerLINC 2011 Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Seminar
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
April 26, 2011, 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
EmployerLINC 2011 Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Seminar
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
April 20, 2011, 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Legal Information, News and Commentary for Employers Webcast
Online |
January 25, 2011, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Tulsa Area Employer Council
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
November 10, 2010
12th Annual Oklahoma Labor/Management Conference
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
May 5, 2010 - May 6, 2010
LEEB University - Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
October 7, 2009
LEEB University - Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
October 2, 2009
HR Hero Master Class
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
October 2, 2009