
Chelsea Gomez Caswell
Senior Counsel Phone: 225.382.3405
Fax: 225.388.9133
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"I believe in providing the advice and tools needed to address, overcome, and avoid the legal challenges employers face from a practical perspective. I take pride in my role as a labor and employment law counselor and advocate who is committed to being responsive while ensuring each client’s goals and operational and business realities drive the support, advice, and legal representation I provide each day."
Chelsea Gomez Caswell helps employers navigate complex labor and employment laws and regulations and challenging workforce issues. Her passion for the law and those around her is manifested in her ability to solve difficult problems consistently and mitigate the risk of expensive arbitrations, federal agency proceedings, and lawsuits. Chelsea’s clients range from large corporations to small privately-owned companies seeking legal counsel on specific workforce issues, and effective litigation advocacy in and out of court.
Chelsea represents employers across a wide variety of labor and employment matters in state and federal courts, as well as before the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights, and other state and federal agencies. Her experience includes resolving EEOC charges and discrimination, harassment, and retaliation litigation, as well as non-competition and wage and hour disputes.
Moreover, Chelsea provides employers with the day-to-day counseling they need to address the important issues that arise while managing a workforce. She works with human resources and other leadership to establish, maintain, and enforce employee handbooks, company policies, and employment contracts designed to safeguard their operational imperatives. Notably, Chelsea brings a multi-dimensional understanding to representing companies in the energy and petrochemical sectors.
In addition to her labor and employment experience, Chelsea represents businesses and other clients in general state and federal court litigation matters, a sampling of which includes premises liability claims, contract disputes, unfair trade practice litigation, and packaging-related disputes.
In everything she does, Chelsea is a valued member of her clients’ team and plays a critical role in their success. She is appreciated by clients and colleagues alike for her support, drive, and influence on the critical conversations and communications that influence HR decisions in the pursuit of the best outcome. She strives to provide solutions that minimize the risks inherent in managing today’s professional workforce while also acting as a trusted advisor and, when necessary, a formidable litigator who never loses sight of what is important to each client.
- Experience litigating and defending collective actions filed by former and current employees for alleged unpaid wages pursuant to the Federal Labor Standards Act on behalf of employers.
- Experience defending employers against Equal Employment Opportunity Commission discrimination and retaliation charges and federal lawsuits filed by former and current employees pursuant to Title VII, the ADA, and the ADEA.
- Experience negotiating and litigating non-competition agreements issues and disputes.
- Obtained multiple favorable summary judgment rulings in discrimination and retaliation lawsuits on behalf of employers in Louisiana federal courts.
- Experience negotiating and litigating Louisiana Wage Payment Act (LWPA) claims and actions filed by former employees for alleged unpaid wages on behalf of employers.
- Experience providing on-site and virtual supervisor trainings for new and long-term supervisors for various industrial employer clients.
- Represented global oil and gas company in appeal of favorable summary judgment ruling in Title VII discrimination case that was successfully affirmed in employer’s favor before the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
- Has supported the firm's representation of employers in defending against Louisiana workers' compensation claims before the Office of Workers' Compensation Administration.
- Experience litigating and defending several individual employees at a preliminary injunction hearing by defending against an injunction sought by a former employer related to claims of breach of fiduciary duty and unfair trade practices.
- Supported the firm’s representation of a major oil and gas company in oil field legacy claims by assisting with electronic and large-scale discovery efforts, including the collection, review and analysis, and production of massive amounts of company documents in the litigation context.
- Supported the firm’s representation of a major oil and gas company in oil field legacy cases involving Louisiana Act 312, as well as claims for alleged breaches of mineral leases, surface lease, and the Louisiana Mineral Code.
- LSU Law Center, J.D., cum laude, 2013
- Senior and Junior Graduate Editor, Journal of Civil Law Studies
- Executive Vice President of External Competitions, Moot Court Board
- Member, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Team
- Participant, Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition
- LSU, B.A., summa cum laude, 2009
- Member, Phi Beta Phi
- Founder, Geaux Vote Initiative
- Louisiana
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- Member, Baton Rouge Bar Association (Former Secretary, Chair-elect, and Chair of Young Lawyer's Council)
- Member, Louisiana State Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- 2024 Pathfinder, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
- "Ones to Watch," The Best Lawyers in America, 2021-2025
- Pathfinder Atlas Award Winner, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2024
- "Rising Star," Louisiana Super Lawyers, 2022 and 2023
- "Executive Leadership Academy," Baton Rouge Business Report, 2020
- "The Interaction of the ADA, FMLA, and PWFA; and a Few More Consonants and Vowels," Co-Presenter, Association of Corporate Counsel Louisiana CLE Lunch and Learn, November 15, 2024
- "The Interaction of the ADA, FMLA, and PWFA; and a Few More Consonants and Vowels," Kean Miller Labor and Employment Seminar, November 1, 2024
- "Federal Trade Commission Non-Compete Rule Set Aside – Nationwide Effect," Louisiana Law Blog, August 21, 2024
- "Employment Law Recent Developments, Hot Topics, and Looking Toward the New Year," Co-Presenter, Kean Miller Lunch and Learn, December 6, 2023
- "Conducting Internal Investigations Regarding Employee Conduct," Kean Miller Labor and Employment Seminar, October 27, 2023
- "Whistle Blown: Responding Appropriately to Employees Claiming Retaliation," Kean Miller Labor and Employment Seminar, October 28, 2022
- "New Phasing Plan Requirements from LA State Fire Marshal," Louisiana Law Blog, May 15, 2020
- "Return to Work, Are You Ready?," Louisiana Law Blog, April 26, 2020
- "New CDC Guidance About Essential Employees Exposed to COVID-19," Louisiana Law Blog, April 9, 2020
- "DOL Rolls Out Leave Act Regulations and Changes Course on Some Issues," Louisiana Law Blog, April 2, 2020
- "DOL Issues Third Set of Leave FAQs," Louisiana Law Blog, March 30, 2020
- "DOL Issues Additional Leave FAQs," Louisiana Law Blog, March 27, 2020
- "Families First Coronavirus Response Act: The Model Notices Are Here," Louisiana Law Blog, March 26, 2020
- "Leave Act Takes Effect April 1 and Other New DOL Guidance," Louisiana Law Blog, March 25, 2020
- "Updated Guidance from the EEOC: "What You Should Know About the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and COVID-19"," Louisiana Law Blog, March 20, 2020
- "Coronavirus Leave Bill Signed Into Law," Louisiana Law Blog, March 19, 2020
- "COBRA and Coronavirus," Louisiana Law Blog, March 18, 2020
- "Coronavirus Paid Leave Bill Still in House," Louisiana Law Blog, March 16, 2020
- "Coronavirus Paid Leave Bill Passes House," Louisiana Law Blog, March 14, 2020
- "Congress Responds to the Coronavirus," Louisiana Law Blog, March 13, 2020
- "The First of Three? DOL Releases Final Rule on Joint Employer Status," Louisiana Law Blog, January 16, 2020
- "Managing Workplace Risks In the Next Decade," Co-Presenter, Kean Miller Labor and Employment Seminar, November 8, 2019
- Co-Presenter, Labor Law Updates for Union and Non-Union Employers, 2019 APLLA Conference, Houston, Texas, October 17, 2019
- "The NLRB's Fluctuating Joint Employer Standard," Louisiana Law Blog, June 8, 2018
- "HR Legal and Ethical Responsibilities in the Workplace," Co-Presenter, Louisiana Association of Non-Profit Organizations, April 2018
- "Financial Dealings with Employees: Loans, Losses, and Garnishments," Co-Presenter, Kean Miller Labor and Employment Seminar and 42nd Annual Louisiana Municipal Clerks Institute, October 2017
- "Back on Track? DOL's Information Requests Suggest Changes to Overtime Exemptions May Be on the Horizon," Louisiana Law Blog, July 26, 2017
- "Employee Handbooks in Louisiana: Useful Tool of Ticking Time Bomb," Kean Miller Labor and Employment Seminar, October 2015
- "Internship Programs: Don't Become the Next Big Headline," LSU Olinde Career Center's Employer Drive-In Workshop, August 5, 2015
- "Definition of Spouse in Limbo Under the FMLA," Louisiana Law Blog, March 27, 2015.
- "A Refresher on Assessing Performance and the Discipline and Termination of Employees," Co-Presenter, Kean Miller Labor and Employment Seminar, October 2014
- Member, Vice President, President, and Past President, The Arc of Baton Rouge Board of Directors, 2015-Present
- LSU Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Advisor Committee, 2018-2019
- Co-chair, Baton Rouge Bar Association (Kean Miller Belly Up with the Bar Committee) 2014, 2016
- Pro Bono Project Volunteer, Baton Rouge Bar Association, 2014