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Scott D. Huffstetler

Partner

"I aggressively defend employers and guide them through the complexities of ever-evolving labor and employment laws. With years of experience supporting Management, HR, and Legal, I provide fast, responsive, and practical solutions that keep your business moving forward."

Scott Huffstetler delivers a personalized and highly strategic approach to helping employers navigate the opportunities and challenges of managing their workforce today. He is committed to realizing each employer's unique human resource objectives that also reflects the organization’s overarching commercial imperatives. An intuitive, smart, and accessible strategic employment law counselor and formidable litigator, Scott delivers powerful advocacy and practical day-to-day legal solutions to employers across Louisiana, Texas, and beyond.

Scott advises, represents, and defends employers faced with the full range of labor and employment law matters. His experience is broad and deep and includes the resolution of acrimony and litigation claims involving discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. He also defends business owners in public accommodation claims in state and federal courts across the country.

Scott advocates for employers across a wide variety of administrative proceedings. This includes representation before the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Louisiana Commission on Human Rights, Texas Commission on Human Rights, National Labor Relations Board, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Scott also assists employers with investigations, having experience acting as an advisor in the background or as a lead investigator. Scott also utilizes his experience with OSHA to support the firm’s incident response, having been “boots on the ground” in the aftermath of major industrial accidents.

Scott guides employers through traditional labor arbitration and litigation and advises on issues involving the ADA, FLSA, FMLA, NLRA, OSHA, Title VII, and state employment laws pertaining to employment discrimination, wage payment, worker’s compensation, and unemployment compensation. He also negotiates and documents employment contracts, covenants not to compete and other restrictive covenants, and confidentiality agreements, as well as provides corporate training programs on discrimination, traditional labor matters, and diversity and inclusion.

Scott has proven his ability to identify and resolve employer pressure points and disputes in both favorable and adverse economic settings alike. He continues to earn his stellar reputation for being a fierce litigator in court and before government and civil rights agencies and other forums. His approach to problem-solving is decidedly customized, actionable, and grounded in the ability to listen to client needs and concerns. Scott remains considerate of even the most specific employer requirements and sensitive to the human element of the employer/employee relationship.

Notably, Scott has been listed as a “Rising Star” in Louisiana Super Lawyers over multiple years of practice and is also listed among the top labor and employment lawyers in the State of Louisiana by Chambers USA 2023-2024. Scott is a Board Certified Employment Law Specialist, certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization.

Prior to joining Kean Miller, Scott served as a Law Clerk to United States District Court Judge Frank J. Polozola of the Middle District of Louisiana.

Representative Experience
  • Representation of national industrial construction services providers, healthcare and companionship services providers, commercial cleaning services providers, and technology services providers in collective action lawsuits brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • Representation of a national industrial construction services provider in federal court race harassment and constructive discharge claims brought by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of three former and/or current employees; the litigation was favorably resolved with the EEOC abandoning its claims on behalf of two of the three employees, and the third employee's claims were settled for a nominal amount.
  • Obtained a motion for summary judgment for a global integrated energy company; in the underlying suit, an employee of the company’s industrial facility claimed his employment had been terminated because of his race and after an earlier partial dispositive motion victory, six depositions, and extensive written discovery and document production, the court granted our motion and dismissed the plaintiff’s case three weeks before the scheduled jury trial.
  • Representation/oral argument on behalf of a global manufacturer in an appeal of a favorable summary judgment ruling in an ADEA discrimination case that was successfully affirmed in the employer’s favor before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
  • Representation of global manufacturer in Title VII race discrimination suit based on a work-rule violation termination that was successfully dismissed on motion for summary judgment.
  • Representation of a global manufacturer in an ADEA discrimination suit based on a reduction-in-force that was successfully dismissed on motion for summary judgment.
  • Representation of a global energy company in a suit for retroactive benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act that was successfully dismissed on a motion for summary judgment.
  • Representation of an international convenience store company in an ADEA discrimination suit that was successfully dismissed on a motion for summary judgment.
  • Representation of numerous employers (including industrial contractors and manufacturers, a global claims management services provider, a national provider of billboards, a national prison contractor, and a regional marine tankerman services provider) in defending numerous EEOC charges of discrimination, most of which resulted in no cause findings.
  • Representation of a medical services provider in a suit to enforce a non-competition clause with a former employee and partner that was successfully adjudicated in favor of the employer on motion for summary judgment.
  • Representation of a global rubber manufacturer during the negotiation of a favorable informal settlement agreement after the issuance of a citation with several Process Safety Management related items and fines, troublesome classifications, and onerous abatement deadlines.
  • Representation of an industrial construction contractor during the negotiation of a favorable informal settlement agreement after the issuance of a citation with several items related to OSHA recordkeeping violations.
  • Provided OSHA training for supervisors and managers in anticipation of inspections under OSHA’s National Emphasis Program.
  • Representation of a chemical facility in CSB and OSHA investigations involving an explosion and fire.
  • Representation of a chemical facility during extensive plant-wide OSHA NEP investigation.
  • Representation of a medical services provider in a Department of Labor, Wage and Hour investigation of alleged Family Medical Leave Act violations.
  • Representation of a municipality during a Department of Justice investigation of alleged systemic race discrimination which resulted in the department deciding not to pursue allegations.
Education

  • LSU Law Center, J.D., 2003
    • Board of Editors, Louisiana Law Review
    • Member, Order of the Coif
    • Member, Phi Delta Phi
  • LSU, B.A., 2000

Admissions
  • Louisiana
  • Texas
  • 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 Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships
  • Member, Baton Rouge Bar Association
  • Member, Louisiana State Bar Association
  • Member, Federal Bar Association (Baton Rouge Chapter; Treasurer, 2009-2019; Secretary, 2008-2009; Chairman, Young Lawyers Division, 2006-2008)
  • Board Member, Louisiana Association of Non-Profit Organizations, 2015-2020
  • Member, Greater Baton Rouge Society for Human Resource Management
  • Member, Society for Human Resource Management
  • Member, Defense Research Institute
Articles, Publications and Presentations
Community Service
  • Board Member, Capital Area United Way, 2020-Present
  • Board of Trustees, LSU Law Center, 2003-2004
  • Belly-Up with the Bar Committee, Baton Rouge Bar Association, 2006-2007 (Law Day Committee, 2004; Volunteer Committee, 2004-2006; Law Expo Committee, 2006-2007)
  • Board Member, Hospice of Baton Rouge, 2006-2012 (Secretary/Treasurer, 2008-2012)
  • Board Member, Livingston Parish Parks and Recreation Board, 2014-2020
  • Board Member, Family Road of Greater Baton Rouge, 2016-2019
Super Lawyers
Scott D. Huffstetler - Super Lawyers Badge
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