Overview
Matt Simpson is a partner in the firm’s Atlanta office. He represents management in all areas of labor and employment law in state and federal courts as well as before state and federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the United States Department of Labor. He is also the co-chair of the Automobile Dealers Industry Group.
Class and Collective Action Employment Litigation
Matt’s litigation practice is focused on the defense of class and collective actions. He has handled numerous collective actions involving claims for unpaid wages pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and represents both employers and consumer reporting agencies in class actions brought under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). His class and collective action experience includes:
- Defeating class certification in FCRA class action against consumer reporting agency alleging reporting of inaccurate background information on behalf of approximately 14,000 potential class members;
- Representation of national retail employer in FCRA class action alleging failure to provide stand-alone disclosures on behalf of approximately 3,500 potential class members;
- Representation of employer in multi-state FLSA and state law class and collective action alleging off-the-clock work on behalf of more than 1,500 opt-in class members;
- Representation of call center employer in multi-state FLSA and state law class and collective action alleging off-the-clock work on behalf of more than 900 opt-in employees; and
- Representation of Fortune 500 company in FLSA and state law class and collective action alleging misclassification of highly compensated white collar employees claiming multi-million dollars in back wage liability.
Matt also defends employers against single and multi-plaintiff claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination brought under various federal and state laws.
Human Resources Advice and Counseling
In addition to his litigation practice, Matt regularly counsels employers and their managers on "preventive" employee relations. This includes advice on employee background screening and selection, drug and alcohol testing, wage and hour compliance, harassment investigations, and disciplinary strategies. Matt drafts employment applications, employee handbooks, arbitration agreements, confidentiality agreements, and non-compete, non-solicitation, and severance agreements. He conducts regular employment and wage-hour assessments, as well as management training, for his clients to ensure that they continue to comply with changing laws and regulations.
Representative Clients and Industry Knowledge
Matt is a member of the firm’s Dealership and Education Practice Groups, where he works regularly with his auto dealer and school clients to provide practical solutions to day-to-day employment issues. In addition, Matt routinely represents employers in the background check services, call center, hospitality, retail, and recruiting/staffing industries in single and multi-plaintiff litigation in both state and federal courts.