Five Haynes and Boone, LLP partners from four offices are featured in the 2021 edition of the Lawdragon 500 listing of the nation’s leading employment lawyers: Jesse Gelsomini, Jason Habinsky, Chris Kang, Laura O’Donnell, and Susan Wetzel. The prestigious directory spans various practices, including labor & employment counseling and litigation and executive compensation & benefits practices.
In compiling the 15th edition of the directory, Lawdragon said it retained editorial advisors specializing in employment law to vet thousands of candidates. It selected lawyers who have had a significant impact representing employers with their most pressing issues, Lawdragon said, adding that a lawyer must have been in practice at least 10 years, with extremely rare exceptions, to make the guide.
The following Haynes Boone lawyers were included in the directory:
Houston Partner Jesse Gelsomini (Executive Compensation & Benefits). Named the 2021 "Lawyer of the Year" in the Houston metropolitan area for employee benefits (ERISA) law by Best Lawyers (Woodward/White, Inc.), Jesse helps clients in all industries efficiently resolve matters related to employee benefits, ERISA, and executive compensation.
New York Partner Jason Habinsky (Labor & Employment). Jason is the chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. He uses an approach guided by years of experience to help develop creative strategies aimed at resolving his clients’ potentially volatile employment law matters before they escalate.
Dallas Partner Chris Kang (Executive Compensation & Benefits). Chris serves as a trusted adviser to numerous companies, financial institutions, private investment fund sponsors, and tax-exempt entities with respect to complex matters involving employee benefits, ERISA, and executive compensation and is a go-to person for financial institutions and investment funds for practical advice and solutions on ERISA-related matters.
San Antonio Partner Laura O’Donnell (Labor & Employment Litigation). Laura is co-chair of the firm's Litigation Practice Group and heads the firm’s Wage and Hour Litigation group. Laura is board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Her practice includes employment litigation, client counseling, executive investigations, executive agreements, nationwide employment-law compliance projects, and employment aspects of M&A and other corporate transactions.
Dallas Partner Susan Wetzel (Executive Compensation & Benefits). Susan is the chair of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group. She counsels employers, executives and members of corporate boards regarding design, implementation, and compliance issues relating to retirement plans, welfare plans, employee benefits, executive compensation, and mergers and acquisitions.
Haynes and Boone, LLP is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City, and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With 600 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It was recognized for excellence in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2021 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.
