Derek Lipscombe
Biography
Derek Lipscombe is a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group in Haynes Boone’s Dallas office. Derek advises employers on complex labor and employment matters, drawing on extensive experience as both in-house and outside counsel. He counsels clients on employee relations, workforce reorganizations, wage-and-hour compliance, disability accommodation, internal investigations, workplace policies, union organizing activity, collective bargaining issues, and grievance and arbitration proceedings. He helps employers assess the labor and employment implications of operational decisions and develop practical strategies to reduce legal risk while advancing business objectives.
Derek represents large national employers, including companies with union and nonunion workforces across manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, retail, and other business operations. His practice encompasses single-plaintiff and class action litigation, administrative agency proceedings, unfair labor practice matters, labor arbitrations, and other employment-related disputes. He also works closely with legal, human resources, compliance, and business leaders to conduct sensitive investigations, develop and implement training programs, manage outside counsel and litigation strategies, and respond proactively to changes in labor and employment law.
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- Toyota Motor North America (2015-2026): Provided day-to-day advice/counseling for unionized and non-unionized workforce including Company’s largest manufacturing facility in the world; managed both single-plaintiff and class action litigation and labor arbitrations; responded to administrative matters with NLRB, EEOC, OSHA, DOL and state-related agencies; assisted with collective bargaining negotiations.
- JCPenney (2011-2015): Provided day-to-day advice/counseling for retail stores and warehouses, including all stores in California; managed class action litigation; responded to administrative matters with EEOC, OSHA, DOL and state-related agencies.
- Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA Texas) (2004-2011): Lead counsel on various matters in both California state courts and arbitration, including successful trial in Orange County Superior Court 2006 on discrimination/wrongful termination lawsuit brought by two long-term employees; provided day-to-day advice/counseling; managed class action litigation; responded to administrative matters with various state and federal agencies.
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- The Texas Lawbook Foundation, Co-Chair, 2025; Board Member, 2023-Present
- Association of Corporate Counsel
- Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter, Board President 2019-2021; First Vice President 2018-2019; Board member from 2016-2024
- National Member of Employment and Labor Law Network (ELLN) Labor Subcommittee, 2019 - present; Vice President 2022-2023; Chair 2024-2025
- Member of Steering Committee for State Bar’s Texas Minority Counsel Program, 2019-present; cochair In-House Counsel Involvement Committee, 2019, 2020
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- 2024 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Lifetime Achievement from Association of Corporate Counsel (DFW Chapter) and Texas Lawbook
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- Labor Relations in 2025: New Playbook, New Challenges, New Strategies, Association of Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting, October 20, 2025 (Panel with NLRB General Counsel, Crystal S. Carey; Michael Kenneally, Morgan Lewis)
- What In-House Counsel Should Know About The Dockworkers Strike, Association of Corporate Counsel, October 3, 2024
- Eliminating Forced Labor in your Workplace and Supply Chains – A Discussion on Traditional and Innovative Practices, Association of Corporate Counsel, November 9, 2023
- Campaign Under Fire: A Tabletop Exercise, Association of Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting, October 24, 2023
- Collin County Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section Meeting, Pro Bono Focus, October 11, 2018
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Education
- J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1994
- M.A., Journalism, Northwestern University, 1988
- B.A., Journalism, Political Science, Northwestern University, 1988
Admissions
- California
- Texas
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What labor and employment issues do you help employers address?
I advise employers on employee relations both for unionized and non-union employers, workforce reorganizations, wage-and-hour compliance, leave-related issues, discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination matters, disability and religious accommodations, workplace policies, and internal investigations. I also help clients evaluate the labor and employment implications of operational decisions and develop practical strategies that support business objectives while reducing legal risk.
How do you support employers with union and nonunion workforces?
I counsel companies with both union and nonunion workforces on union organizing activity, collective bargaining issues, grievances, and labor arbitration proceedings. For nonunion workforces, I focus on servant-leadership training for front-line supervisors. My work also includes handling unfair labor practice matters, arbitrations and other disputes involving labor relations.
What types of employment disputes do you handle?
I represent employers in single-plaintiff and class action litigation, administrative agency proceedings, labor arbitrations, and other employment-related disputes. I work with legal and business teams on pre-litigation and litigation strategy.
Which industries and business functions do you work with?
I represent large national employers across manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, retail, and other business operations. I work closely with legal, human resources, compliance, and business leaders on investigations, training, employment policies, and changes in labor and employment law.