H. Mark Adams

About Mark's Practice

For more than 30 years, H. Mark Adams has counseled employers on the development of effective human resource policies, procedures and strategies for complying with federal and state labor and employment laws and limiting exposure to employment claims and litigation as well as government agency investigations and defended the interests of employers in federal and state courts, arbitrations, and agency proceedings. Mr. Adams founded Jones Walker's Labor Relations & Employment Practice and served as its chair until 2006. He also served as a member of Jones Walker's Executive Committee from 2001-2006 and helped lead the firm's recovery from Hurricane Katrina. Under Mr. Adams' leadership, Jones Walker's labor and employment practice achieved a tier one ranking from Chambers USA -- America's Leading Lawyers For Business and has maintained it's tier one ranking every year since 2004. Mr. Adams is a frequent speaker at national, regional and local professional meetings, conferences, and seminars and has authored numerous papers and articles for professional and trade journals.

Education

• University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D., 1981
  - Board of Editors, Mississippi Law Journal
• Mississippi State University, B.A., with honors, 1976

Major Publications & Speaking Engagements

• Editor, Louisiana Employment Law Letter (since 1992)
• Contributing Editor, Southeast Employment Law Letter
• Quoted, "Employers in Limbo After Latest Development on OSHA's vax rule," HR Daily Advisor, November 8, 2021
• Co-Author, "5th Circuit rejects disability discrimination claim based on alcoholism," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, June 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, May 26, 2021
• Quoted, "Walsh's DOL Expected to Chart More Employee-Friendly Course," HR Daily Advisor, March 24, 2021
• Quoted, "Employers Exploring What Changes a Biden Administration Will Bring," HR Daily Advisor, November 9, 2020
• Quoted, "New York Court Expands FFCRA Paid Leave, But Ruling May Not Be Last Word," HR Daily Advisor, August 5, 2020
• Co-Author, "EEOC puts off EEO-1 surveys until 2021," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, July 2020, and HR Daily Advisor, May 13, 2020
• Interviewed, "You Failed to Submit Component 2 of the EEO-1: Now What?" HR Daily Advisor, August 20, 2019
• Interviewed, "What Happens If You Don't File Your EEO-1 Component 2 Compensation Data?" HR Works Podcast, August 6, 2019
• Co-Author, "No, Henny Penny, the Sky Isn't Falling: EEO-1 Pay Data Portal Goes Live Soon," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, July 2019, and HR Daily Advisor, July 12, 2019
• Quoted, "New SCOTUS Proemployee Ruling Not a Big Change for Employers," HR Daily Advisor, June 6, 2019
• Author, "Quick 10: short answers to 10 common workplace questions," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, June 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, July 17, 2018
• Quoted, "Employers can play vital role when natural disaster strikes," Human Resources News, September 1, 2017
• Quoted, "Use of hidden surveillance cameras in workplace comes with pros, cons," HR Hero Line, January 27, 2017
• Co-Author, "Perils of ambiguous, inconsistently enforced social media policies," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, November 2015, and Technology for HR Blog, March 24, 2016
• Quoted, "Know what to do when a workplace injury prompts an OSHA investigation," HR Hero Line, February 12, 2016
• Quoted, "Risky business to muzzle employee claiming harassment," HR Hero Line, October 2, 2015
• Co-Author, "Sex discrimination in Louisiana: You must be this tall to be a PPO," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, August 2015, and HR.BLR.com, September 17, 2015
• Quoted, "Employer can--and should--investigate off-duty dispute between employees," HR Hero Line, August 28, 2015
• Author, "Long wait for Dodd-Frank standards turns out to be much ado about nothing," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, July 2015, and Diversity Insight, August 16, 2015
• Co-Author, "Nonreligious observance may require religious accommodation," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, November 2014, and Diversity Insight, July 19, 2015
• Quoted, "Stay legal when tackling exempt workers' tardiness, poor attendance," HR Hero Line, July 8, 2015
• Quoted, "Sniffing out an ADA case: Aromatherapy at work sparks questions," HR Hero Line, April 10, 2015
• Quoted, "Be wary when employees 'volunteer' to work through lunch," HR Hero Line, October 17, 2014
• Co-Author, "New Louisiana law prohibits employers from seeking social media passwords," Human Resources News, July 10, 2014
• Quoted, "Common question of the season: Can employees be required to take a flu shot?" HR Hero Line, November 15, 2013
• Quoted, "Making sure promotion decision isn't discriminatory is no laughing matter," HR Hero Line, August 30, 2013
• Panelist, "The 2012 Election and the Future of Labor and Employment Law" audio conference (July 23, 2009, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Panelist, "Employment Law Experts on Obama Labor & Enforcement Agenda" Employers Counsel Network Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, (April 27, 2012)
• Speaker, "FMLA Master Class," New Orleans, LA (October 19, 2011, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Presenter, "EEOC Nightmares: How to Cope and Not Lose Sleep Over EEOC Investigations," Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, Las Vegas, NV (Sept. 25-26, 2008, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Panelist, "Bottom Line: The One Thing You Must Know About 10 Employment Law Issues" and "True Costs of Litigating: When to Fold, When to Fight," Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, Nashville, TN (Oct. 18-19, 2007, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Speaker, "ADA Master Class," New Orleans, LA (Oct. 16, 2007, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Speaker, "FMLA Master Class," New Orleans, LA (Apr. 24, 2007, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Panelist, "Lessons From Living Through Disaster," Bar Leaders Disaster Planning Conference (Jan., 27, 2007, Los Angeles County Bar Association)
• Speaker, "When Disaster Strikes: Legal Requirements and Potential Claims," University of Houston Law Foundation, Advanced Employment Law for Employers and Employment Lawyers (Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2006, Dallas, TX; Dec. 7-8, 2006, Houston, TX)
• Panelist, "Seven Habits of Highly Effective Crisis Managers," Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, Las Vegas, NV (Nov. 9-10, 2006, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Speaker, "When Disaster Strikes: The Legal and Human Resources Response," South Texas College of Law, Employment Law Conference, Houston, TX (July 13-14, 2006)
• Interview, "New Orleans Law Firm Survives Katrina, Helps Stricken Clients," Best Practices in HR, Issue 82 (Dec. 3, 2005)

Professional Recognition

• Listed in Super Lawyers
• Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America

Admitted to Practice

Louisiana; Mississippi