Lariza Hebert is an associate in the firm’s Houston office.  She represents clients in a broad range of labor and employment matters, including unlawful discrimination claims, harassment claims, retaliation claims, independent contractor issues, employee leave issues, trade secret litigation, and more. 

Lariza has litigated before state, federal, and administrative agencies, and has participated in dispute resolutions before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Texas Workforce Commission.  

Obtained summary judgment in the Southern District of Texas for a global energy client against a plaintiff who brought age discrimination and retaliation claims under the ADEA .

Prior to joining Fisher Phillips, Lariza began her career in-house at a large grocery retailer, where she frequently drafted employee policies and advised on compliance. 

Experience

• Obtained complete dismissal (failure to state a claim) in the Western District of Texas for a PEO client in a multi-plaintiff FLSA case.
• Obtained summary judgment in the Southern District of Texas for a food processing client against a plaintiff who brought various causes of action including disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, and retaliation claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act, race discrimination and retaliation under Title VII, race discrimination under Section 1981, and interference and retaliation under the Family Medical Leave Act.
• Obtained summary judgment in the Southern District of Texas for an energy manufacturing company against a plaintiff who brought race discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII.
• Obtained summary judgment in the Western District of Texas for a food processing client against a plaintiff who brought multiple causes of action, including disability discrimination and failure to accommodate claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act; affirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Obtained summary judgment in the Northern District of Texas for an automotive company against a plaintiff who brought eight causes of action, including claims for disability discrimination and retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and interference and retaliation under the Family Medical Leave Act. 
• Obtained arbitration award arising from collective bargaining relationship for manufacturing client.
• Obtained trial verdict in favor of automotive dealership client in Texas state court finding certain workers were independent contractors and not employees. 
• Obtained early summary judgment in the Southern District of Texas for an energy client based on a prior agreement against a former employee who brought claims alleging race and disability discrimination and retaliation.
• Obtained partial summary judgement for oil and gas company against plaintiff who brought claims of race discrimination and retaliation. 

Professional Activities

• Member, Bexar County Women’s Bar Association
• Member, San Antonio Bar Association
• Member, Houston Young Lawyers Association
• Member, Texas Aggie Bar Association
• Member, Houston Bar Association

News

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

• "A Practical Guide to Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace" & "Workplace Violence Prevention"
  2018 HR Houston Gulf Coast Symposium
  5.9.2018
• Presented on Employment Legal Updates
  Club Management Association of America Business Management Institute
  5.2.2018
• "Austin’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance"
  Texas Retailer’s Association Forum, panel speaker 
  7.22.2018
• Presented on the #MeToo Movement
  CUE Southwest Employers Consortium, 
  7.25.2018
• "How and Why the Weinstein Effect Requires Every Employer to Re-examine Its Harassment Prevention Practices"
  Greater Houston Society for Healthcare Risk Management (“GHSHRM”)
  2.1.18
• "LGBT Workers: What Employers Should Know"
  Central Texas Human Resource Management Association
  10.12.17

Articles

• Term vs. Termination: Clauses That Create Problems in Employee Agreements
  Co-Author Kevin Troutman
  Houston Medical Journal
  August 2017

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Legal Alerts

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