SERVICES

The Law Office of Paul M. Gayle-Smith (PMG) is headed by Paul M. Gayle-Smith, a diversity consultant and attorney licensed to practice law by the states of both Florida and New Mexico. PMG provides a variety of responsive, sophisticated and innovative business solutions to comprehensively address the needs of its clients. Services include employment-related litigation defense and prosecution, alternative dispute resolution, legal counseling/management consulting and training, diversity and affirmative action plan design and monitoring. PMG also provides a variety of student and employment focused services to educational institutions, groups and individuals.

PMG represents both plaintiffs and defendants in all areas of its practice and accepts consulting assignments, projects and cases from across Florida and New Mexico, including Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Pensacola, Las Cruces, Santa Fe and Albuquerque. PMG also accepts employment and other cases within the federal court system of Texas (especially in El Paso) and other states. PMG accepts other types of civil cases from other states on a case-by-case basis, as permitted by the pro hac vice rules of the state courts in question.

Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Counseling/Management Consulting, Training, Litigation Avoidance, Affirmative Action Plans, Diversity Initiatives.

LITIGATION
PMG provides litigation services regarding all employment-related laws and regulations including, but not limited to, Sections 1981 and 1983, Titles VI and VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Equal Pay Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), EEO charges (both internal and external),and other federal, state and local requirements, including the New Mexico Human Rights Act which also prohibits sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in employment, housing, credit and public accommodation throughout the state by almost all employers.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Traditional litigation is often expensive, time consuming and unpredictable. PMG encourages and utilizes alternative dispute resolution (ADR) whenever possible and when in the best interests of the client. PMG can design or review existing internal ADR programs and provide management training to maximize ADR effectiveness. Types of ADR programs available include mediation, ombudsmen, peer review boards, and voluntary and mandatory arbitration.

COUNSELING/MANAGEMENT CONSULTING

PMG assists employers in responding to employment discrimination law suits, internal EEO charges and EEO charges from administrative agencies and other third-parties. Specifically, PMG provides guidance regarding compliance with equal employment opportunity and affirmative action laws and regulations including, but not limited to, Sections 1981 and 1983, Titles VI and VII, ADA, ADEA, the Equal Pay Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the FMLA, the FLSA, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regulations, and other federal, state and local requirements.

TRAINING

LITIGATION AVOIDANCE

PMG believes that prevention is the best and most cost-effective method of addressing workplace non-discrimination requirements and diversity challenges. Experience shows that existence of well-designed and uniformly applied work-place polices and practices both reduces the number of discrimination lawsuits and provides the best-defense to any discrimination suits actually filed.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLANS

DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

For federal contractors and non-federal contractors alike, PMG advises on implementing lawful diversity initiatives and voluntary AAPs, set-aside, and vendor and franchisee preference programs; counsels on affirmative action coverage issues; and conducts preventive analyses during downsizing.