Carla Cotropia
Carla leads the firm's Labor and Employment Law group where she specializes in employment law, mediation, arbitration and workshops designed to prevent discrimination and harassment lawsuits.
Carla has been practicing employment law since 1980, having tried her first sexual harassment case in l986 in Benton v. The Kroger Co., 640 F. Supp. 1317. She is Board Certified in Employment and Labor Law and has litigated not only harassment cases but civil rights, Title VII, gender, disability, age and national origin cases for both plaintiffs and defendants. Carla is also an employment mediator and has served as a mediator for the Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division. She is on the panel for employment mediations and arbitrations for the American Arbitration Association. She is listed in Super Lawyer from 2004 - 2010. Carla counsels employers concerning ongoing employee matters, and conducts The Cotropia Workshops, which provide discrimination and harassment trainings.
Areas of Practice
- Employment Law
- Mediation
- Arbitration
- Discrimination and Harassment
Certified Legal Specialties
- Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1980
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
Education
- Baylor University School of Law, Waco, Texas
- J.D. - 1980
- Texas A & M University-College Station, College Station, Texas
- B.A. (Cum Laude) - 1977
Classes/Seminars
- Lecture, What Works In Arbitration and Mediation From An Arbitrator's And Mediator's Perspective., Houston Bar Association, Houston, Texas, June 4, 2010
- Lecture, Preventing Sexual Harassment Cases, 2003
- Lecture, Choosing and Courting a Jury - The Focus Group - How It Can Aid in Choosing Your Jury, 2002
- Lecture, Investigation Allegations of Sexual Harassment, 2002
- Lecture, Sexual Harassment Issues, 2001
- Lecture, Jury Selection in the New Millennium, 2000
- Lecture, Sexual Harassment: Managing Risks Related to Employment, 2000
- Lecture, Sexual Harassment, 1999
- Lecture, Texas Harassment Training for Faculty Members and Staff, 1998
- Lecture, Employment Retaliation Litigation: An Overview, 1998
- Lecture, Employee Status Issues, 1996
- Lecture, Confidentiality Issues in Employment Law, 1996
- Lecture, Governmental Liability in Employment, 1995
- Lecture, Sexual Harassment and Work Place Damage Claims, 1995
- Lecture, Public Law Update, 1995
- Lecture, Update on Texas Cases Affecting Governmental Bodies, 1994
- Lecture, Emotional Torts in the Workplace, 1994
- Lecture, How to Avoid Employment Law Litigation, 1993
- Lecture, What You Absolutely Can and Cannot Do: The Legal Aspect of the ADA, 1992
- Lecture, Sexual Harassment, 1992
- Working with Legal Counsel, Executive Director/Staff, 1992
- Lecture, The Use of Summary Judgments in 42 USC 1983 Cases, 1985
- The Cotropia Workshops, Director
Honors and Awards
- Texas Super Lawyer, Employment Litigation, 2010
- Texas Super Lawyer, Employment Litigation, 2009
- Texas Super Lawyer, Employment Litigation, 2008
- Texas Super Lawyer, Employment Litigation, 2007
- Texas Super Lawyer, Employment Litigation, 2006
- Texas Super Lawyer, Employment Litigation, 2005
- Voted one of the Top Lawyers for the People, H Texas Magazine, 2005
- Texas Super Lawyer, Employment Litigation, 2004
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Arbitration Association, Panel, Employment Mediations and Arbitrations
- National Arbitration and Mediation Company(NAM), Panel, Employment Mediations and Arbitrations
- American Bar Association, Member
- Galveston Bar Association, Member
- Houston Bar Association, Member
