Allison B. Williams

Biography

Allison Williams epitomizes the phrase “people hire people they like and trust,” and she also realizes that when people hire her as their lawyer, they expect action, which she relentlessly provides.  Allison’s clients range from small, locally owned businesses to large, multi-national corporations. Across the board, clients appreciate her personalized approach and her ability to tailor the legal team and scope of work to solve the issue at hand.

Allison regularly counsels clients on a wide variety of labor and employment issues, and she has a particular passion for helping employers craft strategies to help avoid, or minimize, the impact of litigation. She is frequently involved in hiring and firing decisions with her clients, including drafting employment contracts, disciplinary documentation, and separation agreements. If litigation is unavoidable, Allison is completely comfortable in a courtroom where she is able to play to her strengths of remaining composed and relatable.

Allison offers assistance to employers in a wide-range of businesses and enjoys learning about diverse industries and the labor and employment issues unique to that industry. When you visit her office, ask to see her airplane engine components, and she will tell you about her experience litigating AIR21 claims, GARA issues, and her broad-range experience with Part 135 and Part 91 aircraft operations.

In addition, Allison also has a passion for her higher education clients. For them she has defended Title IX litigation and provided counseling, mediated faculty and staff grievances, and counseled institutions about a plethora of issues from FERPA to FMLA to ADA compliance and beyond.

Within the firm, Allison is a respected colleague and is a member of the Employment Litigation Practice Group and serves as the assistant practice group leader and also serves on the Recruiting Committee.

Representative Experience

  • Assisted telemarketing company with an involuntary reduction in force
  • Counseled healthcare company on an involuntary reduction in force involving multiple sites and employees
  • Counseled employers regarding application of the WARN Act
  • Defends unionized employers in labor arbitrations in multiple states
  • Advised national employer on sexual harassment situation involving supervisor and subordinate
  • Successfully defended national wood products manufacturer in deliberate intent matter
  • Resolved FMLA claims brought by staff for national in-home care organization
  • Resolved dispute between long term care facility and staff member alleging discrimination
  • Defended grievance for discipline of K-12 educator in violation of IT policy
  • Defended higher education institution against claims by former student relating to disciplinary action
  • Obtained summary judgment for defamation matter for statements made in the media
  • Successfully defended resort in matter alleging improper entry into hotel room by intoxicated guest
  • Defended grievance of K-12 service personnel over transfer disagreement
  • Defended higher education institution in litigation concerning termination of administrator
  • Prepared non-compete agreements for sales staff of regional newspaper
  • Secured summary judgment for casino operator in personal injury and discrimination claim
  • Defended employers in actions before the West Virginia Human Rights Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Department of Labor
  • Defended public employers in actions before the Public Employees Grievance Board

Licensed In

  • Pennsylvania
  • West Virginia

Education

  • J.D. West Virginia University College of Law
  • B.A. Dickinson College

Memberships

  • Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia
  • West Virginia State Bar Association
  • Harrison County Bar Association
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • Former Board Member, Harrison County Chamber of Commerce
  • Member, West Virginia Airport Managers Association
  • Member, Society for Human Resource Managers
  • Editor, Mid-South Employment Law Letter (West Virginia)
  • United Way of Harrison County
  • Graduate, Leadership Harrison

Achievements

  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation – Labor and Employment (2021-Present)
  • Super Lawyers Rising Stars®, Employment Litigation Law, Employment & Labor Law, Bridgeport, WV (2013-2020)
  • 2022 TerraLex Leadership Program

Speaking Engagements

  • Presenter, “Anatomy of a WV Human Rights Commission Charge – What to Do and Expect Once You’ve Been Served”

Related Services

Related News & Resources

Speaker Event
Steptoe & Johnson attorneys Michael Moore, Anthony Caldera, Jack Merinar, David Morrison, T...
Hosted Event | Speaker Event
Steptoe & Johnson’s Allison Williams presented at the October 2024 NCWV SHRM Meeting ...
Press Release
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Steptoe & Johnson PLLC is pleased to announce that 135 of the firm’...

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