Kathryn E. Long

Shareholder

Direct Dial: 214.979.7406

E-Mail: klong@vilolaw.com

Ms. Long is a member of the Firm’s School Law, Governmental Liability, and Labor & Employment Practice Groups. Ms. Long focuses her practice on representing school districts and governmental entities in grievances, administrative hearings, and litigation and appeals in Texas state and federal courts. She has defended school districts and governmental entities against Title VII, Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family Medical Leave Act, and Texas Whistleblower Act claims. She has also defended numerous 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights actions brought against governmental entity clients, including various First Amendment, Equal Protection, and procedural and substantive Due Process claims.

Ms. Long also represents individuals, small businesses, and large corporations in a variety of commercial litigation including contract disputes, construction litigation, fiduciary litigation, premises liability, and products liability claims

Representative Experience

School Law

• Obtained dismissal of claims breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, and unconstitutional takings related to competitively bid $40 million technology contract
• Obtained dismissal in multiple lawsuits of former employees’ Texas Whistleblower Act claims
• Obtained summary judgment in multiple lawsuits brought by former employees alleging violations of Title VII, TCHRA, ADEA, ADA, and FMLA
• Defend school district in student civil rights litigation involving alleged violations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, ADA, and IDEA
• Defend school district against multiple lawsuits filed on behalf of students alleging Equal Protection and procedural and substantive Due Process violations arising out of student discipline, student abuse, and student assault
• Defend school district against lawsuits filed by former employees relating to alleged breach of contract, 42 U.S.C. § 1983 Equal Protection, substantive and procedural Due Process claims
• Obtained complete defense jury verdict for school district principal against First Amendment retaliation claim
• Defend school district in bench trial against Title VI and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 equal protection claims
• Represent school administration in employee grievances and TEA Chapter 21 contract hearings

Governmental Liability

• Obtained dismissal of former employee’s Texas Whistleblower Act claim
• Obtained summary judgment against former employee’s age discrimination and hostile work environment claims
• Obtained dismissal on jurisdictional grounds of former employees’ claims of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation
• Defend governmental entity against wrongful death claim
• Defend governmental entity against negligence and premises liability claims under the Texas Tort Claims Act
• Counsel governmental entity regarding Fair Labor Standards Act practices

Commercial and Construction Litigation

• Represent Fortune 500 industrial construction company in pursuit of multi-million dollar claims in construction contract case arising from construction of combined-cycle power plant
• Defend product designer and manufacturer in construction litigation against claims for breach of contract, breach of warranty, and products liability
• Represent company prosecuting breach of contract claim relating to the sale of computer hardware to commercial airline company
• Defend CEO of a Fortune 500 international oil services and construction company in multi-billion dollar class action federal securities litigation under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
• Represent energy company in preparation of an MWBE program to obtain a competitively bid government contract for the largest oil and gas lease in Texas history
• Defend large energy company against breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty claims arising from oil and gas lease
• Defend financial institution and sub-prime lender in federal class action consumer litigation under FDCPA
• Represent industrial construction company in international arbitration in pursuit of construction contract claims
• Represent property owner in pursuit of contract and tort claims under the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act
• Defend large international hotel chain against multi-million dollar claims for wrongful death
• Represent international financial institution in the enforcement of its design and service marks for trademark infringement
• Defend trustee in commercial and fiduciary litigation relating to joint venture of land on Barnett Shale
• Defend corporation and corporate officers against claims for violations of Texas Securities Act

Education

• SMU Dedman School of Law, J.D., 2003; Associate Symposium Editor, SMU Law Review
• Austin College, B.A., International Studies, 1998; Hatton W. Sumner Scholar

Admissions

• State of Texas, 2003
• U.S. District Court for the Northern, Eastern, Western, and Southern Districts of Texas
• U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Recent Notable Cases

• Delcom Group, LP v. Dallas Independent School District, No. 05-11-01259-CV, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 6901 (Tex. App.—Dallas, Aug. 17, 2012, no pet.)
• Mullins v. Dallas Independent School District, 357 S.W.3d 188 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2012, pet. denied)
• Wilson v. Dallas Independent School District, No. 05-11-00468-CV, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 6738 (Tex. App.—Dallas, Aug. 13, 2012, no pet.)

Professional Memberships, Honors & Presentations

• Texas Monthly has named Ms. Long as a “Rising Star” in its 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Texas Super Lawyers editions. Less than 2.5% of Texas attorneys under the age of 40 are named to the “Rising Stars” list each year.
• Member Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas Association of School Boards, and Council of School Attorneys
• Reading, Writing, and Reprimand: The ABC’s of the Law Within the Schoolhouse Gates - presentation for June 2011 Human Resources Legal Symposium for large, urban school district
• Putting the Pieces Together: The Texas Whistleblower Act’s Jurisdictional Puzzle - prepared presentation for September 2011 Dallas Bar Association Labor & Employment Section meeting
• Protecting and Defending Employees’ Claims Under the Texas Whistleblower Act – prepared presentation for May 2012 meeting for Texas Risk Council Management Fund