Ved D. Chitale

Ved D. Chitale

Senior Counsel

Employment Attorney - Ved Chitale

As a Board-Certified Labor & Employment attorney, Ved Chitale regularly advises clients on various labor and employment issues such as discrimination, trade secrets, non-competes, non-solicits, unfair labor practice charges, FMLA, benefits policies, employment manuals and policies, wage and hour laws, employment contracts, worker’s compensation, WARN Act, OSHA, and more. Ved routinely reviews and drafts employment manuals, employee wage and hour classification policies, employment contracts, severance agreements, bonus agreements and more in a manner that best protects his clients’ interests. Ved also represents companies against charges or cases brought by government agencies such as the EEOC, the Department of Labor, NLRB, OSHA, and others.

 

A problem solver by nature, Ved anticipates issues prior to litigation and mitigates their impact. When litigation is imminent, Ved is quick to focus on the key issues to implement the best solution for his clients, whether that is settlement, dispositive motion practice, or trial.  Ved has litigated several dozens of wage and hour cases under the Fair Labor Standards Act in federal court, dozens of non-compete and non-solicit cases in state and federal court, and dozens of employment discrimination cases under the Texas Labor Code and Title VII in state and federal court. Ved has also litigated several trade secret cases on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants to resolution. Ved litigates breach of employment contract cases, fiduciary duty cases, and more in state court. Ved has substantial experience defending wage and hour collective and class actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Class Action Fairness Act.

 

Ved is fluent in Hindi and Marathi.

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Areas of Practice

  • Employment Litigation
  • Employment Counseling and Transactions

Education

  • University of Houston Law Center, Houston, Texas
    • J.D. – 2016
    • Mock Trial Team
    • UHLC Honor Court
  • Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
    • B.B.A. – 2009

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

Professional Recognition

Labor & Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • State Bar of Texas
  • Houston Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
  • South Asian Bar Association
  • Associated General Contractors, Houston Chapter

Representative Experience

  • Won Temporary Injunction in favor of construction company allowing the client to compete freely in the construction industry in Texas
  • Won summary judgment on behalf of several Defendants in a breach of contract/tortious interference case
  • Won several final judgments on Rule 52 Motions in ERISA disability benefits cases in the Southern District of Texas
  • Won full and final dismissal by Plaintiff of Fair labor Standards class and collective action on behalf of construction company in the Southern District of Texas – client paid nothing to Plaintiff
  • Defeated proposed nationwide Title VII sex discrimination and sex harassment class action in Southern District of Texas District Court on behalf of one of the country’s largest agricultural equipment dealerships
  • Won summary judgment motion in the Western District of Texas District Court in an ADEA case on behalf of major airline company
  • Defeated Plaintiffs’ Motion for Temporary Restraining Order in multimillion dollar trade secrets case.
  • Obtained full dismissal of citation by the Department of Labor and OSHA against a construction industry client
  • Settled a class action filed by plaintiff under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by reducing damages exposure from the nine figures to six figures
  • Settled a pregnancy discrimination case by reducing damages to less than one third of initial demand
  • Settled I-9 Audit by Department of Homeland Security
  • Settled several Department of Labor Investigations for clients accused of violating the FLSA
  • Settled several discrimination and retaliation claims at the agency investigations stage and in federal and state courts
  • Settled several individual and representative Fair labor Standards Act claims
  • Defending clients in overtime/minimum wage cases, including large collective and class actions
  • Defending clients against discrimination and retaliation claims, including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA
  • Prosecuting and defending clients in non-compete and non-solicit claims
  • Prosecuting and defending clients in secret trade misappropriation claims
  • Advising clients on various employment law matters including wage and hour laws, employment handbooks, EEO policies, restrictive covenants, labor law, internal investigations, human resources best practices, and more
  • Drafting employment policies, handbooks, benefits plans, executive agreements, severance agreements, contracts for employment, and leave policies
  • Conducting investigations and internal audits to ensure compliance with wage and hour law, immigration law (I-9), EEO laws, Title VII anti-discrimination and retaliation laws, and independent contractor status under the FLSA

Speeches & Publications

National Business Institute’s “Texas Employment Law 2024 – Wage and Hour Law: Best Practices and Developments”, October 2024

“Will the New Overtime Rule be Implemented,” AM Monthly Law Alert, August 2024

“A Closer Look at the FTC Final Rule,” AM Monthly Law Alert, May 2024

“Department of Labor is Trying to Raise Salary Thresholds Again,” AM Monthly Law Alert, March 2024

Will the FTC Enact a Ban on Non-Competes?,” AM Monthly Law Alert, February 2024

“Adverse Employment Actions May Not Need to Be Materially Adverse,” AM Monthly Law Alert, January 2024

“First Right of Refusal Under the Service Contract Act,” Am Monthly Law Alert, January 2024

“Labor Relations Training & Update” Associated General Contractors Houston Chapter Safety Meeting, October 2023

“Pregnant Workers Fairness Act,” AM Monthly Law Alert, April 2023

“PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act,” AM Monthly Law Alert, April 2023