Joanne Vorpahl is a partner in the litigation practice of Porter & Hedges and was appointed as the firm's Litigation Practice Group Leader in 2009.  Her practice focuses on employment and commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation, including representation of parties to disputes involving allegations of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, theft of trade secrets, and violation of non-competition and other employment agreements, as well as wage and hour, unemployment, workers compensation and related issues.  In 2008, Ms. Vorpahl was named in Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition in the area of Employment and Labor. She has been selected as a “Texas Super Lawyer” in Employment Litigation in surveys conducted by Texas Monthly each year since 2004. She was also recognized as one of "Houston's Top Lawyers for the People" in the area of Labor & Employment by H Texas Magazine in 2007 and 2009.

Ms. Vorpahl has substantial experience representing employers before administrative agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Texas Commission on Human Rights, the Texas Workforce Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Ms. Vorpahl also engages in substantial client counseling and investigation of employment claims. As well, she represents secured lenders in collection and contractual disputes with borrowers and handles other complex commercial litigation.

Representative Experience

• Trial counsel for a FORTUNE 100 company in a suit involving multimillion-dollar contract and tort claims brought by an independent contractor of a company whose assets it acquired.
• Lead counsel for a FORTUNE 500 company in multimillion-dollar litigation brought by former executives over contractual change-in-control provisions.
• Lead counsel for both public and private companies in lawsuits alleging workers compensation retaliation.
• Lead counsel in defending OSHA retaliation claims.
• Lead counsel for companies of various sizes in lawsuits alleging race, age, national origin, disability, gender, and other unlawful discrimination.
• Lead counsel for federal employees prosecuting claims of disability discrimination and retaliation.
• Lead counsel for numerous entities of various sizes before the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Commission on Human Rights, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Representation of numerous persons and entities in lawsuits and disputes involving trade secret and related issues.
• Representation of numerous persons and entities in lawsuits and disputes over contractual covenants not to compete.
• Trial counsel for telecommunications firm and individual employees defending charges of sexual harassment and discrimination.
• Lead counsel for pharmaceutical sales company seeking recovery of over $1 million of embezzled funds.
• Investigative counsel for numerous employers in formal discrimination, harassment and retaliation complaints.
• Representation of a major asset-based lender as lead counsel in collection and lender liability litigation.

Professional / Civic Affiliations

• Martindale Hubbell AV Rated Attorney
• Member of the State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Bar Association of the 5th Federal Circuit
• Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation
• Member of the College of the State Bar of Texas
• Served as a director and the treasurer of the labor and employment section of the Houston Bar Association
  

News

• 2009 Texas Super Lawyers Announced (9/28/2009)
• Joanne Vorpahl Named as Litigation Practice Group Leader (1/1/2009)
• 2008 Super Lawyers Announced (9/17/2008)
• Porter & Hedges' Attorneys Named in Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition (8/13/2008)
• Seventy percent of Porter & Hedges' Attorneys Named as 2007 Texas Super Lawyers (9/17/2007)
• 27 Porter & Hedges' Attorneys Named as 2006 Texas Super Lawyers (9/25/2006)
• Seventy Percent of Porter & Hedges' Partners Selected as Super Lawyers (10/1/2005)

Publications

• Managing Editor, Houston Law Review (1981-1982).
• "English-Only Policies," SmartBusiness Houston (July 2007) (7/1/2007)
• "Noncompete Agreements and Related Issues: Protecting Confidential Information (Or Can Your Client Start a New Business Without Getting Sued)," University of Houston, Advanced Labor & Employment Law Seminar (3/20/2007)
• What Steps Should An Employer Take Upon Learning An Employee May Be Planning to Leave the Company to Join a Competitor? (8/5/2005)
• Employers Need To Have Policies In Place And Should Follow Them (6/11/2004)
• Survey: In Light Of Enron, What Is One Piece Of Advice About Their Retirement Plans You Would Give To Employees? "Review Portfolio Often" (2/11/2002)
• Non-Competition Agreements May Not Hold Up In Court (11/28/1997)
• “Securities and Lending—Is the Pledge of Stock as Collateral for a Loan a Transaction to be Regulated Under Federal Securities Law?” 19 Houston Law Review 277 (1/1/1982)

Events

• "Noncompete Agreements and Related Issues: Protecting Confidential Information (Or Can Your Client Start a New Business Without Getting Sued)," University of Houston, Advanced Labor & Employment Law Seminar (3/20/2007)
• "Document Retention and Destruction,” American Society of Women Accountants (9/27/2005)
• “Labor And Employment Issues Of Document Retention And Destruction: Best Policies And Practices,” Document Retention and Destruction in Texas, Lorman Education Seminar (8/26/2005)
• “Labor And Employment Issues Of Document Retention And Destruction: Best Policies And Practices,” Document Retention and Destruction in Texas, Lorman Education Seminar (8/24/2004)
• “How Do You Fire the Troublesome Employee,” and “Employment Policies Your Business Can’t Do Without,” Construction and Real Estate: Latest Industry Trends, Challenges and Tips, firm seminar (11/11/2003)