Joseph Y. Ahmad Partner 3460 One Houston Center 1221 McKinney Street Houston, Texas 77010-2009 Phone: 713 655-1101 Fax: 713 655-0062 email: joeahmad@azalaw.com* Joseph Y. Ahmad, a shareholder in the law firm of Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Anaipakos, P.C. of Houston, Texas, is board-certified in labor and employment law and primarily represents employees in employment related litigation. Mr. Ahmad has been recognized as one of the best lawyers in America and is one of only a handful or lawyers in Houston to be selected by his peers in the 2003-2004 publication of "Best Lawyers in America." He was also recognized as one of the leading Employment & Labor Law attorneys in "Chambers USA America's Leading Business Lawyers 2003-2004." Having tried over 20 employment law cases to a verdict, and argued over a dozen cases on appeal, he is a nationally recognized expert in the trial of employment cases. He is also a frequent lecturer on a variety of employment law topics, for organizations such as the National Employment Lawyers Association, the State Bar of Texas, the University of Houston Law Foundation and the Texas Employment Lawyers Association, and has been a frequent commentator on issues related to employment law for various media entities including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Houston Chronicle, and local television stations. Mr. Ahmad’s well-publicized courtroom success has enabled him to achieve significant settlements for his clients as well. Mr. Ahmad has a reputation of successfully representing plaintiffs in trial against large multi-national corporations and institutions. Mr. Ahmad is frequently called upon to take on cases on behalf of an individual against large corporations and institutions. Because of his expertise in taking employment cases to trial, he is frequently asked by other lawyers to assist or take over the representation of employees for purpose of trial. While the majority of cases settle, and the vast majority of these settlements are strictly confidential, some of Mr. Ahmad’s publicly recognized successes at trial are as follows: Mr. Ahmad was selected by world renowned endocrinologist Dr. Terry Siler-Khodr, when she challenged the University of Texas’ pay structure as being discriminatory on the basis of gender and for violating the Equal Pay Act. Utilizing an expert statistician from American University in Washington, D.C., as well as the University’s own study, Mr. Ahmad obtained a verdict in Dr. Siler-Khodr’s favor finding that she had been the victim of sex discrimination and that the University had violated the Equal Pay Act. The total judgment of approximately $350,000 came after other gender bias claims against the University of Texas had failed. When the University appealed the judgment in favor of Siler-Khodr, Mr. Ahmad obtained a unanimous victory at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a published opinion that is frequently cited by plaintiff’s employment lawyers throughout the country. When the University again appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals as a whole, thirteen of the fifteen judges voted against rehearing, and the appeal was denied. Siler-Khodr v. University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, 292 F.3d 221 (5th Cir. 2002). Mr. Ahmad was called upon by a former Exxon truck driver after he became disabled, and subsequently terminated. Undeterred by the lack of any substantive offers by Exxon prior to trial, Mr. Ahmad took the case to trial and secured a six-figure judgment against Exxon in favor of his client. Mr. Ahmad was also called upon to represent a nationally recognized television reporter in an age discrimination case against KHOU-TV. After obtaining a finding that his client had been terminated in fact because of his age, the case soon settled thereafter. Mr. Ahmad was also called upon to represent a former lawyer within the General Counsel’s office at the University of Houston who had sued for retaliation after she complained of sexual harassment from the General Counsel. He was asked by Andrew S. Golub of Dow, Golub, Berg & Beverly to assist in the trial on behalf of Ms. Septimus, securing a verdict of approximately $450,000.00, not including any attorneys’ fees or costs. Mr. Ahmad was also asked to assist in the trial of a disability discrimination case on behalf of Professor Jayne Bowman against Texas Woman’s University. Mr. Ahmad and his co-counsel obtained a judgment of $509,281.34 plus interest against Texas Woman’s University. Mr. Ahmad also represented a former executive of Charter Communications when he was terminated despite having an employment contract with Charter. Mr. Ahmad, after trial on the merits in front of an arbitrator, secured a judgment in the amount of $309,597.73 on behalf of his client against Charter Communications. EDUCATION Admitted to bar 1987, Michigan; 1989, Texas. Admitted to all state and federal courts in Texas; United States District Court, Western District of Michigan; United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin; United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; United States Supreme Court. Board Certified by The Texas Board of Legal Specialization in the area of Employment and Labor Law, 1996. Preparatory education, Lawrence University (B.A. with honors, 1984); legal education, University of Michigan (J.D., 1987) Law Clerk to Hon. Benjamin F. Gibson, U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, 1987-89. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Houston and American Bar Associations (Sections: Litigation; Labor and Employment Law) State Bar of Texas (Sections: Labor; Litigation) Texas Trial Lawyers Association The Association of Trial Lawyers of America National Employment Lawyers Association Houston Chapter, National Employment Lawyers Association (past president - 2000) Fellow, Houston Bar Foundation Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation Million Dollar Advocate Forum Houston Bar Association’s Houston Volunteer Lawyers Project AIDS Subcommittee REPORTED CASES Brady v. Fort Bend County and R. George Molina, 58 F.3d 173 (5th Cir. 1995), reh’g en banc granted (Aug. 25, 1995), appeal dismissed (Nov. 17, 1995) Primeaux v. Conoco, 961 S.W.2d 401 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1997, no writ) Washinton v. HCA Health Services of Texas, Inc., 152 F.3d 464 (5th Cir. 1998), cert. granted 119 S.Ct. 2388 (1999) Brady v. Fort Bend County, 145 F.3d 691 (5th Cir. 1998), cert. denied 119 S.Ct. 873 (1999) Pratt v. City of Houston, Tex., 247 F.3d 601 (5th Cir. 2001) Siler-Khodr v. University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, 261 F.3d 542 (5th Cir. 2001) Mota v. University of Texas Houston Health Science Center, 261 F.3d 512 (5th Cir. 2001) PUBLICATIONS, PAPERS AND CLE PRESENTATIONS Mr. Ahmad has prepared the following written materials and made presentations at the following seminars: Litigating Wrongful Discharge Cases Part One: Plaintiff's Perspective, University of Houston Law Foundation Advanced Employment Law, August 7-8, 2003 - Houston, August 21-22, 2003 - Dallas. What Plaintiff's Lawyers Look For - Panelist, South Texas College of Law Continuing Legal Education, Employment Law Course, July 10-11, 2003, Houston, Texas Employment Law Aspects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Corporate Responsibility Statute, University of Houston Law Foundation Employment Law Seminar, March 27-28, 2003 - Houston, April 3-4, 2003 - Dallas. ADA: What is Left of it, The University of Texas School of Law, 18th Annual School Law Conference, February 27-28, 2003, Austin, Texas Sarbanes/Oxley, State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education, Advanced Employment Law Course 2003, February 20 - 21, 2003, Houston, with Bill Bux and Richard Carlson Removal and Remand, South Texas College of Law Continuing Legal Education, Advanced Civil Trial Law Conference, Feb. 20-21, 2003, Houston, Texas Employment Law, State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education, Advanced Civil Trial Course 2002, August 28-30, 2002 -Dallas, October 9-11, 2002 - Houston. Developments in FMLA Compliance, Recent ADA Developments in Reasonable Accommodation, and Discussion of the Overlap of the ADA, FMLA and Worker’s Compensation When Dealing With Absences of Ill, Injured, and Disabled Employees, Sterling Education Services Seminar, Employment Law Update in Texas; What Human Resource Professionals and Their Legal Counsel Need to Know - NOW!; August 6, 2002, Houston. Advising the Departing Employee, University of Houston Law Foundation Advanced Employment Law Seminar, July 25-26, 2002 - Houston, August 1-2, 2002 - Dallas. Preparing the Witness, South Texas College of Law, Labor and Employment Law Course, Houston, Texas, July 11-12, 2002, with Dr. Bob Gordon and Dale Jefferson Cross Examination in Employment Cases, National Employment Lawyers of America Thirteenth Annual Convention; Orlando, Florida, June 26-29, 2002 Strategies for Victory: Maximizing Your Client’s Recovery in Employment Cases and Strategies and Techniques for Effective Cross Examination, National Employment Lawyers Association, 2002 Thirteenth Annual Convention, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, June 26-29, 2002 Strategies for Handling the Limelight After Your Employee Files a Lawsuit Against You; S.J. Bashen Corporation Seminar - Best Employment Practices During Uncertain Times: A Fair Employment Practices Seminar; February 22, 2002; with Wooty Sixel of the Houston Chronicle Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Including Conducting Investigations and Litigation Developments, University of Houston Law Foundation Employment Law Seminar, February 2002 Americas with Disabilities Act Update, State Bar of Texas, 10th Annual Advanced Employment Law Course 2002, Houston, Texas, January 25, 2002 Trial of Employment Law Cases, 2001 Texas/Louisiana Employment Lawyers Association, Fifth Circuit Seminar, Mexico City, Mexico, October 11 - 13, 2001 Privacy Issues in the Workplace, University of Houston Law Foundation, Advanced Employment Law Seminar, July/August 2000, August 2001 Discrimination Update, University of Texas School of Law, Labor and Employment Law Seminar, 8th Annual Conference, May 3-4, 2001 Sexual Harassment Claims - Plaintiff’s Perspective, University of Houston Law Foundation Employment Law Seminar, February 1999, February 2000 and February 2001 Employment Discrimination Class Actions After Allison V. Citgo Petroleum Corp.; State Bar of Texas, Advanced Employment Law Court 2000; February 1, 2001 Recent Developments in Employment Litigation; Gulf Coast Symposium on Human Resources; March 22, 2000 Training Managers to Avoid Liability -- Winning Strategies for Ensuring Compliance with Your Company Policy and the Law, Council on Education in Management Discipline & Termination Law Seminar, February 1999 Jury Selection and Voir Dire, Including Batson Challenges, National Employment Lawyers Association, Houston Chapter, Employment Law Seminar, December 1998, with Andrew S. Golub Client Intake And Case Selection Procedure, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, June 1998 Mental Anguish in Employment Cases, South Texas College of Law’s Employment Law Seminar, April 1997 Title VII/Age Discrimination Update, State Bar of Texas Annual Labor and Employment Law Update Seminar, March 1997 REPRESENTATIVE CASES AND SETTLEMENTS Mr. Ahmad has extensive trial experience, having tried over 40 cases to a verdict, and over 20 employment cases to verdict or final arbitration, in the past ten years. Case No. 70 160 00325 01; In the matter of the Arbitration between Sandra Bias v. Western Container Corporation; American Arbitration Association (Sex Discrimination) Civil Action No. H-00-3307; Susan Septimus v. The University of Houston and the University of Houston System; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Retaliation for complaining of sex discrimination) Civil Action No. H-00-3159; Janet King v. Anesthesia Specialists of Houston, a Partnership; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Disability Discrimination) No. 70 160 00136 00; John Getter vs. KHOU-TV - Houston, Texas; Proceeding Before the American Arbitration Association (Age Discrimination) No. 70-M-160 00513-99; Jaime N. Lucio V. Inland Paperboard and Packaging, Inc.; Proceeding before the American Arbitration Association (Family Medical Leave Act) Civil Action No. 98-1328; Dr. Luis Mota v. University of Texas Houston Health Science Center; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Sex Harassment, Retaliation) Civil Action No. H-98-3035; Louella (Henderson) Jones and Herbert Williams, III v. City of Houston, Texas; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Race Discrimination) Civil Action No. SA-97-CA-1250; Theresa M. Siler-Khodr v. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; In the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division (Sex Discrimination, Equal Pay Act) Civil Action No. H-97-1515; Roosevelt Collins v. Smith International, Inc. d/b/a/ Delaware Holding Smith International, Inc.; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) No. 70-116-00085-97; Joseph Heller v. Charter Communications International, Inc.; Proceeding Before the American Arbitration Association / Cause No. 96-63065; Joseph Heller v. Charter Communications International, Inc.; In the 295th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (Breach of Employment Contract) Civil Action No. H-96-1310; O. Jayne Bowman v. Texas Woman’s University; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Disability Discrimination) Civil Action No. H-96-783; David C. Garcia v. City of Houston; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (National Origin and Race Discrimination) Cause No. 95-25172; Danna F. Lynde v. J. W. English Management Co., Inc. and John Wesley English; In the 215th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (Pregnancy Discrimination) Cause No. 94-049371; Buddy F. Moore v. Exxon Corporation d/b/a Exxon Company, U.S.A.; In the 281st Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (Disability Discrimination) Cause No. 94-34177; Joanna Temple v. R.L.G. Holdings, Ltd., Haysim Rihawi and William Scogin; In the 270th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (Sex Harassment) Civil Action No. H-93-441; Kenneth Craig Brady, Guy "Nubbin" Chamblee, Bobby Lee Evans, John Fitzgerald Font, William Edward Fortenberry, James Arthur Leach, Stephen Leon Skinner and Antonio O. Rosas v. Fort Bend County; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (First Amendment of the United States Constitution) Cause No. 93-047545; Augusta Evans v. Consolidated Specialty Manufacturing Corporation; In the 165th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (Workers’ Compensation retaliation and invasion of privacy) *Internet mail is not fully secure or private. Therefore, please do not transmit confidential information via Internet mail. Transmission of information is not intended to and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not assume that your communications sent using Internet mail are privileged or confidential. Please do not send Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Anaipakos any confidential information via the Internet without previously consulting one of our attorneys. **Nothing on this web page is intended to represent that Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Anaipakos currently represents any particular clients mentioned because matters and client relationships naturally terminate from time to time. ***Mr. Ahmad is board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. ****Results obtained depend on the facts of each case. Every case is different. Similar results may not be obtained in your case. © 2006 Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Anaipakos. All rights reserved