Jay Aldis
Partner

After three decades of litigation practice involving virtually every type of employment dispute, I have learned that controlling emotion and taking a rational, common-sense approach often leads to a positive outcome without prolonged litigation. I have also tried dozens of challenging cases to verdict and built a strong reputation for preparing every case as if trial is inevitable. Opposing lawyers know my clients will never settle based on fear of a tough courtroom battle.

Jay Aldis is a trial lawyer with nearly 30 years of experience guiding employers of all sizes through complex disputes that arise in the workplace. He has helped clients across the country resolve hundreds of difficult cases at trial, in arbitration, on summary judgment and through settlement negotiations, including claims involving all types of discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, wage and hour/overtime disputes, occupational health and safety issues, and whistleblower suits. Jay is also one of the most sought-after lawyers to obtain injunctive relief and damages in high-stakes cases involving former employees who violate confidentiality, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements. 

Defending employers accused of civil rights violations is another significant aspect of Jay’s practice. He has handled dozens of disputes with issues ranging from due process and equal protection to false arrest, excessive force and First Amendment matters. He has also defended numerous religious organizations against sexual abuse claims.

On the administrative side of his practice, Jay represents employers before federal, state and regional government agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers’ Compensation and the Texas Workforce Commission.

Jay has deep experience protecting clients at the appellate court level as well, including several arguments before the Texas Courts of Appeal and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Employers also rely on Jay to provide guidance on high-risk employment actions, employment agreements, policies and procedures, employee complaints, workplace misconduct, internal investigations and COVID-19 issues. In addition, he provides training to managers and HR professionals on maintaining regulatory compliance, proactive resolution of workplace conflicts and much more.

As a respected thought leader on employment and civil rights law, Jay is frequently called on to write and present on a wide range of topics, including employer best practices for avoiding liability pitfalls, the latest developments in non-compete jurisprudence and effective trial strategies.

Before entering private practice, Jay served as a Deputy Division Chief in the Harris County Attorney's Office, where he litigated and tried numerous civil rights and employment cases.

Jay is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. In 2020, Jay was recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for Labor & Employment Litigation in Houston by The Best Lawyers in America. This distinction is awarded to individual lawyers with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Only one lawyer is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location. 

Representative Experience
  • Meadows v. Texas TransEastern, Inc.  Obtained a jury verdict in favor of Texas TransEastern on claims that it discriminated, harassed, failed to accommodate and retaliated against a former employee because of a disability.  Also obtained an advisory verdict from the jury that Texas TransEastern be paid all of the attorneys’ fees it incurred defending against the plaintiff’s claims. 
  • Parallax Performance Management, Inc. and John Regula v. Accelytics, Inc., and Ashish Jain.  Obtained a $551,000 jury verdict against a company that wrongly claimed it had an enforceable non-competition agreement with Jay’s client; tortiously interfered with the client’s prospective business relationship; and breached a contract by failing to pay the client’s earned commissions.
  • AAA Arbitration.  Represented investment banker against claims of breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, fraud, conspiracy, aiding and abetting, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, and tortious interference.  After a multi-week hearing, the panel awarded Petitioner none of the more than $41 million it sought against Jay’s client.
  • Crawford Electric Supply v. Turtle & Hughes, Inc. and Anthony Alvarez.  Represented Defendants in a non-competition and non-solicitation lawsuit.  Plaintiff claimed Turtle & Hughes improperly recruited Alvarez and, in doing so, tortiously interfered with a non-competition and non-solicitation agreement Plaintiff had with Alvarez.  Plaintiff also alleged Alvarez’s activities violated his restrictive covenants.  After multiple days of temporary injunction hearings, the court denied Plaintiff’s requests for injunctive relief.
  • Arbitration before the International Centre for Dispute Resolution.  Represented Respondent in breach of executive employment agreement and quantum meruit case.  After a one-week trial, the panel denied the Claimants any of the more than $5.8 million they sought from Respondent.
  • Nationwide Recovery Systems v. HHT, Ltd., et al.  Obtained $4.1 million jury verdict against three former employees in non-solicitation, unfair competition, conspiracy and misuse of confidential information lawsuit.
  • Arbitration before the American Arbitration Association.  Successfully defended Respondent energy company against Petitioner’s claim that he was entitled to $1.2 million in damages on his breach of contract, quantum meruit, promissory estoppel, fraudulent inducement, fraud and unjust enrichment causes of action.
  • Baker Petrolite.  Temporary restraining orders, temporary injunctions and permanent injunctions obtained against former employees in multiple lawsuits due to the employees' violations of their restrictive covenants, unfair competition and violations of the Texas Theft Liability Act.
  • Variable Annuity Life Insurance Co.  Temporary restraining orders, temporary injunctions and permanent injunctions obtained against former employees in multiple lawsuits due to the employees' violations of their restrictive covenants and unfair competition.
  • Michals, et al. v. American Electric Power, 287 Fed. Appx. 335 (5th Cir. 2008).  Gender discrimination, retaliation and Equal Pay Act lawsuit filed by three former employees who claimed they were excluded from a lucrative bonus program due to their gender.  Summary judgment for AEP was affirmed.
  • EEOC v. Harris County, Texas.  Age discrimination lawsuit pursued by the EEOC on behalf of 90 lawyers who unsuccessfully applied for assistant district attorney positions.  The EEOC, which ultimately dismissed the suit, alleged the Harris County District Attorney's Office did not hire the applicants as prosecutors because the applicants were 40 years of age or older.
  • Carol Burns v. Harris County Bail Bond Board, 139 F.3d 513 (5th Cir. 1998).  Equal protection and due process lawsuit in which summary judgment for the Bail Bond Board was affirmed.
  • Jennifer Waymire v. Harris County, 86 F.3d 424 (5th Cir. 1996).  Sexual harassment lawsuit against the Harris County Sheriff's Department.  The plaintiff, a female deputy, alleged a male deputy ordered an inmate to draw a pornographic picture of the female and then passed the picture around at roll call.  Judgment as a matter of law for the Sheriff's Department was affirmed.
Thought Leadership / News
Honors
  • Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as the "Lawyer of the Year" in Houston for Litigation – Labor and Employment (2020)
  • ​Selected by his peers for inclusion in Woodward/White, Inc.'s The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Employment Law (Management) (2009 - 2024), Labor Law (Management) (2009 - 2024) and Labor & Employment Litigation (2009 - 2024)
  • Recognized as a leading labor and employment lawyer in Texas by Chambers & Partners USA (2015 - 2023) 
  • Named in Lawdragon's 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Attorneys (2021 - 2024) and named one of the top 175 Corporate Labor & Employment Litigators in the nation (2021)
  • Named a "Super Lawyer" by Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters business) as published in Texas Monthly (2005 - 2023)
  • AV Preeminent® rated (the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating designation)
  • Named a Houstonia Magazine Top Lawyer in Houston (2023)
Organizational Involvement

Professional Activities, Memberships & Affiliations

  • Chairman and Commissioner, Harris County Sheriff's Department Civil Service Commission (2010 - Present)
  • Civil Rights Law Instructor, Harris County Sheriff's Department Academy (1998 - 2002)
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
  • Texas Prosecutors Society

Community Activities, Memberships & Affiliations

  • Chairman of the Administrative Board, First United Methodist Church of Houston (2014 - 2016)
  • Board of Directors, Methodist Mission Home (2010 - 2016)
Education
  • J.D., The University of Texas School of Law (1992)
  • B.J., with high honors, The University of Texas at Austin (1989)
Bar Admission
  • Texas
Court Admissions
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Western District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Northern District of New York
When I Feel Most At Home
  • Working out
  • Religiously following college sports
  • Spending time with my three daughters, one of whom is a television broadcaster, another is in marketing/sales for the San Antonio Spurs and the third is a student at the University of Texas