Biographical Information
Lisa Darnley Cooper is a member in the Firm’s Mobile, Alabama office and is a member of the Firm’s labor and employment and litigation groups.
Lisa’s pragmatic and thorough approach to her clients’ matters allows her to skillfully answer these common questions: How can we best minimize risks to our business and employees? Can or should we do “this”? We did “this,” now what? How can we do “this” better?
She focuses primarily on employment-related and business litigation, and her experience includes defending employers in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, FMLA, and FLSA proceedings at the administrative level and in state and federal courts. Lisa routinely advises clients on risk mitigation and compliance issues related to discrimination, harassment, terminations or reductions in force, and reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She has extensive experience drafting employee handbooks and workplace policies, contracts, and non-competition and non-solicitation agreements. She is frequently called upon to conduct a variety of workplace investigations or audits. Lisa also often assists the Firm’s transactional lawyers with employment related issues in mergers and acquisitions. Her work portfolio spans numerous industries and workplace settings including transportation and trucking, healthcare, manufacturing, construction, retail, utilities, automotive, education, tourism, and municipalities as well as state agencies.
Complementing her employment practice, Lisa assists businesses and municipalities with ADA accessibility and/or Fair Housing Act (FHA) compliance. She has handled numerous matters defending against private litigants and complaints or investigations originating with the DOJ or HUD.
Prior to joining the Firm, Lisa served as a law clerk to the Honorable Charles R. Butler, then Chief District Court Judge for the Southern District of Alabama.
Admissions
- Alabama State Bar, 1999
- Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
- Alabama Federal District Courts
Education
- J.D., University of Alabama School of Law, magna cum laude, 1999
- B.A., University of Alabama, magna cum laude, 1995
Additional Information
Civic and Professional Affiliations
- Alabama State Bar
- Mobile Bar Association
- South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program (Board Member)
- American Bar Association (Litigation Section)
Publications and Presentations
Representative Cases
- Edwin Woods v. Austal, 2011 WL 1380054(S.D.Ala. 2011) (Summary judgment on multiple claims including racial harassment and reasonable resolution of two remaining claims);
- Balyn Parker v. Alabama State Port Authority, Case No. 09—32-EFA (Alabama State Personnel Department and Administrative Law Judge upholding termination );
- Catanzaro v. James K. Lyons and Alabama State Port Authority, 232 Fed.Appx. 878, 11th Cir. 2007) (affirming summary judgment on reverse race discrimination claim under Title VII);
- Radiation Therapy Oncology, P.C. v. Providence Hosp., 906 So. 2d 90 (Ala. 2005) (affirming summary judgment for hospital in leading Alabama case on medical staff privileges);
- Reedy v. Armstrong – McCall LP, (S.D. Ala., September 1, 2004) (granting summary judgment in favor of franchisor on claims of fraud and tortious interference with business/contractual relations); aff’d without opinion, 130 Fed. Appx 422 (11th Cir. 2005);
- Beard Equipment Co. v. Barko Hydraulics, Inc., unreported decision (Mob. Co. Cir. Ct., November 3, 2003) (granting summary judgment and awarding $136,000 to dealer on indemnity claim against product manufacturer who refused to defend dealer in underlying product liability action); affirmed without opinion, Barko Hydraulics, L.L.C. v. Beard Equipment Co., 920 So.2d 1138 (Ala. 2004);
- Mitchell v. Folmar & Associates, LLP,, 854 So.2d 1115 (Ala. 2003) (Trial and appellate counsel: Eleventh Circuit affirming jury verdict obtained in favor of a partnership in a malicious prosecution action);
- Joyce A. Stallworth v. S. D. Warren Corp., 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 19926 (11th Cir. 2003) (affirming summary judgment for defendant on ERISA claim for denial of benefits);
- Lamm Auto Sales v. Auto Parts Express, 37 Fed. Appx. 507 (11th Cir. 2002) (affirming summary judgment for defendant on claims of fraud, suppression, and breach of contract against corporation);
- Jerry Eaton v. Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc., 2002 Ala.Civ.App. LEXIS 991 (Ala.Civ.App. 2002)(affirming summary judgment for defendant on terminated employee’s defamation claim);
- Anthony Franks v. Mobile Co. Department of Public Health, Civil Action No.: 1:99-CV-01025-S, United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama (jury verdict for defendant on religious discrimination claim).
Awards
- Lawyer of the Year 2021 and 2023, Employment Law-Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Best Lawyers®
- Best Lawyers in America© 2017—2023, Employment Law- Management
- Best Lawyers in America© 2017—2023, Litigation-Labor and Employment
- AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum-Class of 2009
- William Kaufman Award 2013-Community Foundation of South Alabama
- Order of the Coif- University of Alabama School of Law
- Alabama Law Review-University of Alabama School of Law
- Hugo Black Scholar-University of Alabama School of Law
