Paul G. Nason

Partner

214.740.8562

More ways to contact Paul G. Nason

For more than 30 years, Paul has served as a trusted advisor and advocate for clients in their high-stakes labor and employment matters. Employers hire him because of his practical guidance and creative solutions for addressing their most critical issues.

Articles + Publications

Labor + Employment Workforce Watch – September 2025
Overview
Representative Matters
Insights
Awards

Paul frequently represents clients in the financial services, energy, technology, private equity, health care, real estate, and construction sectors. He is experienced at coordinating the firm’s resources throughout its many offices for clients with multistate and multinational operations to help deliver high-quality representation.

Paul’s litigation experience includes defending employers in federal and state courts against individual and class action claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower violations, wrongful discharge, wage and hour violations, as well as claims involving noncompete, trade secret, and other restrictive covenant agreements. He also represents employers before key federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE), and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), as well as dozens of state workforce agencies.

Employers with union workforces frequently seek Paul’s representation on labor law matters because of his extensive experience in collective bargaining, unfair labor practice and whistleblower litigation, grievance arbitrations, union representation elections (including post-Cemex), and union avoidance campaigns. Employers with union and nonunion workforces seek his guidance to operate legally compliant double-breasted operations.

Paul is also regularly hired to conduct internal investigations involving C-suite executives and other senior managers accused of workplace misconduct, including sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, bullying, and embezzlement. He also conducts wage and hour audits for employers in various industries.

Paul provides counsel daily to human resources, legal, and executive personnel on compliance with state and federal employment and labor laws, including developing and executing lawful reductions in force and layoffs.

Employment Litigation

  • Defended employers in the energy, health care, technology, financial services, manufacturing, real estate, and hospitality industries in federal and state court litigation and arbitrations involving single-plaintiff and class action claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful discharge.

Wage and Hour (FLSA) Experience

  • Defended employers in the energy, technology, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, retail, and hospitality industries from individual, collective, or class action claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and similar state laws claiming overtime pay, minimum wage, and pay practices violations.
  • Defended multiple employers in wage and hour audits by the DOL and similar state agencies involving overtime pay and exemption classification issues.
  • Assisted employers in developing proactive solutions to prevent wage and hour claims, including exemption audits and compliance guidance.

Labor Management Experience

  • Represented employers in the energy, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, retail, and hospitality industries in collective bargaining negotiations with unions.
  • Defended multiple employers in the energy, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, retail, and hospitality industries before the National Labor Relations Board in unfair labor practices and whistleblower proceedings.
  • Defended multiple manufacturing and hospitality employers in labor grievance arbitrations.
  • Represented multiple employers in the manufacturing, construction, utility, real estate, and hospitality industries in union representation elections (including post-Cemex) and union avoidance campaigns.
  • Represented multiple construction and energy employers with union and nonunion workforces to operate legally compliant double-breasted operations.

Investigation Experience

  • Conducted multiple internal investigations of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, bullying, embezzlement, and other misconduct involving C-suite executives, senior management, and human resources officials.

Trade Secret and Noncompetition Experience

  • Represented energy, technology, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, commercial services, and hospitality industry employers in the prosecution and defense of state and federal court actions involving noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and confidentiality agreements to protect business interests, including proprietary and trade secret information and customers.
  • Represented numerous multistate employers in the negotiation and preparation of employment and other agreements containing enforceable noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and other restrictive covenants.

Transactional Experience

  • Represented energy, medical, manufacturing, utility, technology, real estate, retail, commercial services, and hospitality employers in the labor and employment aspects of business transactions involving equity or asset sales, mergers, and reorganizations.
  • Represented hundreds of employers and C-suite executives in the negotiation and preparation of employment, retention, severance, and related agreements.

Agency Practice and Compliance

  • Represented energy, utility, technology, retail, manufacturing, real estate, and other employers in investigations by the DOL, EEOC, NLRB, ICE, OFCCP, OSHA, DOJ, and related state agencies.
  • Represented construction and retail employers in workplace audits and enforcement actions by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agency.

Employment Advice and Counsel Experience

  • Daily advice and counsel to legal, executive, and human resources personnel on employee discipline and termination matters, medical and disability leave issues, and compliance with state and federal employment, and labor laws.
  • Representation of employers in the energy, technology, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, retail, and hospitality industries in developing and executing lawful reductions in force and layoffs.
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Employment Law-Management and Litigation-Labor & Employment (2015-2026)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year (Dallas/Fort Worth), Employment Law-Management, (2019)
  • Lexology Index: Employment & Labor (formerly Who’s Who Legal) (2016-2025)
  • Lexology Index: Thought Leaders, Labor, Employment & Benefits (formerly Who’s Who Legal) (2023-2025)
  • Super Lawyers® Texas, Employment & Labor (2009-2010, 2014-2020, 2025)
  • D Magazine, Best Lawyers in Dallas, Labor & Employment (2016)
  • Human Resource Executive and Lawdragon, Most Powerful Employment Attorney (Up-and Comers) (2012)
Overview

Paul frequently represents clients in the financial services, energy, technology, private equity, health care, real estate, and construction sectors. He is experienced at coordinating the firm’s resources throughout its many offices for clients with multistate and multinational operations to help deliver high-quality representation.

Paul’s litigation experience includes defending employers in federal and state courts against individual and class action claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower violations, wrongful discharge, wage and hour violations, as well as claims involving noncompete, trade secret, and other restrictive covenant agreements. He also represents employers before key federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE), and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), as well as dozens of state workforce agencies.

Employers with union workforces frequently seek Paul’s representation on labor law matters because of his extensive experience in collective bargaining, unfair labor practice and whistleblower litigation, grievance arbitrations, union representation elections (including post-Cemex), and union avoidance campaigns. Employers with union and nonunion workforces seek his guidance to operate legally compliant double-breasted operations.

Paul is also regularly hired to conduct internal investigations involving C-suite executives and other senior managers accused of workplace misconduct, including sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, bullying, and embezzlement. He also conducts wage and hour audits for employers in various industries.

Paul provides counsel daily to human resources, legal, and executive personnel on compliance with state and federal employment and labor laws, including developing and executing lawful reductions in force and layoffs.

Representation Matters

Employment Litigation

  • Defended employers in the energy, health care, technology, financial services, manufacturing, real estate, and hospitality industries in federal and state court litigation and arbitrations involving single-plaintiff and class action claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful discharge.

Wage and Hour (FLSA) Experience

  • Defended employers in the energy, technology, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, retail, and hospitality industries from individual, collective, or class action claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and similar state laws claiming overtime pay, minimum wage, and pay practices violations.
  • Defended multiple employers in wage and hour audits by the DOL and similar state agencies involving overtime pay and exemption classification issues.
  • Assisted employers in developing proactive solutions to prevent wage and hour claims, including exemption audits and compliance guidance.

Labor Management Experience

  • Represented employers in the energy, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, retail, and hospitality industries in collective bargaining negotiations with unions.
  • Defended multiple employers in the energy, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, retail, and hospitality industries before the National Labor Relations Board in unfair labor practices and whistleblower proceedings.
  • Defended multiple manufacturing and hospitality employers in labor grievance arbitrations.
  • Represented multiple employers in the manufacturing, construction, utility, real estate, and hospitality industries in union representation elections (including post-Cemex) and union avoidance campaigns.
  • Represented multiple construction and energy employers with union and nonunion workforces to operate legally compliant double-breasted operations.

Investigation Experience

  • Conducted multiple internal investigations of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, bullying, embezzlement, and other misconduct involving C-suite executives, senior management, and human resources officials.

Trade Secret and Noncompetition Experience

  • Represented energy, technology, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, commercial services, and hospitality industry employers in the prosecution and defense of state and federal court actions involving noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and confidentiality agreements to protect business interests, including proprietary and trade secret information and customers.
  • Represented numerous multistate employers in the negotiation and preparation of employment and other agreements containing enforceable noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and other restrictive covenants.

Transactional Experience

  • Represented energy, medical, manufacturing, utility, technology, real estate, retail, commercial services, and hospitality employers in the labor and employment aspects of business transactions involving equity or asset sales, mergers, and reorganizations.
  • Represented hundreds of employers and C-suite executives in the negotiation and preparation of employment, retention, severance, and related agreements.

Agency Practice and Compliance

  • Represented energy, utility, technology, retail, manufacturing, real estate, and other employers in investigations by the DOL, EEOC, NLRB, ICE, OFCCP, OSHA, DOJ, and related state agencies.
  • Represented construction and retail employers in workplace audits and enforcement actions by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agency.

Employment Advice and Counsel Experience

  • Daily advice and counsel to legal, executive, and human resources personnel on employee discipline and termination matters, medical and disability leave issues, and compliance with state and federal employment, and labor laws.
  • Representation of employers in the energy, technology, medical, manufacturing, utility, real estate, retail, and hospitality industries in developing and executing lawful reductions in force and layoffs.
Insights

Articles + Publications

Labor + Employment Workforce Watch – September 2025

Speaking Engagements

North Dallas Chamber of Commerce: 2025 Human Resources Conference

Articles + Publications

2025 NLRB Forecast: What Employers Should Expect Under President Trump’s Administration

Articles + Publications

Labor + Employment Workforce Watch – April 2025

See all insights from Paul G. Nason

Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Employment Law-Management and Litigation-Labor & Employment (2015-2026)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year (Dallas/Fort Worth), Employment Law-Management, (2019)
  • Lexology Index: Employment & Labor (formerly Who’s Who Legal) (2016-2025)
  • Lexology Index: Thought Leaders, Labor, Employment & Benefits (formerly Who’s Who Legal) (2023-2025)
  • Super Lawyers® Texas, Employment & Labor (2009-2010, 2014-2020, 2025)
  • D Magazine, Best Lawyers in Dallas, Labor & Employment (2016)
  • Human Resource Executive and Lawdragon, Most Powerful Employment Attorney (Up-and Comers) (2012)

Top areas of focus

  • Member, State Bar of Texas, Employment and Labor Law Section
  • Member, American Bar Association Employment and Labor Law Section
  • Member, Dallas Bar Association
  • Member, Employment Law Alliance

Education

  • Washington and Lee University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1992
  • The University of Texas at Arlington, B.A., magna cum laude, 1989

Bar Admissions

  • Texas
  • New Mexico

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • Speaker, “Breaking Down Recent Employment Law Trends,” North Dallas Chamber of Commerce: 2025 Human Resources Conference, April 30, 2025.
  • Speaker, “Day in the Life of a Human Resources Professional,” North Dallas Chamber of Commerce Human Resources Conference, April 19, 2024.
  • Speaker, “Employment Law Update: What Every Employer Needs to Know,” North Dallas Chamber of Commerce: 2023 Human Resources Conference, April 21, 2023.
  • Speaker, “Employment Law Update,” North Dallas Chamber of Commerce: 2022 Human Resources Conference, April 22, 2022.
  • Speaker, “Employment Law Update: What Every Employer Needs to Know,” North Dallas Chamber of Commerce: 2021 Human Resources Conference, December 1, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Federal Agency Update: Expectations from the Biden Administration,” Locke Lord, May 6, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Federal Agency Update: Expectations from the Biden Administration,” Locke Lord, February 24, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Federal Agency Update: Expectations from the Biden Administration,” Locke Lord, January 21, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Legal Update: The Shifting Legal Landscape in the COVID-19 Era,” North Dallas Chamber of Commerce HR Conference, October 20, 2020.
  • Speaker, “An Update From the EEOC, DOL and NLRB,” Locke Lord, September 23, 2020.
  • Speaker, “Just the Facts: How to Conduct a Proper Investigation of Workplace Misconduct,” Locke Lord, January 29, 2020.
  • Co-author, “2025 NLRB Forecast: What Employers Should Expect Under President Trump’s Administration,” Troutman Pepper Locke, April 3, 2025.
  • Co-author, “OSHA’s Final Walkaround Rule: Welcome, Workplace Visitors!” Locke Lord, June 2024.
  • Co-author, “2023 NLRB Update: Key Developments for All Employers,” Locke Lord, October 2023.
  • Co-author, “U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Undue Hardship Standard for Religious Accommodation Requests,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, July 7, 2023.
  • Co-author, “The NLRB Joins the Trend of Trying to Restrict Non-Compete Agreements,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, June 1, 2023.
  • Co-author, “The NLRB’s General Counsel Seeks Further Restrictions on Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Provisions in Severance Agreements,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, March 24, 2023.
  • Co-author, “NLRB Significantly Restricts Employers’ Use of Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Provisions in Non-Supervisory Severance Agreements,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, February 28, 2023.
  • Co-author, “NLRB Greatly Expands Scope of Unfair Labor Practice Remedies,” “Locke Lord QuickStudy, December 15, 2022.
  • Co-author, “Supreme Court Clarifies Arbitration Waiver Test,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, May 31, 2022.
  • Co-author, “OSHA to Large Employers – Your Employees Must Get Vaccinated or Get Tested and Mask Up,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, November 8, 2021, updated January 19, 2022.
  • Co-author, “The Wait Is Over and It’s Good News: OSHA Releases General Industry Guidance for COVID-19,” Locke Lord, July 2021.
  • Co-author, “OSHA Ramps-up COVID-19 Inspections and Enforcement,” Locke Lord, May 2021.
  • Co-author, “Key Questions for Employers Facing COVID-19 (FAQ),” Locke Lord QuickStudy, July 20, 2020.
  • Co-author, “Protecting Trade Secrets While Employees Work from Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Proactive Measures and Considerations for U.S. Companies,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, April 21, 2020.
  • Co-author, “NLRB Reverses Course with Significant Rulings on Employee Email Use, Investigation Confidentiality, and Union Election Rules,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, February 5, 2020.