Overview

L. Traywick Duffie represents corporate clients in a broad range of employment and labor law, including employment litigation, union organizing, wage and hour and Employee Retirement Income Security Act matters. He has successfully defended numerous class and collective matters and countered union organizing campaigns in more than 40 states.

He has successfully defended single plaintiff, multiple plaintiff and class action litigation involving:

  • Race
  • Age
  • Sex
  • Pregnancy
  • Disability
  • Retaliation
  • ERISA
  • Whistleblowing
  • Covenants not to compete
  • State law contract claims

Among the cases he has defended which have changed or clarified the law include establishing that pregnant employees are not entitled to special accommodation; alleged victims of employment harassment must give remedial action undertaken by an employer’s reasonable opportunity to work; the avoidance of discriminatory statements may be relevant at the pretext stage, but alone cannot establish a prima facie case, affirming the need for a plaintiff to have a comparator; and that allowing a nurse light duty work for two years prior to MMI does not prevent her discharge under the Americans with Disabilities Act if she cannot perform essential functions of her job.

Traywick has designed and implemented programs on compliance with and the avoidance of employment litigation and union organizing. He regularly speaks before companies, trade associations, business groups and universities. He represents clients in the healthcare, media, transportation and manufacturing industries.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

State Bar of Georgia

Member

Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel

1998-2000

Recognition

Named, The Best Lawyers in America®

2006-2024

Named, Georgia Legal Elite

Georgia Trend Magazine

Named, America's Leading Lawyers for Business

Chambers USA

2006-2020

Named, ATop 100 Super Lawyers

Atlanta Magazine

Awarded, AV® Peer Review Rating

Martindale-Hubbell

News, Analysis & Press

Division of Labor: Employee Misclassification Can Be Costly

Atlanta Business Chronicle

March 4, 2016

Pay Now or Pay Later

Employment and Human Resources Global Reference Guide - Financier Worldwide

2010

Improving Performance and Incentivizing Management

Financier Worldwide

March 2009

Speaking Engagements

Healthcare Industry Group: A Roundtable Discussion

Atlanta, GA

April 18, 2019

2015 Southeast Employer Conference

Atlanta, GA

August 20, 2015

The 2014 Atlanta Employer Conference

Atlanta, GA

October 9, 2014

Blame the Lawyers? – HR Decisions Under the Microscope

The 2014 Atlanta Employer Conference

Littler Mendelson, Atlanta, GA

October 9, 2014

NLRB Breakfast Briefing

Atlanta, GA

March 15, 2013

Atlanta Employer Conference

Atlanta, GA

September 28, 2012

Coping with the Mr. Alienation: Practical Solutions for Maintaining Morale and Minimizing Liability when Dealing with Ineffective Supervisors and Problematic Managers

Atlanta Employer Conference

Littler Mendelson, Atlanta, GA

September 28, 2012

2011 Employment Law Conference

September 23, 2011

Education

  • J.D., University of South Carolina, School of Law, 1972
  • B.A., Wofford College, 1969

Bar Admission

Georgia

Courts

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • Georgia Court of Appeals
  • Georgia Supreme Court
  • Florida Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee