Anne Laurie McClurkin

Anne Laurie has extensive experience representing employers in all aspects of the employment relationship, from providing advice on day-to-day issues to defending employers in high-stakes litigation and administrative proceedings. Her litigation experience includes defending employers against claims arising under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), retaliatory discharge, tortious interference, negligent training/supervision, defamation, and the enforceability of non-compete clauses and other restrictive covenants. On the administrative side, Anne Laurie has successfully guided employers through agency audits, proceedings, and investigations initiated by the EEOC, OSHA, DOL, and other federal and state agencies.

Anne Laurie is committed to helping clients take steps to avoid costly litigation and minimize the potential for liability. She assists clients with drafting sound employment policies and employee handbooks, navigating internal investigations, preparing corrective action plans, and executing proper handling of employee terminations and reductions in force. She provides training to both management and non-management employees on legal compliance and how to prevent, identify, and respond to workplace issues.

With a substantial litigation background, Anne Laurie has defended employers at both the trial and appellate levels, including successfully arguing appeals before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Her trial successes include winning defense verdicts for Mobile’s largest industrial employer in multiple race and gender discrimination cases. Anne Laurie has won numerous summary judgment victories for her clients, including, most recently, an order granting summary judgment and dismissing claims asserted under the ADA, ADEA, and retaliatory discharge. On May 21, 2021, the Eleventh Circuit issued an opinion affirming the district court’s dismissal of all claims against the employer.

Anne Laurie has practiced law since 2004. She earned her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she was a member of the National Trial Competition Team, The Order of the Barristers, and recipient of the George Peach Taylor Award for Outstanding Trial Advocacy.

Community & Professional

• United Way Emerging Leaders, former Board Chair

• Won summary judgment for the employer in a “reverse race” discrimination case filed by a Caucasian employee against a government agency whose employees were predominantly African-American
• Won summary judgement for employer in ADA case, affirmed on appeal
• Won summary judgment for employer in defamation case
• Won early dismissal for employer in race discrimination and retaliation case and recovered a portion of attorney’s fees for employer
• Defeated class certification and won defense verdicts in five jury trials involving multiple plaintiffs alleging hostile work environment, discriminatory pay and promotion, and retaliation; successfully argued on appeal to Eleventh Circuit
• Won dismissal for employer on immunity issue under Alabama worker’s compensation and comparable federal statute
• Won summary judgment for employer on claims alleging violation of ADEA, ADA, and retaliatory discharge
• Successfully argued matter of first impression under Alabama law resulting in dismissal of all claims as time-barred
• Won dismissal for employer in national origin discrimination lawsuit
• Won dismissal for employer in case alleging sexual harassment and race discrimination
• Won defense verdict following nearly three-week jury trial involving claims for tortious interference and breach of nondisclosure
• Won summary judgment for employer in FLSA case
• Won summary judgment for employer in ERISA case; successfully argued on appeal to Eleventh Circuit
• Negotiated nuisance value settlement prior to close of discovery in FLSA case
• ERISA claim settled favorably on front-end of litigation
• Negotiated favorable settlement of claim to enforce non-compete

Recognition

• Super Lawyers Rising Star in Employment Litigation (2016-present)
• Mobile Bay Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 (2016)
• Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama's Leading Ladies Honoree (2019)
• The Best Lawyers in America© for Litigation - Labor and Employment (2023-present); Labor Law - Management (2024-present)