Ending Women’s History Month with a Trailblazing Woman: An Interview with Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (Litigators Lounge, Episode 8)
For the third episode of Litigators Lounge celebrating Women’s History Month 2024, hosts Jackie Voronov and Shylie Bannon welcomed Teresa Pike Tomlinson, a partner at Hall Booth Smith, as a special guest. Teresa’s extensive and influential career is highlighted, from her start as an attorney and becoming the first female partner at her previous firm, Pope McGlamry, to her significant contributions as Mayor of Columbus, Georgia, and her efforts in preventing the closure of Sweetbriar College, her alma mater. Throughout the episode, topics such as gender discrimination, the importance of female empowerment and mentorship, and the challenges and successes faced by women in leadership positions are explored. The conversation also delves into Teresa’s personal mantra for facing challenges, the importance of women supporting each other, and her current complex litigation practice.
You can find a video and the full text of Teresa’s Sweet Briar College 2015 Commencement Address, referenced in the interview, by following this link.
The other two episodes celebrating Women’s History Month 2024 are:
- “Because of Sex” – Looking Back at 60 Years of Gender Discrimination and Title VII
- Equal Pay Day and the Ongoing Quest for Pay Equity
Litigators Lounge is underwritten and presented by Hall Booth Smith. The show is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.
Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Partner, Hall Booth Smith, P.C.
Teresa Pike Tomlinson is a Partner in Hall Booth Smith’s Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia, offices, where she specializes in complex trial and appellate civil practice. She is known for her ability to handle strategically complicated and potentially high-value cases. She is admitted to courts throughout the country, including numerous federal circuit courts and the United States Supreme Court.
Teresa practiced law for 16 years with the plaintiff’s law firm of Pope McGlamry, where she specialized in complex litigation, giving her a unique perspective in her current defense cases. As plaintiff’s counsel, Teresa led a trial team to a $21.5 million award in her client’s favor, and led litigation teams in cases to include nationwide class actions, securities/derivative litigation, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act Litigation, and Multi-District litigation.
As a young lawyer, Teresa prosecuted civil claims for surviving families of the 1996 ValuJet Air Crash, making her mark and becoming the first woman partner at her firm. She currently leads Hall Booth Smith’s multi-district efforts battling COVID-19-related claims in health care professional settings. Teresa previously served as Mayor of Columbus, Georgia, where she oversaw nearly 3,000 employees and a $275 million budget and was the chief elected official of the city/county government, public safety director, and Homeland Security Director for a 16-county region. She was a statewide candidate for the United States Senate in 2020, finishing second in a field of seven in the primary election.
Teresa earned a Juris Doctor from Emory University and a Bachelor of Arts in Government, Economics and Business Management from Sweet Briar College in Virginia. She served as Chair of the Board of Directors for Sweet Briar College, and in 2015 she led an initiative to raise $28.5 million in four months to avert a planned closure of her alma mater and put the college back on solid financial footing.
She is a member of the Georgia Bar and has been admitted to practice before federal and state courts across the country, including the United States Supreme Court, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Eighth and Eleventh Circuits, and the Georgia Supreme Court, among others.
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Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Welcome to Litigators Lounge: A Dive into Workplace Dynamics and Legal Issues
01:06 Celebrating Women’s History Month with Teresa Pike Tomlinson
01:56 Teresa Tomlinson: A Trailblazer’s Journey and Impact
04:42 The Significance of Women’s History Month and Overcoming Gender Challenges
08:47 The Significance of Being the First Female Mayor of Columbus, Georgia
14:01 Navigating Gender Dynamics in Professional and Legal Fields
25:45 The Power of Support and Mentorship Among Women
30:23 Teresa Tomlinson’s Mantra for Confidence and Leadership
41:15 A Glimpse into Teresa Tomlinson’s Legal Practice and Closing Thoughts
43:04 Looking Ahead: Upcoming Episodes and Engaging with Litigators Lounge
About Litigators Lounge
Jackie Voronov and Shylie Bannon, attorneys at Hall Booth Smith who specialize in labor and employment law, are the hosts of the engaging podcast Litigators Lounge. Listen as they delve into the intricate world of workplace legal issues as they explore real-life examples, unpack legal scenarios, and offer expert insights to help organizations and employees navigate the ever-changing legal landscape. With engaging discussions, diverse viewpoints from expert guests, and an ample touch of humor, Litigators Lounge is the go-to source for in-depth analysis and expert advice on law and the workplace.
Litigators Lounge is underwritten and presented by Hall Booth Smith. The show is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.
If you have questions or feedback for Jackie and Shylie, feel free to follow this link and email them.
Jackie Voronov, Partner, Hall Booth Smith
Jackie Voronov is a Partner in Hall Booth Smith’s office in Paramus, New Jersey, and she represents management in a wide variety of employment matters and litigates employment claims before administrative agencies and state and federal courts. Her clients include major hotels, retailers, shipping companies, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, manufacturers, and national fast-food franchisees.
Jackie’s litigation experience includes the defense of employers in single and multi-plaintiff actions on claims of wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, race, national origin, gender, disability and age discrimination, breach of contract, family medical leave, failure to accommodate, retaliation, wage/hour laws, and related tort claims. Jackie also works with her clients to prepare various employment agreements (including non-compete, confidentiality, independent contractor, and separation agreements). She has extensive experience before various administrative tribunals, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the State Division of Human Rights (SDHR), the Division of Civil Rights (DCR), and other state, federal, and local agencies.
In addition, Jackie frequently conducts management training for employers on a wide variety of employment law topics, such as:
- EEO/anti-harassment
- employee recruiting and hiring practices
- family and medical leave
- reasonable accommodations for disabilities and religion
- preventing and investigating harassment, discrimination, and whistleblower claims
- wage and hour compliance
- discipline and termination of employees
- privacy in the workplace
Jackie is regularly invited to speak nationally on best practices and other employment-related issues. Before joining Hall Booth Smith, she worked for one of the country’s largest law firms, where she defended employers in a wide range of labor and employment matters, including wage and hour class actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), claims related to the New York State Human Rights Law (NSHRL), the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), and Title VII.
Jackie was selected for inclusion as a New Jersey Rising Star by Super Lawyers® for six consecutive years (2010-2016), which honors the top 2.5% of young lawyers in New Jersey.
Shylie Bannon, Partner, Hall Booth Smith
Shylie Bannon is a Partner in Hall Booth Smith’s Jacksonville, Florida, office. She also serves as Hiring Partner for the region of Florida, where she oversees associate attorney hiring endeavors. Prior to joining Hall Booth Smith, Shylie was a partner in both a multi-state, multi-specialty firm and a boutique practice.
At Hall Booth Smith, Shylie continues to represent physicians, mid-level providers, and health care providers in high-exposure medical negligence claims and in administrative proceedings before the Florida Department of Health. She also represents national retailers in high-exposure premises liability, negligent security, and transportation litigation with our National Trial Counsel team.
In addition to litigating matters involving personal injury and negligence, Shylie also represents management in all aspects of employment-related litigation arising from allegations of sex, disability, race, and pregnancy discrimination; whistleblower actions; and alleged violations of the National Labor Relations Act and Fair Labor Standards. She does so in administrative proceedings before both the Florida Commission on Human Relations and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as in all of the state and federal courts in Florida. She also provides employment-related counsel to clients, helping them avoid employment-related litigation through the implementation of best employment, investigation, and risk management practices.
Shylie earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, cum laude, and graduated magna cum laude from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History.
Shylie volunteers with the Guardian Ad Litem program and supports child welfare advocacy efforts in Northeast Florida. She is also a Member of the Board for the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida.
About Hall Booth Smith, P.C.
Established in 1989, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is a full-service law firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with regional offices strategically located throughout Georgia and the United States. Experienced across a wide range of legal disciplines, HBS prides itself on providing knowledgeable, proactive, client-specific counsel to individuals, domestic and international corporations, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
HBS possesses the legal knowledge, skill, and experience to meet their clients’ needs wherever they do business. HBS maintains the highest commitment to ethically and professionally serve their clients by providing the highest quality legal representation.
They deliver quality legal services in a variety of service areas. Experience across legal disciplines combined with a focus on the unique business or personal requirements of the client is the hallmark of the firm. Their clients receive the attention, expertise, and cost-effectiveness of a smaller law firm with the full-service and strong regional presence typical of a larger one.
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Disclaimer
Litigators Lounge is a production brought to you by Hall Booth Smith, PC. This podcast is published for the purposes of providing general information and education on topics which include those related to the law and legal issues, but the contents of the podcast do not constitute legal advice. Listening to this podcast or utilizing the information contained in it in any way does not constitute nor does it create an attorney-client relationship between you and Hall Booth Smith or its lawyers. The contents of this podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a professional attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
