Vista Lyons is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and advises employers representing a broad range of industries (including cosmetics, healthcare, airline and hospitality/food services) on labor and employment related matters.
Employers turn to Vista to defend them in state and federal court actions involving race, color, sex, age, national origin and other discrimination claims, sexual harassment claims, whistleblower/retaliation and constructive discharge claims; Family and Medical Leave Act claims; Fair Labor Standards Act collective actions and Texas administrative wage and hour claims; defamation and other employment related tort claims; and breach of non-disclosure, non-competition and non-solicitation claims. She also counsels and trains management on multi-state, federal and international employment practice issues; prepares and reviews anti-discrimination/harassment training programs; audits personnel handbooks, policies and procedures; and advises on reduction-in-force plans and severance/retention plans.
Vista served as a Director of the Dallas Bar Association in 2004 and 2005, and also as President of the J.L. Turner Legal Association, the local African-American bar association, in 2005.
During law school, Vista was awarded the Dean's Achievement Award in Corporate and Securities Law; was named Champion and Best Brief Award recipient of the National Products Liability Moot Court Competition; and, was the recipient of the Lucy M. Moore Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Law.
Recent Experience
- Published LEXIS opinion of dismissal of preliminary injunctive relief action alleging breech of non-solicitation of customers and non-disclosure claims (2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 57272)
- Defense verdict in a whistleblower/retaliation case filed under the Texas Occupations Code alleging constructive discharge; appeal withdrawn
- Defended a local municipality in a race discrimination class action; obtained summary judgment, which was affirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Defended a large national medical service provider; obtained a Federal Rule 12 dismissal for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and improper service of process and recouped approximately $30,000 in attorneys' fees in monetary sanctions
- Defended a large international engineering/research company in a Sarbanes-Oxley retaliatory discharge administrative action before the DOL; obtained settlement favorable to client for less than five percent of the estimated potential damages
Recent Publications
- "Q&A with Ford & Harrison's Buena Vista Lyons," Law360's "Top Litigators" Series, June 21, 2011
- "Rule 202 Depositions: A Texas Original," State Bar of Texas Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, May 12-13, 2011
- "Five Tips on EEOC Responses," South Texas College of Law, 21st Annual Employment Law Conference, July 24-25, 2008
Honors and Awards
- Most Powerful and Influential Women of Texas Award, National Diversity Council, 2012