Rachel Ziolkowski Ullrich is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer who represents employers throughout Texas and beyond.

Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Rachel represents management in all areas of labor and employment law. As part of the firm's Coronavirus Taskforce, she spent much of 2020 assisting companies nationwide in navigating the ever-changing employment issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Rachel has written and presented extensively on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act as well as the CDC's and EEOC’s pandemic guidance for employers.

Rachel is one of the most experienced litigators in the firm and has represented clients in litigations, trials, arbitrations and a variety of administrative hearings (EEOC, Texas Workforce Commission, Department of Labor and other state and federal agencies) nationwide. Rachel loves being in court. She is not afraid to take a case to trial, and has the track record to prove it.

Rachel recognizes an employer's confidential information is extremely important and worthy of protection so she routinely works with employers on creating and enforcing, through litigation if necessary, confidentiality agreements and restrictive covenants such as non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition agreements.

When she isn’t handling litigations, Rachel also provides training and counseling services to clients on a variety of labor and employment law issues, including diversity and inclusion, employee discipline and terminations, labor relations, wage and hour, medical leave and workplace accommodation issues. Rachel assists employers in creating policies and handbooks that are compliant nationwide.

Rachel’s clients range from small to large and represent a wide range of industries including retail, hospitality, oil & gas, automobile dealerships, assisted living, printing, insurance, manufacturing, aviation, technology, and non-profit. While her work is primarily throughout Texas, she has handled matters nationwide. A graduate of the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, she has a real appreciation for the restaurant and hospitality industries and is passionate about efforts to reduce food insecurity.
 

Honors & Awards
  • "Texas Super Lawyers," Super Lawyers magazine (2020 - 2022)
  • "Texas Rising Stars," Super Lawyers magazine
  • "2020 Women Worth Watching," Profiles in Diversity Journal magazine

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  • Published Fifth Circuit opinion affirming summary judgment in favor of client in race discrimination and retaliation case. 
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of major retail client in disability and race discrimination case in the Northern District of Texas.
  • Defense verdict in a religious discrimination case on behalf of a credit union in Maryland state court.
  • Defense verdict in a reverse discrimination case on behalf of an oil company in Dallas County, Texas.
  • Defense verdict in a national origin discrimination case on behalf of an oil services company in the Western District of Texas – Midland/Odessa.
  • Defense verdict in a sexual harassment case on behalf of a major retailer in Harris County, Texas.
  • Defense verdict in a retaliation case on behalf of a nationwide retailer in the Eastern District of Louisiana, New Orleans Division.
  • Defense verdict in a pregnancy discrimination case against a Texas municipality in the Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division.
  • Obtained summary judgment in the Eastern District of Texas, Texarkana Division, on an age/disability/sex discrimination case.
  • Obtained summary judgment in the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division on behalf of a national retailer on claims of disability, age, national origin and sex discrimination.
  • Obtained summary judgment in the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division on behalf of a national retailer on claims for FMLA retaliation and interference, disability discrimination, age discrimination and sex discrimination. Plaintiff’s appeal was upheld by the Fifth Circuit.
  • Obtained dismissal for failure to state a claim in the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division on behalf of a major retailer on claims of race discrimination pursuant to Section 1981.
  • Represents clients in complex employment disputes alleging discrimination, retaliation, and harassment, including drafting, filing, and arguing motions and pleadings in state and federal court.
  • Represents clients before federal and state administrative agencies such as the EEOC and the Texas Workforce Commission, including responding to charges of discrimination and defending unemployment and Pay Day Act claims.
  • Represents clients before the Department of Labor in wage and hour investigations conducted by the Department.
  • Represents clients in wage and hour collective actions claims.
  • Provides counseling and advice to clients on reductions in force, severance agreements and other termination issues.
     
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Education
  • University of Houston Law Center
    J.D., 1997
  • University of Houston
    B.S., magna cum laude, 1994
Memberships
  • American Bar Association
  • Texas Bar Association
  • Dallas Bar Association, Employment Law Section
  • Texas Women's Foundation, XIX Society
  • National Association of Women Lawyers
  • Lakewood Service League, Special Projects Chair ('17-'20)
Bar Admissions
  • Texas
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado