
Brooke C. Bahlinger
Associate
Brooke Bahlinger is based in the firm’s Dallas office where she is a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group and the Manufacturing Sector.
Brooke represents clients in all aspects of labor and employment matters, including trial strategy, pleadings and motion practice, discovery, mediation, settlement, trial and appeal. Brooke also has experience litigating and presenting complex matters to government agencies, including the EEOC, DOL and NLRB, and advises clients in mergers and acquisition matters as well.
Awards and Recognition
- Foley Receives 29 National Tier 1 Practice-Area Rankings in 2023 U.S. News – Best Lawyers ‘Best Law Firms’ List
- National Tier 1
- Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
- Metropolitan Tier I (Dallas/Fort Worth)
- Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
- National Tier 1
Affiliations
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, 2020 Leadership Class
- Dallas Women Lawyers Association, 2019-2020 Mentoring Circles
- STEER Mentoring Program
- Women’s Mentoring Circles Committee Member
Community Involvement
- Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program
- DAYL Leadership Class “Dallas Eviction Assistance and Resources” Project (2020-2021)
Presentations and Publications
- Strafford Webinar, “Healthcare Workers and Vaccine Mandates: Navigating the Evolving Landscape, Implementing and Enforcing Compliance” (March 8, 2022)
- “Vaccine Mandate Roundtable for Health Care Providers: A Discussion on Open Compliance Issues Related to OSHA and CMS Vaccine and Testing Mandates,” (November 22, 2021)
- Co-author, “How Employers Can Navigate NLRB’s Pro-Employee Shift,” Law360 (October 18, 2023)
- Co-Author, “California Pay Transparency Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature,” Labor and Employment Law Perspectives (September 6, 2022)
- Author, “Virtual Form I-9 Document Examination: Here to Stay?,” Foley Dashboard Insights (August 29, 2022)
- Co-Author, “No Lag: Ensuring Labor and Employment Compliance in the Esports Industry,” Texas Lawyer (August, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Key Takeaways from AmericaMakes: 2022 RAPDI + TCT Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) Conference,” Dashboard Insights (May 27, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Mediation Preparation Fundamentals,” Lexis Practical Guidance (April 20, 2022)
- Co-Author, “No Lag: Ensuring Compliance with Labor and Employment Law in the Esports Industry,” Labor and Employment Law Perspectives (May 2, 2022)
- Author, “A Spin on Things: Pending Legislation Seeks to Render Restrictive Covenants Unenforceable if an Employer Takes Action under Mandatory Vaccine Policy,” Coronavirus Resource Center and Labor and Employment Law Perspectives (November 29, 2021)
- Co-Author, “OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard: A Step-By-Step Guide,” Coronavirus Resource Center and Labor and Employment Law Perspectives (November 8, 2021).
- Co-Author, “OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard: It’s Out!,” Coronavirus Resource Center: Back to Business, Labor and Employment Law Perspectives (November 4, 2021)
- Author, “Examining the Current State of Vaccine Mandates,” ERE Media (November 1, 2021)
- Author, “New California Law Requires Certain Employers to Offer Jobs to Previously Laid-Off Employees,” Foley’s Labor and Employment Law Perspectives (May 10, 2021)
- Co-Author, “Florida Enacts Covid-19 Business Liability Shield,” Foley’s Labor & Employment Law Perspectives (March 30, 2021)
- Co-Author, “DOL Finalizes New Rule on Independent Contractor Classification,” Foley’s Labor & Employment Law Perspectives (January 6, 2021)
- Co-Author, “A Shield for Employers: State COVID-19 Indemnity Laws,” Foley’s Coronavirus Resource Center: Back to Business (November 30, 2020)
- Author, “CROWN Acts Prohibit Discrimination Based on Natural Hairstyles,” Foley’s Employment Law Update, (July 13, 2020)
- Co-Author, “A Shield for Employers: State COVID-19 Indemnity Laws,” Foley’s Coronavirus Resource Center: Back to Business (June 22, 2020)
- Author, “Is Twitter Trending? The Company Decides on Permanent Remote Work,” Foley’s Labor & Employment Law Perspectives (May 18, 2020)
- Co-Author, “The Unemployment Benefit as Defined by the CARES Act,” Foley’s Coronavirus Resource Center (April 7, 2020)
- Author, “Overcoming the Surge: How Clark v. City of Seattle Highlights the Conflicts Between Federal, State, and Local Labor Laws,” Louisiana Law Review, 79 La. L. Rev. (2019)

NLRB Establishes New Work Rule Standard: Time to Revise Handbooks and Policies
On August 2, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board published an opinion regarding employer work rules.

Supreme Court Redefines “Undue Hardship” when Addressing Religious Accommodation Requests under Title VII
On June 29, 2023, in a unanimous opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a much-anticipated decision in Groff v. DeJoy, clarifying employers’ obligations to accommodate employees’ religious practices.

New York State’s Non-Compete Ban Set to Reach Governor’s Desk
New York State appears set to join the growing number of jurisdictions prohibiting or significantly limiting the use of employment non-compete agreements.

Illinois Set to Join the Pay Transparency Club
Illinois recently introduced a bill (HB 3129) aimed at promoting pay transparency in the workplace.
Critical Wage & Hour Developments for 2023: New Minimum Wage Laws, Paying Day Rates, and DOL Focus on Pay Equity
Join us for an information-packed webinar addressing new wage and hour developments for 2023.

Reductions in Force: Some High-Level Issues To Consider
As the country continues to navigate an economic downturn and employers discuss the possibility of reducing their workforce, employers should be aware that there are several layers to conducting a reduction in force, including potential additional disclosures, extended consideration periods and advance notice requirements.