Robert (Bob) Sheeder, who serves as chair of the firm’s labor and employment department, has taken more than 50 lawsuits to verdict and has handled nearly 100 arbitrations. He has also argued 15 cases on appeal and successfully defended one of the first Sarbanes-Oxley cases in Texas. Bob represents clients in all aspects of labor and employment law before federal and state agencies and courts. He focuses on litigation and counseling in the areas of discrimination, harassment, collective and class actions, union organizing, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), noncompetition covenants and trade secrets protection, whistleblowing and wage-hour issues.

In private practice since 1976, Bob has been listed among the top-ranked labor and employment lawyers in Texas by Chambers & Partners’ Chambers USA (2003-2018) and internationally by Chambers Global (2015-2018). He has been noted in Chambers USA as “one of the preeminent employment lawyers in the State of Texas.” Held in high esteem by market commentators for his impressive record of courtroom success, clients describe him as a “go-to employment lawyer” who is a “well trusted adviser.” His service is called “incredibly responsive” and “thorough.”

Bob served as chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (2012-2013) and currently serves as an emeritus member of the executive council. He also served as chair of The University of Texas Law School 2006 Annual Course on Developments in Labor and Employment Law. He continues to speak on labor and employment issues at the annual course. Outside of the courtroom, Bob is a frequent lecturer and writer on labor law issues. He previously served as Editor-in-Chief of the Texas Labor Letter. Bob participated on the Faculty of the Jury Trials of Employment Claims Course for more than five years and participated in the Advanced Course. He is a charter member of the Management and Employment Law Roundtable and a fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.

Bracewell LLP

On November 1, 1945, two brothers, Searcy and Fentress Bracewell, just home from their World War II service, joined their father, J. S. Bracewell, and another leading Houston lawyer to open the doors of a new Houston law firm. From the beginning, the Bracewells understood that for their firm to succeed they must maintain a relentless focus on professional excellence. As they dreamed of building a larger firm, they also understood that the firm’s roots must be deeply embedded in a culture emphasizing personal relationships and teamwork. Finally, based on J. S. Bracewell’s great success as a statewide and community leader before the war, the Bracewells believed that a commitment to public and community service should be a key component of their firm. More than seventy years later, this commitment to professional excellence, to personal relationships and teamwork, and to public and community service remain the cornerstones of our partnership.