Melanie V. Slaton's civil litigation practice emphasizes labor and employment law, including employment discrimination and employment harassment. Since 1988, she has tried more than 40 cases in California and Georgia, recording impressive results for private and government clients. Ms. Slaton's litigation experience includes complex class actions in both state and federal court. She is the Chair of Hall Booth Smith, P.C.'s Labor & Employment Group. She has extensive experience defending employers in individual and class action wage and hour, discrimination and harassment claims, as well as in arbitrations and mediations. She has argued in front of the California Court of Appeal, United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal, and is a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court. Before moving to Georgia in 2005, Ms. Slaton was a Senior Attorney with the California Labor Department, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement for five years. Prior to her work with the Department of Labor, she was a partner in a Los Angeles labor/entertainment firm for 12 years, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in a number of high-profile cases. She has represented clients in disputes with both state and federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Georgia Department of Labor, and the U.S. Education Department's Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance. Ms. Slaton has assisted in conducting workplace internal investigations and has substantial experience counseling companies and government entities undergoing major involuntary workforce reductions. She has been recognized by Georgia Trend Magazine as a Legal Elite in the practice specialty of Labor & Employment.