In the News

The Louisiana State Bar Association recently published an article on Special Needs Trusts. Below is an in-depth look at how a Special Needs Trust can protect our clients. Our firm has extensive experience in setting up Special Needs Trusts in Personal Injury Awards and/or Settlement Disbursements, Estate Planning and Administration, Inheritance, and Financial Planning to properly secure and protect our clients’ assets.

Click Here for an in depth look at Special Needs Trusts.

Partners Todd Wallace and Stacey Meyaski recently secured and finalized a significant settlement of overtime claims pursued under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) on behalf of a class of construction workers.  The employees, which included workers labeled as either “superintendent” and “crew leader,” alleged that the construction company for whom they worked on a FEMA-funded hurricane recovery project in Puerto Rico improperly classified them as exempt employees so as to deny those workers proper overtime pay.  The case was pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana at the time of settlement.

This case should serve as a critical reminder to both employees and employers alike that the title of a particular position does not define whether or not that employee is exempt under the FLSA’s overtime provisions.  Instead, a myriad of factors must be carefully assessed and taken into consideration when assessing whether an employee’s primary job duty falls within one of the articulated exemptions to the FLSA’s overtime requirements.  Wallace Meyaski’s has extensive experience in representing both employees and small business employers on a wide variety of employment litigation and compliance issues, including all aspects of federal and state wage and hour disputes.

For more information regarding how Wallace Meyaski can help you in pursuing your wage and hour claims or protecting your business from similar claims, please contact us here.

Wallace Meyaski is proud to announce that founding partner Stacey Meyaski has been named a 2018 Top Lawyer in the area of Trusts and Estates by her peers in the November 2018 edition of the New Orleans magazine.  The annual list of Top Lawyers of New Orleans (and surrounding areas) is based exclusively upon voting of licensed attorneys in the area.  Attorneys are asked which attorneys, other than themselves, they would recommend in the New Orleans area based upon a certain area of legal speciality.  Once the nominations were complete, each nominee was carefully evaluated on the basis of the survey results based on several factors.  

Ms. Meyaski leads the firm’s trust and estate planning practice.  Estate planning encompasses a broad range of legal services that focus on the acquisition, preservation, and disposition of an individual’s assets during life, upon death, and after death.  Our dedicated team aims to properly carry out the client’s wishes in accordance with Louisiana law, while carefully considering tax implications as well as familial relationships which play a large role in the decision making process.  Our range of services helps to ensure financial security during life and to arrange for the well being of heirs upon death.  

For more information regarding on how Wallace Meyaski can help you with your trust and estate planning needs, please contact us here.

Founding partner Todd Wallace served as the legal presenter at Acadiana SHRM’s (Society for Human Resources Management) 2018 Annual Conference and Expo in Lafayette, Louisiana on September 12, 2018.  Mr. Wallace concluded the day-long event with an extensive presentation to HR professionals and business executives on the latest legal developments involving workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.  His discussion included developments regarding potential liability under Title VII, the American with Disabilities Act, and relevant state laws.  He concluded his presentation with a series of best practices for employers to consider in order to foster and promote a productive and legally-compliant work environment. The challenges for HR Resource professionals are greater than ever as there is a growing legal trend towards expanding Title VII protection. The courts are reviewing matters that, in many cases, are matters of first impression meaning that the legal issues have not yet been raised by litigant employees. These decisions have profound impacts on employers and their policies and procedures, while prompting many employers to ensure that their internal practices are evolving with the expansion of Title VII protection.

Acadiana SHRM serves as the local affiliate in Lafayette and the surrounding areas of the Society for Human Resources Management, the world’s largest HR professional society representing 285,000 members in more than 165 countries. With more than 530 local members, NOLA SHRM is the only Louisiana SHRM Chapter to reach Mega-level membership providing us a greater professional networking benefit. Through NOLA SHRM learning opportunities, its members are empowered to be the voice of the profession using sound and ethical practices on human resource management issues. Since 1962, NOLA SHRM has served as a resource for local human resources professionals and businesses providing a forum for personal and professional development on issues related to human resource management, promoting fellowship, and offering various networking experiences to keep our members engaged and current on industry trends.

For more information regarding on how Wallace Meyaski can help you with your employment-related legal questions or potential claims, please contact us here.