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Brent D. Hockaday

Brent Hockaday, a partner in the Labor, Employment, and Workplace Safety practice, operates as a trusted ally to business leaders. With a steadfast commitment to fostering shared business success across a diverse range of industries, Brent provides strategic guidance to seamlessly integrate protective measures with effective execution.

Board Certified in labor and employment law, Brent crafts contracts, policies, and legal frameworks that safeguard trade secrets, deter unfair competition, and navigate the compliance through the maze of employment laws and regulations. Brent’s tailored counsel empowers leadership teams to build resilient workplace strategies, manage employee relations, and avoid litigation.

Brent is also a skilled litigator and trial lawyer with extensive experience handling employment and commercial disputes nationwide, achieving successful jury verdicts and arbitration awards. His litigation experience includes enforcing and defending restrictive covenants, protecting trade secrets, and the successful defense of wage and hour, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims in courts, arbitrations, and before administrative agencies. 

Beyond his legal practice, Brent also educates lawyers and industry leaders on emerging trends in unfair competition and trade secrets protection. His insights and guidance equip businesses of all sizes.

  • Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation - Labor and Employment in Dallas, 2024-2025
  • Recognized by Chambers USA for Labor & Employment in Texas, 2024
  • Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • Named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America in Texas, 2021
  • Named to the Texas Rising Stars list, 2019-2023
  • Dallas Bar Association, Member
  • Downtown Dallas, Inc., Board of Governors, 2022-2023
  • The Patrick Higginbotham Inn of Court, Member, 2018
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce
    • Leadership Dallas, Class of 2022
    • Young Professional Advisory Council, 2018-2020
    • LEAD Young Professionals, Class of 2017
  • “Navigating Non-Competes During Uncertain Times,” K&L Gates and Pearson Partners International CLE Series, 27 August 2024
  • “What Legal Challenges Will You Be Facing in Managing Your Workforce in 2024?” Association of Corporate Counsel, 7 March 2024
  • “Protecting Your Information and Relationships in a Hybrid and Remote World,” Texas General Counsel Forum, 16 November 2023
  • “The Evolving Landscape of Non-Compete Agreements and the Proposed FTC Regulations,” Dallas Bar Association, Employment Law, 27 August 2023
  • “The Evolving Landscape of Non-Compete Agreements and the Proposed FTC Regulations,” Dallas Bar Association, Energy Law, 18 August 2023
  • "Protecting Your Company’s Most Important Assets," TechFW, 20 September 2022
  • “#Metoo Takes a Bite Out of Arbitration,” Thomson Reuters West LegalEdCenter, 23 May 2022
  • “Emerging Issues Facing Restrictive Covenants,” Collin County Bar Association and Plano Bar Association Corporate Counsel, 4 March 2022
  • “Emerging Issues Facing Restrictive Covenants,” State Bar of Texas Labor and Employment Institute, August 2021
  • “Emerging Issues Facing Restrictive Covenants,” Dallas Bar Association, July 2021
  • Co-presenter, “What You Need to Know About the FMLA and ADA,” Benefit Seminars PLUS Luncheon, October 2014
  • “#MeToo Takes a Bite Out of Arbitration,” Texas Lawyer, 31 March 2022
  • "How The New ‘Tipped Pool’ Rule May Impact Restaurant Employers," Modern Restaurant Management, 30 October 2019
  • "3 employment forms that protect your business," Dallas Business Journal, 2 October 2019
  • Oklahoma Chapter, Employment at Will: A State-by-State Survey, 2014 Cumulative Supplement, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, January 2015
  • Oklahoma Chapter, Employment at Will: A State-by-State Survey, 2013 Supplement, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, January 2014
Additional News & Event Pages
  • Quoted, "AAF Bankruptcy: Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon claims he, not defunct league’s players, should get millions," The Athletic, 5 October 2021
  • Quoted, "Supreme Court deals final blow to Biden vaccine-or-test mandate for large employers,” Retail Dive, 14 January 2022
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