Celia J Collins
PARALEGAL
Candy Knickerbocker
Phone : (251) 441-9256
cgk@johnstoneadams.com
Related Practices:
Employment, Labor and Workers’ Compensation
Insurance Defense
Education:
1980, Alabama State Bar
1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
Ms. Celia J. Collins
Celia Collins is sought after by company CEOs, owners and general counsel for comprehensive labor and employment services from advisory, policy design and training to litigation. Known for going above and beyond for every client – unionized or not – she has a broad range of industry experience, including healthcare, shipbuilding, fast food/service, prisons, manufacturing and others.
On the ground in South Alabama, Celia represents clients on their most challenging issues, such as Affordable Care Act compliance, terminating employees in a protected class, discrimination and harassment claims, union attacks and return to work issues. Such matters often don’t surface during business hours; Celia is known for being available around the clock.
Other important areas where Celia’s assistance proves invaluable include the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), FLSA/wage and hour, internal investigations, EEOC, OSHA and NLRB administrative matters, executive severance issues, and non-compete agreements. Celia is also known for her civil rights work related to Fair Housing Discrimination Claims.
Celia has extensive experience litigating in all areas of employment law, including Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, NLRA, state law contract and tort claims, FLSA, ERISA, workers’ compensation, and unemployment.
Celia is a Past Chair of the Alabama State Bar Labor and Employment Section and is recognized by Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers in Employment Law, Labor Law and Workers’ Compensation Law. Celia has been recognized by Best Lawyers as 2018 Mobile Labor Law – Management “Lawyer of the Year” and has been previously recognized by Best Lawyers as Mobile “Lawyer of the Year” in Management Employment Law and Employment Litigation Defense.
Publications
Chapter Author, “Employment Law 2015, Top Lawyers on Trends and Key Strategies for the Upcoming Year” (Thompson Reuters / Aspatore 2015).
Alabama Contributor, “Defending Workplace Injury Cases” (Thompson Reuters 2013).
“What CEO’s Need to Know Before Firing an Employee: Legal Do’s and Don’ts” (CD-Rom ExecSense Webinars 2010).
Supers Lawyers Announcement
Celia J. Collins and Elizabeth Darby Rehm have both been named as 2022 Mid-South Super Lawyers in the category of Employment and Labor Law. Each year, no more than 5% of lawyers in the Mid-South are selected for this honor. In Mobile, only three Super Lawyers who practice employment on behalf of employers were named in the Employment and Labor Law category for 2022, and Johnstone Adams is pleased to have two of them. Celia J. Collins was also named as a 2022 Mid-South Top 50 Women practicing law. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. This selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
HONORS + AWARDS
- Fellow of the American Bar Foundation
- Designated by Super Lawyers in the areas of Employment and Labor and Workers’ Compensation
- 2014, Designated by Best Lawyers as Mobile Lawyer of the Year in Workers’ Compensation – Employers
- 2016, Mobile Bar Association Women Lawyers Trailblazer Award
- 2017, Designated by Best Lawyers as Mobile Lawyer of the Year in Employment Law – Management
- 2018, Designated by Best Lawyers as Mobile Lawyer of the Year in Labor Law – Management
Representation of health-care client and its managers in defending termination/harassment case filed by 20-year employee. Individual managers dismissed early in the action. Employer dismissed on summary judgment.
Representation of manufacturing client in sexual harassment case arising in a production line setting. Case voluntarily dismissed by plaintiff.
Representation of hospital in race discrimination claim filed by 20-year employee terminated for performance. Case voluntarily dismissed by plaintiff.
Representation of hospital in cases alleging violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act by employee suffering on-the-job injury and companion workers’ compensation action. She was unable to return to prior position and terminated when not placed in a different position within the leave of absence period. Motion for summary judgment granted in favor of employer. Case appealed by plaintiff to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals where summary judgment was affirmed. Companion workers’ compensation action settled favorably.
Representation of financial institution in defending Equal Pay Act claim by female manager paid a lower salary than the supervisor she succeeded. Summary judgment granted for defendant.
Representation of national hotel chain in connection with race discrimination claim by terminated security guard. Judgment for employer after trial on the merits.
Representation of hospital in pregnancy discrimination case by nurse terminated when physical restrictions placed on her due to pregnancy prevented her from performing job. Case voluntarily dismissed in return for promise of neutral reference.
Representation of employer in defending simultaneous claims for workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation and discrimination. Workers’ compensation claim favorably settled. Unemployment compensation claim resolved in favor of employer. EEOC charge dismissed.
Representation of employer in case alleging race discrimination, breach of contract, tort of outrage and slander by terminated LPN against home health care agency. Summary judgment rendered in favor of employer.
Representation of group health plan in action alleging age and sex discrimination by employee denied promotion. Summary judgment granted for the employer.
Representation of retail client in a sexual harassment case. Motion for summary judgment granted in favor of the employer.
Representation of retail client in case alleging violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act by an employee claiming employer failed to accommodate his requests for certain lunch breaks necessary in connection with his alleged condition of diabetes. The case settled for $500.00 while the motion for summary judgment was pending.
Assistance was provided to a number of employers in reviewing and revising employment policies to conform with recent changes in State and Federal law.
Assistance provided to a number of employers in planning and conducting training on sexual harassment, FMLA and other matters.
Service as Arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association Panel of Employment Law Arbitrators.
Other Employment Matters
Retained to assist largest private employer in Mobile County in connection with total overhaul of its personnel policies and procedures.
Retained by national management training company to conduct all-day workshops in areas of internal investigation and administering Family and Medical Leave Act.
Retained by various commercial training companies to provide training to personnel specialists in all areas of employment law.
Representation of employer in pro-active strategy of obtaining court approval of mass lump sum settlements with approximately 150 employees suffering hearing loss in order to avoid the expense of anticipated separate litigation.
Representation of manufacturing client in workers’ compensation action in which plaintiff claimed permanent total disability arising from neck surgery allegedly resulting from repetitive action on production line. Award for employer after bench trial. Plaintiff appealed award to the Court of Civil Appeals which affirmed the award for employer. Plaintiff further petitioned for certiorari with the Alabama Supreme Court. Certiorari was denied.
Non-Employment Matters
Assistance provided in defense of alleged Fair Housing violations made by Department of Justice against local company owning several apartment complexes. Case reached favorable settlement prior to suit being filed.
Service as local counsel in anti-trust action against top Fortune 500 company. Case reached favorable settlement shortly before trial scheduled.
Representation of ship owner in action arising under admiralty laws involving attempted sexual assault of client’s employee by third party on-board ship. Case reached favorable settlement.
Representation of major medical supplier in breast implant litigation.
Representation of major retailer in diet drug litigation pending in Mobile, Alabama.
- Member, Board of Trustees of the United Way of South Alabama
- Member, Employment Law Section, American Bar Association and Alabama Bar Association
- Member, Workers’ Compensation Section, Alabama Bar Association
- Served on Alabama State Bar Board of Bar Examiners as examiner in area of Federal Pleading and Practice
- Served as elected Member of Alabama State Bar Board of Bar Commissioners
- Secretary, National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations
- “The #MeToo Movement and the Law of Sexual Harassment” (Alabama State Bar Labor and Employment Law Section – 2018).
- “Disability Dilemmas” (Mobile SHRM – 2018).
- “Current State of Employment Law under the New Administration” (Mobile SHRM – 2017).
- “White Collar Overtime Exemption” (United Way Agency Roundtable, Women’s Business Center, Mobile Chamber of Commerce Executive Roundtable – 2016).
- “The Unemployment Benefits Process” (Mobile SHRM – 2016).
- “Where or When Is Affordable Care?” (Mobile Chamber of Commerce – February 2014).
- “An Interactive Look at the Interactive Process” (Mobile SHRM – April 2014).
- “Time to Reform Your Health Care Policies: What You Need to Be Doing Now” (Estate Planning Council of Mobile – 2013).
- “Discipline and Termination Panel Discussion” (Alabama Self-Insured Association Annual Seminar – 2012).
- “Introducing GINA” (ASIA Summer 2011 Newsletter).
- “Employee Discipline and Termination Advice in the Social Media Age” (Mobile Chamber of Commerce – 2011).