Elizabeth Darby Rehm
Member
Direct:(251) 441-9221
Fax:(251) 432-2800
One Saint Louis Center, Suite 4000
1 Saint Louis Street
Mobile, Alabama 36602-3930
Education:
University of Alabama School of Law, J.D., 1994
Auburn University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1991
Beth Darby Rehm is a native of Mobile, Alabama and has devoted the past 25 years of her career exclusively to representing management in labor and employment law. Throughout her career, she has represented employers in the healthcare, aeronautical, dairy, manufacturing and service sectors, as well as municipalities.
Beth values working with clients taking a “hands on” approach to resolving labor and employment issues before they reach administrative agencies or the court system. She enjoys counseling and training employers in all aspects of labor and employment law to help avoid claims arising from day-to-day employment decisions, as well as significant decisions such as reductions in force. As part of her practice, Beth regularly drafts employment policies and procedures, employment applications, background check disclosure and consent agreements, employee handbooks, and employment contracts (non-compete agreements and trade secret agreements).
She additionally regularly conducts training for clients on a variety of labor and employment issues. Beth works with clients to create a customized training program which relates to each individual client’s industry and employees to allow for an interactive experience.
In addition to employment law, Beth also has experience with “traditional” labor law, including representing employers in all aspects of management-union relations, including: negotiations, union representation and decertification election campaigns; arbitration of grievances; unfair labor practice claims; and preparation of strike contingency plans.
However, Beth understands that administrative charges and lawsuits cannot always be avoided, and actively defends employers both in state and federal court and before administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, OSHA, the National Labor Relations Board and various state agencies across the United States.
Representative Experience
Successfully defended national scaffolding employer in race discrimination lawsuit
Motion to Dismiss granted for international aerospace employer in Americans with Disabilities Act and Equal Pay Act suit
Motion to Dismiss granted in wage and hour lawsuit against local restaurant
Summary judgment granted for national hardware retailer in lawsuit brought under the Alabama Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Summary judgment granted for international retailer on harassment and discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act, decision affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Successfully defended nursing home in case alleging race discrimination
Summary judgment granted to transportation company in action brought by union to enforce arbitration agreement
Successfully defended nursing home in Pregnancy Discrimination Act lawsuit
Successfully defeated union’s certification petition to organize employer
Summary judgment granted in sexual harassment lawsuit against large disposal company
Summary judgment granted for international aerospace employer in workers compensation retaliation suit
Speaking Engagements
In addition to speaking to numerous human resources groups and conducting training for clients, Beth has made the following presentations:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Technical Assistance Programs; Requested by the Birmingham EEOC District Office to provide employer defense perspective on various subjects:
The FMLA, ADA Workers Compensation: Employer Best Practices,” Orange Beach, Alabama, August 2018
“The ADEA, Traditionalists, Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y in the Workforce,” Biloxi, Mississippi, June 2015
“Workplace Violence and Bullying,” July 2011, Jackson, Mississippi and San Destin, Florida, April 2011
“FMLA Master Class, Advanced Skills for Employers” Sponsored by BLR, 2014-2018
“The Changing Face of Supervisory Harassment,” The University of Alabama School of Law, Annual Employment Law Conference, December 17, 2015
“The Legal Minute,” a monthly presentation to the Baldwin County Society for Human Resource Management, 2017 – present
Publications
Past Editor of “The Developing Labor Law,” a publication of the American Bar Association, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 1998-2010
“Employee Use of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs While at Work,” HR Professionals Magazine, April 2015
Honors and Awards
AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Alabama Super Lawyers
Employment and Labor Law (2012, 2013, 2015)
Mid-South Super Lawyers
Employment and Labor Law (2016, 2017)
Best Lawyers in America (Selected from 2012-2020)
Litigation – Labor and Employment Law
Labor Law – Management
Employment Law – Management
2013 “Lawyer of the Year,” Employment Law – Management, Mobile, Alabama
2017 “Lawyer of the Year,” Labor Law – Management, Mobile, Alabama
2020 “Lawyer of the Year,” Labor Law – Management, Mobile, Alabama
Organizations
Member, National Society for Human Resource Management
Volunteer, National Society for Human Resource Management, Advocacy Team
Board Member, Baldwin County Society for Human Resource Management
Member, Mobile County Society for Human Resource Management
Past Board Member, Friends of the Mobile Public Library
Leadership Mobile Graduate, Class of 2016
Sustainer, Junior League of Mobile
Bar Admissions
Alabama (all state and federal courts); United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida; United States District Court of New Mexico, United States Tax Court
What Our Clients are Saying
Brandy Walker
“My husband and I were referred to Johnstone Adams in the spring of last year. We are working very closely with Jessica Welch and Greg Watts on an ongoing and unwanted family estate matter. Ms. Welch and Mr. Watts have been so professional and knowledgeable.
In addition, considering the nature of the suit, Jessica has provided my husband and I with a peace of mind we didn"t think was possible during this extremely stressful time of our lives. She is an amazing trial attorney. They have gone above and beyond. To sum it up, I have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for them. I would strongly reccomend either of them to my dearest friends and family members. I'm so thankful that we stumbled upon them. I'm actually going to miss Jessica Welch when this is all over.”
Andre Kistner
“I am currently using this law firm and they are informative, keeping me up to date with my case, and they return your calls/emails immediately. I am very satisfied.”
Stu Cookson
“My wife and I approached Johnstone Adams to help us make a better informed decision regarding her immigration. They have been a truly invaluable asset. They brought their knowledge, experience, confidence, and calm demeanor to the process, which put our minds at ease. The worry and anxiety that we were facing melted away, and we have been, literally, hand-held during this daunting process. We can’t thank or recommend Johnstone Adams enough and look forward to continuing to use their services in the future.”
Angela R.
“Johnstone Adams was a great help when it came to drawing up our family’s will and advanced directives prior to the birth of our first son. These are certainly things that no one wants to think about, but the process was easy. They were professional and knowledgeable, answering all of our questions along the way with compassion and sensitivity. Johnstone Adams responded quickly to any questions and was easy to get in touch with! We would highly recommend them for any legal work!!”
Alan C
“Jessica’s advice and assistance with our family's interests in a probate matter was exceptional from beginning to end-- always thoughtful, responsive and efficient, and focused and timely.
It was a genuine pleasure for the doubtless incorrigibly demanding old lawyer that I am to have a professional of her outstanding caliber assisting me on this matter—both generally and in my role as executor in particular—in a jurisdiction unfamiliar to me and on a matter completely outside of my own experience and expertise.
I might also point out that she was really excellent in interfacing, always in a timely and solution-oriented manner, with other parties involved in our matter to help keep our initiatives on track—including attorneys dealing with the disposition of residential real estate and financial assets.
Jessica and her excellent assistant, Shelly Perrone, also offered and provided pragmatic and efficient solutions to logistical and execution issues made significantly more challenging than usual given the COVID-19 crisis and my own location far from Mobile-- in Paris, France.”
Jochebed
“I highly recommend attorney Rick La Trace. Aside from being professional, polite, and yet firm, Rick is a combination of knowledge, detail, and responsiveness. (In my opinion, there are very few professionals who have ALL three qualities. Rick is one of the very few.) What makes him stand apart from the rest, is that he takes the time to listen to his client's concerns (no matter how "trivial"). He educates client’s on how the law works, shares his opinions, including the pros and cons of each. We would definitely use Rick's services again, and highly recommend him for anyone who wants a lawyer that they can trust to thoroughly handle their case from start to finish, even down to the small details. You can tell from working with Rick that he's not just about getting paid for his services, but that he enjoys working through problems and finding creative solutions for his clients. Also, I highly recommend the Johnstone Adams, LLC systems and processes. Shelly and Cathy were on top of things. I give Rick and Johnstone Adams more than five stars.”