James C. Pennington

James C. Pennington


Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

Recognized since 2009

Birmingham, Alabama

Practice Areas

Education Law

Employment Law - Management

Labor Law - Management

Navigate to map location for James C. Pennington
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Employment Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Education Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Employment Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Education Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Employment Law - Management
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Mr. Pennington is the Managing Shareholder and a founding member of the Birmingham Office of Ogletree Deakins. For more than two decades, he has represented employers in a wide range of labor and employment law matters, including administrative agency charges, federal and state court litigation, union campaigns and collective bargaining. Mr. Pennington strives to help employers achieve peaceful, productive workplaces. He helps employers avoid workplace disputes by providing management training and developing defensive documentation such as effective employee handbooks, dispute avoidance and resolution policies, and drug and alcohol testing policies and procedures. He is well-known for helping employers navigate through the difficult intersections of disabilities and leave laws. Mr. Pennington's litigation experience includes matters such as employment discrimination, disabilities, wage and hour disputes, FMLA, restrictive covenants and trade secrets, labor strikes, executive compensation, employee benefits, first amendment and due process and other constitutional issues. He has also arbitrated many discipline and labor contract arbitration matters before labor arbitrators. A founder of the firm's Higher Education Practice Group, Mr. Pennington has extensive experience representing colleges and universities in matters related to labor, employment, academic policies and student discipline.

Location
  • 420 Twentieth Street North, Suite 1900
    Birmingham, AL 35203
Education
  • Vanderbilt University, J.D., graduated 1990
Bar Admissions
  • Alabama, Alabama State Bar Association
Affiliations
  • National Association of College and University Attorneys - Member
Court Admissions
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh CIrcuit
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Employment Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Education Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Employment Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Education Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Employment Law - Management
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Employment Law - Management, Birmingham (2024)
  • Education Law, Birmingham (2023)
  • Labor Law - Management, Birmingham (2022)
  • Employment Law - Management, Birmingham (2021)
  • Education Law, Birmingham (2017)
  • Employment Law - Management, Birmingham (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Education Law
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Management
Special Focus:
  • Contract Disputes
  • Defense
  • Education
  • Management
  • National Labor Relations Board
  • State and Federal
  • Title VII Litigation
  • Wrongful Discharge
Awards:
  • Chambers USA (2007-2018)
  • Birmingham Super Lawyer

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Publications

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