Russell Zimmerer

Assistant Vice President & Sr Legal Counsel - Legal, Labor & HR @AT&T

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, US

I am an Assistant Vice President- Sr. Legal Counsel, Labor and Employment at AT & T, a Fortune 50 company. With over 15 years of specialized experience in traditional labor and employment law, I have a proven track record as in-house counsel at AT & T, advising executives and HR and Labor Relations teams on complex compliance, risk management, and employee relations in unionized environments. I am a proven strategic thinker and leader with extensive experience advising senior executives. My expertise lies in delivering practical solutions that align legal compliance with business objectives. I currently serve as AT & T\'s lead labor counsel for our Mobility and Southwest Wireline\'s operations, acting as the lead legal strategist relating to AT & T’s 19 collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) covering employees providing comprehensive advice on labor matters, including union organizing petitions, avoidance strategies, elections, and CBA negotiations. I also serves as lead counsel regarding management side compensation and benefits (including advice on compensation plans, FLSA reviews and exemption status, pay equity analysis, and DOL regulations), HR policy guidance (including non-payroll worker policies), immigration and I-9s and corporate / employee communications. In addition, I maintain responsibility for joint employer and wage and hour concerns, as well as day to day advice and counsel on labor and employment matters.

SMU Dedman School of Law

J.D. Cum Laude, Law