Marcel L. Debruge

Marcel is the Chair of the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group. He focuses his practice on representing management in all aspects of Labor & Employment law, including litigation before the federal and state courts and administrative agencies. His practice embraces a variety of matters relating to wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, invasion of privacy, employment discrimination and labor relations. Marcel also handles violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act, as well as the enforcement of restrictive covenants, such as covenants not to compete and non-solicitation agreements. He has substantial experience with all types of OSHA matters, arbitration of employment disputes, matters falling within the jurisdiction of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and litigation before administrative agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Commission. He has also defended nationwide complex employment discrimination class actions. Additionally, Marcel engages in a significant amount of employment law counseling and often conducts training seminars for supervisors and human resource managers.

Marcel has lectured extensively throughout the Southeast in the areas of procedure, labor relations, case assessment, employment law, occupational safety and health law, alternative dispute resolution and employment torts, including restrictive covenant issues. He has written several articles in the areas of litigation and employment law. Marcel is a member of the Alabama, Georgia and Texas bars and various state and local bar associations. He is Chairman of the Alabama State Bar's Labor & Employment Law Section. Marcel is also a member of the Management Labor & Employment Roundtable, a national, invitation only, association of labor and employment lawyers and other professionals representing management in labor and employment law matters. He has been selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA Leading Lawyers for Business, and Alabama Super Lawyers 2008, 2009 and 2010. Chambers USA recognized Marcel as a "Leader in their Field" in 2009 and 2010.

Marcel routinely handles labor organizing campaigns and NLRB issues for clients, and assists clients with all aspects of employee relations and management training matters.

He received his B.A. in 1987 from Louisiana State University and his J.D. in 1991 from the University of Alabama School of Law. During law school, he was a member of the Managing Board of the Alabama Law Review and The Order of the Coif.

Memberships & Bar Associations

Alabama State Bar Past Chairman, Labor & Employment Law Section

State Bar of Georgia

Texas State Bar