Hall Booth Smith, P.C.

Hall Booth Smith is pleased to announce that 34 lawyers have been included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. The award recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.

In an article published this week by HR Dive, Hall Booth Smith Columbus Partner Mariel E. Smith writes about key considerations for companies and firms hiring summer interns. “While the chance to contribute to a young professional’s future and gain some much-needed help in the office are exciting opportunities, employers must take time in advance

Even amid the growth of remote and hybrid work, intimate relationships among co-workers are on the rise, according to the Society of Human Resource Management. While banning workplace romances may not be the answer, Mariel Smith, Columbus-based partner, said leaders should have a policy in place to protect themselves. “Formal contracts can get a ‘little

Thirty-one lawyers from Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) have been honored as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. This recognition is given to attorneys, in a variety of practice groups, who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. This honor is based on Best Lawyers®’  highly selective

Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to no avail. More than 70 rejections from rehabilitation clinics. Even more visits to hospitals, doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and other specialists. One long-Covid diagnosis. That’s been the reality for the Smith family for the past two years and counting, after Jason Smith, a psychologist and professor by trade, contracted long Covid.

In a Forbes article about how employee background checks can help companies avoid a crisis, Columbus Partner Mariel Smith advises business leaders to consult a legal professional to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. “It is very important for employers and HR professionals to consult an employment attorney if they have any questions regarding

In an update published by Forbes on November 4, 2021, Columbus Partner Mariel Smith discusses how the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) vaccine rules could impact an employee’s unemployment benefits if they get fired. Subscribers to Forbes.com may read the complete article here.

In an article published by Part B News on September 20, 2021, Partner Mariel Smith is quoted discutssing whether practice doctors can refuse access to unvaccinated patients. “It’s a very slippery slope,” she cautions. “Think of someone at the door or in the waiting room, and you telling them, ‘Sorry, we can’t see you because

In an article published by Forbes Advisor on August 31, 2021, Partner Mariel Smith is quoted discussing whether employees who refuse to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as per their employer’s policies might find themselves ineligible for unemployment benefits if they get fired. Employees have long understood that if they are fired, they can get unemployment

Thirty lawyers from Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) have been honored as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. This recognition is given to attorneys, in a variety of practice groups, who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. This honor is based on Best Lawyers’®  highly selective

In an article published by Part B News on July 19, 2021, Partner Mariel Smith is quoted discussing considerations for physician practices to limit liability related to patient violence. Recent news that a psychiatry resident at Penn Hospital in Philadelphia is suing the facility after a patient stabbed her brought questions of physician practice liability

Written by: Mariel E. Smith, Esq. In a recent decision, Gil v. Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., the Eleventh Circuit held that websites are not “places of public accommodation” under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of

ATLANTA – February 3, 2021 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) has named three new partners as the firm elevates leaders and recognizes their outstanding service to clients. Joining the firm’s partnership ranks are Danielle S. Blauvelt in Nashville, Elizabeth F. Morrison  in Charleston and Mariel E. Smith in Columbus. Danielle S. Blauvelt specializes in

Twenty lawyers from Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) have been honored in the inaugural edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. This recognition is given to attorneys, in a variety of practice groups, who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. This honor is based

Written by: Melanie V. Slaton, Esq.,  Mariel E. Smith, Esq., and Nicholas J. Garcia, Esq. On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) delivered the landmark opinion in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia and broadened Title VII liability to include actions by an employer based on the homosexuality or transgender status of the individual

Written by: Melanie V. Slaton, Esq.,  Mariel E. Smith, Esq., and Nicholas J. Garcia, Esq. As states struggle through the process of re-opening in the wake of COVD-19, many employers are also wrestling with the question of what to do about employees who refuse work due to safety concerns or in order to take advantage

Written by: Mariel Smith, Esq. Employers should take note that the CROWN Act is now law in several states and is being considered in many others.  The CROWN Act, which stands for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is a law that prohibits discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture. It is

Written by: Mariel Smith, Esq. On September 24, 2019, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final rule modifying the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime rules for executive, administrative, professional, computing positions (white collar), and highly compensated employees. The rule goes into effect on January 1, 2020 and it increases the minimum salary that

Mariel Williams, an associate at the Columbus Office of HBS, was recently chosen to be the new Associate Magistrate of Muscogee County.  A graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law, Mariel served as an assistant district attorney and as law clerk for the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit before joining the firm in June 2011.  Mariel

On June 7, 2012, Mariel Williams, an associate in the HBS Columbus office, was sworn in as the new President of the Columbus Chapter of Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL) during the chapter’s Judicial Reception. Mariel had served as the chapter’s secretary since 2009.  Mariel said in her speech that it is important to become involved