Courtney Barksdale Perez

Courtney Barksdale Perez

Principal
214.550.5052

Courtney Barksdale Perez is a principal at Carter Arnett Bennett & Perez. Courtney has a vast array of litigation experience having tried cases to jury in state and federal court. She has represented plaintiffs and defendants in employment-related claims, complex commercial disputes involving allegations of fraud, negligence, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of covenants not to compete, tortious interference with contracts, civil conspiracy, antitrust and in intellectual property disputes alleging misappropriation of trade secrets, trademark infringement, and patent infringement. In addition, Courtney is a trained mediator and assists litigants in resolving employment, business, commercial, consumer, personal injury and civil rights disputes.

Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law, Courtney has specialized knowledge representing individuals, corporations, and government entities in all phases of commercial and employment-related litigation from the risk-management phase through trial and on appeal. Courtney regularly advises clients concerning compliance with employment-related statutes and has served as lead counsel in cases involving claims asserted under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Federal Labor Standards Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the Texas Whistleblower Act, the Texas Payday Act, the Texas Labor Code and employment agreements. She also conducts internal investigations, reviews and prepares policies and procedures, and provides training for employers.

Courtney is a frequent author and speaker on topics involving her subject-matter expertise as well as issues surrounding diversity, inclusion, equity and wellness in the profession.

Honors and Distinctions

  • Fellow, Litigation Council of America®
  • Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2013
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2022
  • American Bar Association, On the Rise-Top 40 Young Lawyers, 2020
  • D Magazine Best Lawyers in Dallas, 2017-2022
  • Thompson Reuters’ Super Lawyers® (Texas), 2021, 2022
  • Thompson Reuters’ Super Lawyers® Rising Stars (Texas) Up-and-Coming 50 Women, 2017-2020
  • Thompson Reuters’ Super Lawyers® Rising Stars (Texas) Up-and-Coming 100, 2017-2020
  • Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers® Rising Stars (Texas), 2013-2020
  • State Bar of Texas Minority Counsel Program Trailblazer Award, Finalist, 2019
  • Texas Young Lawyers Association President’s Award, 2016-2017, 2017-2018
  • Texas Young Lawyers Association Outstanding Director Award, 2015-2016

Professional Associations and Community Involvement:

  • The NEW Roundtable, Inc., Founding Member & President 2021
  • State Bar of Texas
    • Chair, State Bar Annual Meeting, 2024
    • Chair, Texas Young Lawyers Association, 2019-2020
    • Member, State Bar Minority Counsel Program Committee, 2022
    • Member, State Bar CLE Committee, 2017-2020
    • Graduate, Leadership SBOT, 2011-2012
  • Dallas Bar Association
    • Diversity Survey Task Force, 2020-2021
    • Graduate, DBA WE Lead Inaugural Class, 2018
    • Board of Directors, 2013-2015
    • Business Litigation Section Council Member, 2012
    • Membership and Admissions Committee, Chair, 2014
    • Minority Participation Committee, Co-Chair, 2012
    • Graduate, DAYL Leadership Class, 2011-2012
  • Judge Patrick A. Higginbotham Inn of Court, Barrister, 2013-2016
  • J.L. Turner Legal Association, Member
  • Theatre Arlington, Member, Board of Trustees, 2019-2021
  • Dallas Children’s Theater, Member, Board of Trustees, 2013-2015
  • Theatre Arlington, Member, Board of Trustees, 2019

Published Works & Speaking Engagements

  • “Texas Supreme Court Update” Texas Center for the Judiciary 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024
  • “Qualified Immunity” Northern District of Texas Bench Bar, April 2023
  • “Pleadings” Texas Bar CLE Federal Court Practice, May 2021
  • “Implicit Bias in Jury Selection” Dallas Bar Association, April 2021
  • “COVID19 Considerations for Employers” Dallas HR, April 2021
  • “Beyond Wellness: Finding and Maintaining Attorney Wellness” Texas Bar CLE, Course Director 2020
  • “Words of Wisdom from Minority Women Lawyers” Texas Lawyers Assistance Program, March 2020
  • “Building Allies: How to Be Anti-Racist in the Legal Profession” DAYL Diversity Dialogue, July 2020
  • “Deposing the Plaintiff” Texas Defense Lawyers Association, October 2020
  • “#Squadgoals: The Power of Finding and Maintaining Your Group” Texas Bar Journal, July 2020
  • “How to Talk to Each Other About Race” Dallas Women Lawyers Association, July 2020
  • “Engaging Young Lawyers” National Association of Bar Associations, May 2020
  • “What Employers Need to Know- COVID-19 and More” Dallas Bar Association, April 2020
  • “Burnout: The Cost of Having it All” Texas Bar Journal, September 2020
  • “Pleadings and Dispositive Motions” Texas Bar CLE Federal Court Practice, May 2019
  • “Sexual Harassment Claims in the #MeToo Era” Texas Bar CLE South Texas CLE, May 2019
  • “Retaliation 101” Texas Bar CLE Employment Law 101, January 2019
  • “Medical Residents at the Center of a Circuit Split: Title IX and Title VII in the Era of #MeToo Claims” ABA Labor & Employment Law Section Newsletter, Summer 2018
  • “Joint Employer Issues” Business Law & Corporate Counsel Section CLE, June 2018
  • “Natural Disasters: Lessons Learned” 40th Annual Corporate Counsel Institute, May 2018
  • “Retaliation Claims and Whistleblowing” Texas Bar CLE Employment Law 101 Course, January 2018
  • “Non-compete Case Update” Texas Bar CLE Essentials of Business Law Course, March 2017
  • “Procedural Rules You May Not Know, But Should” Dallas Bar Association Bench Bar
    Conference, September 2016
  • “Responsible Third Parties and Settling Parties: Overview and Recent Cases” Texas Bar
    CLE Advanced Personal Injury Course, July 2015
  • “Social Media and the Public Employer: Lessons from the Private Sector” Dallas City
  • Attorney’s Office In-House CLE, June 2015
  • “What Employers Can Expect When Their Employees Are Expecting” Society for Human Resource Management National Employment Law & Legislative Conference, March 2015

Practice Areas

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Business Litigation
  • Complex Commercial Litigation
  • Employment Litigation
  • Governmental Liability
  • Trade Secret and Non-Compete Litigation

Education

The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas, 2007
Juris Doctorate

Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 2004
B.A., Political Science & Communication With Honors

Admissions

  • Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas