Lori Baggett

Experience

• Represented a national propane supplier in OSHA’s investigation of a workplace catastrophe and subsequent litigation.
• Developed strategies and counseled clients through several successful settlement negotiations with OSHA, amicably resolving the citations.
• Defended industrial gas supplier in final administrative hearing on retaliation claim under the Surface Transportation Assistance Act. 
• Represented national homebuilder in defective construction claims relating to water intrusion.
• Advises and conducts internal investigations for retail companies and construction clients, including on matters of sexual misconduct and workplace and safety violations.
• Defended design professionals in breach of contract, negligence, and breach of warranty action in federal court.
• Defended multiple lawsuits involving claims of misclassification of exempt employees under the FLSA, including serving as a trial attorney in a four-day jury trial in federal court. 
• Defended national homebuilder in final administrative hearing on housing discrimination claim under the Florida Fair Housing Act and the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. 
• Defended individual officers of local union in lawsuit alleging claims of defamation, breach of the union’s bylaws, unpaid wages, and violation of the Florida Whistleblower Act.

Representative Cases

• Razi v. Razbro Real Estate Invs., Inc., No. 11-9739, Dkt. 23 (C.D. Cal. Feb. 7, 2012) (obtained order granting motion to transfer venue and holding that (1) disputes involving the purchase or sale of real property are properly transferred to the federal court where the property at issue is located; and (2) a party opposing a request to transfer a case to a more appropriate forum cannot defeat transfer merely by purporting to identify a litany of witnesses whose testimony is not relevant to the central issues in the case).
• Austin v. Progressive RSC, Inc., 265 F. App'x 836 (11th Cir. 2008) (employment discrimination action against property casualty insurance company; summary judgment granted in favor of defendant and affirmed on appeal).
• Einmo v. AECOM Gov't Servs., Inc., No. 8:06-cv-01371, 2007 WL 2409816 (M.D. Fla. Aug. 21, 2007) (obtained order dismissing amended complaint against contractor for lack of personal jurisdiction).
• Camara v. Brinker Int'l, 161 F. App'x 893 (11th Cir. 2006) (employment discrimination action against restaurant company; summary judgment granted in favor of defendant and affirmed on appeal).
• Van der Meulen v. Brinker Int'l, 153 F. App'x 649 (11th Cir. 2005) (employment discrimination action against restaurant company; summary judgment granted in favor of defendant and affirmed on appeal).

Featured Insights

Coronavirus

OSHA’s COVID-19 National Emphasis Program Will Increase Targeted Inspections Beginning March 26

Publication

Appellate & Trial Support

Carlton Fields’ Gary L. Sasso and Lori Baggett Named to Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Power 100

News

Labor & Employment

OSHA to Investigate Whistleblower Retaliation Complaints Under Newest Antitrust and Money Laundering Laws

Publication

Recognition

• Outstanding Alumni Representative Award, Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association (2020)
• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Safety Training Certification
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction Industry Outreach Training Certification
• The Best Lawyers in America, Construction Law (2020–2021)
• Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine (2017–2018, 2020)
• Florida Legal Elite Up & Comers, Florida Trend Magazine (2015)
• Florida Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers Magazine (2014, 2016–2020)
• Florida Rising Stars, Super Lawyers Magazine (2010–2013, 2015)

Professional & Community Involvement

• American Bar Association
  • Forum on Construction Law
    • Governing Committee (2019–2022)
    • Chair, Labor and Employment Division (2014–2016)
    • Co-Chair, Annual Meeting, “A Capital View: Best Practices in Inside and Outside Construction Counseling,” Washington (2017)
  • Labor and Employment Law Section
    • Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee
• American Bar Foundation
  • Fellow
• George Edgecomb Bar Association
• National Bar Association
  • Commercial Law Section
• The Florida Bar
  • Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee
    • Member (2012–2014); Chair (2015)
• Athena Society
• Tampa Bay Chamber
  • Board of Directors (2020–Present)
  • Executive Committee (2021).
• United Way Suncoast
  • Board of Directors (2020–Present)
• Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
  • Fellows Program (2013)
• Leadership Tampa, Class of 2010
• Stetson College of Law Alumni Association Board of Advisors
  • Member (2008–2011, and 2018–present)
  • President (2009–2010)
• WEDU Public Broadcasting Service
  • Board of Directors
• Tampa Bay History Center
  • Board of Trustees

Speaking Engagements

• "Leveling the Playing Field: Leave and Flexible Work Policies Examined," Gender Equality Women’s Programming Series Part III, The Florida Bar Committee on Diversity & Inclusion (March 25, 2021)
• "Take Another Look: Bias, Diversity and Inclusion," American College of Construction Lawyers (March 18, 2021)
• "Commencement Address," Stetson University College of Law (December 5, 2020)
• "Obtaining, Maintaining, and Elevating Black Lawyers in Law Firms," George Edgecomb Bar Association CLE (October 20, 2020)
• "Diversity in the Modern Law Firm: How Do We Raise the Bar?," Law Firm Leaders Summit 2020 (September 25, 2020)
• "Building an Equity and Inclusion Culture," Tampa Bay Chamber Public Policy Roundtable (September 9, 2020)
• "Workplace Fatalities: Avoiding Orange as the New Black," ABA Forum on Construction Law Annual Meeting (April 13, 2018)
• "Heat Stress: Understanding the Industry Standards and Protecting Employees," ABA Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee Midwinter Meeting (March 1, 2018)
• "So Your Client Got an OSHA Violation ... Now What? Expert Advice on Responding to an OSHA Violation in 2015," ABA Forum on Construction Law (May 21, 2015)
• "Alphabet Soup – Dealing with OSHA and Other Agencies Following Major Industrial Accidents," DRI Product Liability Conference, Las Vegas, NV (February 6, 2015)
• OSHA Essentials, ABA (May 14, 2014)
• "Diversity in Law Firms/In-House Counsel," Central Florida Diversity Symposium, The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, Orlando, FL (May 9, 2014)
• "Avoid Retaliation Claims and Save Your Company’s Reputation and Costs," Tampa Bay WorkForce Alliance (January 24, 2007)
• "Why Exceptional Hiring Practices Lead to Excellent Results," First Annual Business Excellence Awards, Tampa Bay WorkForce Alliance

Credentials

Areas of Focus

Videos

In this video, Lori discuss some of the practical steps employers can take to prepare for and handle on-site inspections by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).