Texas follows an at-will employment doctrine, meaning most employers may end employment for any reason or no reason at all, but the law carves out important exceptions when a termination is motivated by discrimination, retaliation, or an employee’s refusal to commit an illegal act. Workers who believe their firing crossed those legal lines often benefit from consulting an employment attorney to assess whether a viable claim exists under state or federal law.
1. Law Office of Rob Wiley, P.C.
Founder: Robert J. Wiley
Founded: 2000
Headquarters: Dallas, TX
Phone: (214) 528-6500
Website: https://www.robwiley.com
Office Locations:
- Dallas: 2613 Thomas Ave, Dallas, TX 75204 | (214) 528-6500
- San Antonio: (contact main number for appointment)
- Austin: (contact main number for appointment)
Practice Areas: Wrongful termination, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, unpaid wages and overtime, Family and Medical Leave Act violations, disability accommodation, whistleblower and qui tam claims, government employee complaints
Firm Size: 8 attorneys
Fee Structure: Consultation fee applies; contact the firm for specific fee arrangements by case type
Languages: English
About the Firm: The Law Office of Rob Wiley, P.C. was founded in March 2000 to protect the rights of Texas employees facing unlawful employment practices, including wrongful termination. The firm represents workers who have been terminated for reasons that violate anti-discrimination statutes, retaliation protections, and other applicable law. More than 99 percent of the firm’s clients are employees rather than employers, and all attorneys practice exclusively in employment law. Robert J. Wiley, Austin P. Campbell, and Deontae D. Wherry are each Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. The firm has eight full-time attorneys and operates from a restored Victorian mansion in the State-Thomas area of Uptown Dallas. Robert Wiley has served as past chair of the Dallas Bar Association’s Employment Law Council and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters every year since 2014. The firm serves clients throughout Texas including Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin.
2. Wiley Wheeler, P.C.
Managing Partner: Kalandra N. Wheeler
Founded: 2014 (Houston office established)
Headquarters: Houston, TX
Phone: (713) 337-1333
Website: https://www.wiley-wheeler.com
Office Locations:
- Houston: 1651 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77006 | (713) 337-1333
Practice Areas: Wrongful termination, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, retaliation, unpaid wages and overtime, Family and Medical Leave Act, pregnancy leave, severance agreements
Firm Size: 5 attorneys
Fee Structure: Contact the firm for fee arrangements
Languages: English
About the Firm: Wiley Wheeler, P.C. is a Houston employment law firm that represents employees exclusively, focusing on cases involving wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and wage disputes. The firm traces its roots to Robert J. Wiley’s Dallas practice, established in 2000, and the Houston office was opened after Kalandra N. Wheeler joined in 2014. Both Robert J. Wiley and Kalandra N. Wheeler are Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Wheeler has more than 18 years of experience representing clients in employment matters and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters from 2020 to the present, and as a Rising Star from 2017 through 2019. The firm brings wrongful termination cases in state and federal court and also advocates before agencies including the EEOC and the Texas Workforce Commission. Attorneys at the firm argue that because the practice is limited exclusively to employee-side employment law, it brings a depth of focus that general practice firms cannot match.
3. Shellist Lazarz Slobin LLP
Founding Partners: Martin A. Shellist, Mark G. Lazarz, Todd Slobin
Founded: 1994
Headquarters: Houston, TX
Phone: (713) 621-2277
Website: https://www.eeoc.net
Office Locations:
- Houston: 5373 West Alabama, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77056 | (713) 621-2277
Practice Areas: Wrongful termination, employment discrimination, workplace harassment, whistleblower claims, executive compensation disputes, severance negotiations, wage and hour claims, False Claims Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, commercial disputes, breach of contract
Firm Size: 6 attorneys
Fee Structure: Contingency, flat fee, hourly, payment plans, and sliding scale fees available depending on case type
Languages: English
About the Firm: Shellist Lazarz Slobin LLP has been a Houston employment law firm since 1994, serving employees, employers, independent contractors, and executives in high-stakes workplace disputes. The firm’s founding partners – Martin Shellist, Mark Lazarz, and Todd Slobin – built the practice around civil litigation, with a significant portion of the firm’s work handled on a contingency fee basis. The firm is particularly experienced in representing executives, including C-suite members, in separation pay disputes, stock option claims, retirement benefit matters, and wrongful termination. Additional partners at the firm include Bob Debes and Dorian Vandenberg-Rodes, with Jenny Mohr as Of Counsel. The firm has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and multiple attorneys hold Super Lawyers designations. Shellist Lazarz Slobin also handles administrative filings with the EEOC and the Texas Workforce Commission in connection with wrongful termination and discrimination claims.
4. Leichter Law Firm PC
Founder: Louis Leichter
Founded: 1999
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Phone: (512) 495-9995
Website: https://www.leichterlaw.com
Office Locations:
- Austin: 1602 E 7th Street, Austin, TX 78702 | (512) 495-9995
- Houston: 3700 N Main Street, Houston, TX 77009 | (713) 714-2446
- McAllen: 214 N 16th Street, Suite 128, McAllen, TX 78501 | (956) 205-0884
Practice Areas: Wrongful termination, unpaid overtime and wage disputes, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, contract breaches, employee misclassification, professional license defense (medical, nursing, pharmacy, dental)
Firm Size: 7 attorneys
Fee Structure: Contact the firm for specific fee arrangements
Languages: English
About the Firm: Leichter Law Firm PC was established in 1999 by Louis Leichter and operates offices in Austin, Houston, and McAllen, making it one of the few Texas employment firms with a significant presence in South Texas. The firm includes Board Certified Specialists in Administrative Law, Labor and Employment Law, and Criminal Law. The Labor and Employment practice group represents employees – with a particular emphasis on licensed healthcare professionals such as physicians, nurses, and pharmacists – in cases against employers, including wrongful termination claims arising from contract violations, discrimination, and employee misclassification. The firm’s employment attorneys limit their practice to the employee side of disputes, declining to represent employers. In addition to employment law, the firm handles professional licensing defense before boards including the Texas Medical Board, the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, the Texas Dental Board, and the Texas Board of Nursing. The Austin office has handled more than 500 professional licensing cases, and the firm serves clients across Texas from its three locations.
5. Stacy Cole Law, P.C.
Founder: Stacy Cole
Founded: Not publicly disclosed
Headquarters: Dallas, TX
Phone: (214) 800-5199
Website: https://www.stacycolelaw.com
Office Locations:
- Dallas: 7929 Brookriver Drive, Suite 605, Dallas, TX 75247 | (214) 800-5199
- Austin: (512) 593-5989 (by appointment only)
Practice Areas: Wrongful termination, employment discrimination, workplace retaliation, unpaid overtime wages, hostile work environment, sexual harassment, Family and Medical Leave Act, severance agreements, non-compete agreements, unemployment hearings, small business and employer counsel
Firm Size: 3 attorneys
Fee Structure: Contact the firm for specific fee arrangements
Languages: English
About the Firm: Stacy Cole Law, P.C. is a Dallas employment firm representing both employees and employers in Texas employment disputes, with attorneys based in Dallas and Austin. Principal attorney Stacy Cole is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and graduated cum laude from SMU Dedman School of Law. Cole has represented hundreds of clients in wrongful termination claims, discrimination matters, unpaid overtime cases, FMLA violations, and non-compete disputes. He was recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2019. Austin attorney Justin Manchester handles employment law matters from the firm’s Austin location. The third attorney at the firm is Tyler Gregston. The firm represents employees facing unlawful termination based on protected characteristics or retaliation for protected activities, as well as employers and small businesses seeking guidance on lawful termination practices and workforce policies. The firm serves clients across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the Austin area.
Texas is an at-will employment state, meaning an employer generally may terminate a worker for any reason or no reason, provided the reason is not unlawful. Exceptions to at-will employment include terminations based on protected characteristics such as race, sex, age, disability, religion, or national origin, which are prohibited under federal law and Texas Labor Code Chapter 21. The Sabine Pilot exception, established by the Texas Supreme Court, provides a narrow cause of action when an employee is fired solely for refusing to perform an illegal act. Employees may also have claims under federal statutes such as the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or whistleblower protection laws depending on the facts of their case. Workers who believe they were wrongfully terminated may file a complaint with the Texas Workforce Commission or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, with a general 180-day filing deadline from the date of the adverse employment action for state-law claims. An employment attorney can help determine whether a termination falls within a recognized legal exception and advise on the best avenue for pursuing a claim.
The firms listed on this page represent a selection of wrongful termination practices operating across Texas. Each firm’s details, including office locations, phone numbers, practice areas, and background information, are based on publicly available data verified at the time of publication. Inclusion on this page does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Individuals seeking legal representation should conduct their own research, verify current attorney licensing through the State Bar of Texas, and schedule consultations to determine the right fit for their specific situation.