Heidi E. C. Leithead-Villa

Heidi E. C. Leithead is a shareholder at Parr Brown Gee & Loveless in Salt Lake City. She focuses her practice on employment law, representing employers and management in counseling and training as well as complex litigation-related issues before federal and state trial and appellate courts and administrative agencies. She has substantial civil rights and constitutional law experience in areas relating to employee policies and agreements, unlawful discrimination and harassment (Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act, Utah Antidiscrimination Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 42 USC §1981, and so forth), plant closures and restructuring (WARN Act and so forth), employee leave laws (Family and Medical Leave Act and so forth), wrongful termination, employment litigation defense, noncompetition and related agreements and issues, wage and hour laws, and other employment-related matters.

She received her B.A. degree, cum laude, from the University of Utah and went on to receive her J.D. degree in 1987 from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney School of Law, where she was awarded the Order of the Coif and Leary Scholar academic designations and served as a staff member and on the Board of Editors of the Utah Law Review.

Ms. Leithead recently was appointed by Utah Governor Gary Herbert to serve on the Workers Compensation Fund Board of Directors. She is also is an adjunct professor at the J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, where she teaches Employment Discrimination Law.

Memberships:

Aldon J. Anderson American Inn of Court

• Master of the Bench
• President, 2012-2013

Member, Utah State Bar Ethics and Discipline Committee
Utah State Bar, Employment Law Section
American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section

Recognition:

In 2012, Ms. Leithead was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Workers Compensation Fund by Governor Gary R. Herbert, a position she continues to hold. In 2013, she was chosen as the 2013 Christine M. Durham Woman Lawyer of the Year Award. Ms. Leithead has been continually recognized by Mountain States Super Lawyers, Utah Business magazine’s Utah’s Legal Elite, Best Lawyers in America (2008-2015), and Chambers USA – America’s Leading Business Lawyers for her employment & labor experience. In 2013 she was described in Chambers USA – America’s Leading Business Lawyers as being, “Well known and respected as an exceptional attorney.” Ms. Leithead has been awarded an AV rating – the highest awarded by Martindale-Hubbell.

Recent Presentations:

• Panelist, Park City CLE & Ski (Ethics) (2008)
• Association of Corporate Counsel, Mountainwest Chapter (2008); Topic: Emerging Issues in Employment Law
• Legal Issues for Utah Professional Engineers 2008 (Half Moon LLC); Topic: Employment Law Issues for Engineers (independent contractor; employment contracts; noncompete agreements)
• Advanced Issues in Employment Law 2006 (National Business Institute); Topics: Legal Issues in Employee Privacy; Ethical Considerations
• Advanced Issues in Employment Law 2003 (National Business Institute); Topics: Tips for Preventing and Handling Employment Claims; Arbitration of Employment Claims
• 19th Annual Human Resources Seminar, College of Business, Utah State University (2002); Topic: Understanding the Fair Labor Standards Act
PRACTICE AREAS
• Administrative and Regulatory
• Appeals
• Arbitrations
• Class Actions
• Commercial Litigation
• Contract Disputes
• Employment Law
• Employment Litigation
• Federal and State Courts
• Intellectual Property Litigation