Fischer, Mark R.

Tally Perez provides an essential resource when businesses face delicate personnel or human resources decisions, particularly when a manager must prepare for a tense conversation with an employee.

"The best thing I can do for my clients is to help them avoid lawsuits entirely by providing them with the guidelines to run their businesses responsibly and within the bounds of the law," she says.

Ms. Perez specializes in suits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and the Texas Workers' Compensation Act. She also represents clients in civil cases arising out of wrongful termination, Family Medical Leave Act claims and other employment issues.

Ms. Perez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1999, and received her law degree at the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2003. She was a Member of Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity.

Ms. Perez not only has an outstanding legal education. She also takes personal responsibility to protect her client's interests. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, for example, she monitored timely payment of settlement funds to ensure compliance with a court order and protect her client from financial penalties.

The rules didn't change when Katrina disrupted travel and delivery schedules. Ms. Perez negotiated with an express carrier's receptionist to personally deliver the critical payment check and avoid the stiff penalty for her client.