Attorney at
Mounce, Green, Myers, Safi, Paxson & Galatzan Law Firm

Bruce A. Koehler

     

Mr. Koehler’s practice includes all aspects of employment law and commercial litigation. His daily practice involves employment litigation, including ADEA, Title VII, ADA, workers' compensation retaliatory discharge, employment contracts and wage suits and commercial litigation. His trial experience in this area includes lead counsel in litigation of discrimination, retaliation, breach of employment contract and FLSA cases. He has also served as lead counsel in trials in deceptive trade practices, breach of contract, environmental and personal injury cases. Mr. Koehler routinely handles charges filed with EEOC and Wage & Hour Division and the Department of Labor. He has also handled a variety of OSHA matters, including contests of OSHA citations. He is very experienced in a variety of labor law matters, including collective bargaining agreement negotiations and union campaign defense.

Best Lawyers Award Badge

Education

Illinois College, B.A. magna cum laude (1986)
- Student Laureate, Lincoln Academy (presented by Illinois Governor James Thompson)
- Dean's List (six semesters)
- Joe Patterson Smith Scholarship in History
- Schuchmann Prize in Public Policy
- Paul F. Watkins Prize in Journalism

Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D. (1990)
- Texas Tech Law Review (Member, 1988-90 and Note Editor, 1989-90)


Illinois College, B.A. magna cum laude (1986)
- Student Laureate, Lincoln Academy (presented by Illinois Governor James Thompson)
- Dean's List (six semesters)
- Joe Patterson Smith Scholarship in History
- Schuchmann Prize in Public Policy
- Paul F. Watkins Prize in Journalism

Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D. (1990)
- Texas Tech Law Review (Member, 1988-90 and Note Editor, 1989-90)


Professional Recognition

Board Certified, Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Selected to the Best Lawyers in America by Woodward White, Inc.– Employment Law, 2010-2023

Named Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly Magazine, Employment and Labor Law, 2007-2022

Selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates

AV Rating (Highest Possible) from Martindale-Hubbell

Outstanding Community Advocate, 2012 - Mexican-American Bar Association

Named Outstanding Young Lawyer of El Paso by El Paso Young Lawyer's Association, 1997-98

Named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in the practice area of Litigation - Labor and Employment in El Paso by Best Lawyers in America.

Awarded the William Duncan/George McAlmon Civility Award by the American Board of Trial Advocates.


Board Certified, Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Selected to the Best Lawyers in America by Woodward White, Inc.– Employment Law, 2010-2023

Named Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly Magazine, Employment and Labor Law, 2007-2022

Selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates

AV Rating (Highest Possible) from Martindale-Hubbell

Outstanding Community Advocate, 2012 - Mexican-American Bar Association

Named Outstanding Young Lawyer of El Paso by El Paso Young Lawyer's Association, 1997-98

Named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in the practice area of Litigation - Labor and Employment in El Paso by Best Lawyers in America.

Awarded the William Duncan/George McAlmon Civility Award by the American Board of Trial Advocates.


Bar and Court Admissions

  • State Bar of Texas, 1990
  • United States District Court, Western District of Texas, 1991
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1991
  • United States Supreme Court, 1995
  • United States District Court, New Mexico, 2015
  • State Bar of Texas, 1990
  • United States District Court, Western District of Texas, 1991
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1991
  • United States Supreme Court, 1995
  • United States District Court, New Mexico, 2015

Professional and Community Activities

Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee (Former District Chairman)

Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation

Life Fellow and Member of Board of Directors, El Paso Bar Foundation

Member, Labor and Employment Law Section, State Bar of Texas

Member, Texas Association of Defense Counsel

Member, Federal Bar Association

Barrister, The George A. McAlmon American Inn of Court, September 2015-Present

Executive Board, Yucca Council, Boy Scouts of America

Member, El Paso Downtown Rotary

Past President (2011-12), El Paso Bar Association

Past President, El Paso Young Lawyers Association

Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee (Former District Chairman)

Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation

Life Fellow and Member of Board of Directors, El Paso Bar Foundation

Member, Labor and Employment Law Section, State Bar of Texas

Member, Texas Association of Defense Counsel

Member, Federal Bar Association

Barrister, The George A. McAlmon American Inn of Court, September 2015-Present

Executive Board, Yucca Council, Boy Scouts of America

Member, El Paso Downtown Rotary

Past President (2011-12), El Paso Bar Association

Past President, El Paso Young Lawyers Association

Publications and Presentations

Speaker: Employment Law Damages, Labor & Employment Seminar, 2014.

Speaker: Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Employment Context, Fundamentals of Employment Law Seminar, 2014.

Speaker: Electronic Discovery: Amendments to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Court Practice Seminar, 2014.

Speaker: Personnel Management, Region 19 Administrators Conference, 2013.

Speaker: Handling Performance Problems, Region 19 Administrators Conference, 2012.

Author/Speaker: Documenting Employees, Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators, 2008.

Author/Speaker: Non-Competition Agreements, Employment Law from A to Z Seminar, 2008.

Author/Speaker: Daubert and Employment Litigation, Experts Assessing Experts, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2007.

Speaker: Employment Discrimination and Harassment, 2015.

Speaker: OSHA Issues in the Trucking Industry, 2015.

Speaker: Rules Changes and Electronic Discovery Issues, Federal Bar Association, 2015.

Speaker: Legal Issues in Handling Employment Background Checks, 2015.


Speaker: Employment Law Damages, Labor & Employment Seminar, 2014.

Speaker: Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Employment Context, Fundamentals of Employment Law Seminar, 2014.

Speaker: Electronic Discovery: Amendments to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Court Practice Seminar, 2014.

Speaker: Personnel Management, Region 19 Administrators Conference, 2013.

Speaker: Handling Performance Problems, Region 19 Administrators Conference, 2012.

Author/Speaker: Documenting Employees, Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators, 2008.

Author/Speaker: Non-Competition Agreements, Employment Law from A to Z Seminar, 2008.

Author/Speaker: Daubert and Employment Litigation, Experts Assessing Experts, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2007.

Speaker: Employment Discrimination and Harassment, 2015.

Speaker: OSHA Issues in the Trucking Industry, 2015.

Speaker: Rules Changes and Electronic Discovery Issues, Federal Bar Association, 2015.

Speaker: Legal Issues in Handling Employment Background Checks, 2015.