You Shouldn’t Have to Choose Between Doing the Right Thing and Affording the Advice to Do It
Legal issues are a headache. You want quick answers, but high fees make you think twice about picking up the phone. Compliance takes time away from managing your people – and a single wrong move in a termination or an EEOC response can cost far more than the advice you avoided.
That’s why Catapult supplements our HR Advisory team with employment law attorneys at Ogletree Deakins. You start with your HR Advisor, and when the situation calls for it, we connect you directly – no extra invoice.
From Education to Counsel – How It Works
The Situations That Keep HR Professionals Up at Night
Catapult HR Advisors will refer you to an Ogletree Deakins employment law attorney in the following situations – all covered under your membership at no additional charge.
What’s Not Included
Matters requiring extended custom work: representing your business in an EEOC charge, drafting original agreements, NLRB/DOL investigation defense, court litigation, or non-employment matters (leases, business contracts, etc.). These may be available at a discounted fee-for-service rate through Ogletree Deakins.
Ogletree Deakins – America’s Largest Employment-Only Law Firm
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. represents employers of all sizes in employment matters. Their attorneys are licensed under federal law and across the states served by Catapult HR.
Ogletree Deakins is an independent law firm – not an employee or subsidiary of Catapult HR. Your attorney-client relationship is solely between your organization and Ogletree Deakins.
Questions We Hear Most
Straight answers about how the plan works, what’s covered, and how to get started.
What is Catapult’s Employment Law Advice benefit? +
It is a method authorized by state bar rules to provide Catapult member organizations with pre-paid legal services on foundational employment law questions and needs. Legal services are provided by Ogletree Deakins – a third-party law firm independent of Catapult – paid for through this Plan as part of your membership.
What services do plan attorneys provide at no extra charge? +
Plan attorneys supplement the Catapult HR Advice team by providing employment law advice related to high-risk terminations, government agency charges (EEOC, DOL), and employment contracts (non-competes, separation agreements, etc.). See the Plan Terms below for full details.
How do I access a plan attorney? +
You must be referred by a member of Catapult’s HR Advice team. Prior to your first conversation, plan attorneys will complete a short onboarding process (up to 24 business hours). The plan attorney will contact you to schedule a consultation and send you an email explaining the engagement – you must respond in writing before the consultation begins. After the initial onboarding, you only need the referral for future consultations.
Can plan attorneys do additional work for a fee? +
Yes. Plan attorneys may provide additional employment law services at a reduced hourly rate – a benefit of your Catapult membership. You request the work directly from the plan attorney (not through Catapult), and the firm provides a time estimate before beginning. Catapult is not involved in billing and receives no portion of that fee.
Is my conversation with a plan attorney privileged? +
Yes – like any attorney-client conversation, the attorney-client privilege applies when the standard is met and confidentiality is maintained. If you include a Catapult HR Advisor or third-party contractor in the conversation, the privilege may not be protected. A plan attorney will advise you if this situation arises.
What’s not included in the plan? +
The Plan excludes extended custom work, including:
- Representing your business in an EEOC charge or litigation
- Drafting original employment agreements or substantive revisions
- NLRB or DOL investigation defense
- Immigration, ERISA, or tax matters
- Workers’ compensation defense
- Non-employment matters (business contracts, leases, etc.)
Employment Law Advice Plan Terms & Conditions
Complete terms governing the pre-paid legal services plan, as required by applicable state bar rules.
Catapult’s Employment Law Advice Plan provides all eligible Plan Members the following Plan Services as part of the membership dues fee in Catapult (“Covered Plan Services”):
- Telephone, email, and other forms of consultations on foundational federal and multi-state employment law questions affecting the Plan Member.
- Limited reading and research to augment or confirm an effective response.
- Education of the Plan Member in the laws, rules, and options relative to their question.
- Initial review and discussion of workplace-related challenges, charges, claims, subpoenas, agency letters, lawyer demand letters, and similar issues to assist the Plan Member in understanding the context and to guide them in selecting counsel or a course of action.
- Reviewing employment agreements, issue spotting for enforcement concerns and high-risk issues, and spending reasonable time to make minor revisions.
- Explanation of Catapult templates and spending reasonable time to complete minor revisions required to finalize and execute those templates.
- Review of portions of an employee handbook where legal advice is sought by the Plan Member.
Catapult’s Employment Law Advice Plan has the right to prospectively limit a Plan Member’s free use of the Plan where their use is deemed excessive. The Plan may prospectively adjust the scope of Plan services for all Plan Members based on actual experience of the Plan.
Plan Services do not include: performing substantive revisions to existing employment agreements; drafting original employment agreements, documents, or workplace policies; ERISA and employee benefit matters; tax matters; obtaining or advising on immigration visas; tribal law; union representation campaigns; NLRB R or C cases; court-based litigation and appeals; reviewing lengthy files; Plan member on-site visits and travel; administrative hearings; workers’ compensation defense; representation in any specific case, matter, or conflict; or privileged investigations of workplace conduct and events.
Participating Plan attorneys may accept fee-for-service projects at a discounted rate. All billing for legal services is handled directly between the Plan member and the participating plan attorney – no portion of that fee is shared with Catapult.
Participating Plan attorneys and law firms are not employees of Catapult. They use their own independent professional judgment in serving Plan Members. Prior to providing legal services, plan attorneys will confirm that no actual or potential conflicts of interest exist.
At all times it is the intention of the parties to remain in compliance with applicable state statutes and bar rules. This Plan is not intended to establish a plan of insurance. The Plan provides advice on behalf of Catapult member organizations, not on behalf of individuals employed by those organizations.
* Catapult HR is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Employment law advice is provided to active Catapult member organizations under a pre-paid legal services plan. Participating plan attorneys are employed by Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., an independent law firm unaffiliated with Catapult HR. Ogletree Deakins attorneys are licensed under federal law and the laws of applicable states.
* This benefit constitutes a legal services plan as defined under applicable state law and is registered with the applicable state bar. Registration does not constitute approval of the Plan by the state bar.
* No attorney-client relationship is created between any individual and Catapult HR or Ogletree Deakins by accessing this page or contacting Catapult HR. An attorney-client relationship with Ogletree Deakins is established only upon completion of the plan attorney’s engagement confirmation process.
* This plan provides services to Catapult member organizations only – not to individual employees of those organizations. States served include: all 50 US states.
Stop Guessing. Start Knowing.
Employment law doesn’t wait for a convenient time to get complicated. Catapult membership means a real HR Advisor and a real employment attorney are in your corner – when you need them.