Donna Marie Ballman

Donna Ballman has been practicing employee-side employment law in Florida for over 30 years. Donna’s book, Stand Up For Yourself Without Getting Fired: Resolve Workplace Crises Before You Quit, Get Axed or Sue the Bastards, was named the Winner of the Law Category of the 2012 USA Best Books Awards. She is also the award-winning author of The Writer’s Guide to the Courtroom: Let’s Quill All the Lawyers, a book geared toward informing novelists and screenwriters about the ins and outs of the civil justice system. She’s been practicing employment law, including negotiating severance agreements and litigating discrimination, sexual harassment, noncompete agreements, and employment law issues in Florida since 1986. Her blog on employee-side employment law issues, Screw You Guys, I’m Going Home, was named one of the ABA Blawg 100 best legal blogs 6 years in a row, one of the top 50 legal blogs in the inaugural ABA Web 100, and the 2011 Lexis/Nexis Top 25 Labor and Employment Law Blogs. Paralegal411 rated her blog #4 in the Top 25 Employment Law Blogs for 2013.

She has written for The Huffington Post and has written a weekly column for AOL Jobs. She has also written for Forbes, Monster.com and Ask A Manager on employment law issues. She has over 7500 followers on Twitter as @EmployeeAtty. She has taught continuing legal education classes for lawyers and accountants through organizations such as the American Bar Association, National Employment Lawyers Association, Sterling Education Services, Lorman Education Services, Alison Seminars, the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, National Business Institute and community organizations. Ms. Ballman has published articles on employment law topics such as severance, non-compete agreements, discrimination, sexual harassment, and avoiding litigation. She’s been interviewed by MSNBC, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Next Avenue, AARP, Lifetime, NPR, the Daily Business Review, and many others.

Employment Law

Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, ERISA, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination

Arbitration & Mediation

Business Arbitration, Consumer Arbitration, Family Arbitration

• Sexual harassment
• Noncompete agreements
• Severance agreements
• Discrimination in the workplace

Florida

Since 1986

11th Circuit

Since 1999

U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida

Since 1989

U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida

Since 1988

Member

Donna M. Ballman, P.A.

Current

University of Miami School of Law

J.D.

1986

Honors: Cum Laude

Wellesley College

B.A.

1981

Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Top South Florida Lawyer

South Florida Legal Guide

2015

2001-present

AV-rated

Martindale Hubbell

2015

1994-present

Royal Palm Literary Award

Florida Writers Association

2010

The Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs' Lawyers in America

Lawdragon

2007

Leading Florida Attorney and Leading American Attorney

Amer. Research Corp.

2004

1999-2004

Woman of Distinction

Grand Jury Association of Florida

1996

1995-1996

Woman of the Year

Downtown Business and Professional Women

1992

1991-1992

Recognition for dedicated legal services to the African-American community and the PULSE organization

PULSE

Listed in Who's Who in American Law, International Who's Who, Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who in the South and Southwest

Who's Who

Award-Winning Finalist in the Business: Reference category of the "Best Books 2010"

USA Book News

American Arbitration Association

Arbitrator

1993 - Current

Florida State Bar  # 611336

Member

1986 - Current

Ark Environmental Foundation, U.S., Inc.

Director/Secretary

1997 - 1998

Dade Community Council, District 2

Councilwoman

1996 - 1998

Grand Jury Association of Florida

Board Member

1992 - 1998

Dade County Bar

Member

1994 - 1995

Florida Association for Women Lawyers

Board Member

1992 - 1995

Business and Professional Women, Downtown Miami Club

First Vice President

1992 - 1994

National Association of Women Business Owners

Board Member

1992 - 1994

Are You Ready To Go Solo?

Barrister Magazine (Young Lawyers Publication of the American Bar Association)

Election Law

Miami Herald Almanac of Florida Politics

Flying Solo (Reprint), Full Disclosure: Do You Really Want to Be a Lawyer

Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association

Political Campaign Contributions

Foreign Nationals in Florida Elections, Fla. B.J.

The Florida Election Law Handbook

New Guidelines on Hiring Under Disability Act

Miami Daily Business Review

August 29, 1994

Don't Fear Lawsuits, But Prepare for the Worst

Broward Review, Miami Review Business Tips Section

December 6, 1993

Ungagging the Judges

Miami Review

November 22, 1991

Adrift in a Sea of Frivolous Suits

Miami Review

July 5, 1991

Employment Law Update, Continuing Legal Education Seminar/panel

February 4, 2004

Sterling Education Services

Severance and non-compete agreements, Labor and Employment Law Roundtable

September 14, 2006

Daily Business Review

Panelist

New Florida employment laws and cases, Continuing education audio conference

February 21, 2007

Business & Legal Reports HR

Why You Can't Ignore the Law, No Matter Your Genre, "Pitch the Publisher" Workshop

February 20, 2010

WordSmitten Writers

Non-Compete Agreements, CLE

February 24, 2010

certified circuit civil mediator

Florida Supreme Court