Ian Scharfman

Ian Scharfman is the principal attorney in The Scharfman Law Firm, PLLC, a Houston, Texas law firm. Mr. Scharfman is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. The law firm has a nation-wide practice and handles cases throughout Texas, including Houston, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Vidor, Galveston, Dallas, Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi and all surrounding counties. He handles various types of employment law cases, including those involving race discrimination, national origin discrimination, gender discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, disability discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, wage and hour disputes, overtime claims, whistleblower claims, employment contracts, and non-competition agreements. He represents clients in state and federal courts, in arbitrations through the American Arbitration Association and in claims before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U. S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Ian Scharfman included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors Rated "AV Preeminent" by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Named one of "The Best Lawyers in America" by Best Lawyers: Litigation - Labor & Employment, 2012 - 2020 Named "Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly Magazine: Employment Litigation: Plaintiff, 2009 - 2019 Named "Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly Magazine: Employment Litigation, 2008 Named "Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly Magazine: Employment Litigation, 2004 - 2005 Named "Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly Magazine: Labor and Employment Law, 2003 Named one of Houston's "Top Lawyers" by H Texas Magazine: Labor and Employment Law, 2013 - 2016 Named one of Houston's "Top Lawyers" by H Texas Magazine: Labor and Employment Law, 2011 Named one of Houston's "Top Lawyers" by H Texas Magazine: Labor and Employment Law, 2007 Named one of Houston's "Top Lawyers" by H Texas Magazine: Employment Litigation, 2006 Named one of Houston's "Top Lawyers" by H Texas Magazine: Labor and Employment Law, 2005 Named U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” National Rankings - Tier 3 for Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2013 - 2020 Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” , 2013 - 2020 Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation Life Fellow, Houston Young Lawyers Foundation Named a "Top Lawyer" by Houstonia Magazine (2016-2017, 2019) Other Sources of Feedback About Ian Scharfman Included on the 2026Texas Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 Texas Super Lawyers list 2024 Texas Super Lawyers list 2023 Texas Super Lawyers list 2022 Texas Super Lawyers list 2021 Texas Super Lawyers list 2020 Texas Super Lawyers list 2019 Texas Super Lawyers list 2018 Texas Super Lawyers list 2017 Texas Super Lawyers list 2016 Texas Super Lawyers list 2015 Texas Super Lawyers list 2014 Texas Super Lawyers list 2013 Texas Super Lawyers list 2012 Texas Super Lawyers list 2011 Texas Super Lawyers list 2010 Texas Super Lawyers list 2009 Texas Super Lawyers list 2008 Texas Super Lawyers list 2005 Texas Super Lawyers list 2004 Texas Super Lawyers list 2003 Texas Super Lawyers list

• Watch What You Say in the Workplace, Jefferson County Bar Association Employment Law Seminar, 2019
• Drafting and Negotiating Non-Competition Agreements, Bloomberg BNA, 2016
• Religious Accommodation and Discrimination in the Workplace, Texas Diversity and Leadership Conference, 2015
• Navigating the EEOC's Practice and Procedure, Houston Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, 2015
• Religion and Politics @ Work, EEOC Training Institute – Technical Assistance Program Seminar, 2012
• Talking to the Employer’s Employees, National Employment Lawyers Association – Houston Chapter, 2012
• Non-Compete Agreements: Where Have We Come From and Where We Go from Here, University of Texas Law School 19th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, 2012
• Employment Law Ethics – When Can a Plaintiff’s Attorney Contact a Defendant Employer’s Employee? , Houston Bar Association Labor & Employment Section “25” function, 2012
• Back to the Future: Proceeding Before and Litigating with the EEOC, University of Texas Law School 18th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, 2011
• The University of Texas Law School, Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, Planning Committee, 2011 - 2012
• State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial, Continuing Legal Education Course, Planning Committee, 2008
• Speaker, Featured Television show Guest - Houston Bar Association Legal Lines Television Program
• Speaker, Featured Radio talk show Guest - Fox Affiliate KOLE 1340 AM, Beaumont
• Speaker, Quoted in the Houston Chronicle
• Speaker and Author at Various Other Seminars and Conferences

• In re Methodist Healthcare System
• Citation: 2004 WL 1903536
• Court: Tex. App.--Houston [1st Dist.]
• Year: 2004
• Schwager v. Telecheck Srvcs., Inc.
• Citation: 2002 WL 31995012
• Court: Tex. App.--Houston [14th Dist.]
• Year: 2002
• Prevost v. Burns Int'l Sec. Srvcs., Corp.
• Citation: 126 F.Supp.2d 439
• Court: S.D. Tex.
• Year: 2000
• Carney v. Sabine Contracting Corp.
• Citation: 914 S.W. 2d 651
• Court: Tex. App.-- Amarillo
• Year: 1996
• Bloch v. Dowell Schlumberger, Inc.
• Citation: 925 S.W. 2d 301
• Fuller v. Temple-Inland Forest Prod. Corp.
• Citation: 942 F.Supp. 307
• Court: E.D. Tex.

• Anti-Defamation League Southwest Region - Regional Board
• Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston-Co-Chair Public Affairs Committee (2020-present) (Vice-Chair 2019-2020), 2019 - Present
• Fort Bend Education Foundation - Board of Directors, 2021 - Present
• Fort Bend County Citizens Engagement Group - Chair (2020-2021), 2019 - Present
• Anti-Defamation League, Chair of 2 Nat'l Committees, and Vice-Chair of 1 Nat'l Committee (2015-2017 & 2017), 2015 - 2017
• Anti-Defamation League Southwest Region Board Chair, 2015
• Jewish Children's Regional Service - Prior Board of Directors

• Supreme Court of Texas, 1993
• Texas, 1993
• U.S. Supreme Court, 2011
• U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1994
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1993
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1996
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 2010
• Specialties and Certifications
• Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2000

• State Bar of Texas, Labor and Employment Law Section
• Houston Bar Association: Labor and Employment Law Section
• Texas Board of Legal Specialization Labor and Employment Law Exam Commission, 2014 - 2017
• Houston Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, 2006 - 2010 (Chair (2009-2010) and other council and leadership positions (2006-2009))
• District 4 Nominating Committee of the Texas Bar Foundation, 2006 - 2013 (Subcommittee Chair (2006-2007); Committee Member (2007-2008), (2012-2013))
• Houston Young Lawyers Foundation, 1999 - 2002 (Chair (2001-2002) and other council and leadership positions (1999-2001))
• Houston Young Lawyers Association, 1997 - 2000 (Director and Various Committee Chairs)
• Fraternities and Sororities
• Phi Gamma Delta