Qualifications: Best Lawyers®.     Ruth M. Willars is a Partner in the Labor & Employment practice group at Monty & Ramirez LLP, where she represents employers and businesses in employment law, business law, regulatory compliance, workplace investigations, and commercial litigation. Ruth advises companies across a variety of industries on complex workplace and operational matters, delivering practical legal strategies designed to reduce risk, resolve disputes, and protect business interests. Ruth has extensive experience defending employers in litigation, administrative proceedings, and government investigations involving workplace and business-related disputes. She has successfully represented clients in matters involving discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour claims, breach of contract disputes, workplace safety issues, and other complex employment-related litigation. Ruth also has strong trial experience and is recognized for effectively advocating for clients in high-stakes disputes and achieving favorable outcomes. In 2025, she represented a plaintiff in a jury trial that resulted in a judgment entered in the plaintiff’s favor following the jury’s verdict, and subsequently handled post‑trial and enforcement proceedings arising from that judgment. Her practice includes conducting internal investigations and advising employers responding to investigations by government and regulatory agencies, including OSHA, the U.S. Department of Labor, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). She regularly counsels employers on OSHA compliance, workplace safety investigations, employee discipline, harassment and discrimination investigations, retaliation claims, wage and hour compliance, and employment policy enforcement. In addition to her employment law practice, Ruth advises businesses on commercial contracts, business disputes, and day-to-day operational matters. She regularly assists clients with contract drafting and negotiation, breach of contract claims, regulatory compliance issues, and business risk management strategies. Her combined experience in employment and business law allows her to provide comprehensive counsel to employers navigating legal challenges affecting both their workforce and overall business operations. Education Texas Tech University School of Law J.D., cum laude, 1997 University of Texas at El Paso Bachelor of Arts, Major in History, with honors, 1993 Licensed by the State Bar of Texas Admitted to Practice State Courts of Texas Texas Southern District Court Texas Northern District Court Texas Eastern District Court Texas Western District Court Professional Activities State Bar of Texas Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow Languages English Spanish Presentations The New Overtime RuleMonty & Ramirez Labor and Employment Seminar, 2016 Smart I-9 Recordkeeping: How to Complete, Retain, and Re-Verify Using the New Form I-9BLR: I-9 Webinar, 2016 Essential FLSA Issues Facing EmployersClarus Benefits Labor and Employment Seminar, 2016 Transgender Rights in the Workplace Gulf Coast LGBT-Allies Diversity Summit, 2016 Sex and Religion in the Workplace HR Houston Gulf Coast Symposium, 2017 Religion and Pregnancy in the Workplace Monty & Ramirez CLE Immigration and Employment Update, 2017  Employee’s Go-To Discrimination Claim: FLSA RetaliationHR Houston Gulf Coast Symposium, 2017 Form I-9 and National Origin/Citizenship-Based Discrimination: How to Minimize Legal Risks in Recruiting, Employment Verification and Re-verification, and Avoid ICE Penalties BLR: Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, 2017 Emerging Trends in Employment Law Harris County Civil Judicial Education Conference, 2017 Advanced Skills for Employee Leave Management BLR: FMLA Master Class, 2018 Qualifications: Best Lawyers®.     Ruth M. Willars is a Partner in the Labor & Employment practice group at Monty & Ramirez LLP, where she represents employers and businesses in employment law, business law, regulatory compliance, workplace investigations, and commercial litigation. Ruth advises companies across a variety of industries on complex workplace and operational matters, delivering practical legal strategies designed to reduce risk, resolve disputes, and protect business interests. Ruth has extensive experience defending employers in litigation, administrative proceedings, and government investigations involving workplace and business-related disputes. She has successfully represented clients in matters involving discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour claims, breach of contract disputes, workplace safety issues, and other complex employment-related litigation. Ruth also has strong trial experience and is recognized for effectively advocating for clients in high-stakes disputes and achieving favorable outcomes. In 2025, she represented a plaintiff in a jury trial that resulted in a judgment entered in the plaintiff’s favor following the jury’s verdict, and subsequently handled post‑trial and enforcement proceedings arising from that judgment. Her practice includes conducting internal investigations and advising employers responding to investigations by government and regulatory agencies, including OSHA, the U.S. Department of Labor, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). She regularly counsels employers on OSHA compliance, workplace safety investigations, employee discipline, harassment and discrimination investigations, retaliation claims, wage and hour compliance, and employment policy enforcement. In addition to her employment law practice, Ruth advises businesses on commercial contracts, business disputes, and day-to-day operational matters. She regularly assists clients with contract drafting and negotiation, breach of contract claims, regulatory compliance issues, and business risk management strategies. Her combined experience in employment and business law allows her to provide comprehensive counsel to employers navigating legal challenges affecting both their workforce and overall business operations. Education Texas Tech University School of Law J.D., cum laude, 1997 University of Texas at El Paso Bachelor of Arts, Major in History, with honors, 1993 Licensed by the State Bar of Texas Admitted to Practice State Courts of Texas Texas Southern District Court Texas Northern District Court Texas Eastern District Court Texas Western District Court Professional Activities State Bar of Texas Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow Languages English Spanish Presentations The New Overtime RuleMonty & Ramirez Labor and Employment Seminar, 2016 Smart I-9 Recordkeeping: How to Complete, Retain, and Re-Verify Using the New Form I-9BLR: I-9 Webinar, 2016 Essential FLSA Issues Facing EmployersClarus Benefits Labor and Employment Seminar, 2016 Transgender Rights in the Workplace Gulf Coast LGBT-Allies Diversity Summit, 2016 Sex and Religion in the Workplace HR Houston Gulf Coast Symposium, 2017 Religion and Pregnancy in the Workplace Monty & Ramirez CLE Immigration and Employment Update, 2017  Employee’s Go-To Discrimination Claim: FLSA RetaliationHR Houston Gulf Coast Symposium, 2017 Form I-9 and National Origin/Citizenship-Based Discrimination: How to Minimize Legal Risks in Recruiting, Employment Verification and Re-verification, and Avoid ICE Penalties BLR: Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, 2017 Emerging Trends in Employment Law Harris County Civil Judicial Education Conference, 2017 Advanced Skills for Employee Leave Management BLR: FMLA Master Class, 2018

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