Overview
Cameron Kynes helps employers anticipate, manage, and resolve workplace issues before they escalate into disputes, and when necessary, steers clients through litigation efficiently and effectively.
Drawing on experience in private practice, in-house secondments, and a federal appellate clerkship, Cameron brings a well-rounded perspective to his work. He delivers well-reasoned, business-driven solutions informed by how companies make decisions, how courts evaluate cases, and how to position matters for successful outcomes.
Cameron represents a range of clients, from large corporations to regional businesses, in single-plaintiff matters, complex multiparty cases, collective actions, and class actions in federal and state courts, as well as before administrative agencies and in arbitration. He defends claims involving discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wage-and-hour issues, and handles disputes involving restrictive covenants, trade secrets, and related business torts. His experience spans all phases of litigation, from early case assessment through discovery, motion practice, and final disposition, and includes pursuing and opposing emergency relief such as temporary restraining orders and injunctive relief, particularly in noncompete and nonsolicitation matters.
Cameron also counsels employers on compliance with federal and state employment laws, including the FMLA, FLSA, ADA, ADEA, NLRA, and Title VII. He advises on workplace policies, employee handbooks, and employment, non-compete, and separation agreements, with a focus on managing risk and preventing disputes.
Across matters, Cameron takes a practical, business-minded approach, evaluating risk, cost, and long-term impact to guide clients toward efficient outcomes. He also leverages technology, including AI-driven tools, to streamline processes and optimize results.
Experience
- Represented a major professional sports organization in two federal religious discrimination and retaliation lawsuits arising from COVID-19 workplace safety protocols, navigating a mid-litigation change in the governing legal standard from the U.S. Supreme Court, and prevailing at summary judgment in both cases — confirming the lawfulness of the client’s health and safety policies and establishing persuasive precedent for employers defending pandemic-era workplace requirements.
- Represented a national industrial distributor facing a wave of departing employees who violated noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements by joining a direct competitor and soliciting the client’s customers, obtained an emergency temporary injunction following an evidentiary hearing, and secured a favorable settlement that halted the unlawful solicitation and enforced the client’s contractual protections.
- Defended a large national employer against a putative nationwide COBRA notice class action with substantial financial exposure, defeated class certification and the named plaintiff’s individual claim, and secured a ruling that sets a strong precedent against technical-deficiency class actions under COBRA and other notice statutes — drawing amicus support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
- Defended a Fortune 500 transportation company at trial against Title VII same-sex harassment and retaliation claims, including a demand for punitive damages, and obtained a favorable jury verdict confirming that the employer’s documented performance-based decisions and robust anti-discrimination policies defeated the plaintiff’s claims.
- Provided pro bono representation to a public school board and teachers’ union after a city government removed a capital sales surtax referendum from the ballot in violation of state law, successfully established through litigation that the city lacked authority to block the referendum, and ultimately secured voter approval of the measure — delivering approximately $1.9 billion in long-term capital funding for public schools.
Honors
- The Best Lawyers in America®, "Ones to Watch," Litigation: Labor and Employment, 2023-25
- Florida Super Lawyers, "Rising Stars," 2017-23
News & Insights
- "New Utah and Florida Laws Restrict Employer COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates," McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 19, 2021
- "Employer Vaccination Programs and New EEOC COVID-19 Guidance," McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 22, 2020
- "An Employer Who Fires an Individual for Being Gay or Transgender Violates Title VII," co-author, ACC North Florida Chapter Newsletter, July, 2020
- "U.S. Supreme Court Broadens Ministerial Exemption to Employment Discrimination Claims," McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 10, 2020
- "U.S. Supreme Court: Title VII Protects Gay and Transgender Employees," McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 16, 2020
- "Pursuing Diversity While Avoiding the Reverse-Discrimination Trap," co-author, Association of Corporate Counsel Newsletter, June, 2017
- "UK and U.S. Perspectives on the Right to Disconnect," co-author, Real Business, June 9, 2017
- "7th Circuit: Sexual Orientation Discrimination is Sex Discrimination," McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 6, 2017
Involvement
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Chester Bedell Inn of Court, Associate, 2015-16
Practices
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 2011
- University of Florida, B.A., magna cum laude, 2007
Admissions
- Florida
- Virginia
- District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
Clerkships
- Hon. Gregory A. Phillips, U.S. District Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 2013-14
- Hon. Clarence A. Brimmer, U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming, 2012-13
