Jody M. Florence
After beginning her legal practice as a litigator in Baltimore, Maryland, Jody Florence joined KZA in 1998 and became a partner in 2003. Jody exclusively represents and advises employers in labor and employment matters. In addition to assisting clients with preventive measures such as employee training and policy development, Jody defends employers against claims of discrimination and other unlawful treatment before Nevada’s state and federal courts, as well as state and federal governmental agencies. Jody has guided employers across multiple industries through executive hiring and termination issues, internal investigations, and ADA and FMLA issues. Additionally, she has considerable experience representing private and public employers in complex labor arbitration proceedings.
Jody has been listed in Best Lawyers® since 2010. She was selected by Best Lawyers® as the 2025 Lawyer of the Year for Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment for Las Vegas, as well as the 2017 Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – Labor and Employment Law for Las Vegas and the 2012 Lawyer of the Year for Employment Law – Management for Las Vegas. She has also been recognized as a Super Lawyer in the 2010-2016 editions of Mountain States Super Lawyers Magazine.
In 2006, Jody secured an important victory before the Nevada Supreme Court in the case of Michael Thomas and John Armstrong v. City of North Las Vegas which preserves arbitration as an effective and final method for dispute resolution in Nevada and other states.
Jody served as a Director of the Clark County Bar Association from 2003 through 2004 and Co-Chair and Chair of the Community Service Committee of the Clark County Bar Association from 2001 through 2002.
- Nevada, 1998
- U.S. District Court District of Nevada, 1998
- U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit, 1999
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1999
- J.D., magna cum laude, University of Baltimore School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland
- Law Review: University of Baltimore Law Review, Managing Editor & Member
- B.A., summa cum laude, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
- Honors: Distinction in Criminal Justice
- “How Well Do You Know Employment Compensation Laws?,” The Silver State CPA, February 2023 (with Edwin Keller)
- “It Is Time For Nevada Employers to Re-Examine Drug Testing in Order to Maximize Benefits & Minimize Liability,” Nevada Practitioners’ Journal of Labor & Employment Law, May 2017
- “Ever-Evolving Claim of Sexual Harassment,” Communique, March 2007
- “Desert Palace, Inc. v. Costa,” The Job Description, DRI Winter 2004
- “When ‘You Have Mail’ Turns Into ‘You Have a Lawsuit,”‘ (Co-Author), Communique, December 1998
- “Employees’ Section 7 Rights -The Rest of the Story,” (Co-Author), Nevada Labor Letter, Vol. VI, No. 9, September 1998
- Best Lawyers®, 2010 – present
- Best Lawyers® 2017 Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Labor and Employment – Las Vegas
- Best Lawyers® 2012 Lawyer of the Year – Employment Law – Management – Las Vegas
- Rising Star, Mountain States Super Lawyers Magazine, 2008
- Super Lawyer, Mountain States Super Lawyers Magazine, 2010 – 2016
- AV® Preeminent™ Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating
- Top Rank Attorney, Southern Nevada, Nevada Business, 2023 – present
- State Bar of Nevada
- Clark County Bar Association, Director, 2003 – 2004
- Clark County Bar Association, Community Service Committee, Co-Chair & Chair, 2001 – 2002