Calendar of Events

Presented by Chris Vaught | Crowe & Dunlevy

At this learning lab, Chris Vaught will provide a comprehensive overview of I-9 compliance requirements, focusing on recent changes and emerging challenges within the evolving immigration landscape under the Trump Administration touched on at our March program. Attendees will gain insights into best practices for verifying employment eligibility, avoiding common pitfalls, and maintaining compliance amid regulatory updates. Additionally, the session will cover key trends, recent enforcement actions, and practical strategies to manage audits and mitigate risks effectively. Ideal for HR professionals, legal advisors, and business leaders, this presentation empowers organizations to navigate the complexities of I-9 compliance with confidence.

At this lab you will:

• Understand I-9 Requirements and Recent Updates: Gain a clear understanding of Form I-9 completion, retention, and verification processes, including recent regulatory changes impacting compliance.     
• Identify Common I-9 Compliance Risks and Errors: Recognize frequent mistakes in the I-9 process and develop strategies to minimize errors, ensuring alignment with current immigration laws.     
• Implement Effective I-9 Audit and Record-Keeping Practices: Learn best practices for conducting internal I-9 audits, maintaining proper documentation, and preparing for external inspections or audits from federal agencies.  
• Develop Strategies for Managing Compliance Amid Immigration Policy Changes: Build proactive HR strategies to address evolving immigration policies, ensuring organizational readiness and reducing legal exposure. 

Chris Vaught is a director in the firm’s Tulsa office with more than 20 years of employment law experience. As a litigator, Chris represents management and employers in all areas of employment law including the Oklahoma Anti-Discrimination Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. He also advises employers and human resources departments on best practices related to company policies and procedures, harassment, retaliation, reasonable accommodation, and wage and hour claims. Throughout his career, he has presented extensively on labor and employment matters to both attorneys and human resources professionals. 

As a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group, Chris assists clients in exploring effective solutions to resolve their conflicts outside of traditional legal proceedings. He currently serves as an Adjunct Settlement Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma where he helps to support programs aimed at fostering early resolution of disputes without the need for further court intervention. Prior to joining the firm, he served as the Chief Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Civil Rights Enforcement (“OCRE”) before being promoted to Deputy Attorney General for the same agency. At OCRE, Chris was active in managing investigations and resolving discrimination complaints in employment, housing, and public accommodations across Oklahoma.  

Chris has been recognized for his employment law practice by both Best Lawyers in America and Oklahoma Super Lawyers publications. Since 2014, he has held an AV Preeminent® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.*  

Chris received his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Tulsa College of Law. He currently serves as President-elect of the Federal Bar Association – Northern/Eastern Oklahoma Chapter. 

*Crowe & Dunlevy has no input in the rating methodologies used by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell.