Program & Events

Description: What you don’t know can get you in hot water – particularly in the world of Human Resources. 2026 has been a year of change – a change in focus, in interpretation and in your responsibilities. Join us to review some basic human resource tips while exploring how the current rules have changed and are changing how we enforce those. We will explore recent challenges in the wage and hour arena, EEOC focus areas and how AI plays into these challenges. We will end with some best practices and steps you can take to safeguard your Firm and your employees.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session the audience will learn how to:

CLM Approved Credits:

• CLM® Recertification Credit:  1 hour in the subject area of
• CLM® Application Credit for Functional Specialists: 1 hour in the subject area of

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Speaker Information:

DAWN ANDERSON, JD, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CLM
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dawn Anderson is a strategic Chief Human Resources Officer with more than 30 years of experience advising leadership and aligning human capital strategy with organizational performance across the legal, manufacturing, retail, and distribution sectors.

She currently serves as CHRO for Butler Snow LLP, where she oversees the full human resources function for a multi-office law firm with more than 750 employees across 25+ locations. In this role, she partners closely with firm leadership and Practice Group Leaders to drive workforce strategy, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and support the firm’s long-term growth objectives.

Dawn is known for her ability to balance the business realities of a law firm with the complexities of attorney and staff dynamics. She has built and scaled foundational HR infrastructure across recruiting, onboarding, performance management, and employee relations, helping to drive accountability and consistency across offices while preserving the unique culture of each location.

Her work has included modernizing onboarding and evaluation processes, implementing competency frameworks to clarify expectations, enhancing benefits offerings while maintaining cost discipline, and strengthening compliance and training programs across the firm. She is a trusted advisor on sensitive employee relations matters and plays a key role in mitigating organizational risk while supporting leadership decision-making.

Prior to Butler Snow, Dawn served as Chief Operations Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer for Hawkins Parnell & Young LLP, where she oversaw firm operations and human resources strategy. As a member of the Executive Committee, she advised on compensation, resource allocation, and strategic direction, and helped guide the firm through periods of significant change, including the pandemic and partnership transitions.

Earlier in her career, Dawn held senior HR leadership roles with Zep Inc. and Genuine Parts Company (NAPA), where she led large-scale workforce initiatives, supported acquisitions, and implemented process improvements across complex, multi-site operations.

Dawn holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia and is a licensed attorney in the state of Georgia. She is a Certified Legal Manager (CLM), SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), and SPHR-certified HR executive, and holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

She is an active member of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), where she has served as a chapter president and continues to contribute to professional development initiatives, including leading study groups for the Certified Legal Manager designation. She is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and serves on the Board of the Atlanta Red Cross.

In addition to her executive responsibilities, Dawn is a frequent speaker and author on topics including change management, leadership, employee relations, and professional development within the legal industry.

Meeting Sponsored By:

Meeting Location: Jacksonville Bar Association/Zoom Hybrid