- Find a Lawyer
- /
- United States
- /
- Employment Law - Management
- /
- Tennessee
- /
- Nashville
Find Lawyers in Nashville, Tennessee for Employment Law - Management
Practice Area Overview
Employment law is the practice area of lawyers who advise employers about workplace related issues.
Regulations governing the way employees are hired, managed, disciplined, and terminated are complex and constantly evolving. These laws affect companies differently depending on size, industry, and workforce makeup. Businesses must ensure that employment policies, training program, and everyday practices are in compliance – or risk crippling lawsuits. Employment law practices emphasize preventive counseling to minimize liability and potential business interruption for employers. Employment law audits are frequently utilized to expose problem areas before they become legal nightmares.
Despite the best efforts of conscientious employers to comply with the law and to treat employees fairly, lawsuits can occur. Such suits present problems both obvious – large verdicts, for example – and more insidious – such as the waste of management’s time and resources which can interfere with productive, efficient business operation. This ever-increasing scope of employment litigation intersects with virtually all types of business litigation including class actions, products liability, premises liability, traditional torts, and business contract disputes of all types. The employment litigation practice continues to expand with each new right or legal obligation enacted by federal and state legislators or recognized by the courts.
Margaret L. Behm has earned the reputation as the go-to person in 45 years of representing clients and forging coalitions for change. After beginning her legal career in 1976 at Legal Services if Middle Tennessee, Inc., Behm and Marietta Shipley in 1980 founded Shipley and Behm, the city's first all-woman law firm. “Back then, women just weren’t taken seriously as business owners or lawyers,” Behm says. “I wanted to run my own business and demonstrate that women could ...
FREDRICK J. BISSINGER is Regional Managing Member of the Nashville, Tennessee office of the firm, which he joined in 1999. His law practice includes an emphasis in handling employment discrimination and wrongful discharge matters at both the administrative level and in Federal and State Court litigation. His practice also includes an emphasis on ADA and FMLA compliance, as well as general liability matters. He received his Bachelor of Science, cum laude , in Economics from Washington & Le...
Chris Cardwell is a trial lawyer in GSRM’s Litigation and Labor and Employment practice groups. He serves on the firm’s management, marketing and staff committees, and leads the Litigation and Labor and Employment practice groups. Chris represents life sciences, healthcare, railroad and transportation, and entertainment companies in complex commercial, employment, and intellectual property lawsuits.
Ed Reynolds Davies, Jr. has been practicing law in Nashville and throughout Tennessee since 1983. Before entering private practice, Mr. Davies served as a law clerk to the Honorable L. Clure Morton, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee from 1982-1983. Since entering private practice, Mr. Davies has concentrated his practice on civil litigation primarily focusing on medical malpractice/healthcare liability cases for physicians, other healthcare provide...
After graduating from law school in 1987, Tom Davis began his legal career at Ogletree Deakins and is currently the practice group leader of the firm’s Traditional Labor Practice Group. Mr. Davis represents employers in all aspects of employment law matters with a primary focus on the area of traditional labor law. He assists clients in maintaining union-free work environments through the implementation of cutting-edge, positive employee relations programs and creative leadership educat...
M. Reid Estes, Jr. is the Practice Group Chair for the South Region Labor & Employment Practice. He has nearly 40 years of experience as a trial lawyer and has served as trial counsel for numerous Fortune 500 and smaller companies in the restaurant, hospitality, retail, manufacturing, construction, health care, and other industry sectors, and during his career has handled nearly every conceivable type of case from tort claims, to theft of trade secret, covenant and contract breach, commer...
Mr. Frazier represents management in the area of labor and employment law with an emphasis on employment litigation including collective actions under the FLSA and the ADEA. Mr. Frazier has been counsel in over 20 jury trials in both state and federal courts, and he has experience trying collective actions in federal court before a jury and in an arbitration setting. Mr. Frazier has also handled over 30 arbitrations arising under collective bargaining agreements. Mr. Frazier is active in civi...
Mary Taylor Gallagher is a trial lawyer in GSRM’s Litigation and Labor and Employment sections. Mary Taylor has tried jury and nonjury cases in state and federal courts throughout Tennessee. In addition to general business litigation, Mary Taylor focuses her practice on the defense of employers in the railroad, transportation and healthcare industries. Mary Taylor advises clients on issues of labor and employment law compliance, including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA),...
Jon Harris is a trusted counselor to employers in all aspects of their labor and employment law needs. He also spends a significant amount of his practice defending companies in data privacy class actions. Jon has gained repeated recognition for his responsiveness and problem-solving prowess. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, Jon tailors solutions to a client’s business needs and risk tolerance. Jon is known as a strategic advisor and zealous advocate in employment matters, incl...
Mr. Harrison is licensed and practices in both Texas and Tennessee. He is Board certified as a labor and employment law specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His practice is devoted exclusively to the representation of employers in matters of personnel policies and practices, labor and employment litigation, wage-hour compliance and other workplace issues. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Baylor University, Mr. Harrison attended the University of Virginia School of Law and focuse...
Scott Hickman practices in the areas of employment law and business dispute resolution. His practice primarily involves assisting businesses involved in litigation or other dispute resolution, often representing employers in employment matters, as well as assisting and advising them on day-to-day employee relations.
HOWARD B. JACKSON is a Member of the Knoxville, Tennessee office of the firm, which he joined in 2001. His practice includes substantial experience with labor law, employment litigation, including both discrimination cases of all kinds and employee restrictive agreements, frequent training and counseling of employers on a wide variety of employment law issues, and commercial litigation. Howard graduated from Georgia Tech in 1983, with a B.S. in Industrial Management, from Duke University in 1...
With a combination of big-firm training and courtroom experience, Kevin has earned a reputation as a savvy counselor, a skilled litigator, and an excellent trial attorney. During his 20-plus year career, Kevin has tried dozens of cases — from simple negligence to multi-week federal trials – briefed and argued numerous appeals, and litigated hundreds of cases. After graduating from Cornell Law School in 2000, Kevin joined Husch & Eppenberger, LLP (now Husch Blackwell, LLP), a m...
Matt practices almost exclusively in the area of labor relations and employment law on behalf of management. In his career Matt has represented companies throughout the country in the areas of collective bargaining negotiations, grievance and arbitration, employment discrimination litigation in both federal and state courts, the National Labor Relations Act, wrongful discharge, wage and hour law, and other employment-related areas. Matt is also experienced in ADR, mediation and has served as ...
Chuck Mataya has developed a focused practice of litigation and counseling in various areas of labor and employment law, including the defense of class, collective individual actions in both state and federal courts. Chuck acts as a lead counsel for prominent employers throughout the United States in the counsel and defense of employment and labor claims, including claims of wrongful discharge, breach of an employment contract, illegal discrimination under the various federal and state laws, ...
Craig’s practice focuses exclusively on labor relations and employment law on behalf of employers and management. His practice regularly includes Title VII and other employment discrimination litigation, FLSA and state wage and hour litigation, trade secrets and non-competition disputes, collective bargaining issues, and alternative dispute resolution. Craig’s recent experience includes obtaining dismissals of lawsuits alleging race discrimination, gender discrimination, retaliato...
Mr. Palmer is an experienced litigator specializing in both employment litigation and general civil litigation in state and federal courts. His interest in litigation began early in his legal career when as a law student at Vanderbilt University, Mr. Palmer won the Harlan Dodson Moot Court Competition and was appointed to the position of Associate Justice of Vanderbilt’s Moot Court Board. Mr. Palmer began his career in 1988 as an associate and later a partner in a large general practice...
Stephen is a Partner at Burr & Forman LLP where he serves on the firm's Executive Committee. He is a member of the Labor & Employment and Commercial Litigation Practice Groups. Stephen’s practice focuses primarily on employment law and litigation. His practice also focuses on business and intellectual property litigation. He frequently defends employers against claims for alleged employment discrimination, retaliatory discharge, and wage and hour violations. He also handles non-...
John Rodgers helps employers solve their employment-related problems. His practice is three-fold. First, he counsels clients on the numerous situations that can arise related to their employees, including termination and disciplinary decisions, reasonable accommodation issues under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), wage-and-hour issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state law, and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) problems. His goal is to work with clients in a pract...
Leslie Goff Sanders is the Managing Partner of Barton’s Nashville office. She assists employers in all areas of labor and employment law, with a particular focus on day-to-day counseling, litigation, trade secrets and non-competition, and executive compensation. Leslie's philosophy is to be a business partner with her clients. By understanding the nature of her client’s business and their goals, she can better advise them on how to successfully navigate employee relations issues a...
Mark Stamelos represents businesses on their employment issues, including trade secret, non-compete and restrictive covenant disputes as well as defending employers against harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims. A stickler for responsiveness, Mark likes to visit businesses, study their processes, see the facilities and learn how people do their jobs. He has particular expertise helping clients protect their trade secrets and other valuable business interests. In addition, he provi...
Eric Stevens has nearly 30 years of experience representing clients - focusing on healthcare and financial institutions - in labor relations and employment litigation. He represents both union and non-union employers in: Class-action claims under anti-discrimination laws Litigation involving federal and state wage and hour laws Contract negotiations Arbitration Successful union-free election campaigns Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs audits Eric also assists clients with complia...
Elizabeth Washko is the Managing Shareholder of the Nashville office. Ms. Washko represents management in a wide variety of employment litigation matters, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, FMLA, FLSA, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and covenant not to compete cases. Ms. Washko has served as lead counsel in jury trials in both state and federal courts. In addition to her litigation experience, Ms. Washko also conducts training on employment issues, drafts and review...
After graduating from Vanderbilt University School of Law, Luther Wright, Jr. began his career with a respected general practice firm in the litigation section. He spent the first several years of his legal career practicing in the general litigation area before joining the Labor & Employment team. He has significant experience in the areas of labor and employment law, corporate business litigation and class action lawsuits. He typically represents management in all forms of employment di...
Tyler Chance Yarbro brings her extensive experience in courtroom advocacy to advise and assist clients with their litigation needs. She maintains a diverse litigation practice, in areas involving employment law, probate, personal injury, and criminal defense. Yarbro has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2016-2018 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America©. She is currently listed in the three fields including labor and employment litigation. She was a member of the 2012 TBA L...
Paige Lyle counsels clients from corporations and governmental entities to small family-owned businesses on the day to day legal ramifications of managing a workforce. A seasoned litigator with a fierce commitment to her clients, Paige has a broad base of legal experience that makes her an irreplaceable asset to any litigation team. Paige understands that litigation can be alarming and uncomfortable for clients. To make the process as smooth as possible, she strives to be accessible and respo...
William is an associate in GSRM Law’s Litigation and Labor and Employment sections. He is a pragmatic problem solver, who ushers businesses and individuals through business, commercial, and real estate litigation. William’s experience includes bench and jury trials and arbitration; state appeals; and multi-party litigation. He has served as counsel of record for corporate, governmental, and insurance clients. His current representations concern breach of contract claims, real prop...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.