Find Lawyers in Nashville, Tennessee for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Practice Area Overview
Often, these employment disputes culminate in a lawsuit, which can be costly, time-consuming, and damaging to employee relations. The number of employment-related litigation filings has been steadily increasing over the last decade, ranging from large-scale class actions to individual complaints. Employers are facing greater challenges and financial exposure from both current and former employees than ever before.
Employment litigation covers many types of claims, including discrimination; harassment; wage-hour pay, classification, and overtime violations; wrongful discharge; entitlement to employee benefits; misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information; unfair competition; enforcement or avoidance of restrictive covenants; labor union disputes; workplace safety violations; defamation and other employment-related torts. These claims often involve the many laws governing employee relations, which are often referred to as “employment law alphabet soup.” These include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), whistleblower claims under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) or Dodd-Frank Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Resolving employment litigation requires knowledge of these laws and regulations, the applicable case law, and a careful case analysis and strategy. More so than in other less personal litigation, a perceptive understanding of the people involved is essential for success. Often, suits will be settled among parties or ended before trial through summary judgment based on the facts of the case. When early resolution is not achieved, however, the case will go to trial in court or before an agency tribunal. Verdicts in employment-related cases can be enormous, especially in wage-hour and other class actions, creating a high-stakes situation for employers.
Jeff Beemer is a business lawyer who works with clients to achieve effective resolution of a variety of business disputes. He provides proactive advice on litigation avoidance and risk management, including daily counseling for employers on all aspects of employment law. As a seasoned trial advocate, Jeff has significant experience achieving favorable results for clients in employment cases and commercial disputes, as well as in litigation involving significant personal injury claims, product...
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...
Dewey Branstetter has represented a broad range of individuals and entities, but his practice concentrates on utility and municipal issues, employment matters, and complex litigation. Mr. Branstetter has extensive experience advising and representing utility districts, municipalities, and utility related entities such as Tennessee 811. He recently appeared before the Utility Management Review Board and successfully defended against the first ratepayer petition ever filed against a utility dis...
Joshua L. Burgener, a partner in the firm’s Nashville office, focuses his practice on complex commercial and business litigation, employment disputes, class action litigation, and real estate litigation. Specifically, he specializes in trade secret and non-compete suits, contract claims, lease disputes, and business torts. In addition to his courtroom practice, Josh also advises clients on litigation assessment and avoidance. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers® as a “Risi...
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.
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...
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...
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...
Peter F. Klett III, a member in Dickinson Wright’s Nashville office, focuses his practice on labor and employment law with a particular emphasis on class action lawsuits. He has served as lead counsel in many high-profile wage and hour compliance suits throughout the U.S. For nearly 30 years, Peter has proudly served as primary regional and local litigation counsel for independent trucking companies in catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and personal injury cases. He also represents co...
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, ...
Deeply experienced commercial and business litigator in areas including Contract and Business Disputes, Health Care, Insurance, Real Estate, Transportation, Labor, and Employment. Acts as regional and national counsel for various businesses, and defense and coverage counsel for numerous transportation, liability, casualty defense, EPLI, and D&O and E&O carriers. He has successfully litigated numerous matters of all kinds nationwide. Jeff's experience further includes representing clie...
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...
Todd Presnell is a trial lawyer licensed in Georgia and Tennessee who represents major corporations, small businesses, governmental entities, tax-exempt organizations, and individuals in their litigation-related needs. Mr. Presnell has served as lead counsel in federal and state courts across the country, including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas. He has handled numerous bench and jury trials, argued before the Sixth, Seventh, and...
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...
M. Clark Spoden is recognized in Tennessee as a Specialist in Civil Trial and Pre-Trial Advocacy as Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Clark is a Charter Fellow in the American College of Board Certified Attorneys, (2015) and has received recognition in The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2010-2022), Litigation-Construction (2011-2022), Litigation-Environmental (2011-2022), Litigation-Labor and Employment (2011-2022), and in the Top 100 in Tennessee Super ...
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...
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