Steven E. " Steve" Kramer

Steven E. " Steve" Kramer


Kramer Rayson LLP

Recognized since 2006

Knoxville, Tennessee

Practice Areas

Employment Law - Management

Labor Law - Management

Litigation - Labor and Employment

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Labor Law - Management
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Steven E. Kramer has over 30 years' experience working with a broad cross-section of industries and management teams in his practice areas of Employment and Labor, Corporate and Transactional, and Sports Law. He provides sound and practical legal advice to his clients and proactively interacts with management teams in some of the most critical aspects of their businesses. He has also given numerous management training and civic group presentations on employment and sports law issues.

Prior to joining Kramer Rayson, Mr. Kramer served as Vice President of Human Resources and General Counsel for AGC Glass North America from 1990 to 2002. In addition to his responsibilities over HR and Legal, Mr. Kramer managed the Quality (ISO/TS16949) programs at AGC Glass N.A. He was in private practice for 10 years before joining AGC.

Mr. Kramer’s experience within the Employment and Labor practice includes:
· Managing over 50 successful labor campaigns for employers in manufacturing, healthcare, trucking, construction, and dairy; defeating union campaigns by the UAW, Steelworkers, Teamsters, Machinists, et al.
· Successfully negotiated over 100 labor contracts in the above industries, saving clients millions of dollars in achieving operational flexibility and efficiency, and over the past several years a substantial part of Mr. Kramer’s practice has been devoted to negotiating wage concessions, increased health care, and frozen pensions in a difficult business environment. The contracts were negotiated across Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, and Canada.
· Managed six successful decertification campaigns in the above industries.
· Tried over 100 Labor Arbitration cases.
· Represented employers in nearly every type of discrimination claim possible under state and federal law.
· Handled more than 25 non-compete cases to enforce client employment contracts · Successfully guiding numerous employers through complex Reductions in Force (RIF) cases and corporate reorganizations

Corporate and Transactional practice:
· Mr. Kramer, in both his private law practice and as Vice President of HR and General Counsel for a $1 billion+ multi-national company (5000 employees), has counseled senior management teams through a wide variety of business strategies, acquisitions, reorganizations, RIFs, and senior management transitions.

Sports Law practice:
· Principal focus is providing counsel to several coaches and athletic directors on employment contract related issues.

Recent Publication

"Noel Canning v. NLRB: Picking Teams During "Recess"
Kramer Rayson LLP e-Newsletter - Labor and Employment Journal, March 2013

"The NLRB Has Taken a Sharp Left"
Kramer Rayson LLP e-Newsletter - Labor and Employment Journal, December 2010

Recent Presentations

Mr. Kramer has conducted management, supervisory, and employee training programs on virtually every aspect of employment law, including EEO/ADA/FMLA, harassment training, union avoidance, and maintaining a high performance, pro-employee work environment.

His most recent program to a bar association was, "Current Sports Law Issues Meet Traditional Labor and Employment Law," addressing NFL contract talks and the employment contracts of collegiate coaches such as Lane Kiffin, Bruce Pearl, Nick Saban, and others.

Location
  • 800 South Gay Street, Suite 2500
    P.O. Box 629
    Knoxville, TN 37929
Education
  • The University of Tennessee, J.D., graduated 1981
Bar Admissions
  • Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association
Affiliations
  • First Tennessee Bank - Regional Board of Directors
  • Kingsport Boys and Girls Club - Board of Directors
  • Kingsport Economic Development Board - Chairman, 1995-2005
  • Northeast State Technical Community College - Board of Directors

Kramer Rayson LLP
Headquarters: Knoxville, Tennessee

18 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

3 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards

Best Law Firms Badge Visit Website View Firm Profile

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Employment Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Employment Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Labor Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Employment Law - Management Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Litigation - Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Labor Law - Management
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Labor Law - Management, Knoxville (2024)
  • Employment Law - Management, Knoxville (2022)
  • Labor Law - Management, Knoxville (2020)
  • Employment Law - Management, Knoxville (2019)
  • Labor Law - Management, Knoxville (2018)
  • Employment Law - Management, Knoxville (2017)
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment, Knoxville (2016)
  • Labor Law - Management, Knoxville (2013)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for work in:
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
Special Focus:
  • Management
Awards:
  • Best Lawyers in America 2006-2017
  • Chambers & Partners - Leaders in their Field 2006-2017
  • Super Lawyers 2008-2017

Publications

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