Best Lawyers in Tennessee, United States for Labor Law - Management
About Labor Law - Management
Representation of private employers is subject to federal jurisdictions pursuant to the National Labor Relations Act and Railway Labor Act, and includes: advising and handling representation petitions and disputes, decertification and de-authorization elections, unfair labor practice and carrier interference charges and proceedings, union jurisdictional disputes, negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, arbitration of union grievances and contractual disputes, managing and responding to labor strikes, lockouts, picketing and concerted activities, representation in federal and state court injunction proceedings, and managing and responding to union boycotts and corporate campaigns.
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. Mr. Hickman graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he was the senior managing editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review and was a member of the Vanderbilt Moot Court Boa...
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),...
Jay Ebelhar guides company leadership through lawsuits and administrative proceedings to resolve complex employment disputes. He acts as a go-to resource for the full spectrum of employment matters, from harassment and discrimination claims to wage and hour challenges. Utilizing this varied experience, Jay partners with employers to explore options and develop sound strategies that manage risk in line with their organizational goals. Whether this means taking a case through trial or resolving...
M. Reid Estes, Jr. 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, commercial litigation, and “bet the company” cases. He has significant class ac...
Richard Underwood ’s litigation practice concentrates in the areas of general civil litigation, commercial, employment, and personal injury litigation. He has represented clients throughout the South. Mr. Underwood has tried more than 150 jury trials to verdict and has tried cases in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Georgia, in both state and federal courts. He has tried all types of cases, including employment (age, race, and sex discrimination), wrongful termin...
Tanja L. Thompson is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Tanja L. practices law in Memphis, Tennessee Best Lawyers has recognized Tanja L. Thompson since 2016. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Tanja L. Thompson is held by other lawyers.
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...
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...
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...
Jared is a Member with Spicer Rudstrom in the Memphis office who focuses on litigation throughout Tennessee and Mississippi. He graduated cum laude from Lambuth University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and then graduated cum laude with a J.D. degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He served as an editor for the Tennessee Law Review and was recognized with the Jerry J. Phillips Best Comment award for his scholarly article that was published in the Tennessee Law R...
Steve has over 35 years of 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 provided numerous management training and civic group presentations on employment and sports law issues. He also serves as a ...
Al is a trial lawyer and adviser to Spicer Rudstrom’s business and insurance clients who focuses on civil litigation. As someone who has always enjoyed a challenge, pursuing a legal career, where he is able to find solutions to the issues facing his clients, seemed to be a perfect fit. He is most passionate about providing top-quality legal services and obtaining the best possible results for his clients. Al obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Virgini...
Lisa Ramsay Cole is President and Managing Shareholder of Lewis Thomason, where she provides firmwide leadership focused on strategic growth, governance, and long-term sustainability. She works closely with the Board of Directors to guide business planning, talent development, and operational excellence across the firm’s offices and practice groups. She also serves as Managing Shareholder of the firm’s Nashville office. Ms. Cole serves as the firm’s General Counsel, overseei...
Kerby Bowling has practiced labor and employment law exclusively since 1980. After graduating from law school, Mr. Bowling began waging his own campaigns against organized labor. The principles and the universe of forces at play in the workplace during a union campaign have become Mr. Bowling's lifelong study. Mr. Bowling believes that his experience as a labor lawyer gives him a keener insight into the countless employment issues confronting human resource managers in a wide variety of work ...
Jay Mader focuses on employment and business litigation. His employment law practice includes cases involving discrimination, harassment, and retaliation with claims relating to age, gender, race, disability, and whistleblower allegations. He also handles wage and hour and FMLA litigation. Jay’s experience in business litigation includes cases involving breach of contract and fiduciary duty, fraud and misrepresentation, consumer protection, and other business torts. In addition to litig...
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.
