Best Lawyers Near You in Nashville, Tennessee for Labor and Employment Law - Management
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...
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, ...
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...
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-...
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...
David has nearly 30 years of experience practicing litigation in a variety of practice areas, including labor and employment, commercial, and products liability matters. A Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, he has particularly extensive experience in non-compete and trade secret matters. David is recognized in Chambers USA and other publications.
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
William S. Rutchow is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. William S., who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Marcus Marion Crider is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Marcus Marion, who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Marcus Marion is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
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...
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...
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.