Labor and Employment Services for Business

Employment Law

Allen Summers represents management clients in all phases of employment law. Our lawyers are experienced in the following areas of employment law:

Employment discrimination litigation/EEOC Charges
Employment contracts/covenants not to compete
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Retaliatory discharge
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) litigation
Workers' compensation defense
Workplace privacy
Mandated employee benefits matters (COBRA)
State Human Rights Act charges/litigation
Drug testing
Individual employee rights (employment at will, wrongful discharge, and related libel and slander litigation)
Employee fraud, theft, embezzlement
Unemployment compensation
Veterans' re-employment rights
Separation agreements/waivers and releases

We represent clients before federal and state courts, as well as administrative agencies in employment cases. In addition, our lawyers regularly consult with and advise employers regarding the best ways to comply with applicable employment laws.

Class/Collective Action Litigation

The firm has substantial experience in representing its clients in class-action lawsuits involving Title VII claims, as well as collective actions arising out of FLSA, and has a high success rate in the defense of these claims. The firm is very proactive in mounting defenses on behalf of the client, and has developed a protocol that has been very successful in reducing, and in some cases, eliminating substantial exposure. Its lawyers have obtained significant and favorable court rulings on class certification that are relied upon by counsel in Tennessee and elsewhere in the defense of such cases.

ERISA

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act presents numerous challenges for employers. Our lawyers represent employers in ERISA benefits litigation in federal and state courts.

Human Resources and Organizational Consulting Services

Our firm has a distinguished consulting practice that focuses on partnering with management representatives in order to meet our clients' human relations objectives. Our consulting services include:

Leadership and organizational assessments
Acquisitions/mergers and relocations
Assisting non-union operations as they seek to remain union-free
Policy and Procedure Development
Policy manual/handbook/employment application reviews
Employee opinion/morale surveys
Workplace violence prevention
Workforce reductions
Separation agreements/waivers
Providing advice on potential terminations/discipline
Best HR practices (incentive plans, bonuses)
Corporate communications/management presentations
FMLA/ADA compliance audits
Compensation and benefit plan review, job analysis
Hiring procedures, including pre-employment screening
Drug testing and rehabilitation programs
Safety programs
Employee recognition
Reasonable accommodation analysis (ADA compliance)
Drafting/review of job descriptions
Peer review and internal complaint resolution procedures
Team programs
Employee roundtable meetings/listening meetings
HR conferences and seminars
Drafting employment contracts

Labor Law

Our lawyers represent employers before courts, the Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in all phases of labor law, including:

NLRB Litigation - unfair labor practice charges
Union representation proceedings
Representing management during union organizing campaigns
Collective bargaining
Grievances/Arbitration and resulting litigation
Strike contingency planning and response/injunctions
WARN Act compliance
FLSA - Wage and Hour compliance and audits
Department of Labor Investigations/Litigation
State and Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) investigations, citations, and hearings

Management and Supervisory Training Services

Our firm has provided excellent supervisory and management training for some of the nation’s most well-known corporations. Our training is customized to fit the client's environment, is interactive and provides practical solutions for supervisors and managers. Clients have asked us to facililtate training on the following topics: