Jonathan C. Hancock represents employers and management clients regarding all aspects of employment law, including employee counseling and termination, proactive employee training, and the handling of employee complaints and claims, whether made informally to the employer or filed as part of a lawsuit in state or federal courts across the country.
Mr. Hancock has extensive experience creating proactive training programs for all employees, including focused "front line" training for managers, supervisors and executives, and has successfully assisted numerous employers with the implementation of risk avoidance programs producing measurable results. Mr. Hancock has also successfully defended employers against employee claims brought before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, various other state and federal agencies, and state and federal courts.
Mr. Hancock also represents clients in complex litigation matters, including class actions, federal compliance actions, municipal and governmental defense cases, and other civil litigation matters.
- Lead counsel for state chapters of national human resources trade organization as amicus curea in matter regarding adoption of initial pleading standard by Tennessee Supreme Court.
- Obtained defense verdict in federal trial in which two plaintiffs alleged race, gender and age discrimination and retaliation.
- Lead counsel in race discrimination and harrassment case in which summary judgment was granted in employer's favor.
- Lead counsel in numerous cases enforcing employee agreements, particularly covenants not to compete and other restrictive covenants, including handling of injunctive judicial proceedings, expedited discovery proceedings and negotiated resolutions.
- Obtained directed verdict at trial against claims by multiple employees alleging unlawful pay disparities.
- Defeated claim of improper termination by employee terminated for mishandling of customer property and refusing to cooperate with police investigation into alleged criminal conduct.
- Obtained summary judgment for state court judge accused of unlawful harassment by subordinate employee.
- Lead counsel in employment discrimination case dismissed on preliminary motion based on failure of plaintiff to correctly differentiate between parent and subsidiary companies.
- Lead counsel in litigation focusing on delivery practices of national pizza delivery chain. Successfully orchestrated denial of class certification, dismissal of case, and payment by plaintiffs' counsel of portion of defense costs.
- Assisted as Tennessee counsel in the successful negotiation of national class action alleging unfair pricing scheme relating to the sale of foreign automobiles in the United States.
- Secured "No Cause" findings for multiple employers before Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- Successfully handled multiple Department of Labor claims and audits resulting in no adverse findings or fines for employers.
- Secured summary judgment for municipality in flooding case filed in federal court alleging the creation of a public nuisance and and prevailed on appeal to the Sixth Circuit of Appeals.
- Lead counsel in multiple municipal annexation cases, including successful trials of multiple annexations, successful defense of trial results in intermediate appellate courts, and successful handling of appeals before state supreme court.
- Part of trial team that successfully defended claim municipal sports arena was unconstitutionally funded. Assisted with trial proceedings and expedited appeals through state appellate courts.
- Lead counsel in numerous eminent domain proceedings on behalf of municipality acquiring property as part of multiple urban renewal projects.
- Lead counsel in eminent domain trial in which jury rendered verdict for the entire amount sought by landowner.
Mr. Hancock is a frequent speaker and writer whose articles have appeared in BNA's Employment Discrimination Law, the American Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Newsletter, the University of Memphis Law Review, and other publications. Mr. Hancock regularly speaks on employment and civil litigation topics for a variety of clients and groups including the Society for Human Resource Management, the National Association of Legal Administrators, the Memphis Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association, among others.
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Listed in the Memphis Business Journal's "Top 40 Under 40" (2007)
- Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers (2011)
- Named as a "Rising Star" in the field of Labor and Employment by Mid-South Super Lawyers (2008 – 2010)
- Fellow – Tennessee Bar Foundation
- Tennessee Bar Association's Leadership Law Program (2006)
- Board of Directors, National Delegate (2009) and Secretary (2010) – Federal Bar Association
- Member – American Bar Association
- Member – Tennessee Bar Association (Executive Council; Federal Practice Section)
- Member – Memphis Bar Association (Chair 2004; Bench/Bar Committee; 2003; Bench/Bar CLE Committee)
- Member – Society for Human Resource Management, Memphis Chapter (Board of Directors, 2005 to present; Legislative & Governmental Affairs Chair, 2005 – 2012)
- Member – Society for Human Resource Management, Tennessee State Council (Legal & Legislative Chair, 2009 – 2012)
- Member – Memphis Area Legal Services Board of Directors (2009 to present); Chair, Inspired Staffing Committee(2009); Vice President (2011)
- Member – Baddour Center Board of Directors (Executive Committee, 2011 – present)
- Member – Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association Host Committee
- Former Board Member – Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis
- Former Member – Leo Bearman American Inns of Court
- Tennessee
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Circuits
- Admitted pro hac vice in Florida, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas and other jurisdictions
- University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D. degree, 1996
- Millsaps College, B.S. degree, 1993