Russell W. Gray, managing shareholder in the Chattanooga office, concentrates his practice in litigation and labor and employment issues. His practice includes representation of local, regional and national clients on a full range of labor and employment matters, including wage and hour, drug testing, policy manuals, covenants not to compete, various employment forms, compliance advice and employment litigation. Mr. Gray also has more than 15 years of experience in commercial and business litigation, including litigation involving contractual matters, trade secrets, stock valuation and real property. He has litigated matters before courts or government agencies in approximately 20 states.
- Defended a major meat processor in a wage and hour collective action through trial and obtained a partial jury verdict in favor of the defendant.
- Obtained settlements and court approvals for at least five wage and hour collective actions involving hundreds of employees and multiple facilities.
- Obtained complete defense verdict in an age discrimination jury trial involving a manager at a long-term care facility.
- Obtained partial jury verdict in favor of a company in a six-week jury trial including alleged misappropriation of trade secrets.
- Represented numerous companies in responding to investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and other state and federal government agencies.
- Obtained summary judgment and complete dismissals for defendants in multiple discrimination cases, including age discrimination, race discrimination and reprisal discrimination.
- Obtained favorable rulings for companies in injunction hearings pertaining to noncompetition, nonsolicitation and confidentiality issues.
- Assisted multi-state companies develop and implement various employment policies for their locations in various states.
- "The New World of E-Verify and Related State Law," Annual Conference of the Chattanooga Area Society for Healthcare Human Resource Administration, January 25, 2012
- "Information Privacy and Security Basics," Chattanooga Technology Council, November 30, 2011
- "Reelin' In The Year (A Year In Review)," Tennessee State Conference for the Society of Human Resources Management, September 21, 2011
- "Top Five Danger Areas In Wage and Hour Law," Tennessee State Conference for the Society of Human Resources Management, September 16, 2010
- "The New Frontier in Privacy of Personnel Records and Information," EEOC/New Orleans, April 18, 2007
- "Unlawful Retaliation: When Striking Back Breaks the Law," Bradley County Chamber of Commerce, March 8, 2007
- Note, "Wilson v. Seiter: Defining the Components of and Proposing a Direction for Eighth Amendment Prison Condition Law," 41 Am. U.L. Rev. 1339 (1992)
- Numerous Firm-sponsored and client seminars
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in Labor and Employment Law (2011 and 2012)
- Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2011
- Recipient – Baker Donelson Chattanooga Pro Bono Attorney of the Year (2008)
- Member – Chattanooga, Tennessee, American and Federal Bar Associations
- Adjunct Professor – University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- Former President – Chattanooga Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division
- Law Clerk for the Honorable R. Allan Edgar, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Tennessee (1993 – 1995)
- Managing Editor – American University Law Review (1992 – 1993)
- President – Student Government Association, University of Tennessee (1987 – 1988)
- Torchbearer – University of Tennessee (1988)
- American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., 1993, summa cum laude
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, B.A., 1988, with high honors