S. Russell Headrick, shareholder working from the Firm's Knoxville and Memphis offices, concentrates his practice in three major areas. He represents life, health and disability insurers and self-insureds in all aspects of litigation in state and federal courts at all levels throughout a broad section of the country, including states comprising the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Eleventh federal circuits. His representation includes all issues arising from both individual and group coverage, under both state and federal law, including ERISA and class actions. Mr. Headrick’s Media Defense/First Amendment practice includes defending the media in defamation and privacy claims and representing their interests in seeking access to governmental information, such as bringing claims under open records and open meetings acts. Finally, Mr. Headrick maintains an active appellate practice at every level in state and federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.
- Member – Editorial Board, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal (Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, American Bar Association)
- Co-author – "E-Discovery: Successful Litigation Requires Companies to Retain Massive Amounts of Data," Memphis Business Journal (June 2007)
- Tennessee Bar Association "Disability Benefits Forum," speaking on the topics of "Overview of Disability Insurance Coverage and Long-Term Disability Benefits," "Overpayments and Subrogation under ERISA," "Litigating a Disability Claim under a Disability Insurance Policy Controlled by Tennessee State Law," and "ADR of Disability Income Cases." (March 2007)
- American Bar Association, ERISA Survey of the Federal Circuits (2d ed.) Sixth Circuit Contributing Author
- American Bar Association, Misrepresentations in the Life, Health and Disability Insurance Application Process: A National Survey (forthcoming work) Sixth Circuit Editor and Tennessee and Sixth Circuit ERISA Contributing Author
- Media Law Resource Center, 50-State Annual Survey of Defamation Law (all editions from inception through 2006) Tennessee Section Author and Reviser
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for First Amendment Law (1991 – present; 1991 was first year to include category), Employee Benefits (since 2008), Insurance Law (since 2008), Commercial Litigation (since 2011) and Medical Malpractice (since 2011)
- Voted a Top Attorney by his peers in CityView magazine (2009 – 2010)
- Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2006, 2011
- Member – American Bar Association Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (Health and Disability Insurance Law Committee; Life Insurance Law Committee; Employee Benefits Committee)
- Member – American Bar Association Forum Committee on Communications Law
- Member – Defense Research Institute (Life, Health and Disability Section; Tennessee State Liaison)
- Member – Tennessee Bar Association
- Member – Memphis Bar Association
- Law Clerk – Hon. Harry W. Wellford, U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee, 1977 – 1978
- Tennessee, 1977
- U.S. Supreme Court
- University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 1977 (Member, Editorial Board, Tennessee Law Review)
- Rhodes College (formerly Southwestern at Memphis), B.A., 1973, with distinction