The Firm has provided legislative and policy assistance to several entities throughout Memphis and Shelby County. These duties have almost exclusively involved monitoring local and state legislation and policy involving K-12 education and charter schools. While serving as an associate general counsel for Memphis City Schools, Attorney Turner handled the negotiations with some of the first charter schools which opened in Memphis. While he was with the Memphis City Schools, Attorney Turner was assigned to charter schools where he monitored legislation involving charter schools in Nashville and the treatment of charter schools by Memphis City Council, Shelby County Commission and the Board of Education for the Memphis City Schools.
The Firm has worked with several municipal entities. In particular, the Firm has worked with the Memphis City Schools, the Shelby County Schools, the City of Memphis government, and the Shelby County government. The Firm has defended these entities in lawsuits involving personal injury, employee misconduct, discrimination, tenure hearings, general labor matters, construction, and government funding. The Firm has also represented these entities in a variety of business transactions including the purchase and sell of real estate, vendor contracting, construction, asset acquisition and transfer, and employment contracts.
The Firm offers an experienced team to address all litigation pertaining to employment and labor matters to advise clients in the development and implementation of programs and practices that reduce the possibility of litigation. The Firm’s expertise encompasses affirmative action plans, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, employee manual development, COBRA issues, employment contract matters, discrimination matters based on gender, age, disability, national origin, race or religion, both federal and state civil rights issues, hiring and firing, job interview practices, Immigration Reform Act issues, disciplinary actions-civil service, Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance, Older Workers Benefits Protection Act issues, privacy and employee monitoring issues, Title VII claims including sexual harassment and hostile work environment, termination agreements, wage and hour disputes, wrongful termination matters, and non-competition and confidentiality agreements.
The Firm’s attorneys, particularly Van D. Turner, Jr., routinely respond to EEOC and THRA Charges of Discrimination for public and private entities and have handled cases from this early stage administrative review all the way through jury trial and appeal. Many times, employment law and human resource matters are fact-specific and require attention to detail because most employment law and human resource cases are handled mainly through motions and applying the facts of any given matter to the prevailing case law. The Firm has the depth, experience, and ability to effectively handle any and all employment and human resource matters whether they are resolved informally, administratively or through pleadings in a lawsuit.