Waller Adds Prominent Employment Attorney to Top-R

NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwired - Jul 7, 2017) - Waller, a leading provider of legal services to the healthcare, financial services, retail and hospitality industries, announced today that veteran attorney Michael L. Russell has joined the firm's national Labor and Employment practice as a partner in Nashville. Waller is the only full-service law firm to earn the top ranking in the Tennessee "Labor & Employment" category in the recently published 2017 edition of Chambers USA . Waller's team of nearly 30 Labor and Employment attorneys in Tennessee, Alabama and Texas provides comprehensive legal services for employers facing discrimination and harassment complaints; individual, collective and class action litigation; labor disputes; wage and hour compliance; internal investigations; compliance training; and more.

"Michael has nearly two decades of experience representing plaintiffs in disputes involving allegations of discrimination, retaliation, harassment and violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act," said Mark Peters , who chairs Waller's Labor and Employment practice. "Bringing that perspective is one of the many ways that Waller thinks creatively and differently than others about defending employers throughout the country."

Russell's legal practice focuses significantly on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and disputes involving overtime pay, minimum wage issues, recordkeeping and classifications with respect to exempt and nonexempt employees. Russell has litigated and mediated numerous nationwide FLSA class actions. Clients value his ability to evaluate risks and his pragmatic approach to dispute resolution.

In addition to his active trial practice, Russell is a Rule 31 Listed Mediator in accordance with the rules of the Tennessee Supreme Court. His impartiality and extensive experience as an advocate for both employers and employees have made him a respected mediator in various types of civil litigation. 

A named partner at Gilbert Russell McWherter Scott Bobbitt PLC in Nashville from 2001 to 2017, Russell's legal career began in West Tennessee where he practiced in both Memphis and Jackson. Russell currently serves as president of the Nashville Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and he is a past chair of the Tennessee Bar Association Labor and Employment Section. He has been recognized for his labor and employment experience by Best Lawyers and Mid-South Super Lawyers, and he is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell. Russell also serves as an adjunct professor at Belmont University College of Law.

Russell earned his J.D., magna cum laude, in 1999 from University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. He earned his B.A., summa cum laude, in 1996 from the University of Tennessee.

About Waller With more than 230 attorneys in Austin, Birmingham, Memphis and Nashville, Waller assists clients in complex transactional, regulatory and litigation matters. The firm has built a national reputation for its work in healthcare, financial services, retail and hospitality, and has extensive experience in manufacturing, real estate, technology and other industries. For more information, please visit  www.wallerlaw.com .