Stan Graham

Partner | Employment, Labor, and Benefits

stan.graham@pierferd.com
+1.615.965.7831 office (Nashville)
Atlanta
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About
Credentials
Experience
News & Insights

About

Based in Nashville since 1998, Stan Graham focuses his practice on the resolution of workplace disputes as a mediator, arbitrator, and workplace investigator, while continuing to serve as labor and employment litigation counsel. A member of six state bars, he has litigated matters nationwide and brings thirty years of experience assessing risk, credibility, and practical outcomes across a wide range of industries.

  • Stan is a member of the American Arbitration Association’s Arbitrator and Mediator Panel and a Rule 31 Listed Mediator, and he is regularly called upon as a neutral to resolve employment and business disputes. As a litigator, he is nationally known for representing clients in employment and business disputes, including multi-party matters, class and collective actions, and EEOC enforcement proceedings. He is also called upon regularly to conduct investigations involving executive-level and other sensitive workplace issues.

    Stan previously served as Chair of the Tennessee Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section and as Chair of the DRI Employment and Labor Law Committee. He is a Fellow of both the Tennessee Bar Foundation and the Nashville Bar Foundation. He has been recognized for many years by The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Employment Law, Employment Litigation, and Labor Law, including multiple “Lawyer of the Year” honors, and by Chambers USA as a leading Tennessee labor and employment attorney.

Practices

  • Appellate

  • Arbitration and Mediation

  • Class Action Defense

  • Employment and Labor

  • Litigation and Risk Management

Admissions

  • Alabama

  • Arkansas

  • Georgia

  • Kentucky

  • Mississippi

  • Tennessee

  • U.S. Supreme Court

  • All State Courts in Alabama

  • All State Courts in Arkansas

  • All State Courts in Georgia

  • All State Courts in Kentucky

  • All State Courts in Mississippi

  • All State Courts in Tennessee

  • All U.S. District Courts in Alabama

  • All U.S. District Courts in Arkansas

  • All U.S. District Courts in Georgia

  • All U.S. District Courts in Kentucky

  • All U.S. District Courts in Mississippi

  • All U.S. District Courts in Oklahoma

  • All U.S. District Courts in Tennessee

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida

  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Education

  • Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, J.D., cum laude

  • University of Florida, B.S.B.A., Finance, Sociology

Memberships

  • American Arbitration Association’s Roster of Employment Law Arbitrators and Mediators

  • International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)

  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC)

  • Tennessee Supreme Court, Rule 31 Listed Mediator

  • Tennessee Bar Foundation, Fellow

  • Nashville Bar Association, Fellow

  • Defense Research Institute (DRI), Employment and Labor Law Section, Past Chair

  • Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) Labor and Employment Law Section, Past Chair

  • TBA Labor and Employment Law Section, 2005-Present

  • Tennessee Hotel and Lodging Association, Board of Directors, Past Director

  • Inaugural Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Program, Graduate

  • Economic Club of Nashville, Board of Directors, Past Member

  • Historic Travellers Rest Plantation Museum, Board of Directors, Past Member

  • St. George’s Episcopal Church, Nashville, Past Vestry Member

  • St. George’s Kindergarten, Board of Directors, Past Member

  • W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music, Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Past Member

Honors and Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Employment Law – Management, 2014-2027; Labor Law – Management, 2015-2027; Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2014-2027

  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Lawyer of the Year, Labor Law – Management, 2023, 2026

  • Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business guide, Labor and Employment (Tennessee), 2012-2026

  • Mid-South Super Lawyers magazine, 2006, 2012-2025; Top 100: Tennessee Super Lawyers List, 2017, 2021; Top 50: Nashville Super Lawyers List, 2017

  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated

Experience

  • Holland & Knight LLP

Representative Experience

Trial and Appellate Matters

  • EEOC, et al. v. Dolgencorp, LLC, U.S. District Court, N.D. of Alabama – led a team at trial court and on appeal in EEOC enforcement action brought on behalf of over 500 individuals under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and ADA

  • Gonzalez v. Ford Motor Company, U.S. District Court, S.D. of Indiana – defense verdict at trial on claims of failure to accommodate under the ADA, with jury finding plaintiff was not disabled under the ADA after less than one hour of deliberations

  • EEOC, et al. v. Dolgencorp, LLC, U.S. District Court, E.D. of Tennessee – led defense at trial and on appeal of EEOC enforcement action brought pursuant to the ADA on claims of failure to accommodate

  • Peaden v. Dollar General, Circuit Court for Covington County, Alabama – defense verdict at trial on claim of retaliatory discharge under Alabama state law

  • Andazola v. Logan’s Roadhouse Restaurants, U.S. District Court, N.D. of Alabama – defense verdict at trial on claims of sexual harassment and failure to promote, with jury reaching verdict after less than 10 minutes of deliberations

  • Boutwell v. Federal-Mogul Corporation, U.S. District Court, N.D. of Alabama – defense verdict at trial on claim of retaliatory discharge brought by plaintiff discharged while serving on jury duty

Reported Opinions

  • Clark v. O’Charley’s, LLC, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66596 (S.D. Ala.) – adopting summary judgment argument that disabled customer lacked constitutional standing to assert ADA public accommodation claim that she had been wrongly denied access to full complement of restaurant’s services

  • Roeben v. BG Excelsior Limited Partnership, 545 F.3d 639 (8th Cir.) – affirming district court’s summary judgment decision for defense on claims of wrongful discharge brought under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act

  • Weary v. Cochran, 377 F.3d 522 (6th Cir.) – affirming district court’s summary judgment decision for defense on claims brought under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, finding that plaintiff was an independent contractor notwithstanding long-time relationship with putative employer

  • Thomas v. Dolgencorp, LLC, 30 F. Supp. 3d 1340 (M.D. Ala.) – granting summary judgment for defense on claims of wrongful discharge under the Americans With Disabilities Act based on "honest belief" doctrine

  • Andazola v. Logan’s Roadhouse, 871 F. Supp. 2d 1186 (N.D. Ala.) – granting partial summary judgment for defense on claims of retaliatory discharge and gender discrimination under the Equal Pay Act

In the News