About
Stan Graham is a trusted advisor and go-to litigator for major employers throughout the United States. He is also widely sought for his relatable style and experience as a mediator and outside investigator. In client surveys conducted by third parties, he has been described as “immensely knowledgeable” and “always accessible.” He has been repeatedly recognized by clients and peers as a leading lawyer in Chambers USA, and has also been named three times as “Lawyer of the Year - Labor Law - Management (Nashville)” by Best Lawyers.
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Mr. Graham has been focused on employment and civil rights law since graduating law school in 1996. He is fully admitted to practice in six states and dozens of federal courts, and has represented clients in nearly 25 states and counting. He is also known for his extensive experience defending Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforcement actions, employment class actions, and complex administrative disputes before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In addition to his employment practice, Mr. Graham is widely sought for his experience defending Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) “access” litigation brought under the public accommodation provisions of the ADA.
For more than 20 years, Mr. Graham has served on the Steering Committee for the Employment and Labor Law Section of DRI, an international organization of attorneys defending the interests of business in civil litigation, including most recently as chair of that committee. He has also served as chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Committee, and has been elected a fellow of both the Tennessee Bar Foundation and the Nashville Bar Foundation.
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, 2014-2026; Labor Law – Management, 2015-2026; Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2014-2026
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), 2012-2025
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