Edward G. Phillips

Edward G. Phillips ("Ward") heads the Kramer Rayson firm's Employment Law Group, and is a former managing partner of the firm. He represents management exclusively in all areas of employment law and labor relations, including federal and state employment litigation and in administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, United States Department of Labor (including the 'OFCCP'), the National Labor Relations Board, the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, and the Tennessee Department of Labor. Mr. Phillips recently headed a defense team that successfully defended a putative class action with 17 named plaintiffs alleging race discrimination in termination, racial harassment, racial failure to promote or transfer, and retaliation for complaining about race discrimination. All 17 plaintiffs were either dismissed on summary judgment, or voluntarily dismissed claims with prejudice in exchange for waiver of court costs after summary judgment was filed. One of these summary judgment dismissals was recently affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Mr. Phillips was also lead counsel in defense of a putative class action alleging race discrimination in failure to hire with a putative class of over 300 members in which the motion to certify the class was denied and individual plaintiffs' claims were dismissed on summary judgment. Mr. Phillips has recent reported Sixth Circuit affirmations of summary judgments in age discrimination, race discrimination, racial harassment, and age, gender, and race discrimination claims involving reductions in force. He obtained summary judgment defending a president of a major university in a reverse race and gender discrimination case which was affirmed by the Sixth Circuit. Many of Mr. Phillips' cases have involved multiple plaintiffs.