Atty. Edward G. Phillips
Edward (“Ward”) Phillips has a wealth of knowledge and trial experience in his practice areas of Labor and Employment Law. Ward represents management exclusively in all areas of employment and labor relations, including state and federal employment litigation and in administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Labor, and the National Labor Relations Board.
Profile Summary
About Edward G. Phillips at a glance
Edward G. Phillips is a Partner based in Knoxville, Tennessee, practicing at Kramer Rayson LLP. They have 48+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1978. Their practice focuses on employment, litigation, civil rights, and government. Admitted to practice in Tennessee (1978) and U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee (1978). Educated at University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee (J.D. With, 1978) and Honors: Order of the Coif Honors: Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Houston Goddard, Law Clerk East Tennessee State University (B.A., 1975). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Serands clients in Knoxville, TN and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Edward (“Ward”) Phillips has a wealth of knowledge and trial experience in his practice areas of Labor and Employment Law
- Ward represents management exclusively in all areas of employment and labor relations, including state and federal employment litigation and in administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Labor, and the National Labor Relations Board
- He is a forceful, effective litigator
- Ward has been described by Chambers and Partners USA as, 'one of the most talented lawyers in the state with a varied practice of litigation avoidance and successful litigation.' Employment law is Ward's passion, and he gives his clients timely prospective advice (i.e., how to deal with problem employees and structure policies) because he understands these are real time issues
- For his Employment and Labor law practice, the prestigious peer-review publication, The Best Lawyers in America, selected Ward for inclusion to its list from 1995 through 2024, and also selected him as Lawyer of the Year Litigation - Labor and Employment, Knoxville for 2024
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, another highly respected publication which uses a multi-phased selection process, including independent research and peer nominations and evaluations, selected him to its list for the years 2006-2010, 2012-2024 for his Employment Litigation Defense
- Ward co-authors an Employment Law column, The Law at Work in the Tennessee Bar Journal
- This column has been cited by federal and state courts on employment law topics
- See Sadlar v
- Tyson Foods, Inc. (W.D
- Tenn
- May 27, 2022)
- Hardy v
- TPC Southwind (Tenn
- Ct
- App
- July 2, 2015)
- Lindsey v
- Shelby Co. Bd of Educ. (W.D
- Tenn
- Feb. 19, 2019) Ward focuses his practice on: • Litigation avoidance/prospective advice • Litigation in all types of employment law cases in state and federal courts and before state and federal agencies • FLSA - collective actions • Discrimination, retaliation, harassment and whistleblower • Unfair competition and trade secrets • Religious institutions (Diocesan counsel for the Catholic Diocese of Knoxville) • Education Ward has also been instrumental in developing training programs in many areas of employment relations
- Ward has presented the Knoxville Bar Association’s Annual Employment Law Update for over two decades
- PUBLISHED WORKS • “The Right to Petition: An Exception to the Employment-at-Will Doctrine?” Tennessee Bar Journal, January/February 2024 • “The New Undue Hardship Standard in Religious Accommodation Cases” Tennessee Bar Journal, September 2023, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “NLRB Puts Severance Agreements on the Chopping Block” Tennessee Bar Journal, May 2023, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “Hush Hush: Non-Disclosure Provisions in the Sexual Harassment Context” Tennessee Bar Journal, January/February 2023, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “Beyond Bostock: EEOC Guidance Put on Hold” Tennessee Bar Journal, September 2022, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “Vaccine Mandate Exemptions with a Tennessee Twist” Tennessee Bar Journal, April 2022, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “Not-So-Conscientious Objections: Tennessee’s New Law to Combat Vaccine Mandates” Tennessee Bar Journal, January 2022, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “What’s an Employer to Do?
- Tennessee’s New Law to Combat Vaccine Mandates” Tennessee Bar Journal, December 2021, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “Update from Nashville: 2021 Employment Law Changes” Tennessee Bar Journal, September 2021, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
- COBRA Subsidies and Paid Leave” Tennessee Bar Journal, May 2021, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “New Statute: Anti-Bullying Policy Creates Immunity for Workplace Emotional Distress Claims”, Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2019, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “The Public Employee Political Freedom Act”, Tennessee Bar Journal, February 2019, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “A Gentle Reminder on TRHA Claims: No Right to a Jury Trial in a Circuit Court”, Tennessee Bar Journal October 2018, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “Title VII in Transition”, Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2018, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • “The Faragher-Ellerth Framework in the #METOO Era”, Tennessee Bar Journal, February 2018, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Public Chapter 467: Public Employers and the Battle Over Gun Rights', Tennessee Bar Journal, October 2017, By Edward G Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Tipped Off: No Private Right of Action Under Tennessee Tip Statute', Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2017, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Blowing the Whistle on Yourself: When Protected Activity Provides a Legitimate, Non-Discriminatory Reason for Termination', Tennessee Bar Journal, February 2017, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Subjective Beliefs: Sufficient to Establish Pretext?', Tennessee Bar Journal, October 2016, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'O, That Mine Enemy Would Record Me With Her Smart Phone', Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2016 by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Badges and Blown Whistles: Recent Retaliatory Discharge Actions in Tennessee', Tennessee Bar Journal, February 2016, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Yardley v Hospital Housekeeping Systems LLC: A Win for the Employment-at-Will Doctrine', Tennessee Bar Journal, October 2015, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Sixth Circuit En Banc: Regular On-Site Job Attendance Remains an Essential Function', Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2015, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Wage and Hour Issues in the High Court: Mandatory But Not Compensable', Tennessee Bar Journal, February 2015, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'General Assembly Passes a Host of Employment Law Amendments', Tennessee Bar Journal, October, 2014, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Guns in Trunks: An Erosion of Tennessee's Employment-At-Will Rule?', Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2013, by Edward G. Phillips and Brandon L. Morrow • 'Variation in State and Federal Pleading Standards: Webb and Veasy', Tennessee Bar Journal, February 2013 • 'Disability-Related Inquiries in Uncertain Times', Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2012 • 'New NLRB 'Quickie Election' Procedures', Tennessee Bar Journal, February 2012 • 'Staub v
Proctor Hospital
The Cat's Paw Theory Gets Its Claws Sharpened', Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2011 • 'Ministerial Exception Meets It's Match: Primary Duties of Secular Employees', Tennessee Bar Journal, October 2010 • 'What Not to Do When Separating Employment', Tennessee Bar Journal, June 2010 • 'Non-Compete Agreements: It's Not All About You, Employers', Tennessee Bar Journal, February 2010 CLASSES & SEMINARS • 'Employment Law Update', Knoxville Bar Association Lunch and Learn, 2007 to 2023 HONORS & AWARDS • Listed in the Best Lawyers in America, Labor and Employment Law 1995 - 2024 • Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, Labor and Employment 2006 - 2010 and 2012 - 2024 • Best Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year in Litigation - Labor and Employment 2025 • AV Preeminent Rated by Martindale Hubbell • Best Lawyers in America, Labor and Employment Law 1995-2025 PAST EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS • Kramer Rayson LLP, Managing Partner, 2004 to 2006 • Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Houston Goddard, Law Clerk
Practice Areas Explained
Edward G. Phillips's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Edward G. Phillips handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
Edward G. Phillips is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in Tennessee →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Edward G. Phillips is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Tennessee →
Civil rights attorneys for discrimination, police misconduct, constitutional rights, and civil liberties cases.
Edward G. Phillips is one of 70,245 civil rights attorneys indexed nationally. Browse civil rights attorneys in Tennessee →
Attorneys for administrative law, agency hearings, government contracts, licensing, and public benefits.
Edward G. Phillips is one of 132,225 government attorneys indexed nationally. Browse government attorneys in Tennessee →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Tennessee
Practicing law in Tennessee. Legal matters in Tennessee are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Knoxville are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Tennessee state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Tennessee brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Tennessee courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Tennessee attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Knoxville or all attorneys in Tennessee.
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