Memphis, TN (June 25, 2008)— Jackson Lewis LLP, one of the country's leading workplace law firms, announced today it has opened an office in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis is the sixth new office opened by Jackson Lewis in the past six months, bringing the firm's total office count to 38.
James R. Mulroy, II will be Partner and Resident Manager of the new office in Memphis. Kelly Gooch joins the office as Partner and John Norris will be Of Counsel. All three attorneys were formerly at Memphis-based Kiesewetter Wise Kaplan Prather, PLC.
Patrick L. Vaccaro, firm-wide managing partner of Jackson Lewis said, “We are honored that such a talented and experienced team of lawyers joined our firm. It has long been part of our strategic plan to “plant the flag” in the mid-South and the vibrant business community in Memphis offers tremendous opportunities. We look forward to working with James, Kelly and John and are confident they will help us serve and grow our significant client base in the region.”
James Mulroy added, “Kelly, John and I are excited to be invited to be part of this prestigious national firm. Our clients will be well served by our move since Jackson Lewis has experts in every conceivable discipline within the labor and employment field. Because Memphis is the business hub and geographical center of the mid-south, our office will enhance Jackson Lewis's ability to provide its national client base with high quality legal services. They will also provide us with the platform, resources and talent to further expand the mid-south client roster.”
Mr. Mulroy is a 1975 graduate of the University of Tennessee College Of Law. He received a B.A. degree in 1971 from Rhodes College and an M.B.A from the University of Memphis in 1988. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Mulroy served as a trial attorney with the U.S. Navy JAG Corps.
He has more than 30 years of trial and litigation experience in federal and state trial and appellate courts as well as before administrative judges and tribunals and has represented clients in dozens of labor and employment, civil rights and public accommodation cases as well as a variety of class actions and multi-party lawsuits. He represents clients in Alternative Dispute Resolution proceedings, including mediations and arbitrations, and regularly counsels clients on a broad spectrum of employment related issues, including employment and separation agreements, personnel policies and handbooks, EEO training, FLSA and FMLA compliance, restrictive covenants and reductions in force.
Mr. Mulroy is admitted to practice before the state courts of Tennessee, Illinois and Mississippi as well as before various federal district courts and nine United States Courts of Appeals. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been included in Best Lawyers of America since 2005. He is also a fellow at the College of Labor and Employment lawyers, is listed in Best of the U.S. Inc. and has been selected as a “Mid-South Super Lawyer.” In addition, he is an active member of the American Bar Association's Section on Labor and Employment Law (Litigation Section), Defense Research Institute's Labor and Employment Law Committee and the Tennessee and Mississippi Bar Associations. Kelly Gooch has more than 15 years of experience representing management in employment litigation in various federal and state courts and in proceedings with the EEOC and state agencies. She has extensive experience advising clients with regard to personnel practices and policies, as well as training management in related areas. Ms. Gooch has defended employers in litigation related to age, gender and race discrimination, disability discrimination, the FMLA, breach of employment contract, individual and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and state court claims related to employment matters.
Ms. Gooch received a B.S. from Murray State University and a J.D. from the University of Memphis, where she was a member of the Law Review and a Legal Methods Fellow. She is admitted to practice before the state courts of Tennessee, as well as numerous federal district courts in Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and Illinois and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Sixth Circuits. She is AV rated by Martindale Hubble, listed in the Best of the U.S., Inc. in Labor and Employment Law, former Chair of the MBA's Labor & Employment Section and on the Public Relations Committee of the Memphis Bar Association.
John Norris is an experienced litigator who handles management-side labor and employment cases, including state and federal lawsuits, arbitrations, and administrative claims regarding age, race, gender and other types of discrimination as well as disability accommodation issues. Mr. Norris devotes a portion of his practice to non-competition agreements, non-solicitation agreements, employee raiding issues, trade secrets misappropriation and similar issues. He routinely works with clients to prevent litigation or other claims by establishing effective policies, procedures and agreements and counsels clients regarding garnishment issues.
Mr. Norris received his J.D. from the University of Memphis, where he served as Research Editor of the Law Review. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fourth and Sixth Circuits, federal district courts in Tennessee, Arizona, Michigan, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, and the Tennessee Supreme Court.
__________________________ About Jackson Lewis LLP
Founded in 1958, Jackson Lewis LLP is dedicated to representing management exclusively in workplace law. With offices in 38 cities and 500 attorneys, Jackson Lewis has developed a specialized expertise in every aspect of employment, labor, benefits and immigration law. Additional information about Jackson Lewis LLP can be found at www.jacksonlewis.com.
For more information, please contact:
Lara Minch-Klass Jackson Lewis T: (212) 545-4031 E: klassl@jacksonlewis.com Kara Dullea the bounce agency T: (864) 351-2736 E: kara.dullea@thebounceagency.com