Litigator, Investigator, and Mediator

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 also been repeatedly recognized by clients and peers as a leading lawyer in Chambers USA, and has been twice named "Lawyer of the Year - Labor Law - Management (Nashville)" by Best Lawyers.

Stan has been focused on employment and civil rights law since graduating law school in 1996, first as an Assistant State Attorney General and currently as a long-time member of the Waller Labor and Employment team.  He is fully admitted to practice in six states and dozens of federal courts, and has represented clients in nearly 25 states and counting.  In addition to his employment practice, Stan is widely sought for his experience defending ADA "access" litigation brought under the public accommodation provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act.    He is also known for his extensive experience defending EEOC enforcement actions, employment class actions, and complex administrative disputes before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).   

For over fifteen years, Stan has served on the Steering Committee for the Labor and Employment 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 is also a former Chair of the Tennessee Bar Labor and Employment Law Section, former Chair of Waller's Labor and Employment Practice Group, and has been elected a Fellow of both the Tennessee Bar Foundation and the Nashville Bar Foundation.  He also served as Chapter Editor for Age Discrimination in Employment Law by Barbara T. Lindemann and David D. Kadue (second edition, 2015). 

Stan's representative trial and appellate experience includes:

Gonzalez v. Ford Motor Company, U.S. District Court, S.D. of Indiana - defense verdict on claims of failure to accommodate under the Americans With Disabilities Amendments Act, with jury finding plaintiff was not disabled under the ADAAA 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 Americans With Disabilities Act on claims of failure to accommodate.

Peaden v. Dollar General, Circuit Court for Covington County, Alabama - defense verdict 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 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 on claim of retaliatory discharge brought by plaintiff discharged while serving on jury duty. 

Other representative cases include decisions in:

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.

Broadway v. United Parcel Service, 499 F. Supp. 2d 992 (M.D. Tenn.) - granting summary judgment for defense on claims of failure to promote under the Americans With Disabilities Act, finding that plaintiff was not disabled under the ADA.

Steele v. United Parcel Service, 499 F. Supp. 2d 1035 (E.D. Tenn.) - granting defense motion for judgment on the pleadings based on ERISA preemption of state law tort claims.

Ex parte Alabama Dept. of Forensic Sciences, 709 So. 2d 455 (Ala.) - granting petition for writ of mandamus filed with the Alabama Supreme Court and ordering tort claims against State Medical Examiner dismissed based on constitutional immunity.