Employment Attorneys in Memphis

June 14, 2026

An employment attorney in Memphis represents workers or employers in disputes that turn on the overlap of federal labor statutes and Tennessee state law. Memphis is Tennessee’s second-largest city, with a population of roughly 619,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and an economy anchored by logistics and distribution, healthcare, manufacturing, and a large public sector. That concentration of warehouse, transportation, and hourly workforces makes wage and hour, overtime, and misclassification questions especially common alongside the discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination claims that arise in any large labor market. Several Memphis firms focus heavily or exclusively on employment matters as a result.

The legal framework begins with federal law. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) covering minimum wage and overtime, and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Labor. Tennessee adds the Tennessee Human Rights Act and the Tennessee Public Protection Act, the state whistleblower statute. Tennessee is an at-will employment state, so an employer can generally terminate for any reason that is not unlawful, and much of the litigation in Memphis turns on whether a termination fell into a prohibited category such as discrimination, retaliation, or a contract breach.

Lawyers in Memphis are licensed and regulated separately from the businesses their clients run. Tennessee attorneys are admitted by the Tennessee Supreme Court through the Board of Law Examiners, and professional discipline is administered by the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). A prospective client can verify an attorney’s license status and any disciplinary record through the BPR at tbpr.org. Memphis firms tend to identify as employee-side (plaintiff) practices that represent workers, or as firms willing to represent both employees and employers; confirming a firm’s typical orientation early is an important step, because a firm that defends employers may have conflicts that prevent it from representing a worker against a particular company.

Deadlines and procedure shape almost every employment case. Most discrimination and harassment claims require a charge with the EEOC or the Tennessee Human Rights Commission before suit, and those administrative windows are short, generally 180 or 300 days from the adverse action depending on the claim. Wage and overtime claims under the FLSA carry their own limitations periods. Fee arrangements vary, with many employee-side firms taking discrimination and wage cases on contingency while advisory and defense work is billed hourly. Tennessee’s broader consumer protection framework operates under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs, though employment disputes themselves proceed through the EEOC, the Department of Labor, and the courts. This article is informational and not legal advice; anyone with a workplace dispute should consult a licensed attorney about the specific deadlines and facts that apply.

Top Employment Attorney Providers in Memphis

1. Donati Law, PLLC

Address: 1545 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104
Phone: (901) 209-5500
Website: https://www.donatilaw.com
Services: age, disability, and gender discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful and retaliatory termination, wage and hour violations, overtime and off-the-clock claims, FMLA matters, breach of contract, non-compete claims, employee misclassification, administrative hearings
Description: Donati Law, PLLC is a Memphis employment firm that states it represents only employees, not employers, and has helped workers in the Memphis area since 1980. The firm describes more than 45 years of practice and a deep collective experience handling discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour cases. Among the results it reports are a $1.8 million misclassification recovery, a $1 million overtime recovery, and a $400,000 wage recovery, and it notes recognition on Super Lawyers lists and inclusion in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms. The firm’s exclusive focus on the employee side means its work centers on bringing claims for workers across West Tennessee.

2. Gibson Perryman

Address: 5100 Poplar Avenue, Suite 2117, Memphis, TN 38137
Phone: (901) 526-0412
Website: https://gibsonperryman.com
Services: employment discrimination (race, gender, age), wrongful termination, sexual harassment, retaliation, FMLA violations, ADA claims, whistleblower protection, non-compete agreements, severance agreements
Description: Gibson Perryman is a long-established Memphis firm founded in 1963 whose attorneys have represented both plaintiffs and defendants in employment cases, giving the practice experience on both sides of workplace disputes. The firm lists attorneys Ralph T. Gibson, J. O’Neal Perryman, Everett B. Gibson, Alexandria R. Scott, and Joseph Crone, and it reports litigating hundreds of employment cases, including matters taken to the United States Supreme Court. Notable reported results include a 2022 race discrimination jury verdict of nearly $12 million, which included $10 million in punitive damages, and a 2022 gender discrimination verdict of $240,000 with punitive damages. The firm handles discrimination, harassment, retaliation, FMLA, and non-compete matters from its East Memphis office.

3. The Crone Law Firm, PLC (Barrett & Farahany)

Address: 88 Union Avenue, 13th Floor, Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: (901) 737-7740
Website: https://cronelawfirmplc.com
Services: workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour disputes, overtime pay claims, retaliation and whistleblower cases, non-compete agreements, severance agreements, executive employment disputes
Description: The Crone Law Firm, PLC, now operating as Barrett & Farahany following a combination with that firm, is a Memphis-based practice founded by attorney Alan Crone that focuses on representing employees, including executives and professionals. The firm describes its work as representing employees in wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour violations, unpaid overtime, whistleblower cases, and executive employment disputes. It holds recognitions including U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firms designation, membership in the National Employment Lawyers Association, and Super Lawyers ratings, and founder Alan Crone authored a book on employment law for executives and professionals. The combined firm maintains its Memphis office downtown on Union Avenue.

Frequently Asked Questions About Employment Attorneys in Memphis

Q: How do I confirm that a Memphis employment attorney is licensed in Tennessee?

Tennessee attorneys are licensed by the Tennessee Supreme Court through the Board of Law Examiners, and discipline is handled by the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). You can verify an attorney’s license status, admission date, and any public disciplinary history through the BPR at tbpr.org. Checking the license is a straightforward step before retaining any lawyer in Memphis.

Q: I work in a Memphis warehouse and was not paid overtime. What law applies?

Overtime is governed primarily by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which generally requires time-and-a-half pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek for non-exempt employees, and is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor. Common disputes involve off-the-clock work, misclassification of employees as exempt or as independent contractors, and unpaid overtime. An employment attorney can review pay records and job duties to determine whether a violation occurred and what limitations period applies.

Q: Does Tennessee’s at-will rule mean my Memphis employer can fire me for any reason?

Tennessee is an at-will employment state, so an employer can generally end employment for any reason that is not unlawful. The limits are the unlawful categories: an employer cannot terminate someone because of a protected characteristic, in retaliation for protected activity, in violation of the Tennessee Public Protection Act (the whistleblower statute), or in breach of an employment contract. Whether a termination falls within one of these exceptions is a fact-specific question for an attorney.

Q: How long do I have to file a discrimination charge in Memphis?

Most discrimination and harassment claims require a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Tennessee Human Rights Commission before a lawsuit can proceed, generally within 180 or 300 days of the adverse action depending on the claim and agencies involved. These deadlines are short, and missing one can bar the claim, so it is important to consult an employment attorney promptly. The precise deadline for a given case should be confirmed with a lawyer.

Q: Can a Memphis firm represent both employees and employers?

Some Memphis firms represent only employees, while others have represented both plaintiffs and defendants in employment matters. A firm that handles both sides can offer perspective on how the opposing party is likely to approach a case, but it must clear conflicts of interest before taking a matter against a company it has represented. Asking a firm which side it typically represents, and whether it has any conflict involving your employer, is a sensible first question.

Q: How do employment attorneys in Memphis charge for their work?

Fee structures depend on the type of case. Many employee-side firms handle discrimination and wage and hour cases on a contingency basis, meaning the fee is a percentage of any recovery, while advisory work, contract review, and employer defense are usually billed hourly. Some matters use flat or hybrid fees. Each firm should explain its fees and any costs in writing during the initial consultation so the terms are clear before you proceed.