Labor Relations Attorney in Nashville

June 15, 2026

A labor relations attorney in Nashville practices traditional labor law, the body of rules that governs the relationship between employers and labor unions, which is distinct from the individual-employee disputes that occupy most general employment lawyers. Where an employment lawyer typically handles one worker’s discrimination or wrongful termination claim, a labor relations attorney works at the collective level: union organizing campaigns and representation elections, the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, grievance arbitration, and the unfair labor practice charges and proceedings that run through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Nashville is Tennessee’s largest city, with a population of roughly 715,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its mix of healthcare systems, manufacturing and logistics operations, hospitality, and a growing automotive supply base produces the kind of workplaces where union representation questions and collective bargaining arise.

Traditional labor law rests primarily on federal statute. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), administered by the NLRB, governs most private-sector union relationships, protecting employees’ right to organize and bargain collectively while also defining unfair labor practices by both employers and unions. Related federal laws include the Labor Management Relations Act (the Taft-Hartley Act) and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (the Landrum-Griffin Act). Tennessee is a right-to-work state under Tennessee Code Annotated 50-1-201 and following sections, and in 2022 voters added a right-to-work guarantee to the Tennessee Constitution. Right-to-work means an employee cannot be required to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment, a rule that shapes union membership, dues collection, and organizing strategy in the state, even though the underlying right to organize and the bargaining process remain governed by federal law.

Labor relations attorneys generally position themselves on one side of the table. Management-side lawyers advise and represent employers in union avoidance and response to organizing campaigns, in collective bargaining, in grievance and arbitration proceedings, and in defending unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB. Union-side lawyers represent labor organizations and their members in the same forums from the opposite perspective. In Nashville, much of this work is concentrated in the labor and employment groups of larger firms and in national labor and employment firms with local offices, because dedicated traditional labor practices require regular contact with the NLRB and experience across collective bargaining and arbitration. Confirming which side a firm represents is an essential first step, since a firm that defends employers will not represent a union, and the reverse.

The attorneys themselves are regulated separately from the employers and unions they serve. Tennessee lawyers are licensed by the Tennessee Supreme Court through the Board of Law Examiners, and professional discipline is administered by the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). Anyone evaluating a Nashville labor relations lawyer can confirm the attorney’s license status and any disciplinary history through the BPR at tbpr.org. The NLRB maintains regional offices that process representation petitions and unfair labor practice charges, and matters affecting Nashville employers are handled within the Board’s regional structure for the area. 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 labor relations disputes themselves proceed through the NLRB, arbitration, and the federal courts. This article is informational and not legal advice; anyone facing a labor relations question should consult a licensed attorney about the specific facts and deadlines that apply.

Top Labor Relations Attorney Providers in Nashville

1. Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

Address: 21 Platform Way South, Suite 3500, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 742-6200
Website: https://www.bassberry.com
Services: union avoidance training and informational campaigns, response to union organizing, collective bargaining agreement negotiation, contract interpretation and administration, grievance procedures, labor arbitration, defense of unfair labor practice charges, NLRB representation, decertification campaigns, strike guidance
Description: Bass, Berry & Sims PLC is a Nashville-headquartered firm, more than a century old, whose labor and employment practice represents management in traditional labor matters for both union and non-union employers across public and private sectors. The firm’s traditional labor services include union avoidance training and informational campaigns, responses to union organizational drives, negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, grievance procedures and labor arbitrations, defense of unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board, decertification campaigns, and strike guidance. Its labor and employment group lists more than a dozen attorneys, among them members Davidson French, Tim K. Garrett, Robert W. Horton, Nora Katz, and Mary Leigh Pirtle. The firm represents employers only, which prospective clients should confirm fits the side they need represented.

2. Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

Address: Truist Plaza, 401 Commerce Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219
Phone: (615) 254-1900
Website: https://ogletree.com
Services: union representation campaigns, NLRB representation and election proceedings, collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitration, strike preparation, unfair labor practice matters, union avoidance counseling
Description: Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. is a national labor and employment firm that maintains a Nashville office in Truist Plaza on Commerce Street and describes itself as among the largest labor and employment firms in the country, representing management with hundreds of lawyers across dozens of locations. The firm operates a dedicated Traditional Labor Practice Group whose attorneys advise and represent employers in union representation campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, strike preparations, labor arbitrations, and National Labor Relations Board proceedings across a wide range of industries. The Nashville office is led by office managing shareholder Luther Wright, Jr., and its shareholders include C. Thomas Davis, Keith D. Frazier, John G. Harrison, Sarah Maxwell Kadel, Benjamin P. Lemly, Timothy A. Palmer, Benjamin W. Perry, and William S. Rutchow. The firm represents employers and management.

3. Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC (GSRM Law)

Address: 150 Third Avenue South, Suite 1700, Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: (615) 244-4994
Website: https://www.gsrm.com
Services: union and collective bargaining counsel and litigation, NLRB representation, labor arbitration, employment policies and training, OSHA compliance, executive compensation, wage and hour matters
Description: Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC, which operates as GSRM Law, is a Nashville full-service firm of roughly three dozen attorneys with offices downtown on Third Avenue South and in Franklin. Its labor and employment section represents employers and management throughout Tennessee and nationally, and the practice expressly includes union and collective bargaining counsel and litigation along with representation before the National Labor Relations Board. The section is led by Mary Taylor Gallagher, whose own practice includes the defense of employers in the railroad, transportation, and healthcare industries. Alongside its traditional labor work, the firm advises on employment policies, training, OSHA compliance, executive compensation, and wage and hour matters. The firm represents employers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Labor Relations Attorneys in Nashville

Q: How is a labor relations attorney different from an employment attorney in Nashville?

A labor relations attorney practices traditional labor law, which governs the collective relationship between employers and labor unions: union organizing and elections, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board. An employment attorney more typically handles individual-employee matters such as discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and wage claims. The two fields overlap and many firms practice both, but the labor relations side centers on unions, bargaining, and the NLRB rather than a single worker’s claim.

Q: What does it mean that Tennessee is a right-to-work state?

Right-to-work means an employee cannot be required to join a union or to pay union dues or fees as a condition of getting or keeping a job. Tennessee’s right-to-work rule appears in Tennessee Code Annotated 50-1-201 and following sections, and voters added a right-to-work provision to the Tennessee Constitution in 2022. Right-to-work affects union membership, dues collection, and organizing, but it does not eliminate the federally protected right of employees to organize or the duty to bargain in good faith, which are governed by the National Labor Relations Act.

Q: Which law governs union relationships for private employers in Nashville?

Most private-sector union relationships are governed by federal law, principally the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which is administered by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Related federal statutes include the Labor Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley) and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (Landrum-Griffin). Because federal law occupies most of this field, the NLRB rather than a state agency typically resolves representation elections and unfair labor practice charges for private employers, while Tennessee’s right-to-work law adds a state-level rule on union membership and dues.

Q: What is an unfair labor practice charge?

An unfair labor practice is conduct by an employer or a union that violates the National Labor Relations Act, such as an employer interfering with employees’ right to organize or a union failing in its duty of fair representation. Charges are filed with a regional office of the National Labor Relations Board, which investigates and, where warranted, prosecutes the charge before an administrative law judge. A labor relations attorney can advise on whether conduct may constitute an unfair labor practice, respond to a charge, and represent the employer or union through the NLRB process.

Q: How do I verify that a Nashville labor relations attorney is properly licensed?

Tennessee attorneys are licensed by the Tennessee Supreme Court through the Board of Law Examiners, and discipline is administered by the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). You can confirm an attorney’s license status, admission date, and any public disciplinary history through the BPR at tbpr.org before hiring. Because many labor relations lawyers practice within larger firms’ labor and employment groups, it is also reasonable to ask about the individual attorney’s specific experience with collective bargaining, NLRB proceedings, and arbitration.

Q: Does a labor relations attorney represent the company or the union?

Most labor relations attorneys work on one side. Management-side lawyers advise and represent employers in union avoidance, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and the defense of unfair labor practice charges, while union-side lawyers represent labor organizations and their members in the same forums. A firm that regularly defends employers will not represent a union against an employer, and the reverse is also true. Confirming which side a firm represents at the outset ensures its interests align with yours before you share confidential information.