MEMPHIS, TN (January 19, 2012) – Littler Mendelson, P.C. (Littler), the nation’s largest employment and labor law firm representing management, has opened an office in Memphis, Tennessee, the firm’s second location in the state. Littler’s Nashville office opened in the spring of 2011. The firm has joined with leading local labor and employment boutique Kiesewetter Wise Kaplan Prather, PLC to form one of the largest labor and employment specialty practices in the region. Memphis represents Littler’s 56th office and closely follows the recent office openings in Mexico and West Virginia.
“We are excited about our expansion into Memphis following the opening of our Nashville office less than one year ago. Our multiple offices in Tennessee, combined with locations throughout the major metropolitan areas in the greater southeast, enable Littler to provide comprehensive legal services to clients throughout the state and the broader mid-South,” said Marko Mrkonich, president and managing director of Littler. “Joining forces with Kiesewetter Wise, a firm with a superior regional and national reputation gives us a tremendous opportunity to continue to provide top quality legal representation to the region’s employers as they navigate a changing legal environment locally, nationally and internationally.”
Joining Littler from Kiesewetter Wise are 16 attorneys and one human resources consultant, including name members Jay Kiesewetter, Ed Wise, Jonathan Kaplan, and Paul Prather. Kiesewetter Wise was founded in 1996 and has handled matters in more than 35 states focusing exclusively on management-side labor and employment law. The firm has represented a broad mix of international, national and regional companies, including Fortune 1000 corporations in a variety of industries, such as healthcare, automotive, transportation, finance, telecommunications, technology, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, oil and chemical, distribution, hospitality and retail.
According to Jay Kiesewetter, the firm’s managing member, “We founded Kiesewetter Wise over 16 years ago with the goals of providing high-quality, responsive and innovative legal services and serving as a business partner to our clients to find practical solutions to their labor and employment issues. Our partnership with Littler ensures our ability to stay focused on this original mission as we help our clients address an increasingly complex array of labor and employment law challenges.”
Paul Prather, a name member of Kiesewetter Wise added, “We have long valued our independence and we did not make this choice without thoughtful study and consideration. Littler is nationally and internationally recognized as a cutting edge leader in our field and this move will give us the greatest sustained ability to continue to provide top flight innovative services and resources to our clients. Furthermore, we share similar goals and values and our respective practices are complimentary in many ways. This move is clearly a natural fit and one that will benefit both our clients and employees.”
Kiesewetter Wise attorneys have dedicated their entire professional careers exclusively to the field of labor relations and employment law, partnering with clients to address their legal issues while meeting their business goals and needs. The firm and its attorneys have achieved significant success and thus, have received recognition and accolades for their superior work. Kiesewetter Wise is the only Tier One-ranked labor and employment firm in Memphis by Chambers USA and is also ranked as a Tier One firm in labor law by U.S .News Best Law Firms. Members of the firm have been consistently named in Best Lawyers in America.
In addition to providing exceptional legal services to employers throughout the region, Kiesewetter Wise is committed to pro bono representation and has received recognition and awards for its service in that arena. The firm has consistently been recognized by the Memphis Area Legal Services for its extraordinary efforts to provide access to justice to the underserved in the Memphis community. Active in the community, Kiesewetter Wise attorneys are also involved in community-based organizations and hold leadership positions in approximately 14 local charities.
In addition to the four name members, attorneys joining Littler include:
- Lisa Leach, Shareholder
- Steven Likens, Shareholder
- George Loveland, Shareholder
- John Simmons, Shareholder
- Amber Isom-Thompson, Shareholder
- Tanja Thompson, Shareholder
- Elizabeth Rudnick, Shareholder
- Nicole Bermel, Associate
- Alex Boals, Associate,
- Brenda Nelson Canale, Associate
- Matthew Gallagher, Associate
- Kimberly Brown-Gibbs, Associate
Human Resources Consultant Pat Fleming will also join the firm.
“Littler’s Memphis and Nashville offices give us a strong statewide position and demonstrate our prevailing regional presence, knowledge and insight while offering clients legal expertise on a national and global scale,” said Jennifer Robinson, office managing shareholder of Littler’s Nashville office.
The Memphis office will remain in Kiesewetter Wise’s current space located at 3725 Champion Hills Drive, Memphis, TN 38125.
About Littler Mendelson
With over 850 attorneys and 56 offices, Littler Mendelson is the largest U.S.-based law firm exclusively devoted to representing management in employment and labor law matters. As the only U.S. member of the Ius Laboris global alliance, Littler has extensive resources to address the needs of multi-national clients, from navigating international employment laws and labor relations issues to applying corporate policies worldwide. Established in 1942, the firm has litigated, mediated and negotiated some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record.For additional media quotes:
“I have been privileged to see great changes in a half century of practice. Littler is focused and well positioned to face the changes that lie ahead and we are pleased to be joining this team.” – Ed Wise, founding member
“The relationship between clients and attorneys is ultimately one of trust and shared vision. The Littler firm shares our value in long-term, high-level trust partnerships with our clients. This new relationship will allow us to sustain the trust relationships we have created and gives us the tools to expand the success that has followed from them.” – Jonathan Kaplan, founding member
“We will immediately be able to provide additional services to both our local and national clients. This will enhance our ability to provide seamless and complete labor and employment services with a very high level of experience and expertise.” – Tanja Thompson, member
“Labor and employment law issues do not happen on a schedule at convenient times or places. Joining Littler improves our ability to be responsive to problems of almost any scope in any location in the country and globally.” – John Simmons, founding member
