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Karen L. C. Ellis has practiced with the labor and employment practice area since joining Bass, Berry & Sims in 1981. Ms. Ellis has represented a number of Fortune 500 companies in labor and employment litigation matters, and has had successful defense outcomes of numerous discrimination lawsuits in state and federal courts involving: age, religion, gender, race, disability, FMLA and sexual harassment claims. Karen has been active in defending employers in class action lawsuits involving race discrimination and FLSA claims, and employers and providers in claims of ERISA denial of benefits. Additionally, she has prepared affirmative action plans for government contractors and subcontractors.

Ms. Ellis is involved in ongoing representation of such multi-state clients as:

Restaurant corporations
Healthcare organizations
Newspaper publishing corporations
Production and manufacturing companies
National truck manufacturer

Ms. Ellis is listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, and has been named one of the leading employment lawyers in Tennessee by Chambers USA . She is a Fellow of the American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and she is a member of several bar associations including the Lawyers' Association for Women. Karen is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Middle, Eastern and Western Districts of Tennessee, the Tennessee Supreme Court, all Tennessee State Courts and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a frequent speaker on labor and employment topics at numerous workshops, conferences and professional labor and employment organizations.

Ms. Ellis received a B.A. degree with distinction from Transylvania University. Additionally, Karen received an M.A. degree from Middle Tennessee State University. She received her J.D. degree from the University of Tennessee, where she was named to the Order of the Coif.