As chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group, Bob Horton represents management in all areas of labor and employment law. Bob’s practice consists primarily of counseling clients regarding employment issues and defending companies against all manner of employment claims throughout the U.S.
Bob has substantial jury trial experience and has obtained defense verdicts in discrimination and retaliation lawsuits across the country. With a robust non-compete practice, Bob has assisted employers in drafting non-compete agreements on a state-by-state basis, enforcing non-compete agreements by way of obtaining injunctive relief, and defending the company and new employees against claims of breach of non-compete agreements with prior employers. Bob assists numerous public companies and executives in the negotiation of employment agreements, as well as executive departures and subsequent issues that arise from equity grants in various forms.
American Health Law Association (AHLA)
Representation of a global automotive supplier in an unfair labor practice charge filed by a former employee who alleged that he was discharged in retaliation for engaging in protected concerted activities after he drafted a petition and approached his coworkers for their signatures while they were on the clock and in company work areas.
Representation of a national operator of hospitals and health systems in the negotiation of amendments to approximately 1,200 employment agreements for physicians as a result of the revised calculation of worked Relative Value Units (wRVUs) set forth by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule for Calendar Year 2021 (the Final Rule) issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Representation of a subsidiary of a publicly traded company with respect to a complaint by the Director of Risk and Compliance that he had been retaliated against by the president of the company as a result of his participation in an investigation of anonymous allegations regarding the company’s President and the COO.
Representation of a pain management company in retaliatory discharge claims that stemmed from a False Claims Act (FCA) qui tam lawsuit alleging fraudulent billing for medically-directed services.
Representation of a leading post-acute care provider in a hybrid wage and hour class and collective action under FRCP 23 and the FLSA brought by a group of former employees alleging that they were misclassified as exempt and entitled to overtime compensation for hours worked in excess of 40 hours each week.
Represented a public utility company in a former employee’s appeal to the Tennessee Court of Appeals alleging wrongful termination due to false and misleading information provided at the time of their hire
Settled a hybrid class action case for a private hospital operator for alleged failure to pay nurses for time worked due to a time keeping system that would automatically deduct time for lunches each day
Successfully defended a national restaurant chain against sexual harassment and retaliatory discharge allegations stemming from an investigation which resulted in the Plaintiff’s termination
Successfully defended a national restaurant chain in a case alleging wage and hour violations
Represented Premise Health in its acquisition of eHealthScreenings
Chambers USA — Labor & Employment (2010-2022)
The Best Lawyers in America© — Labor Law: Management; Litigation: Labor and Employment (2019-2023)
Benchmark Litigation — Labor & Employment Star: Tennessee (2019-2023)
Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers (2022)
Lawdragon 100 Most Powerful Employment Lawyers (2014)
Nashville Business Journal “Best of the Bar” (2011-2012)
Human Resource Executive “Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys” (2014-2016)
HR Professionals Magazine “2013 Top Labor & Employment Law Attorneys”
Mid-South Super Lawyers (2007)
Phi Beta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa