Mark Stamelos represents businesses on their employment issues, including trade secret, non-compete and restrictive covenant disputes as well as defending employers against harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims. 

Mark is the Office Managing Partner for FordHarrison's Nashville office. A stickler for responsiveness, Mark likes to visit businesses, study their processes, see the facilities and learn how people do their jobs. He has particular expertise helping clients protect their trade secrets and other valuable business interests. In addition, he provides advice about or litigates issues related to restrictive covenants, such as non-competition and confidentiality agreements.  Mark has successfully obtained and defeated temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions in jurisdictions throughout the United States for clients involved in the technology, healthcare, securities and financial services, transportation, automotive, electronics and advertising sectors. 

Mark also has litigation, arbitration, counseling and jury and bench trial experience involving a wide range of other employment-related matters, such as defending claims under state and federal law of unlawful discrimination and harassment, "whistle-blower" retaliation claims, wrongful termination claims and wage and hour claims, including multi-plaintiff, representative and class action lawsuits. Clients have come from myriad industries, including manufacturing, transportation, grocery and healthcare, among others.

In addition to his litigation experience, Mark regularly counsels clients on their employment practices and policies.  He has drafted employers' handbooks, policy manuals, non-competition and confidentiality agreements and employment contracts.  Mark is a frequent speaker on a vast range of employment law-related topics.

Earlier in his career, Mark was a federal judicial clerk for United States District Court Judge Elizabeth V. Hallanan, in the Southern District of West Virginia.  
 

Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" for Employment Law – Management for the Nashville area (2022)
  • The Best Lawyers in America - Employment Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Mid-South Super Lawyers - Super Lawyers Magazine (2018-2021)
  • The Legal 500 United States, Recommended attorney in Labor & Employment - Labor and Employment Disputes (2020)

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  • Obtained jury verdict for correctional health care company defending against claims of race discrimination in hiring under Title VII after EEOC found cause for plaintiff;
  • Successfully obtained a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on behalf of an advertising agency against its former President who violated his non-disclosure agreement;
  • Successfully obtained a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on behalf of a financial institution against an investment banker for violating his non-competition and non-solicitation agreement;
  • Successfully obtained a preliminary injunction on behalf of a national transportation company against two former vice presidents and owners for violating their non-competition and non-solicitation agreements;
  • Successfully negotiated turnover of trade secret information and subsequent restrictive covenant restrictions on behalf of transportation company against former employees who left company to begin a competing business;
  • Counseled senior executives and high net worth individuals regarding non-competition, non-solicitation and other restrictive covenant provisions contained in various separation agreements;
  • Obtained defense jury verdict in an age discrimination case under the ADEA for a large national manufacturing company;
  • Obtained a defense bench verdict in a breach of an employment contract case for a national healthcare company; and
  • Successfully defended numerous appeals before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals of grants of summary judgment involving employment-related claims, such as the ADA, ADEA, wrongful discharge and retaliation claims.  
Education
  • Capital University Law School
    J.D., 1998
  • San Francisco State University
    B.A., 1993
Memberships
  • Tennessee Bar Association
  • Nashville Bar Association
Bar Admissions
  • Tennessee
  • Kentucky
  • Alabama
  • California
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit