Courtney Williams is a Partner and the Healthcare group leader in the Tennessee office of GRSM.  She is also a member of the Employment, Commercial Litigation, Life, Health, Disability & ERISA, and Construction practice groups. She focuses all areas of her practice on strategic solutions for her clients by implementing procedures to avoid legal or compliance problems and handles any issues, including litigation, if they do arise.

With fifteen years of litigation experience focusing on Employment Law and Commercial Litigation, Courtney has lead teams successfully in jury trials, complex multi-party arbitration and litigation, bench trials, and administrative matters at every level.

In handling a broad spectrum of commercial litigation claims on behalf of small and medium-sized businesses, public and private entities, and Fortune 500 companies against single plaintiff and class and collective actions, she maintains a diverse civil trial practice.  She routinely handles employment claims, contract disputes, and both advises companies and litigates on their behalf on a wide range of employment and commercial litigation matters, including compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, discrimination and harassment, claims of wrongful termination, defamation, as well as conducting labor and employment due diligence in the sale and acquisition of a corporation, sale of assets, and sale of shares, and breach of contract all over the country. She also works with clients to develop employee handbooks and advises on severance, non-compete and other employment-related agreements.  Courtney has handled class action lawsuits as well as complex construction litigation.

As part of her healthcare practice, she frequently represents a variety of healthcare professionals and entities, including medical practices, medical spas and other aesthetic related industry clients, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, hospices, federally qualified health centers, community health centers, behavioral health facilities, physician practices, hospitals and other healthcare providers.  Having worked at the licensure entities for multiple states, Courtney is well-positioned to handle any licensure, regulatory or compliance issues strategically. 

Unlike most attorneys, Courtney has worked on both sides of aisle when it comes to licensure matters in both Virginia and Tennessee and has a passion for assisting the licensees to grow their business, head off problems before they arise, and handle them if they do.  Having previously worked for the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of General Counsel and the Virginia Department of Health Professions in order to understand how to better serve licensed professionals and licensed entities, she understands what it takes to successfully defend against disciplinary actions and administrative hearings on behalf of individual licensees and licensed entities.  Courtney has successfully defended medical practitioner licensees before the medical boards in both Virginia and Tennessee when faced with potential discipline.  Courtney has rolled out and successfully defended arbitration agreements of multiple healthcare facilities and of businesses in various industries.

  • 6th Circ. Adds To Individual Assessment Trend Under ADA, Law 360 (August 16, 2018)

Speaking Engagements and Press

  • Current Issues with Marijuana Use and ADA Compliance, Nashville, TN November 2019.
  • Emerging Issues with the FMLA and the ADA, Nashville, TN, August 30, 2019.
  • Responding to Workplace Violence: What Would You Do?, Nashville, TN, July 30, 2019.
  • Co-Author, “6th Circ. Adds to Individual Assessment Trend under ADA” August 16, 2018, Law360.
  • Workplace Bullying in the Healthcare Setting – How to Manage Problematic Employees and Avoid Legal Claims, Association of Organ Procurement Organizations Annual Meeting, National Harbor, MD, June 18-21, 2018.
  • Preventing and Addressing Workplace Violence, Nashville, TN, August 28, 2018.
  • Ethics in Employment Law, Virginia State Bar Annual Employment Law Conference, October 2016.
  • Sexism and the Law, Virginia State Bar Annual Employment Law Conference, September 2015
  • Guest Faculty, William and Mary School of Law Employment Litigation Class, September 2013.
  • Guest Faculty, William and Mary School of Law Employment and Discrimination Class, February 2014.
  • Unemployment Claims Before the Virginia Employment Commission, Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, April 2012.

Admissions

  • Tennessee
  • Virginia
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court, Western, Middle and Eastern (Pending) Districts of Tennessee

Education

  • J.D., College of William & Mary, 2010
  • B.A., cum laude, Carson-Newman College, 2007

Honors

  • Super Lawyers® Rising Star distinction in Employment Law (2016-2024)