Samantha C. Gerken is Senior Counsel and a member of the GRSM Employment Law practice group. Samantha’s practice includes representing companies in administrative complaints of harassment and discrimination with the EEOC and state departments and representing companies in litigation under Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FLSA, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage and hour violations.

Samantha advises employers across the country with day-to-day counseling on issues including hiring, separation, performance management, disability accommodations, leaves of absence, exempt/nonexempt and employee/contractor classifications, and other personnel actions. She also drafts and updates employee manuals and policies, as well as template employment forms and letters. Samantha works with her clients to prevent employment law claims and litigation by focusing on training, investigation and documentation policies, and early claim resolution. Samantha also advises clients on changing local, state, and federal employment laws.

Samantha represents clients in administrative charges and mediations with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and its state-equivalent agencies, unemployment benefit claims, DOL wage and hour investigations, workers’ compensation claims, and workplace investigations. She also drafts and negotiates employment agreements, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, and severance agreements. 

Prior to joining GRSM, Samantha worked for the State of Tennessee as Associate Counsel at the Tennessee Department of Correction. Samantha also clerked for Judge William J. Haynes in the Middle District of Tennessee.

Admissions

• Kentucky
• Tennessee
• U.S. District Court, Western, Eastern, and Middle Districts of Tennessee
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Memberships

• Nashville Bar Association 
• Middle Tennessee Society for Human Resource Management 
• State of Tennessee Board of Appeals 
• Heritage Foundation Next Gen Board
   

Community Involvement

Ms. Gerken is an active volunteer with Second Harvest Farm to Families. Ms. Gerken is the current Northwestern Alumni Admissions Council Director for Nashville and organizes the Nashville alumni group.
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