Gordon Jackson, Attorney
Gordon Jackson focuses his legal practice on employment and work place issues.
He has written more than 20 books on employment law and work place relations, including Unlawful Terminations and Employment at Will, The Law of Employer and
Employee Rights and The Labor and Employment Law Handbook, a 2000 page, two-volume reference manual by Aspen Publications, covering all state and federal employment
and labor laws.
As an active practicing attorney, he along with Stephen Shields founded the Law Firm of Jackson, Shields more than three decades ago. The law firm now is known as Jackson, Shields, Holt, Owen and Bryant.
Gordon Jackson is a member of the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, a member of the Labor and Employment Section of the American Bar Association and, a former Chairman of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Tennessee Bar Association.
He has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America and the Super Lawyers directories. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee College of
Gordon Jackson focuses his legal practice on employment and work place issues.
He has written more than 20 books on employment law and work place relations, including Unlawful Terminations and Employment at Will, The Law of Employer and
Employee Rights and The Labor and Employment Law Handbook, a 2000 page, two-volume reference manual by Aspen Publications, covering all state and federal employment
and labor laws.
As an active practicing attorney, he along with Stephen Shields founded the Law Firm of Jackson, Shields more than three decades ago. The law firm now is known as Jackson, Shields, Holt, Owen and Bryant.
Gordon Jackson is a member of the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, a member of the Labor and Employment Section of the American Bar Association and, a former Chairman of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Tennessee Bar Association.
He has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America and the Super Lawyers directories. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee College of
Law where he was a member of the Board of Editors of the Tennessee Law Review, a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and a recipient of the Order of the Coif, The highest honor awarded by the law school upon his graduation.
In addition to his law practice, Gordon Jackson is a Who’s Who in Professional Speaking. He is a member of the National Speakers Association and a Certified
Speaking Professional (CSP), the highest accreditation awarded by the Association.
He frequently speaks on work place relationships which he draws heavily
from his book, Coaches Encourage-Bosses Punish.
Stephen L. Shields, Attorney
Stephen L. Shields, BA, JD, LLM, is a founding partner of the law firm of Jackson Shields Holt Owen Bryant.
He is a past President of the Memphis Bar Foundation and a past Chairman of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Memphis Bar Association.
Stephen Shields focuses his legal practice on employment, labor, education and school law matters. He has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America since 1991. He also is listed as a Super Lawyer of the Mid-South.
Mr. Shields was the 2012 President of the Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators (TAPM) as well as the Chairman of the 2012-2013 Tennessee Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and, the 2013 President of the Memphis Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section. He was elected President of the Tennessee School Board Association’s Council of Attorneys for 2013.
He is a graduate of Hanover University, University of Toledo College of Law (cum laude) and the Yale Law School. He has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law since 1974.
Mr. Shields is a frequent speaker at seminars on matters relating to resolving disputes in the workplace and on other employment and labor relations topics.
He is the author of numerous publications including Alternative Dispute Resolution in Tennessee (Professional Education System), Staying in Business and Out of Court (Institute of Business Law) and co-author of How to Defend and Win Labor and Employment Law Cases.
James L Holt, Jr.
James L Holt focuses his law practice on employment law litigation. Jim is admitted to the practice of law in Tennessee and in the state of California.
In addition, Jim is admitted to the practice of law in the Federal Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Circuits.
Jim is a frequent speaker on such employment topics as the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title V11 and other employment discrimination laws.. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association and the California Bar Association as well as the Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association.
Jim received his undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Arts in communications and a received his Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis.
He joined the firm shortly after receiving his law degree in 1978 and later became a partner at which time the firm’s name was changed to Jackson Shields Holt Owen Bryant.
He joined the firm shortly after receiving his law degree in 1978 and later became a partner at which time the firm’s name was changed to Jackson Shields Holt Owen Bryant.
Debra D. Owen
Debra D Owen focuses her legal practice on education and employment law.
Debra graduated with honors from Union University. In addition she holds two graduate degrees from the University of Memphis (with honors.) She received her law degree from the Nashville School of Law.
Debra is a member of the NSBA Council of School Attorneys, Tennessee Council of School Board Attorneys, and Lawyer’s Association for Women. She also is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association. She is a frequent speaker on education and employment law topics such aa Workplace Investigations, Managing Employee Performance, Managing Student Records, Public Records Management and the Education Professionals Negotiations Act, No Child Left Behind, Family Medical Leave Act, Budgeting, Cultural Diversity, Brown v. Board of Education.
Debra D. Owen joined the firm after serving seven years as staff attorney for the Jackson-Madison County School System.