Steve has over 35 years of experience working with a broad cross-section of industries and management teams in his practice areas of Employment and Labor, Corporate and Transactional and Sports Law. He provides sound and practical legal advice to his clients and proactively interacts with management teams in some of the most critical aspects of their businesses. He has provided numerous management training and civic group presentations on employment and sports law issues. He also serves as a Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator and a AAA Arbitrator.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kramer served as Vice President of Human Resources and General Counsel for Asahi Glass North America from 1990-2002. In addition to his responsibilities over HR and Legal, Mr. Kramer managed the Quality (ISO/TS16949) programs at AGC Glass N.A. He was in private practice for 10 years before joining AGC. In his private practice, Mr. Kramer has counseled many business through a wide range of general corporate legal issues related to acquisitions, reorganizations, mergers, joint ventures, strategic planning and executive restructuring.
Mr. Kramer's experience within the Employment and Labor practice includes:
- Representing employers and employees in nearly every type of discrimination claim under state and federal law
- Successfully negotiated over 100 labor contracts in the above industries, saving clients millions of dollars in achieving operational flexibility and efficiency
- Assisted Employers with compensation re-structuring, health care savings, and pension revisions in difficult business environments
- Tried over 100 Labor Arbitrations and NLRB Unfair Labor Practice cases
- Managing labor campaigns in a wide range of industries including consumer products, manufacturing, health care, trucking, construction and dairy
- Non-compete cases representing businesses and individuals
- Successfully guided numerous employers through complex Reductions in Force and corporate reorganizations
- Employment and Labor
- Corporate and Transactional
- Sports Law
- American Arbitration Association (AAA) Panelist
- Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator
- Tennessee, 1982
- University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee
- J.D.
- Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
- B.S.
- Major: Business Administration/Marketing
- University of Southwestern Louisiana
- M.B.A.
- Major: Finance
- Annual Labor Law Updates
- Current Sports Law Issues Meet Traditional Labor and Employment Law: addressing NFL contract talks and the employment contracts of collegiate coaches
- Employment Law 101 - For Management Teams and Supervisors
- Maintaining a Positive Pro-Employee Workplace - For Non-Union and Union Employers
- Identified as Leading Employment Lawyer in Tennessee by Chambers USA, The Client's Guide, Since 2006
- Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2022
- Best Lawyers- "Lawyer of the Year"- Labor Law (Management) 2022
- Received Boys Club of America "Man and Boy Award"
- Mid-South Super Lawyers 2017-2022
- Knoxville Bar Association
- Tennessee Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Kingsport Boys and Girls Club Foundation, Board of Directors,
- Northeast State Technical Community College Foundation, Board of Directors,
- First Tennessee Bank, Regional Board of Directors
- Kingsport Economic Development Board, Past Chairman, 1995-2005
- Asahi Glass North America, Vice President of Human Resources and General Counsel
- Baker Worthington, Partner
- Hunter, Smith & Davis, Partner
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