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Chris Barrett

Associate

Chris Barrett concentrates his practice in employment litigation on the state and federal levels.

Professional Biography


Chris Barrett is an attorney in Baker Donelson's Nashville office and a member of the Advocacy Department.

Chris is a litigator who focuses on helping employers navigate through the legal challenges they face. He has significant litigation experience in state and federal courts across the country. Chris regularly encounters a variety of employment law topics in his practice including employment discrimination, wage and hour, restrictive covenants, and trade secrets.

Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Chris worked for a Nashville law firm where he practiced labor and employment law. Prior to entering private practice, Chris served as a judicial law clerk at the trial and appellate court levels. He is licensed to practice law in Tennessee, Connecticut, and California. 

  • Supported trial team that achieved $7.4 million verdict in copyright infringement lawsuit.

  • Blocked service of summons in action on judgment in California where client faced $600,000 in liability.

  • Successfully argued motion to dismiss case in state court matter leading to dismissal of case and nonsuit in related case.

  • Convinced opposing counsel to drop website accessibility lawsuit with one letter outlining legal deficiencies in the case.

  • Prevailed on strategic early motion for partial summary judgment which significantly limited damages at issue in lawsuit and forced favorable settlement.

  • Obtained and utilized discovery sanctions imposed by court on adverse party to leverage favorable resolution.

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation - Labor and Employment (2024, 2025)
  • Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Litigation - Labor and Employment (2022, 2023)
  • Selected to Mid-South Rising Stars (2021 – 2023)
  • Member – MT SHRM Young Professionals Committee
  • Martha O'Bryan Center Ambassador – NextUp
  • "AI in Employment Law: What HR Professionals Need to Know" (July 2023)
  • "An Employer's Guide to Navigating the Interactive Process" (October 2022)
  • "Cancel Culture in the Workplace," Tennessee Gas Association Fall Management Conference (November 2021)
  • Coordinator/Moderator – "Effective Closing Arguments," ABA Section of Litigation Trial Practice Committee and Trial Evidence Committee (June 2021)
  • "How to Manage ADA- and FMLA-Related Leave," National Business Institute (April 2021)
  • "Using Handbooks to Protect Against Legal Liabilities: With Example Policies," National Business Institute (November 2020)
  • "Hiring and Firing: Legal Do's and Don'ts for Crucial HR Functions," National Business Institute (November 2020)
  • "Human Resource Law Boot Camp," National Business Institute (November 2018)
  • "Application of the FMLA Beyond the 50/75 Rule," Nashville Bar Association Employment Law Institute (October 2018)
  • "Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now," National Business Institute (November 2017)
  • "Human Resource Law from A to Z," National Business Institute (November 2016)

Education

  • University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D., 2010
    • Note and Comment Editor – Connecticut Public Interest Law Journal
  • Saint Anselm College, B.A., 2006

Admissions

  • Tennessee, 2014
  • Connecticut, 2010
  • California, 2020
  • Federal District of Connecticut, 2011
  • Federal Middle District of Tennessee, 2015

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