Tanja L. Thompson
Office Managing Shareholder | Co-Chair, Traditional Labor Practice Group
Professional & Community Affiliations
Former Council Member
Labor and Employment Law Section
American Bar Association
Former Employer Vice-Chair, Budget and Finance Committee
Labor and Employment Law Section
American Bar Association
Member and Former Co-Chair
Committee on Development of the Law Under the NLRA, Labor and Employment Law Section
American Bar Association
Member
Labor and Employment Law Section
Memphis Bar Association
Former President
Alumni Chapter
University of Memphis Law School
Former Barrister
Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court
Member and Former Chair
Labor Relations Advisory Committee
Recognition
Named, The Best Lawyers in America®
2016-2025
Named, Lawyer of the Year
Memphis
The Best Lawyers in America©
2020
Ranked, Labor & Employment
Chambers USA
2016-2024
Awarded, AV® Peer Review Rating
Martindale-Hubbell
Named, Recommended Lawyer
Labor Management Relations
Legal 500 United States
2016
Named, Best of the Bar
Memphis Business Journal
2016
Named, Top 100 Labor Attorneys in America
Labor Relations Institute
2007-2009
Named
Super Lawyer 2015-2017; Rising Star 2009-2010
Super Lawyers
News, Analysis & Press
Littler Ranked in 2024 Chambers USA Guide
June 6, 2024
Littler Recognized in 2023 Chambers USA Guide
June 6, 2023
Littler Ranked in Chambers USA Guide 2022
June 1, 2022
Littler Ranked in Chambers USA Guide 2021
May 27, 2021
Best Lawyers in America© 2020 Edition Honors More Than 200 Littler Lawyers; 14 Named Lawyer of the Year
August 15, 2019
Littler Ranked in 2019 Chambers USA Guide
April 25, 2019
The Developing Labor Law, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Bloomberg BNA
2016-2018
Littler Ranked in 2018 Chambers USA Guide
May 15, 2018
Bloomberg Law’s VIDEO Coverage of the 2018 Littler Executive Employer Conference
Bloomberg Law
May 4, 2018
Littler Elects Three New Members to Board of Directors
February 2, 2018
Big Law Rules Employer Defense Business in Labor Board Cases
Bloomberg BNA Daily Labor Report
December 7, 2016
Tanja L. Thompson Appointed to the American Bar Association's Section of Labor and Employment Law Council
September 29, 2016
The Best Lawyers in America© Honors More Than 180 Littler Lawyers in Its 2017 Edition
August 16, 2016
Littler Ranks in The Legal 500 United States Guide
June 20, 2016
Bill Would Do More Than Upend ‘Ambush’ Election Rule
Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)
August 14, 2015
Efforts to Stop the NLRB’s Ambush Election Rules May Not Succeed – Is Your Company Ready?
HR Professionals Magazine
March 1, 2015
NLRB Alters Landscape for Employee Use of Company Email and Related Company Policies and Practices
HR Professionals Magazine
February 1, 2015
Supreme Court Holds NLRB Recess Appointments Invalid
HR Professionals Magazine
August 2014
Has Specialty Healthcare Changed the Landscape in Organizing and Representation Proceedings?
Journal of Labor & Employment Law
American Bar Association, Vol. 29, No. 3
Spring 2014
Maintaining the Confidentiality of Workplace Investigations Just Got More Complicated
HR Professionals Magazine
October 2013
Contrary to Union's Argument, NLRB Finds Jurisdiction Over Nonprofit Corporation Operating Charter School in Chicago
Insight
December 31, 2012
Can the NLRB Prohibit Confidentiality of Workplace Investigations?
HR Professionals Magazine
October 2012
Warning for Non-Union Employers – The NLRB is Watching You
HR Professionals of Greater Memphis
September 1, 2012
New NLRB Election Rules are Short Lived
HR Professionals of Greater Memphis
Vol. 2, No. 6
June 2012
Proposed NLRB Election Rules
HR Professionals of Greater Memphis
September 2011
Toering Electric Co: NLRB Limits Job Protection for Job Applicants to Those with Genuine Interest in an Employment Relationship
Section of Labor and Employment Law
American Bar Association
2007
Weapons in the Workplace: The Effect of Tennessee's Concealed Weapons Statute on Employer Liability
28 University of Memphis Law Review 281
1997
Books & Book Chapters
- The Developing Labor Law, Bloomberg BNA, associate editor, 2011-2020
- The Developing Labor Law, Bloomberg BNA, co-editor-in-chief, 2014
- Guide to Workplace Law, Random House, 2nd Ed., American Bar Association, associate editor, 2006
Speaking Engagements
Modern Labor – Everything Has Changed
April 9, 2024
The NLRB Today: A Conversation with NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo
Littler Executive Employer Conference
May 5, 2022
A Labor of Love: Littler Lawyers Answer Your Most Burning Labor and Employment Questions
February 10, 2022
Minority Unions - New and Renewed Alternative Organizing Tactics
March 17, 2021
A Labor of Love: Littler Lawyers Answer Your Most Burning Labor and Employment Questions
Memphis, TN
February 11, 2021
NLRB Case Law Update
Labor Relations Advisory Committee 2020 Meeting, Virtual Program
December 11, 2020
NLRB Update for Union-Free Employers in the Wake of COVID
Tennessee Bankers Association, Virtual Program
September 2020
Labor Relations in a COVID-19 World
Littler Executive Employer, Virtual Program
May 2020
Labor Law Update
Spring 2020 CUE Conference, Virtual Program
April 2020
Love Your Lawyer: Littler Lawyers Answer Your Most Burning Labor and Employment Questions
Memphis, TN
February 11, 2020
Current Developments at the NLRB
Memphis Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section Annual Conference
December 13, 2019
A Conversation with John Ring, Chair, National Labor Relations Board
Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ
May 2019
The NLRB – Obligations and Compliance
National Business Institute
May 2019
Labor Law on the Horizon
CUE Spring 2019 Meeting, Atlanta, GA
April 16, 2019
It’s a Labor of Love | Littler Lawyers Answer Your Most Burning Labor and Employment Questions
Memphis, TN
February 21, 2019
NLRB Case Law Update
Labor Relations Advisory Committee 2018 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA
October 20, 2018
Update on the NLRB’s Changing Views on Handbook Policies and Other NLRB Developments Under the Trump Administration
Memphis, TN
September 20, 2018
A Study of Today’s Union Organizing Campaigns and Effective Employer Responses
Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ
May 4, 2018
NLRB Case Law Update
Labor Relations Advisory Committee 2018 Spring Meeting, Washington, DC
April 16, 2018
A Conversation with Peter Robb, General Counsel, National Labor Relations Board
Spring 2018 CUE Conference, Tampa, FL
April 16, 2018
NLRB Update
SHRM Legal Conference, Memphis, TN
March 20, 2018
It’s a Labor of Love: Littler Lawyers Answer Your Most Burning Labor & Employment Questions
Memphis, TN
February 8, 2018
Littler Memphis Office Briefing
February 2018
NLRB Case Law Update
Labor Relations Advisory Committee 2017 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA
October 20, 2017
A Conversation with Phil Miscimarra, Acting Chair, National Labor Relations Board
Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ
May 10, 2017
Littler Memphis Office Briefing
February 2017
The Election Is Over: What's Next
Memphis, TN
December 1, 2016
Top 10 Labor Law Issues to Watch
CUE Fall 2016 Meeting, Dallas, TX
October 17, 2016
You Just Won the Election … Now What??
CUE Spring 2016 Meeting, Orlando, FL
May 16, 2016
The NLRB’s Ambush Election Rules, One Year Later
Association of Corporate Counsel, Memphis, TN
May 10, 2016
The NLRB’s Ambush Election Rule: One Year Later
Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ
May 5, 2016
A Conversation with the NLRB Associate Counsel, Division of Advice
Memphis Bar Association Labor & Employment Section Annual Seminar, Memphis, TN
December 4, 2015
Don’t Just Tell Me The Law, Tell Me What To Do!
CUE Fall 2015 Conference, Denver, CO
October 2015
Getting You Ready for Today’s NLRB Ambush Elections
Texas Labor & Employee Relations Consortium, Houston, TX
September 3, 2015
2015 Southeast Employer Conference
Atlanta, GA
August 20, 2015
The NLRB’s New Election Rules – Are You Prepared?
The 2015 Executive Employer® Conference
Littler Mendelson, Phoenix, AZ
May 7, 2015
"Ambush" Elections Have Arrived: Are You Ready?
April 10, 2015
Labor Update - Littler Webinar
April 8, 2015
“Ambush” Elections Have Arrived: Are You Ready?
Memphis, TN
April 7, 2015
“Ambush” Elections Have Arrived: Are You Ready?
December 17, 2014
A Conversation with the NLRB General Counsel
Annual CLE - Memphis Bar Association, Memphis, TN
December 5, 2014
Protected and Concerted Activity in the Digital Age
Annual CLE, Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association, Los Angeles, CA
November 8, 2014
Insubordination, Defamation, Individual Gripe, or Today’s Protected, Concerted Activity?
CUE Conference, Atlanta, GA
October 7, 2014
NLRB Trends & Perspectives
Women, Influence & Power in Law, Washington, DC
September 19, 2014
Is it Insubordination, Defamation, an Individual Gripe, or is it Today’s Protected, Concerted Activity in the Workplace – Do You and Your Supervisors Know the Difference?
Memphis, TN
August 12, 2014
Protecting Your Company’s Property Rights in Today’s Labor Environment
The 2014 Executive Employer® Conference
Littler Mendelson, Phoenix, AZ
May 9, 2014
How to Talk to Your Employees About Unions
CUE Conference, Las Vegas, NV
April 28, 2014
The Obama NLRB and Employee Access to Company Property – Are You Prepared?
Memphis, TN
December 12, 2013
National Labor Relations Board Update: What's On the NLRB's Agenda in 2014
Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association Webinar
December 11, 2013
Has Specialty Healthcare Changed the Landscape in Organizing and Representation Proceedings?
7th Annual Conference, Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association, New Orleans, LA
November 7, 2013
The Toxic Employee
Lunch in the Know -The Greater Memphis Chamber
October 22, 2013
Employee Access to the Employer's Property
CUE Conference, Nashville, TN
October 1, 2013
Labor Crisis—The NLRB Targets Nonunion and Union Employers, Significantly Expanding Its Reach During a Tumultuous Time
The 2013 Executive Employer® Conference
Littler Mendelson, Scottsdale, AZ
May 9, 2013
The ADA in Real Life
Memphis, TN
March 21, 2013
NLRB Rulings: Think They Don't Impact Non-Union Employers? Think Again
American Bar Association Webinar
November 28, 2012
The Toxic Employee
Memphis Restaurant Association
November 7, 2012
Ask the Experts
CUE Conference, San Antonio, TX
October 28, 2012
Mentoring for Lawyers
The Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court, Memphis, TN
October 9, 2012
Is Your Handbook Legal? – Handbook Scrutiny by Today’s NLRB
Lunch Byte – Littler Mendelson, Memphis, TN
July 19, 2012
Employers and Employees on the Web – Have We All Gone Too Far?
Memphis Better Business Bureau
July 10, 2012
Trying an NLRB Case - Pre-Trial Process, Procedure, and Insights
Annual CLE, Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association, Seattle, WA
November 4, 2011
The Times They Are a Changing: Recent Developments in Labor and Employment Law
Annual CLE, Memphis Bar Association, Destin, FL
May 2011
Full Speed Ahead: A Review of Recent NLRB Decisions and Regulatory Actions
Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association Webinar
March 16, 2011
Labor and Employment Law Update: Perceptions and Predictions
Annual CLE, Memphis Bar Association, Destin, FL
April 28, 2010
As the Pendulum Swings: The Role of Precedent in National Labor Relations Board Decisions
Annual CLE, Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association, Washington, D.C.
November 6, 2009
Labor Law for Employment Lawyers
Annual CLE, Labor and Employment Law Section - Memphis Bar Association, Memphis, TN
December 2008
Mock NLRB Representation Case Hearing
Annual CLE, Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association, Denver, CO
November 2008
Update on the NLRB's September 2007 Decisions
DLL Midwinter Meeting, Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association
February 2008
September Steamroll or Standard Operating Procedure?
Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association Webinar
2008
Leadership Positions in the Law
Professional Women's Business Group, Jackson, MS
2006
An Exercise in Discretion - An Newly Organized or Successor Employer's Duty to Bargain About Implementing Decisions
DLL Midwinter Meeting, Labor and Employment Law Section - American Bar Association
February 2004
Education
- J.D., University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1997
- B.A., Rhodes College, 1993
Courts
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee