Heather Gwinn is a seasoned litigator, starting her legal career at a well-known Florida full-service law firm and quickly expanding her practice into Colorado, Tennessee, and Kentucky. She has 20 years of experience handling a broad spectrum of commercial litigation claims on behalf of small and medium-sized businesses, public and private entities, and Fortune 500 companies against single plaintiff and class and collective actions.
She has significant experience defending organizations and companies against whom claims of highly sensitive wrongdoing are alleged, including physical and sexual assaults. She routinely defends malpractice and professional liability claims against individuals in a wide range of industries, including insurance agents and brokers, accountants, attorneys, and directors/officers, and various general and commercial litigation claims, including product liability claims and alleged violations of Sections 1981 and 1983.
She has particular expertise in the healthcare, hospitality, technology, construction, and cannabis industries. Heather Gwinn is the Managing Partner of the firm’s Tennessee offices, including Nashville and Knoxville, as well as the Jacksonville, Florida office.
Heather frequently speaks on employment and healthcare related topics to trade groups, insurers, and her clients. Recent presentations include:
- Loose Lips Still Sink Ship: Avoiding Professional Liability Pitfalls in a Hybrid World, GRSM Legal Education Conference, New York, NY, May 2024
- Loose Lips Still Sink Ship: Avoiding Professional Liability Pitfalls in a Hybrid World, GRSM Legal Education Conference, Hartford, CT, April 2024
- Legalized Marijuana and Its Effect on Long-Term Care (2018)
- Hot Topics Affecting Healthcare Employers (2018)
- Mid-Year Check In: Impact of the New Administration on Your Employee Practices (2017)
- Managing Your Most Valuable Assets – Your Employees (2017)
- The Colorado Elder Abuse Reporting Law: How It Is Being Interpreted and Applied by Law Enforcement Agencies and State Health Regulators a Year Later (2015)
- Don’t Leave Me Now: Managing Employee Leave and Understanding the Interplay between Federal Statutory and Regulatory Leave Requirements (2015)
- It’s All in a Day’s Work: The HR Generalist’s Bootcamp (2016)
- Whistleblowers and the False Claims Act (2016)
Admissions
- Colorado
- Florida
- Kentucky
- Tennessee
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court, Middle, Eastern, and Western Districts of Tennessee
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Law Practice Management Section Board Member, 2008-2009
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Nashville Bar Association
- Kentucky Bar Association
- Colorado Bar Association
- Denver Bar Association
- Florida Bar Association
Community Involvement
Heather has served as a Guardian ad Litem for more than 400 at-risk children in Colorado and Florida, a role that demonstrates her lifelong commitment to advocacy and service. She has served as a member of the Williamson County CASA Board of Directors and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. She consistently supports various Williamson County and Nashville-area non-profit organizations.
Education
- J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2005
- Denver University Law Review — Symposium Editor
- Student Bar Association — President
- Moot Court Board
- Scholastic Excellence Award — Contracts I and II
- 2005 Most Innovative Programming Implemented within the Law School Award
- Outstanding Student Leadership Award, 2004 and 2005
- B.A., Psychology, Wittenberg University, 2000
Internships
- United Kingdom Barristers Legal Intern, Barristers Chambers Nov. 5, London, England, Fall 2005
Honors
- Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Litigation – Healthcare, 2023-2026, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2024-2026
- Super Lawyers® Rising Stars distinction in Healthcare and Employment Litigation: Defense, 2011-2018
- Super Lawyers® Rising Stars distinction in Employment and Labor, 2010
- LTC Power Lawyers graduate of Class of 2017