Category: News

McWherter Scott & Bobbitt is pleased to announce partner Jonathan Bobbitt’s inclusion in The National Trial Lawyers Insurance Bad Faith – Top 10 Specialty Association. Mr. Bobbitt is honored to be included in this elite group of trial lawyers for 2020, and continues to represent and fight for the rights of insurance policyholders.

Insurance Bad Faith Trial Lawyers Association

The National Trial Lawyers’ Insurance Bad Faith Trial Lawyers Association – Top 10 (IBFTLA) is an invitation-only professional organization composed of and limited to the Top 10 attorneys from each state or region serving individuals and families who need attorneys to represent them in the American legal system regarding insurance bad faith claims. The criteria for membership include:

• Reputation among peers, the judiciary and the public
• Achievements and recognitions in insurance bad faith matters
• Board certification (if available by State Bar recognition) as a lawyer in the specialty area
• Nominations from leading lawyers, current members and Executive Committee members of the Insurance Bad Faith Association

Memberships are reviewed annually to assure that the membership of The Insurance Bad Faith Trial Lawyers Association – Top 10 is made up of only highly-recognized and dedicated insurance bad faith attorneys from each state or region.  All members are automatically reconsidered for membership.

About Jonathan Bobbitt

Mr. Bobbitt is an award-winning attorney who has previously been recognized as one of the Mid-South’s Super Lawyers in Employment Law, as well as rated AV Preeminent for ethical standards and legal ability by his peers. He is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Mississippi, and handles a wide array of insurance dispute claims on behalf of residential, commercial, and non-profit policyholders.

To learn more about Jonathan Bobbitt or the Firm, feel free to contact us or call 888-996-9731. The firm’s attorneys are licensed in Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas and Kentucky.

Gilbert McWherter Scott Bobbitt PLC is proud to announce that the firm has been selected for inclusion in the 2020 list of “Best Law Firms,” presented by U.S. News – Best Lawyers®. The Firm has also been awarded a Tier 1 ranking in the Memphis area for its work in:

• Employment Law – Individuals
• Insurance Law
• Litigation – Labor & Employment.

The Firm also received a Tier 2 ranking for its Commercial Litigation work.

This is the 5^th consecutive year that The Gilbert Firm has been named to the “Best Law Firms” list.

How law firms are considered for inclusion

In order to be eligible for “Best Law Firms,” the firm must have at least one attorney who has been named to Best Lawyers. From there, “rankings are based on a combination of client feedback, information provided on the Law Firm Survey, the Law Firm Leaders Survey, and Best Lawyers peer review.”

The rankings are divided by practice area and also by geographical region. Whether a firm is designated with a National Tier or a Metro Tier (both areas are scored 1-3) is determined by where the firm is located, how many firms are eligible for consideration, and in which fields the attorneys practice.

The Gilbert Firm earned its Tier 1 and Tier 2 rankings in the Memphis Metropolitan Area. For the last three years, all four partners have been named to Best Lawyers:

• Justin Gilbert was recognized in the practice area of Employment Law – Individuals.
• Brandon McWherter was recognized in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law.
• Clint Scott was recognized in the practice area of Insurance Law.
• Jonathan Bobbitt was recognized in the practice area of Litigation – Labor & Employment Law.

We are all very proud of our partners and our team for the work they do on behalf of policyholders, employees, students, and commercial clients throughout the Southeast. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the Firm’s latest achievement.

The Gilbert Firm is proud to announce that all four of the firm’s partners – Justin Gilbert, Brandon McWherter, Clint Scott and Jonathan Bobbitt – have been recognized once again by Best Lawyers in America®. All four attorneys have been recognized in previous editions of the publication, which was founded in 1983, and the firm has been recognized for multiple consecutive years by Best Law Firms.

In order to be recognized by Best Lawyers in America, an attorney must first be nominated by a peer, a client, a judicial court or an employer. They cannot simply nominate themselves to appear in the publication, which is provided in print and online. After nominations are submitted, each one goes through a rigorous peer review process that also includes the local bar association notifying the review committee that the lawyer is in good standing.

About our award-winning partners

Justin Gilbert has been recognized this year for his work in the employment law practice area. Gilbert has dedicated more than 20 years of his professional life to protecting the rights of clients who have struggled to obtain fair pay and have been the victim of retaliation or harassment on the job.

Brandon McWherter has been recognized this year for his work in the insurance and commercial litigation practice areas. Licensed in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, Brandon has assisted insurance policyholders secure more than $85 Million in policy benefits, and has devoted his practice to the representation of insurance policyholders.

Clint Scott has been recognized this year for his work in the insurance law practice area. Clint is the firm’s managing partner. In addition to managing the firm, his practice focuses on representing policyholders in insurance disputes. Clint is licensed in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri.

Jonathan Bobbitt has been recognized this year for his work in the area of litigation – labor and employment law. Jonathan represents clients who file claims for retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination and whistleblowing. Jonathan also represents insureds and policyholders in Tennessee and Mississippi who are involved in insurance disputes and other clients facing business and contract disputes.

About The Gilbert Firm

The staff at The Gilbert Firm is dedicated to fighting for the rights of our clients who are involved in insurance disputes, business disputes, contract disputes, wage and hour claims, harassment, employment issues and special education law.

We are incredibly proud of Justin, Brandon, Clint, and Jonathan for being named to Best Lawyers in America for yet another year. Congratulations on your accomplishments and best wishes for continued success.

Justin Gilbert was honored with the Mollie Burd Gavigan Service Award of the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee (DSAMT) on March 21, 2019. Gilbert, who has been devoted to improving the lives of children with disabilities was recognized for his work with this award.

As a senior partner in Gilbert, Scott, McWherter, Bobbit PLC, Justin Gilbert’s legal work focuses on education and employment law. As a father of four, Gilbert champions the rights of students with disabilities to be educated in the “least restrictive environment.” In a story in the Hamilton County Herald, Gilbert was quoted, “Many school districts now require kids with Down syndrome to be educated with their non-disabled peers, but there are pockets around the country that are still behind. Those are challenging cases, but kids with intellectual disabilities advance more quickly when they associate with non-disabled peers.” He fights each individual case to improve the educational experience of that child, but also to make sure that other students do not have to endure the same injustice. In the Herald story, he said, “In most cases, they see the higher purpose.”

Mr. Gilbert has fought for the rights of children with disabilities including federal court enforcement actions in Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga and he has established important case law before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on school retaliation and the segregation of children with disabilities.

The DSAMT website describes the award’s namesake: “Mollie Burd Gavigan was a dear friend and support to the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee and the Down syndrome community. When her daughter Jeanne was born with Down syndrome, Mollie was determined to provide her with a Catholic education. She helped to establish the Hand in Hand program for children with cognitive disabilities at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville. Mollie was a strong advocate for the Down syndrome community, and her support greatly benefited DSAMT and its families.”

The Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee honor’s Mollie’s legacy by recognizing people who have provided outstanding service to the Down syndrome community each year. Members of the DSAMT and the wider community nominate an individual or group of individuals who have given their time and talents to improve the lives of individuals with Down syndrome in the Middle Tennessee region.

The Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee is a community on a mission to enhance the lives of those with “something extra” throughout their lives. There are no membership fees and they try to offer programs at low or no cost to families.

Justin Gilbert can be reached at Gilbert, Scott, McWherter, Bobbit PLC by calling 888.966.9731, or filling out this contact form. The Gilbert Firm maintains offices in Nashville, Chattanooga, Memphis, Jackson and Knoxville, and advocates for clients across Tennessee and the Southeast.

Gilbert McWherter Scott Bobbitt PLC would like to congratulate partner Clint Scott on being named to the Mid-South Super Lawyers list in 2018, for his work in the area of Insurance Coverage. Clint was recognized by Super Lawyers in 2017 for his work in the same area, and was named to the Rising Stars list from 2011-2016.

About Super Lawyers

Super Lawyers is an objective ratings service that recognizes attorneys throughout the country for their work in more than 70 different practice areas. Attorneys can be nominated by their peers, managing partners or through third-party feedback, or may be invited to apply by the organization itself. Only in-state nominations are accepted, and all nominations are confidential.

Once the attorneys have been nominated, they undergo a rigorous, 12-point evaluation system. Attorneys who make it past this phase are then re-evaluated by a blue-ribbon panel of other members who practice law in the same areas. The final selection is made from this pool.

Only 5% of all nominees in each state will be selected for Super Lawyers, and only 2.5% will be selected for Rising Stars. Selection does not carry over from year to year, so being selected for inclusion one year does not guarantee future selection for the list.

About Clint Scott

Clint Scott is an award-winning attorney, and has served as the managing partner of the Gilbert Firm for the last 10 years. He is licensed to practice before all Tennessee courts, federal District Courts, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as in Kentucky and Missouri. Clint has earned a reputation for his work in insurance disputes, as well as wage and hour/FLSA disputes.

Clint has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and has been recognized by Best Lawyers for his work in insurance law since 2016. In 2014, he was selected to participate in the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law program, and has served on the Hearing Committee for the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility of Supreme Court of Tennessee.

All of us at the Gilbert Firm are very proud of Clint’s latest achievement. It is certainly well-deserved.

Congratulations, Clint!

Gilbert McWherter Scott Bobbitt PLC is proud to announce that it has been selected for inclusion in the 2019 list of “Best Law Firms,” presented by Best Lawyers®, in multiple practice areas for the Memphis Metro Areas:

• Employment Law – Individuals
• Insurance Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Litigation – Labor & Employment

The Firm achieved a Tier 1 ranking for its work in Employment Law – Individuals and Insurance Law, and a Tier 2 ranking for its work in Litigation – Labor & Employment and Commercial Litigation.

Because Best Lawyers uses multiple data points for analyzing its nominees, firms’ scores are “often separated by small or insignificant differences.” To ensure the most accurate assessment, they use a tiering system, where firms with the highest scores are given a Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 designation for their Metro Area or for a National Ranking, depending on factors such as specific practice areas and availability of data.

The Gilbert Firm has made the “Best Law Firms” list for the last three consecutive years.

About the award-winning Gilbert Firm

The Gilbert Firm and its attorneys have secured millions of dollars in settlements, verdicts and arbitration awards for policyholders, workers, and students in Tennessee, and recently opened up offices in Kentucky and Mississippi to handle insurance disputes. Our partners have earned accolades for their work from organizations and services such as:

• Tennessee’s Best of the Best in Employment Law
• American College of Coverage Counsel
• The National Advocates Top 100 Lawyers
• Super Lawyers
• Martindale-Hubbell

This year, all four partners were named to Best Lawyers:

• Justin Gilbert: Employment Law – Individuals
• Brandon McWherter: Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law
• Clint Scott: Insurance Law
• Jonathan Bobbitt: Litigation – Labor & Employment Law

We are very proud that the firm has been selected for Tier 1 and Tier 2 designations in four different areas of practice in Memphis, for the 2019 “Best Law Firms” list.

The law firm of Gilbert McWherter Scott Bobbitt PLC is pleased to announce that all four partners have been recognized by the Best Lawyers in America for 2019! We are very proud of the work all of the attorneys do at The Gilbert Firm, but it is an honor to be recognized by Best Lawyers.

Best Lawyers “is the oldest and most respected peer review publication in the legal profession.” For the last 30 years, it has compiled lists of attorneys in 75 different countries, practicing in 145 different areas of law. This year, Best Lawyers reviewed 87,254 attorney evaluations before making its decisions regarding inclusion.

Our honorees

Justin Gilbert was selected for his work in Employment Law. Justin focuses his practice in education and employment law, but he also devotes a lot of his time to improving the lives and school conditions for children with disabilities. He has initiated direct federal actions in abuse cases, lack of adequate funding and systemic impediments to least restrictive environments.

Brandon McWherter was selected for his work in the categories of Insurance Law and Commercial Litigation. Brandon has helped his clients obtain more than $25,000,000 in settlements, awards and verdicts against insurance companies since 2013.

Clint Scott was selected for his work in Insurance Law. As the Firm’s managing partner, he is dedicated to the success of The Firm and his clients, representing insureds in insurance claims cases across multiple states.

Jonathan Bobbitt was selected for his work in Litigation – Labor and Employment Law. He is a civil trial lawyer who is focused on obtaining the best result for his clients in sexual harassment, whistleblower claims and business/contract disputes.

About the Gilbert Firm

The Gilbert Firm offers comprehensive representation to policyholders, employees, contractors, students and teachers throughout Tennessee. We have been your trusted law firm for years, handling complex claims on behalf of our clients. We have recently expanded our insurance dispute services to clients in Mississippi and Kentucky.

We want to wish all four partners a hearty “Congratulations!” for their inclusion on this year’s Best Lawyers list. They certainly deserve to be included.

The Gilbert Firm would like to congratulate partner Brandon McWherter on his election as a Fellow to the American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel (ACCEC). This elite organization was established in 2012, and recognizes attorneys throughout the U.S. for their work with insurance coverage and extracontractual matters:

The ACCEC’s mission is to advance the creative, ethical, and efficient adjudication of insurance coverage and extracontractual disputes; to enhance the civility and quality of the practice of insurance law; to provide peer-reviewed scholarship; and to improve of the relationship between and among the members of our profession.

Potential members must by nominated by other members, and voted in by the Board of Regents. Nominees must have at least 15 years of experience representing either policyholders or insurers, and generally devote 70% of their time, or more, to this practice. A member may not nominate other attorneys from his or her firm.

ACCEC membership is divided into four classifications:

• Fellows, who are practicing attorneys. Prior time as a clerk or a judge may also count towards membership.
• Judicial Fellows, who are elected or appointed members of the judiciary.
• Emeritus Fellows, who have reached the age of 70, and/or chosen to retire from insurance work, but were still a Fellow in good standing at the time.
• Honorary Fellows, who are lawyers, judges or academics who do not other fulfill all criteria for membership under the Bylaws.

Being elected for membership in the American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel is a great honor. This prestigious organization has a limited number of members; as such, the organization only elects those attorneys who have proven their dedication to excellence in their work, and who wish to “nurture, improve and enhance the practice and understanding of insurance coverage and extracontractual law.”

About Brandon McWherter

Brandon McWherter is an award-winning attorney who has represented clients in numerous state and federal courts.  He is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Mississippi, and has worked with other lawyers throughout the U.S. via pro hac vice admissions. He is a “go-to” attorney for policyholders facing disputes with their insurance companies, and has been recognized by Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers for his work.

All of us at The Gilbert Firm are very proud of Brandon, and wish him a warm “Congratulations” for his latest achievement. He is certainly deserving of his place as a Fellow in the ACCEC.

The Gilbert Firm is proud to announce that partner Clint Scott has been named as a West Tennessee Council Member for the Tort and Insurance Law Section of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA). The Tennessee Bar Association offers 32 specialized sections focusing on specific practice areas, and are open to members of the TBA. Each group offers continuing legal education (CLE) courses, gives members access to important news and information, and provides a network of support for its members.

As a Council Member, Clint Scott will have a hand in shaping how the TBA serves its members and the community at-large, contributing opinions concerning legislation, and working on the annual CLE forum for Tort & Insurance.

About the Tennessee Bar Association

The Tennessee Bar Association is one of the oldest legal organizations in the state. Founded in December of 1881, its first convention “included a review of statutory changes that had taken place in the state and in Congress during the year. Other topics included whether a legislature can make a contract that surrenders the power of future legislatures to enact laws, interstate commerce and the regulation of railroads, and the legal rights of married women.”

The topics and policies have come a long way since then, but at its heart, the TBA is still committed to these issues: ensuring that the laws which affect us all are just and fair, and that those who practice the law will have a place and a community in which to discuss means and methods. In the 136 years since its founding, the Tennessee Bar Association is still committed to justice, to promoting equality, and to offering its members educational opportunities designed to help them grow.

About Clint Scott

Clint Scott is an award-winning attorney and the managing partner of Gilbert McWherter Scott Bobbitt PLC. Clint has represented countless individuals, businesses and non-profits in insurance disputes in jury trials, settlement negotiations and arbitration. Though his primary area of practice is insurance disputes, he also handles complex FLSA claims for clients throughout Tennessee and Kentucky.

When Clint is not working on behalf of his clients or the Firm, you may find him coaching a Little League team, spending time with his family, or waiting patiently in a duck blind.

The Gilbert Firm offers its warmest “Congratulations” to Clint Scott on his new leadership role. We know that he will be as dedicated to guiding the TBA forward as he has been in guiding our firm and our clients forward, as well.

The Gilbert Firm is proud to announce that all four partners – Justin Gilbert, Brandon McWherter, Clint Scott and Jonathan Bobbitt ­– have been recognized for their exemplary work in the 24^th edition of Best Lawyers in America©. All four attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers in previous years, and the firm itself has been recognized for the 2017 edition of Best Law Firms.

In order to be selected for Best Lawyers, an attorney must be nominated by a peer, a client, a colleague: anyone but him or herself. Nominations are then reviewed by attorneys who are currently recognized by the organization. How they reach their decisions is proprietary, as is the analysis of the feedback, but those who pass through this part of the process are then subject to an eligibility check. If the candidate is confirmed as being in good standing with his or her local bar, then the selections are made, and the firms are notified.

This year, Best Lawyers reviewed more than 10 million peer evaluations. Nominees came from 75 different countries across the globe, and practiced in 145 different areas of law.

About our award-winning attorneys

Justin Gilbert was selected for his work in the area of Litigation – Labor and Employment. For more than 20 years, Justin has advocated on behalf of workers who have been discriminated against, denied their fair pay, and been subject to harassment and retaliatory measures. He is also the head of the firm’s Education Law practice, handling complex cases on behalf of students with disabilities.

Brandon McWherter was selected for Best Lawyers for his work in Insurance Law and Commercial Litigation. He has obtained millions of dollars on behalf of policyholders throughout Tennessee and in Mississippi, and has, as a founding member, helped the Firm expand in size and capacity.

Clint Scott was once again selected for his work in Insurance Law. He is the managing partner of the firm, and works diligently on behalf of policyholders/insureds to obtain the insurance benefits to which they are entitled. He often participates in the most complex cases the firm has. Clint also handles plaintiffs’ FLSA and wage and hour claims on behalf of workers throughout Tennessee and Kentucky.

Jonathan Bobbitt was selected for his work in the area of Litigation – Labor and Employment. He often handles high-stakes claims involving harassment, retaliation, and whistleblowers. Jonathan also handles insurance disputes on behalf of policyholders throughout Tennessee as well as other contract and business disputes.

We would like to congratulate all four gentlemen on their inclusion in the 2018 edition of Best Lawyers. It speaks to their dedication and commitment to protecting their clients. They are all deserving of selection.