Fisher Phillips Announces New Leadership Appointments

ATLANTA (October 7, 2019) – Fisher Phillips, a national labor and employment law firm representing employers, today announces various office and committee leadership changes along with the appointment of partners Kathleen McLeod Caminiti and J. Hagood Tighe as co-chairs of the firm’s Wage and Hour practice group.

“As the needs of our clients and lawyers evolve, we regularly review, change and add office, practice group and other leadership roles across the country,” said Roger Quillen Chairman and Managing Partner of Fisher Phillips. “These attorneys embody Fisher Phillips’ culture and values, and each of them are dedicated to providing top-notch legal advice, outstanding client service and pursuing strategic initiatives to represent our clients and their needs in the ever expanding and complex arena of labor and employment services.”

• Craig R. Annunziata reassumes the role as managing partner of the firm’s Chicago office, effective Oct. 1. A partner with Fisher Phillips for more than 15 years, he previously served as managing partner from 2007-2017. In his legal practice, Annunziata represents management in employment-related disputes, and defends employers before federal and state courts and alternative dispute forums across the US. He also defends against charges filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and related state agencies. A significant portion of his practice is devoted to counseling management, prior to litigation, on issues related to employees and the workplace.
• Pavneet Singh Uppal is the managing partner of the Phoenix office, effective Oct. 1. Uppal joined Fisher Phillips in 2010 and focuses much of his practice on labor and employment disputes with an emphasis on unfair competition, wrongful discharge and equal employment opportunity litigation. He has extensive experience with state and federal litigation concerning enforcement of covenants not to compete and defending management in lawsuits alleging violations of employment discrimination statutes, contracts and common law rights.
• Clarence M. Belnavis became managing partner of the Portland office in July 2019. He reassumes the role after serving as managing partner from 2007 to 2009. Belnavis is a trial attorney who defends his clients in all aspects of employment litigation, from disability and discrimination claims to wrongful discharge. When not in the courtroom, he focuses on preventing his clients from getting there. Belnavis provides counseling and trainings on managing disability and return to work issues, updating employee handbooks and implementing termination policies and procedures. He is also the current chair of the Labor and Employment Section for the Oregon State Bar.
• Steven M. Bernstein reassumes the role of managing partner of the Tampa office, effective Oct. 1. As co-chair of the firm’s national Labor Relations practice group, Bernstein represents employers throughout the United States in both state and federal courts, as well as before the National Labor Relations Board, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other state and federal agencies. He now commences his third stint as managing partner of the Tampa office.
• Kathleen McLeod Caminiti and Hagood Tighe have been appointed co-chairs of the firm’s national Wage and Hour practice. Caminiti is a partner in the firm’s New Jersey and New York offices, where she has extensive experience handling all aspects of employment litigation, including individual plaintiff discrimination claims and numerous class and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state wage laws. Caminiti also serves as co-chair of the firm’s Pay Equity practice group and counsels clients on compliance with pay equity laws and defends against equal pay litigation. Tighe is a partner in the firm’s Columbia, SC office where in recent years he has handled over 50 class and collective actions throughout the country, many of which involve wage and hour issues. He also has extensive experience defending single plaintiff lawsuits alleging wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
• Matt Simpson has been appointed Chair of the firm’s Associate Development Committee, effective Oct. 1. He focuses his practice on representing management in all areas of labor and employment law in state and federal courts as well as before state and federal agencies. Simpson is an experienced litigator and has defended employers in a large number of class and collective actions. He also regularly counsels employers and their managers on preventive employee relations. In addition, Simpson serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Automobile Dealers Industry Group working regularly with auto dealer clients to provide practical solutions to day-to-day employment issues.