Lance is 7/7 in Cases before TN Court of Appeals

Feb 9, 2017 | Featured, News

Lance W. Thompson, an attorney with Spicer Rudstrom PLLC, is seven for seven in the Tennessee Court of Appeals, establishing an unprecedented success early in his career. He has been before the Tennessee Court of Appeals seven times and, to date, has never lost a case. Lance has dedicated his practice to researching critical issues in litigation, business, and international law. Spicer Rudstrom hired Lance to serve as the lead research attorney for the firm as well as its appellate attorney to concentrate on the appeals process. In his most recent victory before the Tennessee Court of Appeals, the court ruled in favor of his client and upheld the decision by the trial court.

In that case, the plaintiff was working for Bayer CropScience at a Home Depot store to help promote Bayer’s products. While working, the plaintiff was injured and filed suit against her employer, Bayer, and a separate defendant, Home Depot. The case was transferred to Spicer Rudstrom attorney Richard E. Spicer from another firm at the request of Bayer just weeks prior to trial. Rich undertook to amend pleadings to assert various affirmative defenses, including exclusive remedy and related defenses, as well as actions that eventually led to the client getting dismissed from the suit. The plaintiff appealed, but the Court of Appeals affirmed Bayer’s dismissal.

Lance handled the appeal filing briefs for the client and argued the case before the Tennessee Court of Appeals. During oral arguments, many critical issues needed to be addressed.  Specifically, the court was focused on the affirmative defense being pled just weeks before trial. However, Lance explained that “the defense was applicable, and, further, the law allowed the client to plead the defense at any time before trial and/or even during trial.” Ultimately, the court agreed with the arguments present and upheld the dismissal by the trial court.

Read more about the decision here.

Lance is an associate attorney with Spicer Rudstrom PLLC. He works in the firm’s Nashville office as the lead attorney for research and writing, including dispositive motions and pretrial motions with an emphasis on appellate briefs for all of the firm’s attorneys. He works with American and international companies, providing them with in-depth analysis of often very convoluted issues arising under Tennessee law and surrounding jurisdictions.