Greg Coleman

Founder

Greg Coleman

Career Overview:

Greg Coleman is the Founding Partner of Greg Coleman Law, bringing more than 30 years of trial and appellate experience in complex, high-stakes litigation. Throughout his career, Mr. Coleman has been recognized as a national leader in class actions, products liability, medical practice, personal injury, toxic torts, premises liability, ERISA, drug and medical device litigation, workers' compensation, and complex multi-district matters, representing individuals and classes against some of the largest corporate defendants both in the country and around the world.

Awards:

Knoxville Lawyer of the Year, Plaintiff’s Litigation and Product Liability Litigation

Credentials:

University of Tennessee College of Law, Jacksonville State University

Licensing and Court Admissions:

Tennessee

Follow Me:

Mr. Coleman earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with highest honors and distinction from Jacksonville State University in 1986 and received his Juris Doctor from The University of Tennessee College of Law in 1989. During law school, he distinguished himself academically and competitively as a member of the National Trial Moot Court Team, earning the American Jurisprudence Award and recognition in Who’s Who Among Rising Young Americans. He was inducted into the National Order of Barristers in recognition of outstanding oral advocacy and trial skills.

Prior to founding Greg Coleman Law, Mr. Coleman served as a Managing and Founding Partner of Milberg, where he played a central role in building and leading nationally recognized litigation practices. During that tenure, he served as lead or co-lead counsel in numerous landmark cases that resulted in significant recoveries for plaintiffs and classes nationwide and abroad.

Mr. Coleman is certified as both a Civil Trial Advocacy Specialist and Civil Pretrial Advocacy Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, multiple United States Courts of Appeals, numerous federal district courts nationwide, and the courts of the State of Tennessee. He is also entitled to practice as a Registered Foreign Lawyer in England and Wales, as approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

His professional honors include being named Knoxville Lawyer of the Year for Plaintiff’s Litigation and Product Liability Litigation, recognition in The Best Lawyers in America, designation as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer, a finalist in Public Justice’s Lawyer of the Year, and repeated acknowledgment by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s top lawyers and law firms. For several consecutive years, Mr. Coleman has been named to LawDragon’s Leading Litigators in America for his legal efforts in Commercial Litigation across the Knoxville region. He holds an AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only honorary society representing less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. He has similarly held a Mid-South Super Lawyer designation for nearly 20 years, representing the top five percent of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee attorneys.

Mr. Coleman is a lifetime member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a Charter Member of the Knoxville Chapter of the American Inns of Court, and a member of the American Association for Justice and Public Justice. He has been featured in Newsweek’s Showcase of Nationwide Top Attorneys and regularly in Knoxville publications, while lecturing nationwide on advanced trial advocacy, ethics, and complex litigation strategy.

In addition to his legal career, Mr. Coleman has been deeply engaged in civic work, as a tireless supporter of local and regional charitable initiatives across Tennessee.

Legal Achievements

Throughout his career, Mr. Coleman has tried more than 100 jury trials (in addition to countless bench trials), and has served as lead or co-lead counsel in numerous complex matters, including but not limited to:

Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Litigation

Involved in the landmark Volkswagen “diesel cheat” emissions litigation, which has resulted in a multi-million settlement addressing deceptive emissions practices. The case remains one of the most significant environmental and consumer protection actions in automotive history.

Adkisson v. Jacobs Engineering-Kingston Coal Ash Spill Litigation (Tennessee)

Represented hundreds of workers and their families who suffered injuries while participating in the cleanup of the Kingston coal ash spill, one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history. Plaintiffs alleged, among other claims, that the defendant failed to provide essential personal protective equipment, exposing workers to hazardous conditions. Following multiple substantive rulings, the matter concluded with a confidential settlement in 2023, delivering accountability and resolution for affected workers and their families.

Panoramic Sunroof Defect Class Actions

Litigated panoramic sunroof defect cases for several years, successfully resolving multiple matters for many millions of dollars on behalf of vehicle owners. In a major nationwide class action against Nissan, filed in 2018, Mr. Coleman and his team prevailed on every major motion, including class certification, summary judgment, and Daubert challenges. The case established controlling precedent in the Ninth Circuit, and following the United States Supreme Court’s denial of Nissan’s petition for review, the ruling now stands as binding law nationwide unless and until another circuit rules otherwise.

Electrolux Defective Products Class Action (Nationwide)

Co-lead counsel in a nationwide class action involving defectively manufactured dryers. The litigation resulted in a settlement benefiting more than one million class members, with an expected utilization value exceeding $35 million, holding the manufacturer accountable for widespread product defects.

AK Steel ERISA Class Action–Butler Works Plant (Pennsylvania)

Lead trial counsel in a landmark ERISA class action, securing a $178.6 million settlement on behalf of more than 3,000 retirees in 2011. In approving the settlement, Judge Timothy S. Black of the Southern District of Ohio described the result as historic, commending plaintiffs’ counsel for extraordinary diligence, skill, and value delivered to the class.

AK Steel ERISA Class Action-Zanesville Works Plant (Ohio)

Lead trial counsel in a separate ERISA class action against AK Steel, obtaining a $15.8 million settlement in 2012 for more than 250 retirees, further reinforcing protections for employee retirement benefits.

Jenkins v. Keeble-Trucking Accident Litigation (Tennessee)

Lead counsel in a week-long jury trial that resulted in the largest negligence verdict in the State of Tennessee for 2009, demonstrating trial excellence in catastrophic personal injury litigation.

Wage and Hour and Consumer Class Actions

Co-lead counsel in complex class actions involving Jewelry Television and Fair Labor Standards Act cases against Westgate Resorts, including Davis v. Planet Hollywood Las Vegas and Watson v. Westgate Resorts, Inc., both of which were successfully resolved.

Drug, Medical Device and Complex Product Liability Litigation

Led/co-led extensive litigation involving defective drugs and medical devices, representing individuals and classes in high-stakes, technically complex matters against major corporate defendants.

Landmark Appellate Decisions

Mr. Coleman has played a central role in several precedent-setting Appellate cases, including:

West v. East Tennessee Pioneer Oil Co. (Tenn. 2005): Established a legal duty for convenience stores selling gasoline to obviously intoxicated drivers.
Satterfield v. Alcoa, Inc. (Tenn. 2008): Expanded duty principles related to mesothelioma exposure to non-employee household members.
Merkner v. AK Steel and Lowther v. AK Steel: Influential federal decisions addressing employer liability and exposure-related claims.