Rod Tanner is the founding shareholder of Tanner and Associates, P.C. in Fort Worth, Texas. Mr. Tanner's practice focuses on labor and employment law, civil trials and appeals, administrative proceedings and arbitration. He has extensive experience in complex litigation including employment discrimination class actions. His clients include various international, national and local labor organizations, union officials, professionals, employees and public figures.
Mr. Tanner received a B.A. Degree in English Literature with Honors from the University of Texas as Austin in 1973 and he received a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1976. He is admitted to practice in the State of Texas, United States Supreme Court, Fifth and Tenth U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Districe Court for the Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas.
Mr. Tanner has been Board Certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1990. He is a Fellow in the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and he has appeared in THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA (Woodward White 2008) for the past twelve years. Texas Monthly (2003-2007) has recognized him as a "Texas Super Lawyer," and Texas Lawyer (February 2001) has named him as one of the state's preeminent labor attorneys.
Mr. Tanner's notable cases include Int'l Ass'n of Machinist & Aerospace Workers, Local Lodge 2121 v. Goodrich Corporation (5th Cir. 2005), cert. denied, 126 S.Ct. 647, a precedent-setting case in which the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that a labor organization has standing to represent retired employees in grievance and arbitration proceedings to enforce a retiree medical benefits provision in a collective bargaining agreement.
Mr. Tanner is a past Chair of the State Bar of Texas Labor and Employment Law Section and a past Chair of the Tarrant County Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section. He is also Co-Chair of the National Employment Lawyers Association Labor Law Committee, a member of the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee, and a Founding Member of the Texas Employment Lawyers Association. He has spoken frequently before professional groups and labor organizations on subjects ranging from the National Labor Relations Act to Title VII class actions. And he is a contributing author of TEXAS EMPLOYMENT LAW (James Publishing Inc. 2007).
Mr. Tanner and his wife, Laura, have resided in Fort Worth since 1980. They have three sons. Mr. Tanner has been active in the community as a member of Forum Fort Worth. He has been a Democrat his entire life, and he is a longstanding member of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO. He was the only attorney member of U.S. Congressman Martin Frost's Labor Steering Committee. For many years, Mr. Tanner was a member of the Tarrant County Democratic Party Finance Council.
