Butler Snow attorney Liesel Carmen-Burks will present at the 2026 Middle Tennessee SHRM Employment Law Conference, taking place October 29-30 at the Hilton Franklin Cool Springs in Franklin, Tennessee. Butler Snow is also a sponsor of this year’s conference.
Carmen-Burks will present “The Retaliation Trap: Managing Performance and Other Employment Actions After Complaints, Leave, and Other Protected Activity” on Thursday, October 29. Her session will examine how routine employment actions involving employees who have recently engaged in protected activity can increase the risk of retaliation claims. Through practical scenarios, the presentation will address common risk factors, including documentation, timing and manager communications, as well as considerations for managing performance, discipline and termination decisions.
The two-day conference will provide HR professionals with updates and practical guidance on current developments in employment law. Programming will address topics including artificial intelligence in HR, EEOC enforcement, harassment liability, compliance risks associated with hybrid work, workplace investigations and employee separations. The conference will conclude with a live mock deposition and legal panel Q&A.
Carmen-Burks is a member of Butler Snow’s Labor and Employment group. She represents employers and other organizations in labor and employment litigation, arbitration, counseling and compliance matters, including discrimination and harassment claims, EEOC proceedings and related civil rights matters. She also advises clients on wage and hour issues, employee discipline and termination, leave requirements, disability accommodations, restrictive covenants and employment agreements, among other workplace matters.
For additional information or to register, visit the Middle Tennessee SHRM conference website.
