Mediation and Ombudsman Services of Tennessee welcomes new staff

By Brian Holmes, Nashville

The Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation continues our tradition of hiring high-quality talent to the mediation program. We’re pleased to announce that Sam Keen, Derrick Shorter and George Maifair recently joined the Bureau as workers’ compensation mediators.

Sam Keen is a new mediator in the Nashville office.

Sam joined the Bureau last month. He previously worked as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, where he primarily defended low- and moderate-income renters and homeowners facing eviction or foreclosure. Sam also served as Legal Aid’s Equal Employment Officer and Limited English Proficiency Coordinator. He is located in the Nashville office.

Derrick joined the Jackson mediation team in September. Many West Tennessee attorneys/adjusters have worked with him in his previous roles as an assistant to the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims and as an administrative assistant to the Memphis office. Derrick recently achieved five years of service with the Bureau.

Derrick Shorter was promoted and now works as a mediator in Jackson.

George joined the Bureau as a mediator in July 2018. His previous work representing employers and injured workers provides a unique perspective on claims, which has already earned him praise from counsel in several disputes he helped resolve. George is in our Nashville office.

George Maifair joined the Nashville mediation team.

In other M.O.S.T. news, the ombudsman attorney position is now one year into providing limited legal advice to self-represented litigants. Over 50 injured workers have elected to utilize this service. Due to the demand, the Bureau added a second position.

Long-time customers might remember working with Charles Herrell before the 2013 Reform. Charlie returned to the Tennessee workers’ compensation community in September as an ombudsman attorney after working in the Department of Commerce and Insurance for the past five years. Charlie handled enforcement and temporary/medical benefit cases in his tenure with the former Workers’ Compensation Division.

Charlie says it’s “great to be back in a position where I can help people to understand the workers’ compensation law.”