Donald Babineaux joined the firm in 2007 after practicing for five years in Alabama. Since he has been associated with the firm as a trial attorney, Donald has handled hundreds of cases across the State of Tennessee in both state and federal courts, as well as claims before administrative tribunals. His focus has been on providing quality, efficient, and effective representation to his clients. During his career, Donald has helped clients in a variety of ways, including:
- Defended a major tire manufacturer in a premises action stemming from a labor union dispute and succeeded in obtaining a summary judgment in favor of the client.
- Represented a law firm and attorney in a legal malpractice case and successfully excluded the plaintiff’s expert, which prompted the plaintiff to dismiss the claim.
- Sought sanctions against a plaintiff for discovery abuse and achieved dismissal of the plaintiff’s claims in an action against a manufacturer.
- Obtained a favorable verdict in favor of a consumer on a claim under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act against an automobile dealership.
- Defended a national transportation company in an action seeking multi-million dollar recovery for personal injuries.
- Represented numerous employers denying benefits in workers’ compensation claims seeking permanent disability benefits and successfully argued that claims were not compensable based on various applicable defenses under Tennessee’s Workers’ Compensation Act.
Practice Areas
- Civil Litigation
- Transportation Litigation
- Premises Liability
- Workers’ Compensation
- Legal Malpractice
Education
- Grambling State University, Grambling, LA, magna cum laude (B.S. in Business, 1995)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville College of Law (J.D. 2001)
Court Admissions
- Alabama Supreme Court (2002)
- Tennessee Supreme Court (2008)
- U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals (2008)
- U.S. District Court for Northern District of Alabama (2001)
- U.S. District Court for Western District of Tennessee (2008)
- U.S. District Court for Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas (2014)
Memberships/Board Appointments
- Alabama Bar Association
- Mid-South Workers’ Compensation Association
Honors and Professional Achievements
- Former Member, University of Tennessee College of Law Moot Court Board
Presentations and Publications
- Presenter, “A ‘Dream Team’ Approach to Handling Workers’ Compensation Claims – Defense Counsel Vie, before Mid-South Workers’ Compensation Association (February 2015).
Community Involvement
- Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters (2012-2014)
- Board of Trustees for Woodland Presbyterian School (2015 – present)
Personal
In his spare time, Donald enjoys playing golf and cooking. As a native of south Louisiana, he is particularly fond of Cajun cuisine. In 2013, Donald placed third in the poultry division of the Memphis in May World Championship Cooking Contest with his entry of a gumbo infused Cornish hen.
