As a shareholder in Glassman, Wyatt, Tuttle & Cox, Ed Wallis focuses his practice on civil litigation and contractual drafting and review for his clients. He also helps guide small businesses to assist in keeping them out of court with general risk discussions, contractual review and macro planning.
Ed is passionate about his clients and the practice of law. Trained in his teenage, college and law school years by his father (who practiced law for nearly 50 years), Ed learned the importance of dedication to clients at all times – days, nights, weekends and holidays. As a law clerk for a federal judge, Ed honed his writing and analytical skills further. He joined GWTC in February 2006, and since joining has been molded into a trial lawyer that pursues creative and efficient handling of legal matters both large and small. Ed handles each case the same – whether a small matter or a complex, multi-state dispute – with dedication, tenacity and focus. Each of his cases has a plan from the outset – created by he and his team. He allows the plan to evolve over the duration of a case – using the Firm’s resources and talented attorneys to best represent a client.
He is licensed in Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky (and has tried lawsuits in all three states). He has also appeared on behalf of clients in a number of states — California, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. He is honored to have developed a network of skilled lawyers across the nation over his career to assist him with matters.
Ed’s practice is broad as he, like others in his firm, seek to represent clients passionately in the courtroom and elsewhere for a variety of practice areas. Over the past several years in particular, Ed has handled a number of cases involving construction defect claims, transportation law, criminal premises liability, legal malpractice, medical malpractice, real estate litigation, banking litigation, commercial litigation (including franchise and dealership disputes) and employment contractual litigation (noncompete and alleged disclosure of confidential, trade secret information).
Ed is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest professional rating that can be achieved through peer ratings and reviews. He has also received the Award of Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation, Construction Litigation and Real Estate Litigation. In 2020, he was named the Attorney of the Year in Memphis for Real Estate Litigation. He is a proud member of the Themis Advocates Group, a national association of trial attorneys.
During his career, Ed has helped many clients including:
Defense of construction defect litigation including complex construction litigation. As one example, Ed defended a general contractor as it pertained to the allegedly defective construction of a large multifamily building that includes allegations involving defects to the sheathing, house wrap, window and door installation, exterior cladding (cement board panel and lap siding, cedar siding, metal ACM panels, corrugated metal panels), scuppers, TPO roof, mechancial and electrical penetrations, masonry and a host of other issues. Ed helped lead the defense for more than 25 parties sued, assisted in taking over 100 depositions in 8 states, assisted in the review of hundreds of thousands of pages of documents and assisted in other means to ensure his client was protected.
Defending a leading road and bridge construction company in a suit for over one million dollars in lost profits in Arkansas Federal Court. Ed personally appeared and argued an appeal in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and prevailed in having this portion of the case dismissed for the benefit of his client.
Defended a Southeastern United States traffic control company in a suit seeking over $17 million dollars in damages. Summary judgment was granted based on a Motion filed by Ed Wallis and his partner, and the case was dismissed against the traffic control supplier. Ed also secured testimony from the Plaintiff’s expert, which resulted in the District Court striking the expert’s testimony against Ed’s client.
Defended a global supplier of concrete materials in a suit for more than $10 million dollars in Tennessee Federal Court involving defective construction, defective supply and defective design.
Defending numerous general contractors for matters involving alleged defective construction of residential home new construction, residential home remodel, multi-family and commercial new construction.
Defending numerous subcontractors in matters involving defective home construction and commercial construction.
Represented owners in construction defect claims.
Assisted in a pre-suit investigation and negotiation for a major regional commercial contractor, who was alleged to have failed to properly oversee a large renovation project thus resulting in a fire causing significant damage. The end result was no suit filed and no liability for the Client.
Defended a national interior design firm in a suit involving travertine flooring installed in a cancer treatment center.
Defended an electrical engineering supply firm alleged to have negligently installed overhead electrical lines associated with a light rail system in a host of personal injury lawsuits.
Represented numerous businesses and employees in matters involving dealer agreements, franchise agreements, noncompete agreements, confidentiality agreements, separation agreements and more
Helped a local community bank recover more than $400,000.00 on a deficiency action against a borrower that failed to timely pay notes owed to the bank.
Represented a host of attorneys and law firms that have been sued for legal malpractice, achieving summary judgment or dismissal on the merits in a host of courts including federal courts in all three districts in Tennessee, Tennessee state court, and federal and state court in Arkansas. Some of these clients were sued for hundreds of millions of dollars. Ed has also represented attorneys sued for legal malpractice in Mississippi. While the types of cases involving claims for legal malpractice have been varied, Ed routinely helps real estate attorneys that have been sued for legal malpractice.
Defended title companies, title insurers, banks, realtors, real estate companies, housing eviction/servicing companies and more in real estate litigation involving a number of areas. Ed regularly attends continuing legal education events and real estate seminars on the real estate, real estate closing and title insurance industries.
Prosecuted claims on behalf of a number of recipients of a class III implantable medical device, including serving as second chair counsel at a trial in Louisville, Kentucky that achieved a trial verdict of $7.25 million dollars (Sadler v. Advanced Bionics). Ed represented clients around the world that received the Advanced Bionics Clarion CII and HiRes90k cochlear implant devices, including from coast to coast in the United States as well as in Canada, Spain and Colombia. Ed assisted in taking depositions of then current and former employees and expert witnesses across the United States, and regularly met with his clients in their homes from California to Massachusetts to Miami, Florida.
Ed has also represented other 510k and Class III medical device recipients and those ingesting prescription drugs, including SSDI birth defects (including Wellbutrin birth defects, Effexor birth defects and more), Mirena perforation, TVM/TVT transvaginal mesh, Essure birth control, IVG filters, testosterone replacement therapy, Xarelto bleeding injuries, and more.
Assisted in a variety of business litigation cases, including for allegedly defective conditions, monies owed, wrongful conduct, breach of commission agreements, breach of duty of loyalty and good faith dealing, and more.
Defended a major telecommunications company and multi-state traffic control company sued for alleged violation of the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
Defended temporary traffic control companies pertaining to their handling of temporary traffic control on construction and other traffic flow scenarios.
Assisted his clients in a variety of medical malpractice and nursing home abuse cases.
Prosecuted claims for fraud, misrepresentation, breach of warranty and violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act against a business specializing in modified Cessna SkyMaster airplanes. Ed served as second chair counsel at trial, where the client obtained a $1 million verdict.
Represented a number of businesses sued for defective premises liability and safety, receiving summary dismissal on a number of occasions in Tennessee State Court and Tennessee Federal Court.
Helped victims of sexual abuse in the Shelby County School System, the Memphis School System and the Tipton County School System.
Prosecuted breach of contract cases on behalf of businesses in a variety of settings in both state and federal court.
Assisted high level employees and franchisees with contractual interpretation, review and litigation dispute resolution.
Assisted with the high profile defense of successful businessmen sued for invasion of privacy, tortious interference with a contract, fraud, misrepresentation and sexual harassment.
Defended a global manufacturer sued for products liability and wrongful death, achieving summary judgment in Tennessee Federal Court.
False Claims Act and Qui Tam Whistleblower Litigation
School System Sexual Assault (GTLA, Title IX, Section 1983)
Education
University School of Jackson (1997)
University of Tennessee at Knoxville, magna cum laude (B.S. Finance, 2001)
Universidad de Granada, Spain (ISA Program, 2000)
University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law, cum laude (J.D., 2004)
Court Admissions
Tennessee Supreme Court (2004)
Kentucky Supreme Court (2014)
Arkansas Supreme Court (2015)
U.S. Supreme Court (2012)
U.S. Tax Court (2014)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit (2005)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit (2011)
U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee (2005)
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee (2006)
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee (2012)
U.S. District Court, Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas (2007)
U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky (2016)
Memberships/Board Appointments
Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel (TACC)
Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
Executive Committee (Class of 2025)
State Chair, Tennessee
Mentor Committee, Chair
We Prefer to Refer Committee Member
Annual Convention AV Volunteer (2021 – Asheville, NC)
Themis Advocates Group, Member
Practice Group Member – Professional Liability and Construction Defect
Membership Committee Member
American Bar Association
Tennessee Bar Association
Litigation Section
Construction Law Section
Kentucky Bar Association
Arkansas Bar Association
Memphis Bar Association
DRI, Member
Honors and Professional Achievements
AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Best Lawyers in America: Commercial Litigation, Construction Litigation, Real Estate Litigation, Medical Malpractice (2018-2019-2020-2o21-2022-2023-2024)
Best Lawyers in America – Lawyer of the Year for Real Estate Litigation, 2020-2021
Mid South Super Lawyer Rising Star (2012)
Mid South Super Lawyer (Products Liability – Plaintiff) (2013)
Mid South Super Lawyer (General Litigation) (2014)
Mid South Super Lawyer (General Litigation) (2015)
Mid South Super Lawyer (General Litigation) (2016)
Mid South Super Lawyer (General Litigation) (2017)
Mid South Super Lawyer (General Litigiation) (2018)
Mid South Super Lawyer (General Litigation) (2019)
Mid South Super Lawyer (Business Litigation) (2020)
Mid South Super Lawyer (Business Litigation) (2021)
Mid South Super Lawyer (Business Litigation) (2022)
Mid South Super Lawyer (Business Litigation) (2023)
Mid South Super Lawyer (Business Litigation) (2024)
Former Editor in Chief, Richmond Journal of Law & Technology (2004)
Former Judicial Clerk to the Honorable S. Thomas Anderson of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee (August 2004-August 2005)
Member, Judicial Panel for Magistrate Judge, Western Disrtict of Tennessee (2020)
Publications
Fish Genes Into Tomatoes: How the World Regulates Genetically Modified Foods, North Dakota Law Review
Former Member, Second Presbyterian Church Mission Memphis Committee
Former Member, Executive Committee
Served as a Community Liaison with Partners including YMOT, Memphis Athletic Ministries, Economic Opportunities, Repairing the Breach, Alcy Ball Development Corporation, Campus Outreach for Christ, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Innovation Church, Memphis Teacher Residency, Excel, Neighborhood Christian Center (NCC) and others.
Former Adult Leader, Cub Scouts, Pack 55
Den Leader, Tiger Cub Scouts (2015-2016)
Den Leader, Wolf Cub Scouts (2016-2017)
Cubmaster (2016-2017)
Member, Mariner Condominium Owners Association Board of Directors
Vice Chair (2021-2022)
President (2023-present)
Personal
Ed Wallis, born and raised in Jackson, Tennessee, is married to Jenna and the proud father of two sons, Edwin and Butler. When not practicing law, Ed can likely be found cheering on the Tennessee Vols and Memphis Grizzlies. He also is an endurance athlete and triathelete, having competed numerous races including 13.1, 20k, 25k, 26.2 marathon and 50k (30 mile) running races, a 10 mile Spartan race, and multiple 70.3 half Ironman triathlons in Tennessee, Indiana and Louisiana and a 50 mile ultramarathon in Moab, Utah. He is also an Ironman Finisher, having completed Ironman Arizona in November 2022. He is currently training for his second 140.6 mile Full Ironman race to take place in October 2024 in Sacramento.
