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Leigh Anne St. Charles

Nashville Managing Partner

Phone: 615-434-7006
Email: lstcharles@sanfordheisler.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/leigh-anne-st-charles
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“Collectively the SHSM team represented the highest level of professionalism, integrity, and passionate care for justice that I have ever witnessed in my career.”
– David Chen, a Former Client

Leigh Anne is the Managing Partner of the Nashville office of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Firmwide Co-Head of Litigation, a Co-Chair of the firm’s Discrimination and Harassment Practice Group, and Co-Chair of the firm’s Financial Mismanagement and ERISA Litigation Practice Group.

Since joining Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Leigh Anne has been recognized in the legal community as a Mid-South Rising Star by Super Lawyers, was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers in Tennessee by the National Trial Lawyers Association, and was recognized in the 2021 and 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” in the field of Employment Law – Individuals.

At Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Leigh Anne’s practice has focused on discrimination and harassment, and financial services litigation. As part of her discrimination and harassment practice, Leigh Anne has represented individuals and classes in claims of gender, age, FMLA, and disability discrimination, and retaliation. As part of her financial services practice, Leigh Anne represents classes of workers from around the country who have invested through their employer’s 401(k) plan in their claims of breach of fiduciary duty and 401(k) plan mismanagement. Leigh Anne’s representations have included:

Leigh Anne received her law degree from Columbia Law School and her Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Western Kentucky University. While at Columbia Law School, Leigh Anne was a James Kent and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She served as a notes editor for the Journal of Law and Social Problems, a board member for the American Constitution Society and Workers’ Rights Student Coalition, and a teaching assistant for Disability Law. She also tutored middle school students through the Harlem Tutorial Project.

A member of the Tennessee and District of Columbia bars, Leigh Anne co-authored an article, Brokerage Windows in 401(k) Plans: The Total Abdication of Fiduciary Responsibility, in the Winter 2021 edition of the Benefits Law Journal.

Before joining Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Leigh Anne was an associate at Arnold and Porter, LLP, where she gained substantial experience in complex commercial litigation.

When Leigh Anne is not lawyering, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and gardening. Leigh Anne is also a certified doula.

Education

  • J.D., Columbia Law School
    • Notes Editor, the Journal of Law and Social Problems
  • B.A., Western Kentucky University

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia, 2015
  • Tennessee, 2018

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2017

I Am Able to Enjoy Life Because All of You

“I just wanted to tell you how wonderful my life is now. I am able to enjoy life because all of you supported me and helped me get through the worst time of my life. I am so grateful for your support.”

– Former Client

True Professionals

Deciding to take action and pursue a legal case was a complicated and emotional decision. Ed, Cara, Jonathan, Leigh Anne, Kaitlin, and the rest of the team at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight supported me through this journey, providing expert guidance, caring, and compassion. They took the time needed to absorb the nuances of my situation, continued to navigate through roadblocks, demonstrated the patience of true professionals, and led my case to a successful outcome for me and my family. I will be forever grateful!

– Former Client

I highly recommend them

Kaitlin Leary, Leigh Anne St. Charles, and Kevin Sharp went above and beyond to guide and support me through a legal matter. They always came prepared, listened, showed the utmost care and professionalism, and solved the issues at hand. Having Kaitlin, Leigh Anne, and Kevin in my corner during a life changing situation allowed me to remain calm with paths to move forward. I highly recommend them and their firm.

– Former Client

Passionate Care for Justice

“As a client of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, I had the opportunity of working with its attorneys at multiple locations: Ms. Ella Zheng and Mr. Yikai Wang (in San Francisco), Ms. Leigh Anne St. Charles and Messrs. Kevin Sharp and Jonathan Tepe (in Nashville), and Mr. Andrew Melzer (in New York). Collectively the SHSM team represented the highest level of professionalism, integrity, and passionate care for justice that I have ever witnessed in my career.

Like many individual plaintiffs, I was faced with a corporate defendant that was much more resourceful. The SHSM team never showed any hesitation in representing me or wavered in their resolution to right the wrong. The attorneys and assistants worked through maternity, coronavirus infection, over-night depositions and many other challenges for nearly three years to ultimately deliver a resounding success!

I am forever indebted to Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight's‘s perseverance and kindness. Last three years were such a lifetime experience that I will never forget.”
– David Chen

Leonard Peltier Clemency Petition

Representation of Leonard Peltier, a political activist for Indigenous rights, accused in 1977 of murdering two FBI agents in 1975 during a shoot-out at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. President Biden granted clemency on January 20, 2025, commuting the remainder of his life sentence to home confinement. Clemency petitions highlighted significant violations of Mr. Peltier’s constitutional rights during his trial.

UnitedHealth Certified ERISA Class Action

This class action accuses the fiduciaries of UnitedHealth’s 401(k) plan of violating their fiduciary duties under ERISA by keeping one of the worst-performing target date investment options in the entire market, the Wells Fargo Target Fund Suite, as the plan’s default investment for over a decade.

Volkswagen AG Age Discrimination Collective Action

The German automakers’ “Pact for the Future” labor campaign eliminates 7,000 jobs in the Americas primarily held by workers born between 1955 and 1960.

Allstate ERISA Class Action

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight is currently evaluating whether Allstate mismanaged its 401(k) plan.

 

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak and Stewart, P.C. PAGA Lawsuit

The plaintiff is former Ogletree equity partner Tracy Warren, who filed the representative action on behalf of herself and other similarly situated current or former female attorneys employed in California at the storied defense-side labor and employment firm. Ms. Warren filed the action under the California Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA).

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak and Stewart, P.C. Gender Discrimination Lawsuit

The complaint asserts that Ogletree uses a number of tactics to shortchange female shareholders in pay and promotions. The firm manipulates allocation of origination credits by unfairly attributing such credits to male shareholders, even when women at the firm are the ones who bring in the client.

InnoGrit Corp. Breach of Contract Suit

The Complaint on behalf of InnoGrit’s co-founder Yuhui (David) Chen alleges breach of contract, promissory fraud, retaliation, wrongful termination, and shareholder direct and derivative claims.

Home Depot ERISA Class Action

According to the complaint, Home Depot has selected multiple poorly-performing funds for its 401(k) plan, allowed investment advisers to charge its employees unreasonable fees, and turned a blind eye to a kickback scheme between an investment adviser and the plan’s recordkeeper.

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