Matt Stephens

May 2nd, 2018
Matt Stephens
Matt Stephens

Matt Stephens is a Shareholder and the Managing Partner of Litigation, Operations, and Finance for Russell, Oliver & Stephens, PLC.  He has practiced law for over 20 years, and has been with the firm for over 17 years handling health plan reimbursement matters on behalf of employers, plan fiduciaries, and third-party administrators.  Before joining Russell, Oliver & Stephens, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable W. Frank Crawford, former Presiding Judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, and worked with one of the country’s largest labor and employment law firms.  Mr. Stephens is a frequent speaker on ERISA, FEHBA, Medicare, and other health plan subrogation and reimbursement topics at conferences around the country.  In fact, since 2007, he has been a Presenter at the National Other Party Liability Group Annual Conference.  He is also a published author.  His article, “Becoming the Best Healthcare Gunslinger in the Ninth Circuit,” was published in the Winter 2006 Edition of Subrogator by the National Association of Subrogation Professionals.  Additionally, he co-authored “Healthcare Subrogation Trilogy: Sorting Out the Three Cases Decided by the Supreme Court in 2006 in Order to Maximize Subrogation Recoveries in 2007 and Beyond,” published in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Legal Affairs Bulletin, No. 974 (March 2007).  In 1998, Mr. Stephens graduated cum laude from The University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Professional Studies, and in 2001, he earned his law degree from The University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

Phone: 901.202.4423
Fax: 901.844.4435
Email: matts@roslawgroup.com

Education

  • The University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Memphis, Tennessee, J.D., 2001
    • American Jurisprudence Awards in the General Litigation and Child Advocacy Clinics
      1999 National Moot Court Team member
  • The University of Memphis, B.P.S., cum laude, 1998
  • The State Technical Institute at Memphis, A.A.S., 1995

Practice Areas

  • ERISA Litigation
  • Employment Litigation
  • Health Care Subrogation
  • Disability Subrogation
  • Overpayment Collection Litigation
  • Benefit Claims Litigation
  • Med-Pay Subrogation

Speaking Engagements

  • “The Year of the Ox and A Big Year for Subrogation”
    • National Other Party Liability Group Virtual Conference
    • April 28, 2021
  • “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (I Mean Chattanooga)”
    • BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Lawyer’s Conference
    • Chattanooga, TN  –  March 6, 2020
  • “Back to the Basics—Forming a Solid Subrogation Foundation”
    • National Other Party Liability Group Conference
    • Savannah, GA  –  April 2, 2019
  • “Workers’ Compensation Procedures v. Subrogation Procedures”
    • National Other Party Group Conference
    • Savannah, GA  –  April 1, 2019
  • “How to Avoid the Head-On Collision—Steering Clear of Adverse Subrogation Laws for ERISA, FEHBA, and Medicare Advantage Plans”
    • National Other Party Liability Group Conference
    • Scottsdale, AZ  –  April 18, 2018
  • “Reading Between the Telephone Lines”
    • National Other Party Liability Group
    • Phoenix, AZ  –  April 28, 2017
  • “How to Win in Michigan”
    • National Other Party Liability Group
    • Asheville, NC  –  April 13, 2016
  • “MONTANILE: A New Beginning or Just the Same Old Rule?”
    • National Telephone Conference Presented by Russell, Oliver & Stephens, PLC for Health Plan Subrogation Professionals
    • January 28, 2016
  • “ERISA Subrogation A-Z”
    • National Other Party Liability Group
    • Arlington, VA  –  April 9, 2015
  • “ERISA Subrogation A-Z: Protecting the Plan’s Lien When Not Intervening”
    • BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Lawyer’s Conference
    • Chattanooga, TN  –  May 16, 2014
  • “Negotiation Techniques for the Health Plan Subrogation Professional: Knowledge is Power”
    • National Other Party Liability Group
    • San Diego, CA  –  April 9, 2013
  • “Equitable Defenses: Not a Bed of Roses”
    • National Webinar Presented by Russell, Oliver & Stephens, PLC for Health and Disability Plan Subrogation Professionals
    • November 6, 2012
  • “American Subro: Negotiation Techniques”
    • National Other Party Liability Group
    • San Antonio, TX  –  May 3, 2012
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Lawyer’s Conference
    • Spring 2012
  • “The Top Ten Things to Know Before Calling a Member’s Attorney”
    • National Telephone Conference Presented by Russell, Oliver & Stephens, PLC for Health and Disability Plan Subrogation Professionals
    • July 26, 2011
  • “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and COBRA Compliance”
    • Guest Speaker, Webinar Sponsored by Lipscomb & Pitts
    • March 27, 2009
  • “Subrogation Game Show Challenge”
    • National Other Party Liability Group
    • Denver, CO  –  April 29-May 2, 2008
  • “The Best of the Best: The Top Ten Ways to be the Best In-House Subrogation and Reimbursement Unit in the Country”
    • National Other Party Liability Group
    • Portland, OR  –  April 18-20, 2007
  • “ERISA Subrogation NASP”
    • Southern Chapter Meeting
    • Murfreesboro, TN  –  October 2006

Publications

  • “Health Care Subrogation Trilogy: Sorting Out the Three Cases Decided by the Supreme Court in 2006 in Order to Maximize Subrogation Recoveries in 2007 and Beyond”
    • Legal Affairs Bulletin, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, No. 974  –  March 2007
  • “Becoming the Best Health Care Gunslinger in the Ninth Circuit”
    • Subrogator, National Association of Subrogation Professionals  –  Winter 2006

Published Decisions

  • MBI Energy Services, Inc. v. Hoch, 929 F.3d 506 (8th Cir. 2019)
  • Moss v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., No. 11-6017, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 17630 (6th Cir. Aug. 17, 2012).
  • Isabel v. City of Memphis, 404 F. 3d 404 (6th Cir. 2005).
  • LeSuer v. HCA Inc., No. 09-35458, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 17428 (9th Cir. Aug. 18, 2010).
  • CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. v. Ledford, 204 F. Supp. 3d 983 (M.D. Tenn. 2016)
  • Kargarian v. AutoZoners, LLC, No. 3:12-CV-144-MOC-DSC, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 143705 (W.D.N.C. Sept. 13, 2012).
  • Johnson v. AutoZone, Inc., 768 F. Supp. 2d 1124 (N.D. Ala. 2011).
  • Politron v. Worldwide Domestic Servs., LLC, 17 Wage & Hour Cas. 2d (BNA) 1175 (M.D. Tenn. 2011).
  • Moss v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., 50 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1984 (W.D. Ky. 2011).

Professional Affiliations

  • National Association of Subrogation Professionals

Admitted

  • United States Supreme Court
  • Supreme Court of Tennessee
  • United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
  • United States District Court for the District of Colorado
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas