Walt Metz Transportation Resume

1.  770.888.3720 |  waltmetz@live.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/waltmetz
Currently reside in Suwanee, GA.
Open to domestic relocation and business travel.
Walt Metz | Page 1 of 3
EXECUTIVE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR TRANSPORTATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN COMPANIES
resolving complex legal issues while advising on transactions, regulatory compliance, litigation & business strategy
e x e c u t i v e s u m m a r y
Strategic, forward-thinking supply chain industry executive in-house legal counsel with a track record of accomplishments
achieved for public and private company employers in the trucking, warehousing, real estate holding, logistics and retail
industries. Experienced corporate counselor committed to providing corporate clients with solutions to transactional,
regulatory and litigation risks. Career highlights include establishing first-ever legal department during stellar 5-year tenure
as General Counsel for $800M supply chain company, facilitating $190M warehouse acquisition and coordinating legal
functions for $1B bank refinancing and stock sale of company. Secured early dismissal of 2 high-profile class actions and
recovered $1M in legal claims for leading department store chain. Restructured the claims procedures for a large self-
insured truck carrier and successfully handled high exposure truck accident claims.
c r i t i c a l s k i l l s e t
p r o f e s s i o n a l e m p l o y m e n t h i s t o r y
SPECIAL COUNSEL 2012 – Present
Private Legal Consultancy
Sought out by national transportation transactional law firm, transportation and supply chain
businesses—Scudder Law Firm, Gordon Trucking, Inc. and WOW Logistics—to channel subject
matter expertise and industry insight into positive legal outcomes. Served as legal resource
and contributor to legal journals on complicated regulatory changes and risk management.
Continue consultancy activities while searching for next career challenge. (Complete list of
articles provided on request).
 Provided valuable legal assistance during due diligence phase of merger transaction
between 2 transportation companies.
 Facilitated closing of 3 large mortgage-backed loans for $600M transportation company
by reviewing and revising numerous complicated documents.
 Expedited transactions by providing complex contract reviews and advice for large
warehousing and logistics company.
VICE PRESIDENT AND ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL 2011
Old Dominion Freight Line
Recruited by $1.9B motor carrier to relocate out of state and transition into GC role, pending
retirement of 20-year incumbent. Resolved myriad accident cases and employment claims,
 Transportation Law  Legal Division Startups/Leadership  Risk Management/Insurance
 Warehousing Law  Corporate Governance  Commercial Litigation Management
 Transportation Agreements  General Law Practice  Patent Litigation Management
 Transportation Litigation  M&A/Post-Merger Integrations  Employment/HR Law
 CSA  Commercial Leases  Real Estate Transactions
 Hours of Service  Commercial/Contract Law  Financing Transactions
General counsel, secretary, vice president, compliance, litigation,
mergers and acquisitions, employment, contracts, negotiations, general
business legal issues, commercial legal matters, commercial litigation,
trucking, transportation, logistics, supply chain, real estate, strategic,
tactical, proactive, innovative, workers compensation, risk management,
team player, board room stature, leader, strategic partner, corporate
matters, senior management, M&A, loan agreements, finance,
mortgages, acquisitions, divestitures, due diligence, manage outside
counsel, policies and procedures, warehousing, suits, claims, solutions,
laws, regulations, indemnity, corporate governance, legal advice,
executive management, advice board, risks, benefits, administer,
agreements, non-disclosure, vendor agreements, human resources,
EEOC, ADEA, ADA, indemnity, minutes, equal opportunity, legislation, in-
house, commercial transactions, budget, financings, Board materials,
legal affairs, employment litigation, accidents, chief legal advisor,
organizational documents, insurance coverage, investigations, DOT,
FMCSA, hos, hours of service, agencies, lawsuits, commercial disputes,
government affairs, intellectual property, IP, software agreements, major
transactions, legal staff, executive management, leadership, law firm,
organization, communication, interpersonal skills, business judgment,
contract requirements, collaboration, Juris Doctor, temperature
controlled, distribution, legal services, legal generalist, law school, state
bar
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2. Walt Metz | Page 2 of 3
VICE PRESIDENT AND ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL (continued) 2011
Old Dominion Freight Line
managed litigation and expedited contracts before returning to home state based on transition
progression and geographic and family considerations.
 Negotiated indemnity agreement for defense of industry-wide allegations in patent
infringement suit.
 Positioned NASDAQ exchange-listed company for success in raising equity capital by
spearheading due diligence response and revisions to related transactional documents
during at-the-market (ATM) public stock offering initiative.
“I worked opposite Walt Metz on a public offering by his client, where…[he] was the lead
in-house attorney for the issuer. Walt was tireless in his efforts to negotiate the best
possible terms for his client...diligent, resourceful and tenacious when making,
supporting and defending his client's point of view…his ability to separate the important
from the unimportant streamlined numerous issues, which was critical in a fast-moving
process…maintained a rigorous sense of value, insisting on a process and result that
respected both quality and cost.”—Attorney, Scudder Law Firm
VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY 2005 – 2010
Americold Realty Trust/AmeriCold Logistics, LLC
Advised leadership and board of $800M temperature controlled warehousing and logistics
company during critical growth planning period. Created legal department to negotiate
operating company contracts and expedite financial, commercial and real estate transactions
while managing litigation defense and prosecution. Empowered management across 6 key
functional departments with general practice legal counsel before change in company
ownership and ensuing leadership restructure.
 Supervised legal functions for $1B REIT loan agreement involving 4 mortgage-backed loan
pools for warehousing business and coordinated post-closing reporting and procedural
changes. Ensured efficacy and quality of transactional documents in warehousing context
by overcoming bank resistance to format changes.
 Fast-tracked $190M acquisition of multiple facilities by overseeing due diligence, contract
negotiations and closing. Cultivated customer relationships while successfully transitioning
people, systems and processes as lead on post acquisition integration.
 Proved instrumental in improving corporate liquidity and growth by directing contract
reviews and internal due diligence in launch of revolving credit facility and stock
acquisition of parent company.
 Preserved important customer relationships by resolving contract issues.
 Improved interdepartmental workflow with rollout of document management system.
 Surmounted risk management and operational issues by formulating and benchmarking
legal structure with wraparound services agreement for warehouse operations, logistics
brokerage and small truck carrier.
"…I have met and worked with a number of good lawyers, but only a few that have the
combination of legal skills and business sense that Walt possesses.”—former CFO, AMC
SENIOR COUNSEL 2002 – 2005
Sears, Roebuck & Co.
Capitalized on litigation skill to realize winning outcomes in diverse litigation—complex,
commercial, business practice, high-exposure construction, patent and environmental
litigation. Successfully defended against personal injury cases, product liability claims, contract
disputes, consumer class action suits, California Section 17200 cases, dealer/franchise claims
and ADA access claims. Figured prominently in steering positive direction in important lawsuits
and enforced Patriot Act compliance as project lead.
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3. Walt Metz | Page 3 of 3
SENIOR COUNSEL (continued) 2002 – 2005
Sears, Roebuck & Co.
 Influenced early dismissal of 2 high-visibility class action suits against Sears subsidiaries
with defense strategy development and execution.
 Positioned company to reclaim $1M by making claim under contract exclusivity clause.
 Realized positive outcome of high-profile eCommerce patent infringement suit as steering
committee leader for 11-member joint representative defense group.
 Strengthened bonds between primary casualty insurer and 4 corporate litigation groups.
SENIOR COUNSEL 1995 – 2002
Werner Enterprises, Inc.
Brought on board by billion-dollar global transportation provider as attorney to supervise
nationwide defense of large-exposure trucking and transportation litigation. Solved countless
legal issues for risk department and claims committee while guiding c-level leaders through
complexities of self-insured liability, workers’ compensation and standard insurance policies.
 Improved defense strategy of workers’ compensation claims by arguing company position
and lobbying for legislative and regulatory reform before state legislative and
administrative agencies.
 Enriched company insurance program with special policy endorsements.
 Transformed liability claims handling process, resulting in improved reporting capabilities
and productivity of claims adjustors as well as reduced claims adjustment times.
 Cut costs by instituting budget system to provide compliance and transparency of fees for
outside legal advisors.
 Accelerated liability assessment capabilities on pending lawsuits by revamping case
evaluation and reporting procedures that armed outside defense counsel and Werner with
necessary tools for quicker information gathering and analysis.
e a r l i e r c a r e e r h i s t o r y
PRINCIPAL Schmid, Mooney & Frederick, P.C.
PARTNER Brown & Brown
PARTNER Metz & Metz
e d u c a t i o n a n d a f f i l i a t i o n s
 J.D., University of Nebraska - Lincoln, College of Law
 B.A. (with High Distinction), University of Nebraska - Lincoln, College of Arts & Sciences, Phi Beta Kappa
 Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC): Continuing Legal Education Speaker; National Litigation Committee, Chair
of Committee of the Year; Leadership Development Institute Advisory Board; Initiated Diversity Pipeline Project at
Sears, in conjunction with ACC and The Street.
 West Group Corporate Advisory Council
 Nebraska State Bar Association: Judiciary Committee; Judicial Procedure Committee.
 Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA): Continuing Legal Education Speaker and News Updates Contributor,
Author in The Transportation Lawyer quarterly legal journal.
c o n t a c t
 770.888.3720 |  waltmetz@live.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/waltmetz
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