Phelps Adds Bruce Buchanan, Nationally Recognized Immigration Lawyer and Former NLRB Trial Attorney, in Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Oct. 12, 2026 – Phelps welcomes Bruce Buchanan as senior counsel in its Nashville office. Buchanan, a nationally recognized immigration lawyer, who also has substantial NLRA trial experience from working within the NLRB, advises employers on immigration compliance, labor matters and government investigations. His addition strengthens the firm’s capabilities to help businesses manage hiring practices, workforce verification and compliance obligations in an era of increased immigration investigation and enforcement activity.
“Our clients need to attract workers and meet growing immigration compliance demands and workforce challenges. Bruce adds to our employment group’s depth and brings a unique background, to help employers address immigration issues and advise on labor-management issues, and limit business disruptions,” Phelps Firm Employment Practice Coordinator Reed Russell said.
Buchanan works with employers across the country to hire and retain international talent and comply with immigration requirements. He advises companies on employment-based visas and I-9 and E-Verify compliance requirements. He also prepares employers for government inspections and investigations and helps them respond to immigration enforcement actions, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement audits. He helps employers in construction, education, health care, hospitality, manufacturing and staffing find and fix issues before they cause compliance gaps.
Before entering private practice, Buchanan spent more than 20 years investigating and litigating workplace disputes as a senior trial specialist with the National Labor Relations Board. He also advises employers on wage and hour issues and matters involving the U.S. Department of Labor. His experience inside the enforcement process helps employers understand how agencies evaluate compliance programs and workplace practices.
“Phelps has built a strong labor and employment team and a collaborative culture that stood out to me,” Buchanan said. “I have built a career focused on helping employers spot workforce issues early and address them before they become audits or investigations. I'm excited to join a team that shares that practical, proactive approach.”
Buchanan regularly writes and speaks on immigration compliance and labor law. He co-authored The I-9 and E-Verify Handbook and served as an editor of the employer sanctions chapter of the 2024 and 2026 editions of Kurzban's Immigration Law Sourcebook. He also taught labor and employment law for more than a decade as an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. He earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his B.S., magna cum laude, from Florida State University.
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Phelps is an AmLaw-ranked firm whose collaborative strategies help clients thrive. We deliver practical, business-minded solutions to clients with interests in admiralty, business, health care, insurance, labor and employment, and litigation. Our more than 450 lawyers work in tandem to share forward-thinking approaches for businesses in the global economy. Phelps’ reputation is rooted in 150 years of legal excellence, and we reimagine it every day from our 18 locations across the Gulf South, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and the London Market. Learn more at phelps.com.
