Mr. Saffles has dedicated his career to solving his clients' problems in the most efficient and effective manner possible, while maintaining the highest standards for work product and ethics. He focuses on providing thoughtful, detailed, and specific advice to mitigate risk and to reach the best possible outcome for his clients' goals. Although Mr. Saffles is primarily a litigator, he advises his clients in anticipation of and even to prevent or avoid litigation, and he provides guidance to his clients on business transactions.
He has represented a wide range of clients from retailers, financial institutions, digital marketplace technology companies, mortgage servicers, manufacturers, and hospitals, to energy companies, nursing homes, professionals, amusement companies, insurance firms, trucking and logistics companies, and other businesses. Mr. Saffles has litigated cases in state and federal court and in arbitration, has tried jury and non-jury cases, and has briefed and argued appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit as well as in the Tennessee Court of Appeals. His experience includes defending lawsuits alleging products liability, premises liability, medical and legal malpractice, and negligence. He has also represented clients in matters involving commercial disputes, fraud, malicious prosecution, sexual assault, negligent hiring and supervision, consumer protection violations, constitutional violations, employment discrimination, bad faith, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death.
Mr. Saffles previously worked with Baker Donelson from 2006 to 2014 before joining the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division, where he also functioned as the division's Senior Litigation Counsel and Coordinator for civil rights investigations. During his time with the Department of Justice, Mr. Saffles was involved in some of the biggest civil cases in the history of the Eastern District of Tennessee, including a civil rights enforcement matter where he obtained the highest monetary sanction in the entire country at the time and a class action consisting of over 100 plaintiffs and nearly 100 defendants. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney for more than seven years before rejoining the Firm in 2022.