Walt Metz Resume ****

WALTER R. METZ, JR. 770-***-**** waltmetz@live.com7325 Laurel Oak Drive, Suwanee, GA 30024 http://www.linkedin.com/in/waltmetz EXECUTIVE LEVEL LEGAL HOUSE COUNSELExecutive level in-house counsel with a record of accomplishments having application across a wide range ofindustries, including transportation, real estate holding, warehousing, and retail. This includes five yeartenure (2005-2010) as the Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary for Americold RealtyTrust/AmeriCold Logistics, North America s largest provider of temperature controlled warehousing, fooddistribution and transportation logistics services, with extensive real estate holdings and REIT status. Careerincludes service with three public companies and the carrying out of, or collaborating in, the followingaccomplishments: Started Legal Department for $750M Company Reviewed/Drafted All Major Company Contracts Completed $190M Facilities Acquisition Supervised Major Company Litigation and Claims Implemented Post Purchase Transition Plan Revised Company Claims Handling Process Completed $1B Mortgage Refinancing Revised Structure for Outside Counsel Reporting Made Refinancing Structural/Procedural Changes Resolved Two Major Customer Disputes Obtained Revolving Credit Facilities Obtained Early Dismissals of Class Action Suits Completed Stock Acquisition of Employer Gave Legal Advice for $1M Claim Recovery Made ATM Stock Offering Supervised Major Patent Infringement Litigation Created Contract Process Procedures Recognized Author on Current Law Topics Implemented Contract Storage & Retrieval System Was Leader of Top National Lawyer s Committee Structured Enterprise for Limitation of Liability LinkedIn Top Recommended Person-Gold CRITICAL FUNCTIONAL SKILLS Law Department Management Commercial Loan Agreements Risk Management & Insurance Corporate Secretary M&A Dispute Resolution General Practice Real Estate Transactions Commercial Litigation Employment Law Contract Process Transportation Litigation Transportation Law General Contract Reviews High Exposure Tort Litigation Warehousing Law Customer Agreements Patent Litigation Management Commercial Leases Transportation Agreements PROFESSIONAL HISTORYSpecial Counsel Performing Legal Projects, Publications and Consulting, Greater Atlanta Area(Present)From January of 2012, has been engaged on special legal projects for such businesses as Gordon Trucking,Inc. of Seattle, the Scudder Law Firm, of Lincoln, NE. and WOW Logistics of Appleton, WI. Has also beenpublishing timely journal articles on late breaking legal developments for transportation and supply chaincompanies and consulting with individuals and other companies on issues related to the published articles;all while actively seeking a permanent position.Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for Old Dominion Freight Line, Thomasville, NC (2011)Handled or supervised the handling of all types of legal issues arising at one of the leading LTL carriers,including truck accident cases, employment claims and litigation, carrier contracts, and general contracts.Provided internal legal assistance for at-the-market stock offering program for NASDAQ listed carrier.Coordinated the defense of a lawsuit arising from industry wide patent infringement claims. Walter R. Metz, Jr.Page 2 of 3Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Americold Realty Trust/AmeriCold Logistics, LLC,Atlanta, Georgia (2005 to 2010)Directed the legal affairs of North America s largest provider of temperature controlled food distribution andlogistics services and served as the Secretary for Americold Realty Trust. Supervised the negotiation, draftingand review of operating company contracts, leases and miscellaneous agreements and supervised the legalaspects of major transactions involving acquisitions and financing. Directed all company litigation. Day today duties involved the giving of advice to and interaction with all members of Senior Management and theBoard of Directors, and the members of the Operations, Sales and Marketing, Claims, Safety, HR and FinanceDepartments. Experience also includes the following specific accomplishments on major projects: Directed the legal functions for major company facility acquisitions; Supervised the contractual and closing functions for a $190M multiple facilities acquisition; Was a leader in carrying out the transition plan for the multiple facilities acquisition whereby the new facilities and employees were brought into the company with common systems or programs for email, health insurance, IT, billings and claims; Coordinated the internal document drafting and due diligence process for a $1B company refinancing involving several mortgage backed loan pools; Initiated structural and procedural changes necessary to carry out the terms of new loan agreements, including changes in the corporate structure, standard contracts, forms, invoices and billing procedures; Assisted in the implementation of a new revolving credit facility; Coordinated the internal due diligence process for the stock acquisition of the parent company; Designed the enterprise structure of separate subsidiaries for warehouse operations, logistics brokerage and a small truck carrier, with a wraparound services agreement; Directed the defense of, or prosecution of, all company litigation and major claims; Successfully resolved two large exposure contract disputes involving major customers; and Designed and implemented a system for the routing to and review of contracts by different departments during their drafting process, and their execution, storage and retrieval.Senior Counsel for Sears, Roebuck & Co., Hoffman Estates, Illinois (2002-2005) Supervised, evaluated and directed the progress of commercial litigation, complex litigation and highexposure personal injury cases for a major national retail company. This included business practicelitigation, product liability claims, contract disputes, a major patent infringement lawsuit, consumer classaction suits, California Section 17200 cases, dealer/franchise claims, construction litigation, environmentallitigation and ADA access claims. Supervised Patriot Act Compliance Project. Experience includes thefollowing specific accomplishments: Acted as the liaison between the Litigation Section and Sears Logistics Services; Coordinated the relationship between the primary casualty insurer and four corporate litigation groups; Formulated strategy and coordinated company defense efforts which achieved the early outright dismissals of two major class action suits against company subsidiaries; Provided lead litigation advice and support for the successful internal effort to obtain a $1M recovery on a contract exclusivity clause claim; and Served as a member of the Steering Committee for eleven-member joint representative defense group, which defended a major e-commerce patent infringement suit.Senior Counsel for Werner Enterprises, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska (1995-2002) Supervised and directed the nationwide defense of large exposure trucking and transportation litigationfor a large transportation carrier. Advised Risk Department, Claims Committee and other departments onlegal issues. Counseled company officers on the structure of self-insured liability and workers compensationprograms and associated layers of excess insurance policies. Experience includes the following specificaccomplishments: Made effective and persuasive presentations for the company in favor of legislative and regulatory reform before state legislative and administrative bodies; Walter R. Metz, Jr.Page 3 of 3 Analyzed the need to change the company liability claims handling process, drafted needed changes, and implemented the changes, resulting in more efficient use of internal adjuster time, more effective adjustment of claims, and improved reporting to upper management; Devised and implemented case evaluation and reporting criteria for outside company counsel, thereby enhancing the ability of outside defense counsel to meet company needs for information and analysis on pending lawsuits and the ability of the company to evaluate liability; and Designed and executed outside company counsel attorneys fees budget system, in order to bring about accountability by outside law firms, and thereby reduce costs. ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL HISTORY Law Firm City Position Schmid, Mooney & Frederick, P.C. Omaha, Nebraska Principal Brown & Brown Omaha, Nebraska Partner Metz & Metz Alliance, Nebraska Partner ACADEMIC BACKGROUNDo University of Nebraska - Lincoln, College of Law, J.D.o University of Nebraska - Lincoln, College of Arts & Sciences B.A. with High Distinction. Elected to Membership in Phi Beta Kappa. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONSo 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 Streeto West Group Corporate Advisory Councilo Nebraska State Bar Association Judiciary Committee Judicial Procedure Committeeo Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA) Continuing Legal Education Speaker Author in The Transportation Lawyer quarterly legal journal Contributor to the News Updates section of the web site.