Attorneys

Biography

Andrew Gardella is a Shareholder with Martin Tate and bases his practice out of Nashville, TN.  Mr. Gardella has broad experience representing individuals, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies in state and federal courts, arbitration proceedings, and on appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the Tennessee Court of Appeals.  He focuses his practice on business and commercial disputes and general civil litigation.

Mr. Gardella represents clients in a variety of industries on matters involving contract disputes, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, business torts, partnership and shareholder disputes, insurance coverage, and construction litigation.  He also has extensive experience representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in trust and estate litigation on matters involving breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty, and undue influence.  In addition, he represents brand name retailers and restaurants in the retail and hospitality industry regarding premises liability claims, and he represents commercial transportation carriers defending against claims of personal injury and property damage.  Mr. Gardella also serves as outside general counsel to companies in the Nashville area, leveraging his commercial litigation background to draft and negotiate contracts, prepare internal governance documents, develop litigation risk abatement strategies, and provide general legal guidance on business matters. 

Mr. Gardella attended Vanderbilt University and received a B.A., magna cum laude, in Political Science with a minor in Sociology.  While attending Vanderbilt, he was a walk-on linebacker for the Commodores, earning playing time on special teams during his senior year.  He was named to the Dean’s List and Academic All-South Eastern Conference Team.  He was also elected into a number of academic honor societies including Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kapp, and Pi Sigma Alpha.  As a Senior, Mr. Gardella was named the Vanderbilt University Male Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Mr. Gardella earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Memphis School of Law, graduating top five in his class.  During law school, he served as an Associate Editor on the Law Review and had two of his works selected for publication. He also was a finalist in the first-year moot court competition. Mr. Gardella was awarded the C. Cleveland Drennon, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, the Law Alumni Scholarship, and the Robert and Elaine Hoffman Memorial Scholarship.  He also received the CALI Award for the highest grade in Civil Procedure I, Contracts I, Contracts II, Commercial Paper, ADR/Mediation, Law and Medicine, and Professional Responsibility.