Walt Metz Resume

1.  479-270-0368 |  waltmetz@live.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/waltmetz
Walt Metz | Page 1 of 3
M A N A G E M E N T L E V E L C O R P O R A T E C O U N S E L &
A U T H O R A N D P R E S E N T E R
e x e c u t i v e s u m m a r y
Management level in-house counsel with a record of accomplishments in both public and private companies having
application across a wide range of industries, including transportation, real estate holding, warehousing, and retail. Career
highlights include establishing first-ever legal department during 5-year tenure as General Counsel for $800M
warehousing/logistics company, facilitating $190M warehouse acquisition, coordinating legal functions for $1B bank
refinancing and stock sale of company, securing the early dismissal of 2 high-profile class actions and the recovery of $1M in
legal claims for leading department store chain.
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
ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL 2013 – Present
Walmart Stores, Inc.
Providing counsel and advice for Walmart’s logistics, transportation and supply chain operations within the Merchandising,
Marketing & Supply Chain Division of the Legal Department. Work includes contracts, negotiation of complex commercial
transactions, legal counsel on matters ranging from regulatory compliance to corporate governance, policy and procedure
review and other matters impacting day-to-day operations.
INDEPENDENT COUNSEL 2012 – 2013
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.
 General Litigation Management  M&A/Post-Merger Integrations  Employment/HR Law
 Strategic Planning  Complex Transaction Negotiations  Commercial/Contract Law
 Legal Division Startups/Leadership  Dispute Resolution  Transportation/Warehousing Law
 Corporate Governance  Patent Litigation Management  Real Estate Transactions
 Risk Management/Insurance  General Law Practice  Financing Transactions
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2. Walt Metz | Page 2 of 3
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, 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.
 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.

3. Walt Metz | Page 3 of 3
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
 479-270-0368 |  waltmetz@live.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/waltmetz