Frost Brown Todd adds attorneys, says Nashville a priority

FBT push recalls earlier southward migration -- and the difficulty of maintaining traction here

Email | Print By Milt Capps

Mekesha Montgomery

Lexington-based Frost Brown & Todd LLC, apparently adopting the 'steady-drumbeat' strategy for brand awareness, today told of two more attorneys joining its Nashville ranks, including another lawyer from downsized Greenebaum Doll & McDonald.

FBT Senior Associate Mekesha Montgomery is shifting from FBT's Cincinnati office to Nashville, splitting her time between Church Street and working at home in Bowling Green. She'll work primarily in the areas of labor law and employment-discrimination litigation. Montgomery has been with the firm and its predecessor Frost & Jacobs six years. She earned her J.D. at the University of Kentucky in 1999, and her UK bachelor's in 1996.

In addition, FBT Marketing Director Kristen Goble told NashvillePost.com this afternoon that Mike Blade, until recently with Greenebaum, has joined FBT as senior associate in the corporate and business department. Goble emphasized that "growing Nashville" is a strategic priority for FBT, though she declined to elaborate on the strategy.

In what may be an indication of how hard it has been for in-migrating firms from up North to maintain traction in the Nashville market, Greenebaum Doll was hit by the departure of six attorneys to Burr & Forman two months ago. Buck Cole, who now leads GDM in Nashville, told NashvillePost.com this afternoon that he and Jim Beckner are GDM's staff here, now.

The latest FBT attorney additions put FBT's Nashville presence, which began in 1998, at a net 16 attorneys. The entire firm comprises 370 lawyers, in seven offices in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. Other recent FBT developments included Monday's announcement of the addition of Associate Sarah Clark and last summer's departure of veteran litigator Martha Boyd, who joined the 110-lawyer Nashville office of Boult Cummings Conners & Berry.