In Charge 2022: Legal

See the In Charge lists for other industries here.

David Anthony — Partner, Anthony Legal: Banking and creditor’s attorney launched boutique office after more than a decade at Bone McAllester Norton.

Gail Vaughn Ashworth — Founding Member, Wiseman Ashworth Trauger: Co-founder of firm that recently brought on Byron Trauger. Past president of local and state bar associations who has worked defending health care institutions and individuals at trial.

Kathryn Barnett — Senior Trial Counsel, Morgan & Morgan: Onetime leader of plaintiffs firm’s local office, now taking on a role as one of the national outfit’s leading litigators, handling more complex cases around the country.

Margaret Behm — Co-Founder, Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella: Longtime legal industry leader passed management of law office to Tyler Chance Yarbro several years ago; remains involved in the practice and, especially, her work with the Nashville Sports Authority to bring a women’s professional sports franchise to Nashville.

Christen Blackburn — Shareholder, Lewis Thomason: A litigator who works most frequently with large and small companies and individuals on tort defense, including related to transportation, products liability and discrimination allegations.

Lillian Blackshear — Member, Bass Berry & Sims: Works on public finance transactions, including on behalf of governments, investment banks and other entities. Metro Planning Commission member who in 2021 was named to the firm’s executive committee.

Sam Blink — Managing Member, Blink Law: Former insurance company litigator in Indianapolis who now works on corporate transactions and cannabis regulation for boutique firm.

Charles Robert Bone — Partner, Spencer Fane: One of the most recognizable figures in Nashville’s legal, political and development circles. Was the president and CEO of Bone McAllester Norton until its 2021 merger with Kansas City-based Spencer Fane.

Ross Booher — CEO, Latitude Legal Solutions: Former Bass partner has led on-demand legal services firm to serious growth within several new markets.

Laura Brown — Executive Director, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services: Former Legal Aid attorney recently took over from Ann Pruitt as leader of the nonprofit legal services provider.

Matthew Burnstein — Chairman, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis: Continues leadership of major Nashville firm, a position held since 2014. Offers history working with health care companies and on business transactions.

Brigid Carpenter — Nashville Managing Shareholder, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz: An attorney with experience in products liability defense, catastrophic injury defense and prosecution and defense of commercial disputes, her leadership of the firm’s local office dates back to 2017.

Mark Chalos — Nashville Managing Partner, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein: The incoming president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers’ Association and leader of plaintiffs firm’s local office has represented cruise passengers and fraud whistleblowers.

Chase Cole — Partner, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis: Securities and M&A expert who was lead counsel for CapStar Financial’s 2016 IPO.

Lisa Ramsay Cole — President and Managing Shareholder, Lewis Thomason: Brings decades of experience in complex civil trial litigation. Role as leader of firm and its Nashville office includes managing ethical and professional responsibility issues for its attorneys statewide.

George Crawford — Attorney, Butler Snow: Has worked in a number of corporate specialties, though with a focus on emerging tech and health care, including regulation in specialized industries. A member of the firm’s executive committee.

Waverly Crenshaw — Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee: Former Waller partner has been on the bench since 2016. During COVID-19, authored news-making rulings about mask mandates at Tennessee schools.

Page Davidson — Partner, Bass Berry & Sims: A career working on corporate transactions has in recent years included major deals involving payment processing company i3 Verticals and Tivity Health.

Griffin Dunham — Member, Dunham Hildebrand: A former U.S. Air Force judge advocate now working on workouts and bankruptcies at small firm he co-founded.

Sunny Eaton — Director, District Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit: Longtime local defense attorney who joined District Attorney Glenn Funk’s office in 2020 and has made a splash ever since, delivering reports about mistaken past prosecutions and seeking to clear the names of people convicted by the office for which she now works.

Alberto Gonzales — Dean, Belmont University School of Law: Has overseen BU law school’s continued growth since 2014 after a career in government work, culminating as White House counsel and U.S. attorney general under George W. Bush.

Chris Guthrie — Dean, Vanderbilt University School of Law: Currently serving third five-year term at the helm of the region’s most established law school. An expert on behavioral law and economics, dispute resolution and negotiation.

Aubrey Harwell — Partner and Co-Founder, Neal & Harwell: Longtime local leader who has worked on high-profile cases involving Pilot Flying J and former Nissan exec Greg Kelly. In 2021 helped coordinate support for under-fire Nashville Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle.

Ronald Harris — Chief Administrator, Neal & Harwell: Longtime lawyer at the firm is now its day-to-day manager. His civil litigation practice has included libel and defamation cases, construction disputes and more.

Tucker Herndon — Nashville Managing Partner, Burr & Forman: Practicing in the Birmingham-based firm’s lending group. Has overseen its Nashville office since 2018.

Michael Holley — Member, Bass Berry & Sims: A partner at the Nashville-based firm for nearly a decade. Was recently picked to lead the powerhouse corporate and securities practice group, succeeding Kevin Douglas.

Jamie Hollin — Sole Practitioner: Transpotainment, short-term rentals and obscure Metro policies are among the attorney’s wide-ranging and niche practice areas.

Daniel Horwitz — Sole Practitioner: Offers experience in various high-profile Nashville-area cases, including innocence efforts on behalf of a client whose murder conviction was vacated.

Lauren Jacques — Nashville Managing Partner, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings: Last year named managing partner of Bradley’s Nashville office, succeeding Lela Hollabaugh. Her practice is focused on health care transactions and regulatory matters.

Martesha Johnson — Metropolitan Nashville Public Defender: First elected to top job in 2018. Is running for reelection unopposed in 2022.

Bill Koch Jr. — Dean, Nashville School of Law: After serving on the Tennessee Supreme Court and Tennessee Court of Appeals, took over leadership of local law school where he has taught for more than two decades.

Stacey Garrett Koju — Partner, Spencer Fane: A founding member of Bone McAllester Norton, the longtime legal industry leader joined Spencer Fane when it merged with Bone in 2021.

Rob Laird — Shareholder, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz: Was managing shareholder of Maynard’s Nashville office until joining Baker in 2021. Former HealthStream in-house counsel focuses on corporate and health technology matters.

Tom Lawless — Attorney, Lawless & Associates: A politically engaged attorney with current and past roles on the Registry of Election Finance Commission and Board of Judicial conduct, specializes in his private practice on bankruptcy and creditor’s rights.

Amy Leopard — Partner, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings: Carved out an ahead-of-its-time niche in cybersecurity, especially in the highly regulated health care industry.

Ryan Levy — Managing Shareholder, Patterson Intellectual Property Law: Leader at the specialized firm whose practice is focused on patent litigation.

Mark Manner — Member, Bass Berry & Sims: Co-founder of the former Harwell Howard Hyne Gabbert & Manner has worked for years in the realm of mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and other corporate and securities matters.

Ken Marlow — Partner, K&L Gates: Former Waller health leader joined K&L Gates when the national firm opened Nashville office in early 2021.

Jerry Martin — Partner, Barrett Johnston Martin & Garrison: The Obama-era U.S. attorney works primarily on complex litigation, including the representation of False Claims Act whistleblowers, plus limited high-profile defense cases like that of indicted state Sen. Brian Kelsey.

Rocky McElhaney — Founder and Managing Partner, Rocky McElhaney Law Firm: Helms, and lends his name, to personal injury firm.

Anita Modak-Truran — Attorney, Butler Snow: Works on mass tort and other cases on behalf of pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers. Has tried dozens of cases in state and federal court.

Mekesha Montgomery — Member, Frost Brown Todd: A former leader of regional firm’s Nashville office, now leads its manufacturing industry group and practices in the areas of employment discrimination and wrongful termination.

Marlene Moses — Founding Partner, MTR Family Law: Family law leader merged her firm with Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin at year’s start.

Bill Norton — Partner, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings: Bankruptcy expert with decades of experience. Has taught at alma mater Vanderbilt Law School.

Roger Page — Chief Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court: A former pharmacist, served at several levels of the judiciary before he was appointed to the state’s highest court in 2016. Was chosen by his peers as the new chief justice in 2021.

Larry Papel — Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: In addition to a career in real estate law, has served in leadership roles for organizations including the Nashville Civic Design Center.

Lauren Patten — Nashville Managing Partner, K&L Gates: Former Butler Snow partner leads the local outpost of the global firm that made a splash by hiring partners from several major firms when it moved to town at the start of 2021.

John Peterson — Managing Shareholder, Polsinelli: A litigator with experience in corporate governance, real estate and commercial disputes. Leads firm’s local office after stint as partner at Riley Warnock & Jacobson.

Brant Phillips — Partner, Bass Berry & Sims: As chair of firm’s litigation and dispute resolution group, oversees the work of nearly 100 attorneys. Has also carved out a specialty in certificate-of-need work for health care companies.

Edward Playfair — Nashville Partner in Charge, Adams and Reese: Previously a solicitor in the United Kingdom, he joined Adams and Reese more than a decade ago and now leads its IP team. Was in early 2021 named to manage the local office.

Erin Palmer Polly — Partner, K&L Gates: Former Butler Snow attorney and Nashville Bar Association president joined the global firm upon its arrival in Nashville early last year.

Stephen Price — Office Managing Principal, Jackson Lewis: The former Burr & Forman Nashville leader spearheaded Jackson Lewis’ expansion to Nashville this year.

Gregg Ramos — Partner, North Pursell & Ramos: Focuses on personal injury, employment law and workers comp. Past civic involvement includes leadership roles with the Nashville Bar Association, Catholic Charities of Tennessee and Conexión Américas.

David Raybin — Co-Founder, Raybin & Weissman: Prominent criminal defense attorney who has worked on behalf of Nashville police officers, including Andrew Delke, who in 2021 agreed to a plea deal in a murder trial.

Todd Rolapp — Managing Partner, Bass Berry & Sims: An attorney with experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and other corporate and securities issues. Has been leader of the local firm since 2013.

Robert Sartin — Chairman, Frost Brown Todd: Leads the Louisville-based firm from his downtown Nashville perch. Has worked in heavily regulated industries including coal and auto.

Tom Sherrard — Founding Member, Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison: Corporate and securities veteran who has served as outside counsel to both public and private companies.

Jonathan Skeeters — Chair and Managing Partner, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings: Practice is focused on the health care industry. Leads the Birmingham-based firm from Nashville, one of its biggest offices and the source of half its name.

Joycelyn Stevenson — Executive Director, Tennessee Bar Association: A Littler Mendelson shareholder and Nashville Bar Association president before taking over TBA in 2017.

Gerard Stranch IV — Managing Partner, Branstetter Stranch & Jennings: A litigator whose most high-profile work has included suits against opioid manufacturers. Has led the local firm since 2017.

Peter Strianse — Attorney, Tune Entrekin & White: A former prosecutor with a big-name list of criminal defense clients, including former Rep. Jeremy Durham and former Judge Casey Moreland.

Gif Thornton — Managing Partner, Adams and Reese: A prominent lobbyist who has led the regional law firm since 2015, now chairs the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments.

Jack Waddey — Partner, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis: Previously a co-founder of Waddey Patterson, now focuses on intellectual property work at Waller, including mediation, IP disputes and business breakups.

DarKenya Waller — Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands: Has been at LAS since 2008 and led the regional office since 2018. Among other focuses, the public service firm has worked on pandemic-related evictions.

Lang Wiseman — Shareholder, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz: Formerly Gov. Bill Lee’s top lawyer and deputy governor, the former UT basketball star now works on high-stakes litigation and other matters in the Nashville and Memphis offices of the firm.

Tyler Chance Yarbro — Managing Partner, Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella: A litigator with experience in employment, personal injury and criminal law. Has led the firm since 2018.

Ed Yarbrough — Of Counsel, Spencer Fane: Former U.S. attorney whose practice is focused on major criminal defense cases. Joined Kansas City firm upon its merger with the former Bone McAllester Norton.

Gulam Zade — Chief Legal Officer, Frontline Managed Services: Responsible for legal counsel and other matters at legal services outsourcing firm that acquired Logicforce, where he was CEO, in 2021. Formerly in private practice.