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ARTICLES
Brittany Ford
DEPARTMENTS
From the President
Joseph Hubbard
Hear Ye, Hear Ye
2025 Law Day
NBF+NBA Gold Tournament
Spring Memorial Service
2025 Pride Parade
Have an Idea for a CLE? Calendar of Events
COLUMNS
Bart Pickett
Bill Ramsey & Phillip Hampton
Capitol Notes
Peggy Sue, the Beagle Hound
From The President
Joseph Hubbard
By the time you read this column, the frigid and austere winter months will be drawing to a close. With the first quarter of 2025 nearly under your belt, I’m sure you will be looking forward to the days growing longer and the weather becoming more pleasant.
But before you fully turn the page, I encourage you to consider last month’s significance. Officially designated by every U.S. President since 1976 as Black History Month, February offers an opportunity to focus on our history and the contributions African Americans have made to our country.
Reflecting on our past can guide us in the present. We are the beneficiaries of a great tradition of lawyers associating together—a custom that stretches back to the Inns of Court in the 1300s. Five hundred years later, when six lawyers formed what they called the “Nashville Bar Association” in 1831, they knew they were adding a link to that chain. In a letter announcing their intentions, they wrote, “It is an ancient custom, the good results of which are sanctioned by experience, for those who exercise the liberal profession to unite themselves as a fraternity . . . “
Unfortunately, collegiality and camaraderie and fraternity have not always been extended to all lawyers. At least as early as 1880, African American lawyers were working in Nashville, and yet they could not join the NBA. In 1933, that exclusion led James Carroll Napier and Z. Alexander Looby to form what we now know as the Napier-Looby Bar Association. Three decades later, in 1966, the NBA integrated amidst a time of many civil rights victories.
Our profession has celebrated many local integration milestones since then: Justice Adolpho Birch, Jr.’s 1978 election as a General Sessions Court Judge; Cyrus Booker’s hiring at Dearborn and Ewing in 1985; the appointment of Judge Richard Dinkins (who I clerked for) to the Tennessee Court of Appeals in 2008; and Charles Grant’s election as NBA President in 2014. There are other “firsts” occurring in Nashville even today.
Right now, there is uncertainty and perhaps fear in public and private sectors about uttering the capital “D” word. Even more perilous are the “E” and the “I” words. After all, the President of the United States has, by executive order, directed federal agencies and DOJ to initiate investigations into “illegal DEI” programs. The named targets include “State and local bar associations.”
History should matter to lawyers. We overlook, forget, or ignore it at our peril. The NBA is large, complex, and ever-evolving, and the experience of the ages is available to us. We are not perfect, but we are proud of our values and who we’ve become across almost 200 years—more diverse, welcoming, and inclusive. We will not be intimidated to give up who we are.
If you are a lawyer in Nashville, you belong in this Association. The NBA offers opportunities every week for lawyers of all backgrounds and characteristics to convene, whether in fellowship, education, or service. “We have a collegial bar, and we aim to keep it that way,” Judge Campbell says when he presides over the admission of new lawyers to the Middle District. Amen to that. n
Joseph Hubbard, Publisher
William T. Ramsey, Editor-in-Chief
Summer Geyer, Managing Editor
Lauren Poole, Managing Editor
Adrienne Bennett Cluff, Layout/Design/ Production
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Ellison Berryhill
Ramona P. DeSalvo
Timothy Ishii J. Bart Pickett
Katlin Warner
Kristin Thomas
Jonathan Wardle
NASHVILLE BAR JOURNAL (ISSN1548-7113) (USPS 021-962) is published quarterly by the Nashville Bar Association, 150 4th Ave N, Ste 1350, Nashville, TN 37219. Periodicals Postage Paid at Nashville TN.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Nashville Bar Journal, 150 4th Ave N, Ste 1350, Nashville, TN 37219-2419.
No part of this publication may be reprinted without written permission of the Nashville Bar Journal Editorial Committee. All articles, letters, and editorials contained in this publication represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Nashville Bar Association. For more information, visit NashvilleBar.org/ NashvilleBarJournal
The Nashville Bar Journal welcomes discourse. You may submit counterpoint editorials to Adrienne.BennettCluff@ nashvillebar.org to be considered by the editorial committee for publication in a future print or online content.
NASHVILLE BAR ASSOCIATION 150 4th Ave N, Ste 1350 Nashville, TN 37219 615-242-9272 | NashvilleBar.org
The Nashville Bar Association, established in 1831, is a professional organization serving the legal community of Nashville, Tennessee. Our mission is to improve the practice of law through education, service, and fellowship.
The NBA—with 2,500+ members—is the largest metropolitan bar association in Tennessee.
Traci Hollandsworth, Director of Programs & Events
Annie Holmes, LRIS, Member Database, & Operations Coordinator
Corinna Saporito, Development Coordinator
HAVE AN IDEA FOR AN ARTICLE?
We want to hear about the topics and issues you think should be covered in the journal. Send your ideas to Adrienne.BennettCluff@ nashvillebar.org.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye
2025 LAW DAY
In celebration of the American Bar Association's Law Day, the Nashville Bar Association invites you to join us on Thursday, May 1, at the Four Seasons Hotel Nashville for our 2025 Law Day Lunch. We are happy to announce our keynote speaker, Hon. Curtis L. Collier, Senior United States District Judge. For the latest information, visit NashvilleBar.org/LawDay2025
NBA + NBF GOLF TOURNAMENT
Get ready for a day on the green with your friends and colleagues at our annual golf tournament on Tuesday, May 20. Presented by the NBA & NBF, the tournament will be held at the Hermitage Golf Course in Old Hickory. The entry is $160 for NBA members, $180 for non-members, and includes range balls, greens fee, cart, beverages, snacks, and dinner. We are offering three sponsorship levels that include Ace (Title) Sponsor, On-Course Sponsor, and Hole Sponsor, each with respective benefits. All registrations must be submitted by Thursday, May 11. Dinner and prizes will take place at the conclusion of play. Prizes for teams and individual contests include longest drive, longest putt, closest to pin, etc. To register or learn more, visit NashvilleBar.org/Golf
SPRING MEMORIAL SERVICE
Our Spring Memorial Service will be on Thursday, May 22, 2024, at the Downtown Presbyterian Church. The service will begin at 11:00am. We hope you can join us in remembering those who have gone before us. Memorial resolutions are presented in honor of those in the Nashville legal community who have recently passed away. The memorial resolutions are prepared and read on the minutes of the Chancery Court at the service by friends and colleagues of the bench and bar and are added to the NBA's collection of more than 100 years of resolutions. Family members and friends of the deceased are invited to attend. Visit NashvilleBar.org/Memorial for more information.
2025 PRIDE PARADE
Celebrate Pride in Nashville with the NBA Diversity Committee & the Stonewall Bar Association of Tennessee as we walk in the Pride Parade on Saturday, June 28. RSVP to reserve your spot in line at NashvilleBar.org/PrideParade The group will meet and walk to the line-up position together. Our lineup number will be published as soon as we receive it.
HAVE AN IDEA FOR A CLE?
We are always looking for creative and relevant CLE seminar ideas! If you have an idea or would like to see a specific topic in the coming months, please visit NashvilleBar.org/CLE to submit the idea. We appreciate you!
Calendar of Events
Welcome to the NBA
Congratulations on your membership – thank you for joining the NBA! We look forward to serving you this year and appreciate your support. Visit NashvilleBar.org or contact NBAFrontDesk@NashvilleBar.org with questions or to learn more.
New Members (November 1 - January 31)
Cody Allison
Kevin Alonso
Peyton Annoni
Cesar Arbelaez
Pamela Atkins
Jacob Baggett
Alex Baime
Bradley Bald
Will Baldwin
Jill Baxter
Joe Bendekovic
Ella Bishop
Mason Borneman
Lexz Bouchard
Bailey Bowling
David Briley
Wyatt Broocks
Jennifer Burch
Christina Buru
Sydney Butler
Katherine Cardenas
Catherine Carpenter
Amy Carr
Raquel Cato
Megan Chambers
Franklin Chou
Kacie Ciarelli
Ryan Cochran
Anna Grace Cole
Hon. Samuel Coleman
Alicia Daniels-Hill
Dalton Darnell
Amber Davison
Stewart Day
Anna DeFranco
Lauren Degen
Jane Dimnwaobi
Tyler Dove
Chris Dunbar
Jacob Durst
Johnny Ellis
Amerah Elsamadicy
Jaya Eskridge
Austin Evans
Jake Farbman
Dr. Mark Farbman
Cate Farone
Jackson Ferrell
Shane Fitzmaurice
Will Fitzpatrick
Greg Fliszar
Megan Frazier
Isaiah Gant
Will Gass
Jing Geng
Jacobs Gilbert
Julia Giordano
Craig Glenn
Lori Glenn
Erica Gray
Abby Greer
Brianna Griffin
Colin Haley
Amy Hampton
Garrett Hamrick
Brent Hannafan
Sean Harris
Simone Hayes
Bennett Heidelberger
Patrick Hodges
Andrew Holt
Abigail Hooper
Lynette Hotchkiss
Charlotte Houser
Michael Hughes
Mikayla J. Hunter
Emily Jenkins
Elizabeth Johnson
Parker Johnson
Johnna Jones
Sarah Kadel
Emily Kaib
Sam Keen
Mark Kelly
Zach Khan
William Kilgore
Lindsey Kirchhoff
Caitlin Kirk
Megan Krivoshey
London Lacoste
Adam Lafevor
Madeleine Lamb
Henry Leventis
Alex Lewis
Hunter Lindsey
Caleb Long
Taylor Loring
Alexandra Lynn
Mary Maas
William Mayfield
Anna McClearn
John McDonald
Jay McLemore
Heather McMutry
Jason Menges
Josiah Mezera
Matthew Miller
Jennifer Moroney
Stephanie Nakash
Nathan Nicholson
Mitchell Oetgen
Patrick Ogilvy
Catherine Oryl
Stephen Page
Analisa Parker
Dan Parks
Heather Perry
Madison Perry
Ben Peterson
Kaitlyn Phillips
Faith Pilkington
Jesse Ramoya
Shannon Renne
Rachel Ringer
Melissa Roberge
Alexandra Roberts
Ethan Rudnicki
Manuel Russ
Christian Schloegel
Cole Schott
Sydney Scroble
Brad Siegal
Dana Slater
Derrick Smith
Joshua Smith
Patience Sofi
Corine Stark
Justin Stivers
Nelson Suarez
Betsy Sugar
Conor Sullivan
Miller Sullivan
Regina Sullo
Nicole Swisher
Jason Talley
Johnathan Taylor
Melek Toledo
Jason Trautwein
Elizabeth Tumminello
Mary Vervaeke
Zaria Walker
Meredith Wallen
Robert Watson
Jack Webber
Ubin Weeks
Richard Wegener
Kara Weiss
Jack Whitfield
Ela Wickremasinghe
Eric Winters
Amy Wood
Sean Wood
Madison Woodson
Hunter Wright
Jeff Yarbro
Debbie Zapata
Violet Zhang
Maria Zink
Navigating Nashville’s Legal Job Market: Evolving Priorities for Students and Employers
The search for both summer and post-graduate employment is well underway for students from all three law schools in Nashville, who are not immune from the lure of putting down roots in the area. For example, around 76% of Belmont students stayed in Tennessee after graduation,1 and based on several conversations with Nashville School of Law students, most are from the state and plan to practice in the area. Vanderbilt is the outlier with the majority of graduates finding work out of state.2 Most natives consider Nashville to be a small town, but also feel it’s been catapulted into a big city. It’s estimated that the Nashville region’s population grew by more than 31,000 in 2023.3 With that growth comes change, so it was time for a check in with local students and employers to find out whether their employment and hiring priorities have evolved with our city. While both parties' objectives aligned on many levels, their unique perspectives also revealed areas where alignment is needed.
Employers value candidates with practical legal experience. Correspondingly, most schools are working to develop practice-ready lawyers, and students are actively seeking opportunities that provide handson experience. However, first year students and
applicants entering the field from other professions, or traditionally blue-collar positions, are apprehensive to include non-legal experience on their resumes. A lot of employers encourage applicants to include all experience, especially if a leadership or managerial role was held. In fact, some smaller firms actually prioritize practical life and problem-solving skills over GPA or law school prestige. For students lacking previous legal experience, including other practical and 'real world' experience may allow employers to assess a candidate's potential fit for or success in the role.
"Most natives consider Nashville to be a small town, but also feel it’s been catapulted into a big city. It’s estimated that the Nashville region’s population grew by more than 31,000 in 2023."
Students and employers agree that to be successful in the field, lawyers must possess strong written and oral communication skills. Some employers meticulously review an applicant's writing submissions,
(continued on page 10)
Brittany Ford is an attorney with a background in litigation and technology.
A Nashville transplant, in her spare time you can find her searching for the city’s best tacos with her rescue pup, Penny.
honing their first-year samples, a few lawyers in charge of hiring at their firms expressed concern over legal writing proficiency amongst applications they receive. Others weighed legal writing submissions less heavily than an applicant’s ability to communicate their “why” in cover letters and interviews. Employers are not only interested in an applicant’s motivation for pursuing a specific firm, location, practice area, or role, but also want to hear personal stories or experiences that made someone choose law in the first place. An applicant’s “why” should be delivered with confidence because how someone advocates for themselves is a big indicator of how they’ll do so for clients.
At the same time, students are familiarizing themselves with firm values while submitting applications. An organization's mission statement gives students insight into culture and allows students to understand not only
the work being done but also the motivations for doing it. Students also seek more transparency on compensation in job postings, and employers may narrow their applicant pool by failing to provide it. From culture to compensation, students crave as much detail as possible in order to make informed selections. With some cycles occurring before first year grades are released, employers should also assess the feasibility of application timelines. Some fear the drive to secure top talent before competitors will result in mismatched hires as students are pressured to commit to positions without fully understanding their options.
Once hired, the transition into practice can be challenging, particularly in fast-paced, highly adversarial environments with overwhelming caseloads involving prosecution or litigation. It is not surprising then that mentorship is high on students’ wish lists. Applicants want employers willing to teach, guide, and invest in them. Employers also value mentorship and growth even if implementation or formality varies depending on organization size.
Where the parties are the most aligned is networking. What the majority of students interviewed — who have secured post-graduate employment — have in common is that their future employer is connected to their law school’s alumni network. Nashville School of Law students expressed that staff and faculty genuinely know students on an individual basis and
connect them with opportunities regularly. Belmont School of Law has made great strides in the last year and is continuously working to expand their alumni network.
As Nashville continues to grow, so do the expectations of both law students and employers in the area. Grades, practical experience, communication skills, and mentorship will always remain key factors in hiring. Aligning on timelines and compensation, increasing transparency into who we are as people and organizations, and maintaining an already strong legal network will be powerful tools in shaping career opportunities and strengthening connections within our legal community. n
Footnotes
1 Belmont University School of Law Employment Summary for 2023 Graduates, American Bar Association, (2023), https://www. belmont.edu/law/consumerinfo.html , https://www.belmont.edu/law/_files/ eqsummary-16-06-12-2024-13-27-01-1. pdf
2 Career Services Guide, Vanderbilt School of Law, (2025), https://issuu. com/vanderbiltlawschool/docs/35953_ vu_24_vls_career_services_guideissuu_78_
3 Nashville MSA Grew by 86 People Per Day in 2023, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, (Mar. 14, 2024), https:// www.nashvillechamber.com/blog/ chamber-research-center-nashvillemsa-grew-by-86-people-per-dayin-2023/#:~:text=We%20issued%20 a%20press%20release,a%20day%20 moving%20to%20Nashville
Bar Bestie: Waffles
Waffles the golden retriever fills her days with her favorite leisurely pursuits, protecting her yard from trespassing squirrels, soliciting pets and treats from passers-by, and trying to make the world a better place one tail wag at a time. In her down time, you can find Waffles lounging with her feline sisters, Zoey and Olive, or training for her next Race Judicata.
Eric & Eileen Evans
Thank You to Our 2025 Diversity Committee Sponsors
Premier Members
The NBA Premier Membership is a special category that recognizes our members who desire to demonstrate the utmost in commitment and support to our programs and services. Contact NBAFrontDesk@nashvillebar.org for more information on how to become a Premier Member.
Gail Ashworth
Bahar Azhdari
Laura Baker
Daniel Berexa
Michael Berman
Blake Bernard
Joe Binkley
Hon. Melissa Blackburn
Christen Blackburn
Tamara Block
Charles Bone
Robert Boon
Dewey Branstetter
Joshua Burgener
Kenneth Byrd
Christopher Cardwell
Loy Carney
Mark Chalos
William Cheek
Daniel Clayton
Seth Cline
Todd Cole
Christopher Coleman
Erin Coleman
Grover Collins
Lewis Conner
Beau Creson
John Day
Joy Day
Jacqueline Dixon
Sherie Edwards
Keith Frazier
Barry Gammons
David Garrison
Andy Goldstein
John Griffin
Thomas Hager
Amy Hampton
Shellie Handelsman
William Harbison
Jay Harbison
Aubrey Harwell
Trey Harwell
William Haynes
Lisa Helton
Lela Hollabaugh
Cherrelle Hooper
Paul Housch
Joseph Hubbard
Jordan Keller
Jenny Kiesewetter
Lauren Kilgore
John Kitch
William Koch
Irwin Kuhn
Edward Lanquist
Thomas Lawless
William “Billy” Leslie
Wendy Longmire
Joy Longnecker
Kim Looney
Randal Mashburn
Sam McAllester
Marcia McShane
Bob Mendes
Casey Miller
Margaret Moore
Patricia Moskal
Phillip Newman
Paul Ney
Andrew Noell
David Parsons
Gregory Pease
Andrea Perry
Kaya Porter
Tracy Powell
David Raybin
Ben Raybin
Nathan Ridley
Tabitha Robinson
Worrick G. Robinson IV
Christopher Sabis
Marie Scott
Bruce Shanks
Kimberly Silvus
Elizabeth Sitgreaves
Laura Smith
Saul Solomon
Chris Tardio
John Tarpley
Jim Todd
Hon. Aleta Trauger
Howard Vogel
Michael Wall
Leigh Walton
Elizabeth Washko
Jim Weatherly
Carolyn Wenzel
Memorie White
Thomas White
Hon. Stephanie Williams
Thomas Wiseman
Talley Wood
Tyler Yarbro
Edward Yarbrough
Bill Young
Stephen Young
Gulam Zade
Stephen Zralek
TENNESSEE CHAPTER
Gail ASHWORTH (615) 254-1877 John BLANKENSHIP (615) 627-9390
DeHOFF (615) 631-9729 James KAY (615) 742-4800
Gayle MALONE, Jr. (615) 651-6775 Dan NOLAN (931) 647-1501
Michael RUSSELL (615) 815-0472 Mark LeVAN (615) 843-0308
Mark TRAVIS (931) 252-9123
WELLS (423) 756-5051 Kevin BALTZ (615) 651-6714
Jack WADDEY, Jr. (615) 973-2630 David NOBLIT (423) 265-0214 Barry L. HOWARD (888) 305-3553
WHITE (615) 309-0400
John TARPLEY (615) 259-1366
Background Check | Billy Leslie
If you’ve been at a Bar Association event in the last few years, chances are you were greeted with Billy Leslie’s outgoing personality. Leslie grew up in Hendersonville, the middle child to a father who worked in investment services and a schoolteacher mother. Leslie graduated from Beech High School in 1989 and then headed to Cookeville for Tennessee Tech where his older sister also attended. Tech was close enough to home but far enough away for his liking. Leslie had his first foray into the legal world there, while serving on a student government tribunal that handled parking violations and other issues. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and currently serves as the house corporation president.
In 1993, after graduating with his B.S. in Business Administration, Leslie moved back to Hendersonville and started working for JC Bradford, the same investment firm his father worked for. He later switched over to First American National Bank. Though it changed ownership and names a few times, most recently being Raymond James & Associates, Leslie stayed in the same role from 1994-2019.
Twenty years after graduating college, Leslie returned to the classroom at Nashville School of Law. Going to law school was always something he had been interested in, he just had not the right opportunity. He had gotten comfortable in his investment job doing a job he knew well. Giving up a comfortable job scared Leslie, but he found inspiration from his grandmother, who at the age of 58 graduated from college and taught school.
Leslie continued working at Raymond James while attending NSL. He recalled having to relearn how to study. He tried notetaking on a laptop as other students did but quickly reverted to pad and pen. That tried and true method worked for Leslie, who graduated fourth in his class.
Even though Leslie graduated from NSL in 2017, he continued doing investment work for a couple of years because he knew he would be taking a pay cut
and starting from square one when he took a legal job. Not knowing exactly what he wanted to do, he looked around until the right opportunity came in 2019 when Judge Timothy Easter hired Leslie as his law clerk. Leslie clerked for a year and a half before taking a job in the securities division at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. After almost two years there, and a short stint at Human Services, he took an opportunity in private practice.
Wimberly Lawson hired him as an associate to do employment and workers' compensation law. Unfortunately, just five months later, the firm reorganized, leaving Leslie without a position. Leslie leaned into his contacts that he had built through his
(continued on page 16)
Bart Pickett serves as the State Trial Court Administrator for the Twentieth Judicial District where he oversees the operations of the 18 State Trial Courts. Prior to that, he practiced as a trial attorney for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.
Background Check (cont.)
bar association involvement, which resulted in his current position at Farrar Bates Berexa. He has been there since April 2023. His cases primarily focus on municipal liability defense, including labor and employment, workers’ compensation, civil rights, zoning issues, and torts. He practices primarily in counties in Middle Tennessee, in both state and federal courts. It’s rare that he goes into a courtroom and does not know at least one person, which he credits to his bar association involvement.
Overall, Leslie is glad he made his career change. It has been challenging at times but certainly not boring. He learned from mistakes made in his first career and took those lessons with him to his legal career. Specifically, getting involved with the professional organizations and meeting people through them have been a mission of his since law school.
Leslie is currently the Assistant Treasurer for the NBA. Last year, he served as the CLE committee co-
Mediation Services
chair. He is a graduate of the NBA Leadership Forum and the TBA Leadership Law program. He is also a past president of the Young Lawyers’ Division of the TBA and currently serves on the TBA Board of Governors.
Leslie lives in Madison with his husband of 20 years, Eddie. Eddie works for the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. The couple enjoy cruises and travelling, especially to their favorite destination, Italy.
Phillip Byron Jones is a Nashville based Business and Business Litigation attorney with a proven track record in and out of the courthouse, bolstering his ability to mediate matters small and large. He handles complicated mediations for individuals, small businesses and corporations.
• Specializing in commercial construction disputes, aviation litigation, corporate disputes, and complex contract disputes.
• Commercial pilot certificate; single-engine, multi-engine, and instrument ratings.
• Master of the Bench - John Marshall American Inns of Court
• Nashville Bar Foundation
Gadget of the Month | CES 2025: Robots and TVs and AI, Oh My!
In January, Bill and Phil (and 150,000 fellow nerds) went on their annual trek to the Consumer Electronics Show. The show has been in Las Vegas since 1998, and they have attended every year since 2004. This was their 10th year at the Sin City event. A lot has changed since then, but the more things change, the more they stay the same.
CES covers almost every topic in the tech world – from the big tech world of giants like LG, Amazon, Samsung, and Google – to little guys whose products are not yet available or are only available on crowd funding platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo. Phil gravitates toward the latest computer technology (like laptops), and Bill loves the cutting-edge farm tech from John Deere and others.
As one might expect, the most featured (and hyped) tech was AI. Bill was excited because he thought it was the type of “AI” you use on your farm animals, but Phil explained it was “Artificial Intelligence.” The majority of devices and services featured at the 2025 CES professed to have an AI component. In most instances, it was easy to spot the AI component. In others, it was hard to find the AI in the product or service.
For example, robots were everywhere. Aris, the blond, almost-human robot ($175,000 from Realbotix), fielded questions from Bill and accurately responded in spite of his Tennessee accent. She also had the facial and hand gestures to go with it. (Bill commented that he thought she liked him. Phil just smiled.)
The AI was easy to spot in the many versions of “smart glasses,” such as the Halliday AI Glasses ($399 on Kickstarter). Unlike the Meta/ Ray-Ban smart glasses (which are available now), the Halliday glasses have a “Proactive” invisible display that appears on the right eye lens. It uses a little “projector” that is incorporated into the frame. Only the wearer can see the display. It supposedly has an AI agent that “functions like a second brain” and “empowers you with on-the-spot brilliance.”
Of course, most notebook computers featured a separate “neural processing unit” that allows the computer to pair with AI locally.
As a result, the unit provides AI in response to voice commands in real time, so you can create hallucinations (just kidding) more quickly and use less power. Phil’s favorite was the LG Gram Pro that features a 16-inch screen and weighs less than three pounds. Bill’s favorite was the Asus Zenbook A14 that has a smaller screen (14 inches) and a 30 hour battery life. (Also, the Asus is cheaper, $1099.)
The Nuwa Pen ($295 for preorder) has less-obvious AI features, but Bill and Phil thought it was pretty cool. It is a smart pen that has built-in cameras that capture what you write on plain paper (not a tablet screen or special paper). It saves what you write in an app, converts it to text and makes it searchable. Nuwa claims that the AI comes to play by loading scribbles into a “built-in large language AI model.”
The AI in the Roborock Saros 270 robot vacuum ($1399) was even harder to spot. Phil (a fan of robot vacs) loved this one. It has a mechanical arm that picks up socks, napkins, tissue, and other items in its way, cleans under where they were, and puts them back down. Roborock claims AI is involved, but is AI really needed to pick up debris on the floor?
Like every year, new and improved TVs were everywhere –from transparent TVs (you can see through the screen, if needed) to super high-resolution TVs. There
(continued on page 18)
Gadget of the Month (cont.)
were many copycats of Samsung’s Frame TV that looks like a framed piece of art when there is not a TV signal to display. Now Hisense and TCL (brands that are staples at Walmart) have their own versions that come with their own library of art. (Yes, you too, can have the Mona Lisa framed in your home, and much larger than the original, which is 30 inches by 21 inches.) But the wireless TVs are what caught Bill and Phil’s TV-lustful eyes. Several models had only a power cord and no other connecting wires, just a separate, well-hidden connector box
that sends the TV signal wirelessly to the TV. The Displace TV Pro takes wireless to even another level. It has suction cups to stick it to a wall; and it is a battery-powered 55-inch TV. (You do have to connect it to power to charge the batteries from time to time.) It costs $6000; but there are smaller cheaper models available.
Food tech was a major feature of Eureka Park (where many new, innovative ideas and products are on display). There were robotic waffle makers (by Apecoo) and a countertop beer maker (by Exobrew). The Exobrew was Bill’s favorite. It can make 1.6 gallons of beer in just a few days, using premade packs. The two most innovative items were the 2nd-CURV High Speed Dishwasher and the Kirin Electric Salt Spoon. The 2nd-CURV uses no detergent and very little power. It only cleans a few dishes at a time, but it cleans and sanitizes a load of dishes in 5 seconds! The Kirin Electric Salt Spoon is designed for those who
love salt but need to reduce their salt intake. The Kirin Spoon uses a small and undetectable electric current that makes food taste salty, even when it is not. Bill tried it out; and it works! Amazing.
There were many more, strange, unique, innovative and useful items to be seen in the 15,000 exhibit booths, but there was one that particularly caught the Viola Farm Boy’s eye. Naturally, it was in the John Deere display area. The John Deere See & Spray uses a GPS to control a herbicide sprayer’s path. It uses a combination of AI, electronically controlled sprayers, and a camera beside each sprayer. When the camera sees a weed (identified by AI), it sprays only on the weed and nothing else. Bill was all smiles.
Alas, after two days of tech overload, it was time to go home. Bill and Phil took a long last look at the Las Vegas Sphere and headed off for home with visions of AI-equipped devices dancing in their heads. n
Bar Besties: Choti & Baloo
Choti (Great Dane) and Baloo (Goldendoodle) are proof that opposites really do attract. Choti is basically Scooby-Doo— anxious, snack-obsessed, and happiest in bed cuddling with Mom. Baloo, on the other hand, is an outdoor enthusiast who treats his humans like personal chauffeurs for his daily walks and drives. And if it snows? Good luck getting him inside. Together, they’re the ultimate spoiled monster-angels… but let’s be honest, they totally deserve it!
Pooja Bery, McKellar Law Group
Can You Name These People?
Golden Oldies
Be the first person to email the correct answer to Adrienne. BennettCluff@Nashvillebar.org, and your name – along with the correct answer – will appear in the next issue.
Spring Golden Oldies
Congratulations to Scott Sims at Sims | Funk for correctly identifying the indivuals in last issue's photo! Individuals are listed from left to right: Jimmie Lynn Ramsaur, Allan Ramsaur, & Judge Frank G. Clement, Jr..
Employing Gen Z: Is It Just “Kids
These Days” Or Is There a
Real Problem? The Optimal Path
to AI Success
Ellison Berryhill is an Appellate Attorney with the Nashville Public Defender's Office. His writing has been published in the Louisville Law Review, Virginia Journal of Criminal Law, and Michigan Journal of Law Reform. All work done for the Nashville Bar Association is in his personal capacity and does not represent the views of his employer.
I hate to start an article with news that will probably depress you, but some people in Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, are old enough to become lawyers. Most new associates in firms are Gen Z and they will continue to make up greater numbers of the ranks of the NBA.
Other than the fact that it feels impossible for people born in 1997 to be 28, what does this mean for the practice of law? Some may be anxious about this development because Gen Z has a less than sterling reputation. As reported in Fox Business, “a 2023 survey from ResumeBuilder found that 49% of all business leaders identified [Gen Z] as difficult to work with most or all of the time, and a majority agreed that [they] lack effective communication skills, motivation and even technological skills in some instances.” 1
Forbes reported that 60% of employers admitted to firing a Gen Z employee in 2024. They cite three reasons: (1) Gen Z lacks motivation, (2) they have a different communication style than their supervisors, and (3) they reject the all-work-no-life mentality.2
So, as lawyers who will mainly employ Gen Z lawyers in the coming years, what should we expect? What problems should we anticipate from our new hires? What specific needs will our new lawyers have that we need to prepare for? To answer these questions, I talked to some lawyers who employ Gen Zers, as well as some Gen Z lawyers themselves about their experiences.
Fortunately, after speaking with the members of generations pre-dating Gen Z, they did not have major complaints about their new associates. It is possible that the grind of law school, the rigor of an interview process, and the natural ambition contained within new lawyers
serve as adequate filtering mechanisms. Once they get all the way to law firms' offices, the young lawyers may not have the flighty selfishness stereotypically present in their generation.
One complaint was that new lawyers do not want to pick up the phone and call someone – they are much more interested in an email, a Microsoft Teams message, or even a snail mail letter than a phone call. However, phone calls are still standard practice with many clients in the legal arena and, depending on the firm, a nonnegotiable part of the job.
The conversation was much more interesting when getting answers from the young people themselves. As new lawyers entering the profession, they have a lot to say on the topic of how they fit in. A big theme was the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the Gen Z lawyers in practice now had their law school or college experience impacted by COVID with several results:
"The conversation was much more interesting when getting answers from the young people themselves. As new lawyers entering the profession, they have a lot to say on the topic of how they fit in."
First, they emphasize the disruption and stress caused by COVID. This is not just limited to one generation. However, it happened during formative years of their legal education and careers — something that in the past usually included social introduction and fraternization with newly minted legal colleagues.
While this placed disadvantages on them, Gen Z lawyers tend to think that this helps them adapt well to a busy legal practice where they have to make changes on the fly.
Second, they got experience with remote and flexible work during the pandemic and some of them want to keep that. Many firms are moving back to the office and want all attorneys to be physically there unless they have a specific reason to be remote. Some Gen Z workers are all for that – they see it as a way to connect with their new colleagues – but some came to love remote work during their internships and want to keep it.
Third, they had to become comfortable with technology during COVID. That was their only way to connect with other people and they come into firms with this proficiency as a strength. Contrary to the ResumeBuilder survey cited above, new associates even frequently have the tech skills to onboard the partners with modern technology.
Beyond COVID, Gen Z has seen the world change dramatically within their young lives. This makes them more willing to question the status quo. “We’ve always done it that way” is the worst way to defend a practice to someone who has seen law books become nearly obsolete and cars become self-driving.
A related point is that Gen Z wants to know why things are the way they are and the purpose of what they’re doing. Simple "nonanswer" justifications that satisfied previous generations will not cut it. Inter-generational communication surrounding the status quo is empowering to this generation. They have grown up with access to nearly the entire body of human knowledge in their pockets.
They know how to find relevant information and put it to use in their practice and they want to do meaningful work for offices that care about their well-being. Smart firms will tap into their talents and become more productive and creative as a result.
Background to this conversation is that elders have been complaining about “kids these days” for nearly all of human history. In his 1907 dissertation, Cambridge student Kenneth John Freeman described the views of Ancient Greeks concerning their younger population between 600 and 300 BC:
“The counts of the indictment are luxury, bad manners, contempt for authority, disrespect to elders and a love for chatter in place of exercise. . . . They no longer rose from their seats when an elder entered the room; they contradicted their parents, chattered before company, gobbled up the dainties at the table, and committed various offences against Hellenic tastes, such as crossing their legs. They tyrannized over the paidagogoi and schoolmasters.”3 This opinion is often misattributed to Socrates, but that idea has been around forever. It seems like many of the
complaints about Gen Z can be tied to time honored complaints about “kids these days.” If you employ Gen Z lawyers and treat them as well-educated, younger versions of yourself, instead of dispensable cogs in a machine, you will find them to be creative and effective. If not, you will likely be disappointed by the results. Do you really want to have the same curmudgeonly attitude as 600 BC Greeks?
Probably not. n
Footnotes1
1 Penley, Taylor. “Why Gen Z Surpassing Boomers at Work Is Troubling for Managers: ‘Age of Authority Is Dropping.’” Fox Business, www. foxbusiness.com/media/why-gen-zsurpassing-boomers-work-troublingmanagers-age-authority-dropping
2 Travers, Mark. “3 Reasons Gen Z Is Getting Fired from the Workplace - a Psychologist Explains.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024, www.forbes. com/sites/traversmark/2024/10/18/3reasons-why-gen-z-is-gettingfired-from-the-workplace-by-apsychologist/.
3 Freeman, Kenneth J. “Schools of Hellas: An Essay on the Practice and Theory of Ancient Greek Education from 600 to 300 B.C.” Trinity College, Cambridge, 1907.
Can You Have It All? (And Still Get Some Sleep?)
Summer Geyer is an Associate with Buchalter, P.C. where she practices commercial litigation and specializes in construction law. Summer earned her J.D. from Belmont College of Law, and for five years thereafter, served as an Adjunct Professor and Mock Trial Head Coach at Belmont University. In her free time, Summer enjoys traveling, singing, and spending time with her husband, Dayne, and Great Dane, Baron.
Work life balance means different things to different people. Most of us will admit that we are still trying to find or maintain a true work life balance. Matt DeVries was asked to give his thoughts on work life balance, given his unique perspective. Matt is a Shareholder with Buchalter, P.C., and is the leader of Buchalter’s Construction Group. He is a fitness enthusiast, active in his church, and a single father of seven (not a typo) kids. Matt has agreed to share his perspective on juggling a demanding career and a large family, while also finding time to focus on his health and his faith. This is Matt’s take on work life balance.
How long have you been practicing law? I have been practicing for over 25 years.
How old is your youngest child? Your oldest?
My youngest is 13 years old and my oldest is 27 years old.
Where were you in your legal career when you had your first child? What about your last?
I adopted my oldest child right after I graduated law school while I was clerking for the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia. We had our youngest child when I was about 10 years into private practice.
Do you find that you use legal skills/tactics in your parenting?
Prior to my divorce, we homeschooled all of our children at a young age. I would regularly teach logic and public speaking. Of course, I would often debate
them on their bedtime or brushing their teeth.
As a single father, I taught mock trial at every one of their classes from middle school to high school. During dinner time or evening walks, I teach them problem solving techniques to help them in their daily life. And, I still have to rely on my negotiation skills when setting curfew or allowing sleepovers.
Do you use any parenting skills in your legal career?
One of the most important parenting skills I developed after raising seven children was to “meet them at eye level.” This meant when I came home from work, I got down on my knee, with arms wide open, and spoke with them eye-to-eye. As an advocate, I cannot tell you how important it is to speak eye-toeye with clients or witnesses, and to make eye contact when answering a judge’s question in court.
What does work life balance mean to you?
Work-life balance is a myth—life isn’t about rigidly dividing time between work and personal life, but about embracing the ebb and flow of priorities. At different stages, certain aspects will demand more of you, and that’s okay. The key to fulfillment is ensuring that your greatest passion or most important priorities are always present in your daily life. When you do that, success in both your career and personal life isn’t just achievable—it’s inevitable.
What are the things that mean the most to you? In other words, what are the things in life that you must work to balance?
The four things that matter most to me—faith, family, work, and health—have shaped my life, but learning how to balance them has been one of my greatest challenges. Both during my marriage and as a single father of seven children, I struggled with the concept of work-life balance. Early in my career, I tried to separate each priority into its own category, believing that faith, family, work and health could exist in their own neatly organized spaces. But life doesn’t work that way. These priorities constantly overlap, and I often felt pulled in different directions, as if I had to sacrifice one for the other.
"Work-life balance is a myth — life isn’t about rigidly dividing time between work and personal life, but about embracing the ebb and flow of priorities. At different stages, certain aspects will demand more of you, and that’s okay."
How do you balance those things?
Over time, I realized that there aren’t separate lives to balance—there is only one life with shifting priorities. I eventually adopted a “family first” approach that allows me to stay true to what matters most while still managing my career and personal responsibilities. That doesn't mean ignoring my work obligations, skipping workouts, or setting my faith aside. Instead, it means
making intentional choices— choosing dinner with my kids over an extra hour at the office, prioritizing a morning workout to stay strong for them, and keeping my faith at the center of everything I do. Even when financial pressures mount or work demands long hours, “family first” reminded me that my presence matters more than any paycheck. When I put faith first, I found peace in the chaos. When I commit to fitness, I had the energy to show up fully for my family. And when I keep my career goals in perspective, I can make decisions that support all the other areas of my life.
What tips do you have for others seeking a good work life balance?
Balance isn’t about choosing one thing and neglecting the rest— it’s about knowing what matters most and aligning everything else accordingly. Some tips include the following:
1. It is important to communicate your priorities to your family, and let them communicate their priorities to you. When I did so, I found that they became more understanding and supportive when work required late nights or financial goals required sacrifice.
2. When the kids were younger, we made a family mission statement that incorporated who we were and who we wanted to be as a family: “DeVries are truthtellers. DeVries are wisdom seekers. DeVries are practical prayers. DeVries are lovers of others. DeVries are fun finders.” Now that they are older, we use these early-age principles when faced with hard decisions. A mission statement helps guide teachable moments at any age.
3. Finally, I bundle priorities to achieve success in multiple areas. For example, evening walks with my kids allow me to “connect” with my kids while also hitting my daily fitness goals. Another example is, when appropriate, I take my kids along to networking events, charity functions, or industry gatherings. It can be a great opportunity to expose them to my career, teach them about leadership and communication, and even spark their own interests in business or law.
By keeping faith strong, family at the core, fitness a priority, and career in check, I’ve been able to navigate life’s demands while staying grounded in what truly matters. n
Capitol Notes
The First Extraordinary Session of the 114th General Assembly convened on Monday, January 27, and finished in the middle of the afternoon on Thursday, January 30. All five bills proposed by Governor Bill Lee and two proposed by Comptroller Jason Mumpower were enacted into law. The noted vote totals in the heading are from the House and Senate respectively on the hotly contested school choice/voucher bills. The addition of a hold harmless provision for local school systems losing students to private schools looks to have moved some originally opposing the bill into support, particularly in the House where the margin was skinny. The Governor’s proposal provides a $7,300 scholarship in public funds to 20,000 students statewide to attend a private school for the first year. The number of students eligible will grow by 5,000 students in the second year. The formula for the first year contains a high-income limit, but in the second or subsequent year, the bill has no income limits. Shortly after passage of the noted packages of bills, each house adjourned the Extraordinary Session.
On Monday, February 10, Governor Bill Lee barked out his seventh annual State of the State address to a joint convention of the General Assembly at the State Capitol in Nashville. In his proposed $59.5 billion budget, Governor Lee unveiled his priorities, and most notable is a transfer of one billion dollars from the state general fund to the department of transportation, which has historically been funded by taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel. Another element of the road funding package is a transfer of the sales tax on tires from the general fund to the transportation fund. This last item is recurring and comes to $80 million a year. Senate Finance Ways & Means Committee chair Bo Watson of Hamilton County who is also the guardian of the general fund expressed some early concerns about the tire proposal. In response to the filing of the budget documents, legislative committees in both
houses have now scheduled a host of budget hearings which will occur over the next several weeks.
Closer to Home. Here in Davidson County, State Representative Caleb Hemmer is the chair of the Davidson County delegation this year. Caleb represents District 59 which covers the southern portion of Davidson County and runs along Hwy 100 at the Williamson County line through Belle Meade, Forest Hills, Oak Hill all the way to Nolensville Road. That is many dog houses to cover, but Caleb does it well, and he is a good contact point for legislation affecting Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County.
Calendar Notes.
March 9March 17March 20April 18April 20May 1 -
Daylight Savings Time begins St. Patrick's Day
First Day of Spring
Good Friday Holiday for State & Local Offices
Easter
NBA Law Day Luncheon n
Peggy Sue, the Beagle Hound is fond of the classic 1957 Buddy Holly song. When hunting legislative news or biscuits, she is hard to contact.
barBites | Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
Corinna Saporito is the Development Coordinator at the NBA. She moved to Nashville in July 2022 from New York City, where she was last employed as a professional baker and chef. Having a BS in Accounting and an MBA in Marketing has placed her in several positions in financial firms such as ABN AMRO, The Carlyle Group, and Macquarie Bank. She spends her personal time with her family, reading for two book clubs, and running 8+ miles every other day. She was born and raised in Arizona and is an alumna of Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority.
12 oz Rice Krispies Cereal
20 oz Marshmallows
12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2.4 oz Freeze Dried Srawberries
Directions
Coat a 13x9 pan with butter. Empty the bag of freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor and process until it’s a powder. Add 12 tablespoons of butter into a large pot and cook on medium low heat to melt it. Then add 20 oz of marshmallows to the pot. Stir and once melted, turn off the heat. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the strawberry powder and add the rest of the powder to the melted marshmallows and stir. Add the rice Krispies cereal and mix well until combined. Pour this mix into the baking pan, spreading it evenly in the pan with a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved strawberry powder on top. Sprinkle other toppings, if desired. Let it cool. Cut into squares. n
Meet Us at the Bar Lavender Lemonade
Ingredients
Dried Culinary Lavender
Sugar
Lemon Juice
Sparkling Water
Optional: Butterfly Pea Powder
Directions
Prepare the lavender simple syrup: Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water into a small saucepan. Bring the contents to a simmer and then turn off the heat once the sugar is completely melted. Submerge 1 tablespoon of lavender buds and let sit for 15 minutes. Allow for more or less infusion time depending on the strength of flavor you’re looking for. Once finished, strain the mixture to remove the buds. You can skip this step entirely and buy lavender syrup – store bought is fine.
In a stirring glass or mixer, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1 ounce lavender syrup, stir, and pour over ice in a drinking glass, filling about 2/3 to the top. Top with your favorite sparkling water.
As a final touch for the pop of color, you can incorporate the butterfly pea powder. For a fun party trick, add a very small amount – tip of a spoonful – of the butterfly pea powder to a separate glass. Add a teaspoon of water to the powder and stir. Gather your friends and/ or kids and add a splash of lemon juice to see the liquid turn from blue to purple. Add it on top of the lemonade and enjoy! n
Photo by Adrienne Bennett Cluff
Lawyer Referral & Information Service
Are you looking for another avenue for revenue and referrals, specifically those tailored to your practice area?
If so, the NBA Lawyer Referral & Information Service needs you. We are currently in need of attorneys who handles issues such as:
Bankruptcy
Civil Rights
Consumer Rights
Immigration
Social Security Disability Insurance
Tax
Workers' Compensation
For information on joining LRIS, please contact LRIS@NashvilleBar.org
We look forward to hearing from you!
The NBA All-Access CLE Pass
For $199, members may register for an unlimited number of any NBA-produced* seminars, both in-person and through Distance Learning throughout the membership year (November 1 through October 31**).
The All-Access CLE Pass is exclusive to NBA members only. For details and more information regarding the All-Access CLE Pass, visit NashvilleBar.org/CLE
*Some exclusions for All-Access CLE Pass usage apply for special programming including but not limited to CLE Institutes, Master Series speakers, travel-related CLEs, some YLD seminars, and other seminars in which we partner with outside entities.
**The All-Access CLE Pass expires annually on October 31 and may not be used to register for seminars beyond that date.
Continued Legal Education (CLE)
The NBA is your source for cutting edge, quality continuing education. We provide more than 600 hours of live and distance learning programming while offering our members discounted rates. For a complete calendar, full seminar agendas, and registration, visit NashvilleBar.org/CLE
March 26 | Live Seminar
Masters in Trial CLE Program
OVERVIEW
Presented with the Tennessee Chapter of American Board of Trail Advocates Foundation, The Masters in Trial® program demonstrates the skills and techniques that the nation’s leading trial advocates use in voir dire, opening statements, direct and cross-examination and closing arguments. See how these techniques translate in live jury deliberations, then use the panel discussions to take your own trial skills to the next level.
PRESENTERS
Eric Mason Beasley, Law Office of Eric Beasley
Daniel P. Berexa, Cornelius & Collins, LLP
Craig C. Conley, Baker Donelson
John R. Jacobson, Riley Warnock & Jacobson, PLC
Mark A. Rassas, Rassas, North & ASsociates
Elaine M. Youngblood, Ortale Kelley
William H. Farmer, Vanderbilt Law School
DETAILS
Seminar 9:00am5:00pm Credit
General Location ..Nashville School of Law * Pending Accreditation
October 8 - October 16
NBA CLE Abroad in Portugal
OVERVIEW
The Nashville Bar Association welcomes you and your guest(s) to join our exclusive journey through Portugal’s OldWorld allure and New World splendor. While enjoying the best of Portugal's culinary and wine scenes, our immersive program will engage with local experts, attorneys, and academics offering relevant commentary on the Portuguese and EU legal and political systems, US-Portuguese relations, art, history, architecture, and religion. You will also learn why Portugal is fast becoming a popular haven for US and UK expats, retirees, digital nomads and young Americans alike. You do not want to miss this opportunity to experience the heart of Portugal while receiving CLE credit.
Join our Core Program for 4-nights in Lisbon from October 8-12, 2025. Add-on 3-nights in Northern Portugal, staying in Porto from October 12-15, 2025, including an excursion to the breathtaking Douro Wine Valley. (Return home from Porto-OPO if on the 7-night program).
Add-on 1-additional night of October 15th (8 nights total), returning to Lisbon with a stop in Coimbra, farewell dinner & overnight in Lisbon to catch flights the following morning of October 16th, 2025.
COST
Registrations received prior to March 30, 2025 are eligible for the following discounts:
New Travelers receive $150 off per person
Past/Returning Travelers receive $250 off per person
* Pending Accreditation
Annual Meeting & Banquet | December 12, 2025
Damali Booker 1L Minority Job Fair | January 15, 2025
Davidson County High School Mock Trial
February 21-22, 2025
Hearsay | Honors & Awards, On the Move, Firm News
Honors & Awards
Bradley Arant Boult
Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Nashville partner Tom Trent has been recognized for the fifth consecutive year with a Client Choice Award presented by Lexology. He is recognized in the area of Real Estate in Tennessee, making him one of only two U.S. attorneys and one of 21 winners worldwide receiving a Client Choice Award in the area of Real Estate. Trent is a member of Bradley’s Economic Development Practice Group and a member of the Real Estate team. He has more than 40 years of experience working with national and regional clients, including major manufacturing companies, corporate users of commercial real estate, institutional investors, developers and lenders. Trent regularly handles complex economic development incentive and commercial real estate transactions across the country. He is a frequent speaker and panelist at commercial real estate, finance, healthcare and economic development seminars and programs for numerous legal and industry organizations.
The Nashville Hispanic Bar Association (NHBA) is proud to announce the 2025 Board of Directors:
President - Ginette Garza Brown, Interim General Counsel, Tennessee State University
Vice President - Lody Powers, Assistant District Attorney, Office of the District Attorney, Davidson County
Secretary - Lindsay Oakes, Associate Counsel, State of Tennessee Division of TennCare
Treasurer - L. Maverick Flowers ,
Associate, Polsinelli
The Nashville Hispanic Bar Association began in 2019 as a networking association for Hispanic attorneys, legal professionals and allies. The organization became officially incorporated in 2022. The Eviction Right to Counsel Program (ERTC) is the association’s signature program that provides free legal services and education to low-income Davidson County residents in the immigrant community facing eviction. The ERTC program seeks to reduce evictions and increase housing equity in Nashville. Services range from legal advice and advocacy to full representation in court.
Baker Donelson has received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's (HRCF) 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Baker Donelson joins the 765 U.S. businesses that will be honored with HRCF's Equality 100 Award as Leaders in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion. This year's CEI includes 1,449 businesses – the highest number of rated companies since the start of the CEI in 2002.
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Nashville partner A.J. Bahou has been selected to the 2025 class of Nashville Health Care Council Fellows. He is one of just 27 healthcare leaders selected to the five-month intensive program designed to generate new perspectives and ideas for addressing the healthcare industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. Now in its 12th year, the Nashville Health Care Council Fellows program connects the industry’s brightest minds, influential leaders, and drivers of
change who are dedicated to shaping the future of the industry. Bahou leads Bradley’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) team, drawing on his impressive background and practice focused on the intersection of law and technology, with an emphasis on healthcare technology, intellectual property, data privacy and cybersecurity.
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that the firm’s Government Contract Practice Group has been selected as a winner of Law360’s “Practice Groups of the Year” for the third time. The firm’s practice group also earned this recognition in 2023 and in 2021. Law360’s 14th annual Practice Groups of the Year awards recognize the practice groups that worked on the biggest deals or achieved the biggest wins in the most important cases over the past year in a variety of key practice areas. Winners in each category are selected based on the size, complexity and significance of the matters they worked on.
Belmont University’s College of Law has been named one of 10 finalists in Bloomberg Law’s third annual Law School Innovation Program, exemplifying a holistic approach to legal education. Belmont Law’s Extended Enneagram Training was selected from more than 30 program applications and the only program chosen in Tennessee.
John P. Williams, who is currently Of Counsel with Tune, Entrekin & White, has just written his first book: Montgomery Bell: Tennessee Frontier Capitalist (2024, Acclaim Press). It is the first-ever biography of Montgomery Bell, Tennessee’s most successful ironmaster in the first half of the 19th century – a time when iron was the essential ingredient in products for the kitchen, the farm, and the military.
Williams’ biography of Bell traces his odyssey from his Pennsylvania roots during the American Revolution, through his 12 years as a Kentucky hatter, to his 50-year career in the iron business in Tennessee. Many Nashville attorneys received their high school education at Montgomery Bell Academy, founded in 1867 with a bequest from Bell. The Bells Bend section of Davidson County is named for Montgomery Bell as a result of his ownership of 6,000 acres in that area for more than 30 years and his construction of a home, grist mill, and sawmill in Bells Bend.
On the Move
Hall Booth Smith is excited to welcome Ethan A. Rudnicki to the team as an associate. Rudnicki was previously a summer associate with HBS, where he gained valuable experience working on insurance defense, medical malpractice, and government liability cases and was a part of various stages of litigation. He was also an extern at Tenants Law Firm, a non-profit dedicated to protecting tenants’ rights, allowing him to help individuals and families secure safe and adequate housing by addressing complex legal issues affecting their well-being.
Mark Kelly and Lauren Fariss have joined the firm of Riley & Jacobson, PLC. Kelly practices commercial litigation across a wide range of subject areas. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2022, where he served as Research Editor and Web Editor for the Tennessee Law Review. He was also part of the 2020 National Moot Court Team, which placed first in the region. Before joining Riley & Jacobson,
Kelly served two years as a Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Thomas W. Brothers. Fariss will also practice commercial litigation. She graduated summa cum laude from Belmont University College of Law in 2024, where she served as Associate Editor for the Belmont Law Review. Fariss earned her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, in Creative & Entertainment Industries from Belmont University in 2021.
Firm News
Spencer Fane is pleased to announce that Nashville attorney, Chase Fann , has been elected to partnership. Fann is a passionate litigator with diverse experience in both civil and criminal law. His focus areas span business, civil rights, contracts, criminal defense, employment, personal injury, and entertainment matters. This exposure to a wide range of practice areas allows him to serve as lead or cocounsel for plaintiffs and defendants in both state and federal courts at the trial and appellate level. Fann completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee before earning his Juris Doctor at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis, where he finished second in his class.
The law firm of Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC (GSRM Law) is pleased to announce the following three attorneys have been promoted to Member:
Virginia J. Connell , William C. Scales, Jr. , and Ansley Owens Tillett Virginia J. (Ginger) Connell has a practice that spans a broad range of family law issues, including divorce and separation, high net worth asset and debt division,
spousal and child support, custody arrangements, paternity, parenting plan modifications, post-divorce conflicts and enforcement, prenuptial agreements, and collaborative divorce processes. She excels in high-stakes cases, particularly involving complex custody and divorce disputes. William C. Scales, Jr. counsels businesses and individuals through all phases of real estate litigation, construction litigation, and business litigation. His experience includes numerous bench and jury trials, arbitration proceedings, and state court appeals. His current representations concern real property disputes ranging from troubled real estate transactions to landlord/tenant disputes, government zoning and code compliance for governmental entities and property owners, and construction litigation for contractors and property owners related to defective construction, mechanic’s liens, and licensing issues. Ansley Owens Tillett represents and advises clients throughout all stages of family law litigation. Her practice includes divorce and legal separation, asset and debt division, alimony, child support, custody arrangements, antenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and post-divorce conflict including parenting plan and alimony modifications, as well as enforcementrelated proceedings.
Burr & Forman has announced the election of Nicole Sims as partner. Sims is a member of the firm’s Corporate & Tax practice group, where she represents clients in a variety of transactional issues and general business matters, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and financing transactions.
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce six of the firm’s Nashville attorneys have been
(continued on page 38)
Hearsay | Honors & Awards, On the Move, Firm News (cont.)
elevated to partner. The new partners are Alicia Adlerz, Kyle Doiron, Will Farmer , Erin MaloneSmolla, Mike Moore, and Caroline Dare Spore Adlerz is a member of the firm’s Healthcare Practice Group and advises clients operating in the healthcare industry on transactions and regulatory compliance matters. She earned her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and her B.A. (magna cum laude) from the University of Georgia. Doiron represents owners, general contractors, and subcontractors in the construction industry. He advocates for clients both in advance of and subsequent to problems arising by drafting contracts designed to avoid disputes and litigating matters. A magna cum laude graduate of Duke University School of Law, he earned his M.A. from Duke University and his B.S. (summa cum laude) from BirminghamSouthern College. Farmer’s practice focuses on real estate acquisitions and dispositions, finance and development, lending and leasing for banks, and representing life insurance companies, real estate developers, real estate investors, and corporate clients. He has a J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Kentucky College of Law and earned a B.B.A. (summa cum laude) in both marketing and management from the University of Kentucky. Malone-Smolla regularly handles bankruptcy, complex business litigation, commercial litigation, judgment enforcement and execution matters, as well as various matters relating to compliance and risk management. A graduate
of Duke University School of Law, she earned an M.Ed. from Lipscomb University and a B.A. from Duke University. Moore has a diverse practice representing agents, lenders, and investors in all types of commercial loan transactions, as well as clients across various industries in connection with private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. He earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his B.S. from Xavier University. Spore concentrates her practice on complex business litigation and appellate issues in state and federal court and encompasses a diverse array of legal matters, including contract disputes, intellectual property disputes, and ERISA litigation. She received her J.D. (summa cum laude) from Washington University School of Law and her B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.
Frost Brown Todd (FBT) has strengthened its business litigation practice with the addition of Josh Burgener as a partner in its Nashville office. A well-respected commercial litigator, Burgener has extensive experience in the courtroom, as well as in litigation assessment and avoidance. Coupled with his strong relationships in the Nashville area, Burgener’s vast experience will help solidify FBT’s business litigation presence in Nashville and beyond. Burgener advises clients on complex commercial and business litigation, employment disputes, class actional litigation, and real estate litigation. He also handles trade secret and noncompete suits, contract claims, legal disputes, and business torts. n
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9. Publisher: Adrienne Bennett Cluff, Editor: Bill Ramsey, Managing Editor: Lauren Poole, 150 4th Ave N, Ste 1350, Nashville, TN 37219-2419
10. Owner: Nashville Bar Association
11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1% or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages or Other Securities: None
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13. Publication Title: Nashville Bar Journal
14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: 09/06/24
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17. This statement of ownership will be printed in the March 2025 issue.
18. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including multiple damages and civil penalties).
— Adrienne Bennett Cluff, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Nashville Bar Association, February 15, 2025
Get to Know Joseph Hubbard
We had the opportunity to talk with our new NBA president, Jospeh Hubbard, to get to know him better. We are excited about his leadership in 2025!
Which living person do you most admire?
The two people I tried to emulate most when I was growing up were my older brothers, and I still do today. They are both super smart, hard-working, engaging, and dependable.
What is your current state of mind?
Hopeful. By nature, I’m optimistic, and I look for the best in almost everything I do. That translates to the NBA, where we have a talented and diverse board, engaged and thoughtful leaders, and a professional and dedicated staff. That’s a great combination for success.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Patience. I try to be patient, but I want to make quick decisions and not linger too long when I feel an answer is clear. I also enjoy short and direct meetings.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
My wife says I use the word “esoteric” too much.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I’m not sure this is a talent, but the ‘super power’ I’ve always wanted is to speak every language in the world. The ability to communicate with anyone would be amazing.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I can’t say there is any one achievement I think of as my “greatest,” but I’m most proud of my family and, especially, the relationship I have with my daughters. It feels awesome to have them run over and give me a big hug when I see them after school or work. That’s one area of my life I know I’m doing well.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
I’d be a dolphin. They’re always smiling and laughing, scaring off sharks, hanging in their pod with their family, and exploring the ocean. Sounds awesome to me.
What is your most treasured possession?
I have one object I’ve kept since I was a little boy, which is a portacath. It was in my chest when I was going through cancer treatments as a child. The doctors injected my chemotherapy treatments into it, and it had a tube that went straight to my heart. I pull it out when I need a reminder that I can survive and overcome other obstacles.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Physically, I guess it would be my dimples. But I would like to think my joy for work and life are bit more transcendent.
What do you most value in your friends?
For me, the basis of all close relationships is trust. All of my friends are people I can trust to tell the truth and hear it back from them. I want my friends to be honest with me and not tell me what they think I want to hear.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I’ve read three biographies of Theodore Roosevelt. He had many great qualities, but the one I identify with most was his industriousness. He was always moving forward.
What is your motto?
I don’t know if it’s a motto, but I find myself giving younger attorneys advice often these days. I tell them all the same thing: “Relationships are the most valuable part of my life, and I put everything into them.”
2025 Board of Directors
Joseph Hubbard, President Polsinelli
Goal: To give everything I've got to the NBA! Fun Fact: Between humans and animals, there are 28 feet at our house.
Christen Blackburn, Second Vice President
Goal: Identify ways to engage and provide value to all NBA members through unique CLEs, networking events, and community service opportunities. Hobbies: Spending time with my family, volunteering, and traveling!
William H. Leslie, Assistant Treasurer
Farrar Bates Berexa
Goal: Try to relax a bit more. Hobbies: Love to combine travel with visiting historic places.
Bahar Azhdari, Immediate Past President
Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
Goal: To travel more and beat my one-mile PR. Fun Fact: I am an unabashed lover of television.
Sherie Edwards, President-Elect
Community Volunteer
Goal: Start my mediation practice; finally learn to play piano & dobro.
Fun Fact: I babysat John Carter Cash a few times when he was a baby.
Hobbies: My biggest hobby is exercising – I prefer to run if I can keep from injuring myself.
Ben Raybin, First Vice President-Elect Raybin & Weissman
Goal: Travel more.
Fun Fact: I get to carpool with my daughter and father most days.
Marie Tedesco Scott, First Vice President
Fisher Phillips
Goal: With the team, plan the NBFLF 10-year reunion & celebration!
Fun Fact: I am originally from Virginia Beach & have lived in Atlanta, Miami, St. Louis, Boston, & Nashville — I think I saved the best for last.
S. Jae Lim, Treasurer
United States Attorney's Office
Goal: Eat more veggies and read more books. Balance the NBA budget.
Hobbies: Reading and napping.
Hon. Ana L. Escobar, Second Vice PresidentElect
General Sessions Judge, Division III
Goal: I would like to travel.
Hobbies: I am learning to fish!
Deadrick Thaxton, Secretary Asurion
Lela M. Hollabaugh, General Counsel Bradley
Callie Hinson, YLD President Neal & Harwell
Josh Burgener
Frost Brown Todd
Goal: Acclimate to my new firm and colleagues at Frost Brown Todd.
Fun Fact: I was born and raised in New York City.
Beau Creson
Sims|Funk
Goal: I hope to be more intentional about spending quality time with family and friends, including my NBA friends!
Fun Fact: As a kid I would memorize and re-enact Jim Carrey routines from his 90s and 00s movies. At one point, I was suspended from grade school because I wouldn't stop doing stand-up type routines at lunch.
Jay Harbison
Neal & Harwell
Goal: Grow NBA's membership ranks.
Hobbies: I love playing the guitar, but have finally come to terms with the fact that I will never be a famous guitarist.
Joy Boyd Longnecker Barnes & Thornburg, LLP
Goal: Schedule - and take(!) - a vacation/time off each quarter
Fun Fact: I am a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) who is fluent in ASL (American Sign Language)
obstacle course
Cherelle Hooper
Tennessee Housing Development Agency
Goal: One of my personal goals is to spend more time cooking than I did last year.
Hobbies: I enjoy reading, traveling, and cooking.
Hon. John R. Manson
Davidson County Judicial Magistrate
PC
Goal: My professional goal for 2025 is to work on policies that protect songwriters, artists, & entertainment professionals, especially with respect to AI & synthetic content.
Fun Fact: I am an avid Django Reinhardt fan and am currently learning the banjo.
Erin Coleman Yad Consulting
Daniel Clayton Law Office of Daniel Clayton
Elizabeth Foy Tennessee Department of Correction
Shellie Handelsman Handelsman Law
Hobbies:
racing, rucking, lawyers league softball.
Lauren Kilgore Buchalter,
Casey Miller Bradley
2025 Board of Directors (Cont.)
Worrick G. Robinson IV
Worrick Robinson Law
Goal: I want to travel
Hobbies: I love to travel and also
wine.
Bruce Shanks Deloitte
Goal: Vacation more! Hobbies: Golf...just golf.
Leigh Walton Bass, Berry & Sims
Goal: My goal is to stay positive and involved during this tumultuous political climate.
Hobbies: I like hobbies that let you enter the so-called “flow mental state” — fully immersed and completely focused. Painting in the winter and gardening in the summer.
Tyler Yarbro
Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, PC
Goal: I hope to achieve the ever-elusive (non-existent?) work-life balance.
Fun Fact: I consume Nashville Predators podcasts and content during my every spare minute.
Olivia Al-Sadi Pooja Bery
Lexz Bouchard Gina Crawley
Katie Donovan
Shannon Kerr
Travis Vest
John Tarpley
Lewis Thomason
Hon. Stephanie Williams Fourth Circuit Court
Thank you for supporting your local bar association!
The Nashville Bar Association 100% Club is a special category of membership that demonstrates a commitment to the legal profession and our community from legal organizations with more than three attorneys that have 100% of their Nashville attorneys as members of the NBA. To become a part of the NBA's 100% Club, contact NBAFrontDesk@NashvilleBar.org and support your local bar association today!
