How Nashville School of Law Alumni and Students Help Run Our State Government

Today, out of 132 state legislators in the 113th General Assembly, 33 members in the Senate, and 99 members in the House, there are five NSL graduates — more alumni than any other state law school — who serve our state.

•Sen. Sara Kyle ’87, Senate District 30

•Rep. Bill Beck ’89, House District 51

•Rep. Johnny Garrett ’06, House District 45

•Rep. Bo Mitchell ’03, House District 50

•Rep. William Slater ’10, House District 35

The following is an excerpt from a Q&A with the five NSL graduates:

What laws would you like to see implemented or amended in our state?

Sen. Kyle – “We have to do more for labor, because they are the ones that built these communities. We can never do enough for the teachers who raised our children to be good citizens. We must always fight to end discrimination and injustices in all forms.”

Rep. Slater – “The most significant legislation for me this year will be in the foster care to adoption arena. I am carrying four separate bills that are part of a 15-bill package to improve adoption policies in Tennessee. This is a collaborative effort by members from both houses. I am passionate about improving adoption law for two reasons. First, I am pro-life. Second, our family has benefited from the adoption process.”

Rep. Mitchell – “I would like to repeal the voucher law. It will do untold harm to public education and with the nefarious way it passed the House, it should be repealed just on a purely ethical basis.”

Is there a bill you’ve introduced that holds special meaning for you?

Rep. Garrett – “My first year, I carried legislation that provided stepparent rights to visitation for kids whose biological parents were no longer involved in their lives. This was no easy legislation, but we passed it, and it is now law. This was a great achievement for Tennessee families.”

Rep. Beck – “In my legislative career, I have had an opportunity to move many bills that make people’s lives better. One that I am very proud of concerned homeless students that could not get their birth certificates due to not having a parent or legal guardian. My bill allowed them to obtain their birth certificate for the purpose of driver’s license and applying to college and student loans/ scholarship applications.”

How has our state government changed?

Rep. Mitchell – “Our state government has become much more focused on divisive issues that do not help all Tennesseans; it has slanted toward politics over policy.”

Rep. Garrett – “Our state has become more politically conservative as we continue to make Tennessee an environment where families can grow their business and enjoy their families free from government interference. Success starts with great communities and, as a state representative, it’s my goal to keep our communities safe and watch our families thrive.”

How do you use your J.D. degree as a state legislator?

Rep. Beck – “My J.D. degree and being a trial lawyer has been an amazing tool in helping to move legislation. First, it gives me the ability to present my case (bill) to various committees and on the House floor in a very effective manner. Second, it gives me the ability to think through the legislation that I am filing to make sure that it is consistent for the TCA. Finally, I’d like to say that it is much like trying a case except my jury pool is very shallow.”

Sen. Kyle – “They say that law school changes the way you think, analyze, and look at things. It’s true. I believe my J.D. degree has helped me and shaped the way I write laws. Law school gave me the foundation and necessary tools not only to be an effective law writer, but an advocate as well. It sounds simple, but just like when you are preparing for a class or a trial, when you are writing a new law, you make sure that you study the issue and know the answer to every question that might come up. Furthermore, the more you do this, the more patterns you see in what makes good written legislation or vaguely worded laws.”

Rep. Slater – “My legal education from NSL is already paying dividends in the legislature. There are many complex issues, and having a background in law helps me sort them out quickly.”

Why did you want to become a state legislator?

Rep. Mitchell – “I know it sounds simplistic, but I ran to help people, whether that is assisting in overcoming bureaucratic obstacles or during the heights of the pandemic ensuring unemployment benefits are received.”

Rep. Garrett – “I always wanted to serve my community in some fashion. Prior to my campaign, I served on many nonprofit organizations. When the opportunity came up and the timing was right, I decided to place my name on the ballot. I’ve enjoyed every second of serving my community in the state house.” bills will affect the almost 7 million people that live in Tennessee.”

Throughout the years, NSL students have worked on the hill while earning their law degree. Currently, we have eight students working alongside state legislators. They include fourth-year students: Kati Coats, policy and legislative liaison for the TN District Attorney’s General Conference; Heather Asbell, legislative administrative assistant for the Tennessee General Assembly in the Office of Legal Services; and Zack Huff, legislative assistant to a subcommittee chairman at the General Assembly. NSL third-year students who work at the State Capitol are Jordan Long, director of government relations for the Beacon Center of Tennessee and Beacon Impact, and Rosie Anderson, director of operations for Speaker Cameron Sexton in the Tennessee House of Representatives. And new to NSL, these three, first-year students also work alongside our state legislators: Marissa King, Executive Legislative Analyst to Rep. Torrey Harris and Liaison to TN Black Caucus of Legislators; Makayla Martin, Executive Assistant to Rep. Yusuf Hakeem; and Harris King, VUMC Government Affairs.

Coats – “My legal education has provided me with the analytical skills and ability to digest complicated bills while also providing me with mentors and professors that I felt comfortable enough to ask for help with issues that were beyond my ability to understand. Our very own Dean Koch helped me with some complicated constitutional law questions for one of our legislative committees that studied the scope of the executive powers during a state of emergency. When we got assigned to that committee, I was currently taking constitutional law with Dean Koch, and he came and testified on some of the committee findings. This was in response to COVID shutting down the economy and the actions of the executive branch in response, definitely one of the more interesting real life constitutional law issues I have ever dealt with. Dean Koch was right there to help explain! No other law school can say that!”

How has your current position in state government helped you as a law student?

(Questions were posed to 3Ls and 4Ls due to being further along in their law school education.)

How has your NSL education helped you in your current role?

Asbell – “Through my work, I have gained invaluable knowledge such as writing, researching, and having a working understanding of the legislative process and how the government operates as a whole, which has aided me through all of my years at NSL.”

Anderson – “My work experience has helped me during my time at NSL. A deeper understanding of how our laws are drafted and passed is tremendously helpful in enabling me to effectively study and understand assigned projects involving case law and statutes. Being an integral part of the legislative process helps fit the pieces of the process together, so it is easier for me to grasp where they originated.”

How has our state government changed since you started your position?

Long – “I use the legal education I receive from Nashville School of Law every day. Every year, more than 1,500 bills are filed in the legislature, and it’s my responsibility to make sure that we track those that are within our wheelhouse, and that means I have to read and understand the proposed changes to the law. Beacon Impact also brings its own legislative package every year, and I use my legal education to explain how our

Huff – “I started at the legislature in 2015. There has definitely been a decrease in civility in the legislative process. While most legislators interact in a corrigible manner with one another, the interaction with the general public has become more contentious.”

Anderson – “I’ve seen state government change in many ways. In Tennessee, it’s more common for our members to work across party lines and find common ground on legislative initiatives than in D.C. I’ve witnessed this, even during the contentious times we’ve all recently experienced as a nation. I’ve also experienced House Floor sessions that sometimes last late into the night or even the early morning hours, as well as special sessions and the passage of our No. 1 constitutional duty each year — a balanced budget. Additionally, I’ve seen the turbulent times and unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has created for Tennessee; however, we have all worked together to address these challenges, and I believe Tennessee is even stronger than before the pandemic.”

Coats – “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment claims were so overwhelming we had hundreds coming in, and although it took some time, the Department of Labor and other agencies worked together to overcome issues no one could have been prepared for. History was made while I was a law student and Senate staffer. Sometimes government gets a bad rap, but I saw my boss and other senators and the governor work long hours to find a solution for families throughout Tennessee. I guess government did change; society as we knew it changed.”

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Huff – “There is probably no other job in the state where you have so much access to so many experts in their field. This position allows me the opportunity to meet and rou- tinely foster these relationships to allow me to gain knowledge quickly and at a high level.”

Asbell – “I enjoy being part of an amazing team that serves the Tennessee General Assembly by writing and preparing legislation. It is surreal to see legislation that you have helped with from the beginning being discussed in committee, potentially becoming law.”

Long – “We have a wall at our office full of pictures of people that we call our “heroes.” These are the people who spoke up about how their lives were being affected negatively by our government. We represent those individuals and families at the legislature and in court to fight back against the government. After the dust has settled, when one of our heroes tells their story of how Beacon has helped them, it reminds me that the work we do matters.”

Each calendar year, the General Assembly meets for the first time on the second Tuesday in January. Legislative sessions typically last from mid-January through late April or May.

Looking to the future, NSL Alumna Sen. Sara Kyle hopes more NSL students and alumni become involved in the political process.

“I want everyone to know that while you don’t need to be a legislator to make a difference in your community, we need more individuals to participate in our political sphere. The very essence of our profession as attorneys calls upon us to advocate for others. Our fabric of society works better when we all participate in the political process.”

NSL Alumni: How do You Work with Our State Legislature?

job requires researching, writing, and analyzing proposals for all areas of the law and being able to communicate them in a fast-paced environment, just like preparing for class or the bar.” defeat legislation that could be harmful to Tennessee citizens. In addition, we amend bills which could inadvertently impact our industry. We work diligently with legislators to make sure alcohol distribution has moderation, regulation, and control.”

“As an association CEO, I have organized and executed several government relations campaigns on the hill, held industry positions, defended against harmful bills, and have drafted and passed several bills advocating for family-owned bottlers at the state legislature. It’s an honor to work with the elected officials at the TN State Legislature.”

(and the first in the organization’s 60-year history to be appointed by the governor, made possible by a law enacted under Gov. Bill Haslam in 2012)

“There is a great deal to do, and much more to do in evolving our laws to protect and prepare for the aging population. Tennessee has 1.7 million citizens age 60 and older. The U.S. Census projects that for the first time in the history of the U.S., adults over 65 will surpass citizens 18 and under. TCAD is one of two standalone commissions in the entire U.S., which is why we are reviewing other states in order to learn and understand the best way ahead for Tennessee.”

“I get to represent hard-working people and organizations that want to improve their local communities by providing critical infrastructure and helping their area grow and prosper. They do amazing things every day and work in some of the worst conditions to get the lights back on for their neighbors, and I’m proud to work on their behalf.”

Chastity Mitchell ’02

National VP, Advocacy & Government Relations at Boys & Girls Clubs of America

“Early in my career I made connections to begin working within the TN General Assembly while attending NSL which kickstarted my work in Government Relations, Lobbying and Advocacy. While I don’t currently practice, I feel like I use my degree from NSL daily either in policy analysis or drafting, training, or policy strategy development.”

Additional NSL Alumni Who Work in State Government:

Managing Partner (Attorney and contract lobbyist) at Millsaps Gowan Government Relations

Liz Alvey ’04

“As a lobbyist, I represent a broad range of clients from technology, infrastructure, professional trade organizations, and major corporations as well as the nonprofit community. I advocate for less bureaucracy and help clients have an efficient working relationship with state government.”

“I really enjoy lobbying for policy that makes an impact on Tennesseans, especially younger Tennesseans who will hopefully be positively impacted by those policies for years to come. I think there should be a total ban of indoor smoking in public areas. I worked for Gov. Bredesen as his Policy Advisor and lead lobbyist during the time he proposed, and the General Assembly approved, the Tennessee Non-Smokers Protection Act of 2007. There are still a few exceptions to this law that allow smoking in 21-and-up venues that should be eliminated to protect the health of nonsmokers.”

Legislative Counsel to Gov. Bill Lee Catie Lane Bailey ’12

Government Relations Attorney, Partner at Holland & Knight

Matt Barnes ’11

Assistant Bureau Chief/Legislative and Communications, TN Dept. of Transportation

Alex King ’16

Deputy Assistant Commissioner, TN Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Division of Administrative and Regulatory Services

Alex Lewis ’16

Assistant Commissioner for External Affairs, TN Department of Commerce & Insurance

Scott Sloan ’07

General Counsel, TN Higher Education Commission

Stephen Smith ’07 Director of TennCare

“My main role is to advise the Senate Democratic Leader and members of our caucus on current laws, proposals, and to develop strategies. My

“I take all constituent calls, write talking points on my member’s legislation, research legislation, maintain the member’s schedule, take part in bill review to help inform caucus members of the bills coming before them in committee and organize and file all of my members’ bills, amendments, and resolutions.”

Ryan Haynes ’14

Executive Director of Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Assoc. of TN

“Hundreds of pieces of legislation get introduced every year that pertain to how alcohol is sold in Tennessee. I monitor this legislation and work with House and Senate members to pass or

Todd Staley ’08

Legislative Liaison/ Asst. General Counsel, TN Department of Financial Institutions

John E. Williams ’16

Asst. Vice Chancellor for Government Relations, TN Board of Regents

Get to Know: NSL 1L Jeri “Keneath” Galyon

with a double major in English and political science, she attended another law school close to home.