NSL on the Hill

Graduates of the Nashville School of Law have played pivotal roles on Capitol Hill for more than 100 years.

Banks Turner, who cast the deciding vote to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment, graduated from our school in 1928. James H. “Mr. Jim” Cummings, a 1922 graduate, attended our school while working in the State Comptroller’s Office. He went on to serve in the General Assembly for 40 years, including four years as Speaker of the House of Representatives. He also served as Tennessee’s Secretary of State for four years.

Albert Gore Sr. graduated from our school in 1936 and then served as Commissioner of the Department of Labor before embarking on his distinguished career in the Congress and the United States Senate. In 1967, Bess Blake, a 1940 graduate, was the Tennessee Department of Public Welfare Deputy Commissioner.

In more recent times, Harlan Mathews attended our school while serving as Tennessee’s Commissioner of Finance and Administration. He earned his law degree in 1962, and he was elected State Treasurer in 1974. Mathews also served for six years as Deputy to Governor Ned McWherter before being appointed to serve in the United States Senate. Ed Murray, a 1965 graduate, served in the House of Representatives for 20 years, including four years as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The NSL alumnus with the longest career in our General Assembly was Tennessee State Sen. Joe M. Haynes from the 20th district. Haynes, who graduated in 1965, served 28 years in public service, from 1984 to 2012.

Author’s Note - Due to the volume of people affiliated with NSL who work with our state legislators, we may have unintentionally omitted a few names, for that we apologize.