The 3rd Annual TBALL Alumni CLE Retreat will be held February 20-21, 2014 at Fall Creek Falls State Park. Former Leadership Law director Monica Mackie will be a featured speaker! Please contact Brittany Sims for more information or to RSVP if you would like to attend.

The TBA Leadership Law class of 2014 has been selected! We welcome the following future leaders to our community:

Nicholas Akins, Morgan & Akins PLLC, Nashville 
Bryce Ashby, Donati Law Firm LLP, Memphis
Robert Bigelow, Dickinson Wright, Nashville 
Neil Brunetz, Miller & Martin PLLC, Chattanooga
Amanda Busby, Anderson Busby PLLC, Knoxville 
Brad Carter, Runyon & Runyon, Clarksville 
Annie Christoff, Bass Berry & Sims PLC, Memphis 
Anthony Clark, Clark & Cox PLLC, Paris 
Stephanie Coleman, Robertson Overbey Wilson, Knoxville 
Kristi Davis, Hodges Doughty & Carson PLLC, Knoxville 
Catherine Dugan, Constangy Brooks & Smith LLP, Nashville 
Nathaniel Evans, Bernstein Stair & McAdams LLP, Knoxville 
Chastity Grice, Sharp Legal Group, Memphis 
Ian Hennessey, London & Amburn PC, Knoxville 
Earl Houston, Martin Tate Morrow & Marston PC, Memphis 
Lynne Ingram, US Attorneys Office, Nashville 
Tracy Kane, Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, Nashville 
Michelle Kimbril Parks, US Attorneys Office, Memphis 
James Mackler, Bone McAllester Norton PLLC, Nashville 
Sean Martin, Carr Allison PC, Chattanooga 
Andre Mathis, Glanker Brown PLLC, Memphis 
Gilbert McCarter, McCarter Catron & East, Murfreesboro 
Jason Murrie, Cornelius & Collins LLP, Nashville 
Erin Palmer Polly, Walker Tipps & Malone, LLP, Nashville 
Rachel Ralston Mancl, Hunter Smith & Davis LLP, Kingsport 
Ashleigh Roberts, Office of the Governor, Nashville 
Lauren Roberts, Stites & Harbison, Nashville 
Clint Scott, Gilbert Russell McWherter, Jackson 
Matthew Spivey, Spivey King & Spivey LLP, Kingsport 
Robert Tom, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis 
Brigitte Tubbs Jones, Tenn. Dept. of Human Resources, Murfreesboro 
Paul Whitt, Lewis King Krieg & Waldrop PC, Knoxville 
Sonya Wright, Hagan & Farrar PLLC, Murfreesboro

Many of our TBALL Alumni are governing the TBA in 2013-2014, including Cindy Wyrick, President (2006); Jonathan Steen, President-Elect (2004); Jackie Dixon, Past President (2004); Jason Pannu, Secretary (2011); and Sherie Edwards, Treasurer (2010).

Others serving as Governors are Jason Long (2005), Tasha Blakney (2005), Chris Varner (2005), Dan Berexa (2006), Kim Helper (2007), Michelle Sellers (2005), Jason Creasy (2010), Brian Faughnan (2005), and Mary Dohner Smith (2009).

The next newsletter will highlight alumni who are active in the community. Please email the editor at caitlin.smith@ag.tn.gov with information about how you are serving the community.

Thank you to everyone who attended the Memphis reception on Nov. 12 at Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, LLP! New 2014 class members and alumni braved the cold weather to come out and enjoy the festivities. Special thanks to Kacey Faughnan (2012) for hosting!

Please RSVP to TBALL Coordinator Brittany Sims if you would like to attend the upcoming receptions:

Nashville: Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Stites & Harbison (401 Commerce St.)

Chattanooga: Thursday, Nov. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Evans Harrison Hackett (835 Georgia Ave.)

Knoxville: Monday, Nov. 25 at 5:30p.m. at Lewis King Krieg & Waldrop (620 Market St.)

Bryce Ashby, Andre Mathis and Michelle Kimbril Parks, Class of 2014

Carrie Kerley and Adam Simpson, Class of 2013

Nancy Stabell (2007) has opened a solo practice, after 14 years of practice at large law firms and as division counsel for an international marketing company. She is putting her legal expertise and business acumen to work in the entrepreneurial environment that she so enjoys. Her practice will focus on delivering results, improving clients’ bottom line, and protecting stakeholder value. The Wood Stabell Law Group will provide efficient and cost-effective business strategies and proactive solutions to sophisticated individuals and small to medium-sized businesses. In particular, her practice will focus on assisting clients with their investment and business needs, including corporate law and governance, business transactions, financial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, entity formations, partnership agreements, contracts, real estate, commercial law and non-profits organizations.

Candice Reed (2008) and her husband, Sean Kirk of Bone McAllester, welcomed their baby girl, Stella Rose Kirk, to the world on July 12, 2013. Congratulations!

J.K. Simms (2011) has joined the Franklin-based law firm of Thompson Burton, PLLC as a partner, and will lead the firm’s employment law practice. Simms comes to Thompson Burton after having led and served as Chair of a Labor and Employment Practice Group at the Nashville law firm of Cornelius & Collins, LLP since 2007. Simms earned his laws degree from the University of Tennessee, College of Law in 2001.

Daniel Headrick (2013) received the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for his Tennessee Bar Journal article, “How to Act During a Deposition.” Daniel also received the Larry Dean Wilks Leadership Award, voted on by his TBALL classmates. Congratulations, Daniel!

Patrick “Matt” Potempa (2013) received the 2013 Nashville Emerging Leaders Award in the Legal Services Category. The award, presented by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and YP Nashville, recognizes those who exhibit accomplishments in their respective field, and who demonstrate leadership in community service activities. Matt, who previously worked as a solo practioner, recently partnered with Sean Martin and David Heller, formerly of DHPM, and Jennifer Sheppard to form Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard. The firm will focus on estate and tax planning, wealth management, probate and trust litigation, conservatorships, family law and personal injury cases. The firm is located in Hillsboro Village.

Adam Simpson (2013) has joined FedEx Corporation as a Senior Attorney in the Technology Transactions department.

Caitlin (Doty) Smith (2013) married Dale Smith on September 7, 2013 in Joelton, Tennessee.

Brittany Sims (Leadership Law Coordinator) was chosen to participate in the Nashville Young Leaders Council's 61st class.

The Tennessee Bar Association has announced the members of its 2014 Leadership Law (TBALL) class. This year’s class will have 31 members from across the state. Programming begins with an opening retreat in January and concludes with graduation ceremonies during the 2014 TBA Annual Convention next June in Gatlinburg. Now in its 11th year, TBALL is designed to equip Tennessee lawyers with the vision, knowledge and skills necessary to serve as leaders in their profession and local communities.  Read more about the new class.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is celebrating a number of achievements within the past year, including the attraction of several high-profile guest speakers. Among the group is Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who will be at the law school Dec. 6. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and former Enron CEO Don Miller also have spoken at the school. The law school has also received several awards, rankings and individual recognitions. The National Jurist named the school as one of the best-value law schools in the nation. The school was listed as a "best bargain law school for black students" by Lawyers of Color magazine. Additionally, the school had the highest bar-passage rate among public schools in Tennessee on the most recent bar exam, with a pass rate of 91 percent. The Memphis Daily News has more.

Intellectual property rights lawyers warned city officials and developers of Lake City that they could face legal action if they change the town’s name to Rocky Top. Knoxnews reports that Nashville firm Waddey Patterson is representing The House of Bryant LLC, which owns numerous trademarks and the copyright to the popular bluegrass ballad. The House of Bryant has agreed to enter into negotiations with the city regarding a licensing agreement but question whether the name change and planned tourist development project “would enhance the Rocky Top brand.”

Williamson County Juvenile Court Judge Sharon Guffee yesterday announced her candidacy for re-election. Judge Guffee was appointed by the Williamson County Commission in 2012 to become the first judge for the court that was newly created by the General Assembly, the Tennessean reports.

The father of Channon Christian, who was murdered with boyfriend Chris Newsom in 2007, announced his support  for Knox County assistant attorney general Leland Price for a Knox County Criminal Court judicial post. Price has not officially announced a bid for the position, which is being vacated by the retirement of Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz. WATE News 6 has more.