Memphis Area Legal Services Inc. recently elected new board officers. TBA members among them are President Sean A. Hunt and Vice President Jonathan Hancock. Hunt, who founded The Hunt Law Firm, is a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School. He previously was a member of Spicer, Flynn & Rudstrom. Hancock is a shareholder with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC. He graduated from the Mississippi School of Law.

The Nashville law firm of Howard & Mobley recently announced the addition of two partners to its practice. Paul A. Gontarek will practice in the area of trust and estate litigation, conservatorships and guardianships. For the past three years, Gontarek has served as chair of the Nashville Bar Association’s Probate Court Committee. He also serves on the editorial board of the Tennessee Bar Journal. Paul C.

Nashville lawyer Jeremy H. Cherry has been named a partner at Ortale, Kelley, Herbert & Crawford, where he handles residential and commercial real estate, commercial lending, corporate law, probate and estate planning. Cherry received his law degree in 2002 from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

E. Courtney Epps has joined the Knoxville firm of Watson, Roach, Batson, Rowell & Lauderback as an associate. She is a 2010 graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law. She will focus her practice on litigation.

The Nashville Pro Bono Program presented two awards during the annual Nashville Bar Banquet on Dec. 8, 2010. Frank Grace, a lawyer at Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, was named the Joseph G. Cummings Sr. Pro Bono Volunteer Attorney of the Year for organizing a monthly debt clinic. The group’s Pro Bono Leadership Award was given to the Nashville Bar Association for its Modest Means Initiative.

The Nashville law firm of Parker, Lawrence, Cantrell & Smith announce that T.J. Schaffer has joined the firm. He is a 2009 graduate of the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham and received his undergraduate degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. His honors at Cumberland included membership on the Cumberland National Moot Court Team, chief justice of the Henry Upson Sims Moot Court Executive Board and Dean's List in all semesters.

The International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) recently honored Franklin lawyer Karen Beyke with a designation as a Local Government Fellow. Beyke is the second Tennessean to receive the certification since the fellows program began in 1999. The designation is bestowed on local government attorneys who pass a written exam, write scholarly articles and receive recommendations from peers across the country. Beyke lectures nationally as IMLA's Code Enforcement Section chair and serves as the group's Tennessee state chair. Formerly the city attorney of Franklin, Beyke works for the University of Tennessee's Municipal Technical Advisory Service, advising Tennessee cities on municipal legal issues.

J. Bryan Echols has joined the Nashville office of Dickinson Wright PLLC as a new member. Echols focuses his practice in the area of commercial real estate law, including zoning and land use, acquisitions and due diligence, financing, development, planning and leasing. Prior to joining the firm, Echols was a member in the law firm of Stites & Harbison PLLC. His previous clients included shopping centers, business centers and commercial office buildings. Echols also handles conservation easements and fundraising for preservation purposes. He earned his law degree from the Vanderbilt University Law School in 1981.

Frost Brown Todd LLC partner and Kentucky lawyer William T. "Bill" Robinson III recently was honored by the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) for his support of programs providing pro bono services to low-income individuals and families. The award was presented to Robinson during the LSC's recent board meeting in Louisville, Ky. Robinson is the member-in-charge of Frost Brown Todd's northern Kentucky offices and is the current president-elect of the American Bar Association. His practice has focused on commercial litigation, class actions, product liability, environmental litigation and medical malpractice. Robinson earned his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2004.

Knoxville attorney Chad Tindell has accepted the position of delinquent tax attorney for Knox County, where he will handle delinquent tax suits as well as bankruptcy and state court litigation involving property taxes. Tindell left his long-time private practice as a shareholder with Stone & Hinds PC in September to join the Knox County Trustee's office.

Ryan N. Stringfellow recently joined the law firm of Morgan & Akins PLLC as an associate attorney. He will focus his practice primarily on civil litigation, including workers' compensation, construction and contract disputes, business law, employment law, real estate and land use planning. Stringfellow earned his master of business administration and law degree in 2010 from Samford University.

Memphis lawyer Milton Lovell has joined nexAir as the company's chief financial officer and general counsel. He will oversee all financial and legal matters for the atmospheric gases and welding supplies company. Prior to joining nexAir, Lovell was a member of Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC, where he focused his practice on mergers and acquisitions, business transactions, corporate law and taxation. He previously was a senior consultant with Arthur Andersen LLP. Lovell earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1999 and his master of laws in taxation from New York University School of Law.

Nashville-area lawyer James W. Berry Jr. has joined Tudor Law Firm PC as a shareholder, and the name of the Brentwood firm has been changed to Berry & Tudor PC. The firm will continue to focus its practice in the areas of employee benefits and executive compensation including 401(k) plans, employee stock plans, pension plans and employer-sponsored health and welfare plans. The firm also handles employee benefit issues in mergers and acquisitions, fiduciary litigation and dispute resolution. Berry earned his law degree from Duke University in 1974. He previously was a member of Frost Brown Todd LLC and spent 29 years as a member of Bass, Berry & Sims PLC.

The Business Journal of the Tri-Cities TN/VA has named Johnson City attorney Jason Ensley of the Ensley Law Firm to its 2010 class of "40 Under Forty." The designation salutes emerging stars of the business community based on business success and community involvement. Ensley earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1999.

Stuart A. Burkhalter has joined the Nashville firm of Riley Warnock & Jacobson PLC where he will focus his practice on commercial litigation as an associate attorney. Burkhalter earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2010. While in law school, he was a member of the Order of the Coif, and recipient of the John A. Cortner Award (for winning the Vanderbilt Intramural Moot Court Competition) and the Vanderbilt Scholastic Excellence Award (for his work in civil procedure). He also served as associate problem editor for the Moot Court Board and managing editor for the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law.

Craig Meredith has joined the Nashville office of Adams and Reese as an associate in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. Meredith previously worked as a legal intern for the U.S. Attorney in Knoxville and as an intern at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. He earned his law degree at the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2010, graduating first in his class. While in law school he served as acquisitions editor and chair of the Institutional Relations Committee for the Tennessee Law Review, and as staff editor on the Baker Journal of Applied Public Policy.

The Nashville family law firm of Moses & Townsend has named Marissa Moses Russ a partner in the firm and has changed its name to Moses Townsend & Russ PLLC. It will market itself as MTR Family Law. Russ joined the firm " founded by her mother, Marlene Eskind Moses " three years ago. She previously spent two years in the litigation group at Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC. Russ earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2005. She is a Rule 31 Mediator and is trained in collaborative law.

Robert L. Arrington, attorney and firm chairman with Wilson Worley Moore Gamble & Stout PC in Kingsport, has been named a panel member of the Banking, Accounting and Financial Services, Employment and Tennessee Distinguished Panels of Neutrals with the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution. He also has been approved as a dispute resolution arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which regulates securities firms doing business in the United States. Arrington recently was also named a member of the roster of neutrals of the American Arbitration Association for the arbitration of commercial and employment claims. He earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina in 1975.

Anne Sumpter Arney has joined the Nashville office of Bone McAllester Norton PLLC where she will handle corporate, operational and regulatory matters with a focus on business and health care clients. Her work will include advising clients on fraud and abuse laws, licensing and certification, contracts, fee splitting, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and equity placements. Arney is active in local bar organizations, serving on the board of the Nashville Bar Association (NBA). She previously served on the board of the NBA Pro Bono Program, as president of the Lawyers Association for Women and as a member of the Tennessee Bar Foundation's IOLTA Grant Committee. She earned her law degree from Washington & Lee University School of Law in 1982.

The Chattanooga office of Miller & Martin PLLC reports it is the first firm in East Tennessee to enroll in a payroll deduction program that supports Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET). Under the system, which was the idea of firm associate Kevin Hudson, attorneys may select regular or one-time payroll deductions to fund pro bono services in the Chattanooga area. Hudson practices in the firm's Litigation Department. He earned his law degree in 2008 from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, where he graduated first in his class. Prior to law school, he spent nine years with the Memphis Police Department.

The Nashville office of Hall Booth Smith & Slover PC has announced the addition of J. Bart Pickett as an associate in the firm. A native of Huntingdon, Pickett most recently served as a clerk for Judge Thomas W. Brothers of Davidson County's 6th Circuit Court and Joe P. Binkley Jr. of the 5th Circuit Court. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2007.

PASSAGES

Knoxville lawyer WILLIAM RICHARD "BILL" BANKS died Nov. 8. He was 82. Banks graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1950 and served overseas as a war crimes prosecutor during the Korean War. He returned to Knoxville in 1958 and practiced law for more than 50 years. He was practicing with the firm of Banks & Jones at the time of his death. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials may be made to the Emerald Youth Foundation, 1718 North Central St., Knoxville 37917.

BERNARD DAVID COHEN, a practicing attorney for more than 70 years, died Oct. 24 at his home in Chattanooga. He was 95 years old. Cohen, a native of Huntington, W. Va., graduated from Washburn University School of Law in 1937. He began his legal career as an attorney for the state of Kansas, and then worked for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. He moved to St. Louis, Mo., to work as a staff attorney at the Rural Electrification Administration. His career took him next to Washington, D.C., to serve as regional director for the National Youth Administration. Cohen and his family moved to Chattanooga in 1961. He was active in the local bar and other professional organizations there. He also was a longtime member of the Commercial Law League and served as chair of its Consumer Bankruptcy Subcommittee. Memorial gifts may be made to the Hospice of Chattanooga, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Public Library for large-print books, the Mizpah Congregation Library Fund, or a charity of one's choice.

MICHAEL E. MOORE, who served as Tennessee's solicitor general for 17 years, died Nov. 14 after a lengthy illness. He was 60. Moore, who grew up in Kingsport, obtained his law degree from Stanford University in 1975 and was admitted to the California and Tennessee bars. His legal career included serving as an attorney in the U.S. Justice Department's Criminal Division; as law clerk to U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Gilbert S. Merritt; in private practice at the Nashville law firm of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis PLLC; and as law director for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Moore joined the Tennessee Attorney General's Office in 1993. As solicitor general he oversaw and coordinated all appellate litigation in state and federal courts. He argued three cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and was awarded the National Association of Attorneys General's Best Brief Award for an amicus brief he drafted. In 2006, Moore served as acting attorney general pending the appointment of a new attorney general. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, c/o Gifts Processing, PMB 407727, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville 37240; or to the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, 300 Deaderick St., Nashville 37201.

Former Chattanooga lawyer FREDERICK E. WHEAT SR. died May 13 after an extended illness. He was 80 years old. Wheat earned his law degree from McKenzie College and was licensed to practice in Tennessee in 1960. He served as senior legal counsel and director of corporate real estate for Combustion Engineering Inc. in Chattanooga, in Tulsa, Okla., and Stamford, Conn. He retired in 1977 to form Landmark Title and Trust Co., which he operated until 1995. In 1981, he moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., where he and his family formed Wheat Development Co. and WDC Realty, building custom homes and commercial properties in beach communities for many years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations for the Northeast Florida Community Hospice's Anne and Donald McGraw Center for Caring, 4715 Worrall Way, Jacksonville, FL 32224.

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan PLLC recently announced that Lynn V. Lawyer and Anthony M. Noel have been named members of the firm. Both serve in the Nashville office. Lawyer earned her law degree from Southern Illinois University in 2002. She practices in the areas of general liability, labor and employment law and workers' compensation. Noel graduated from the New England School of Law in 1997. His practice focuses on labor and employment law, general liability and workers' compensation. He also helps clients draft personnel policies and employee handbooks.

Randall Kinnard, founding partner of the Nashville-based law firm Kinnard, Clayton & Beveridge, has been inducted into the Inner Circle of Advocates, an organization of civil plaintiff trial lawyers in the United States. Induction in the group is by invitation only and membership is limited to 100 lawyers. To qualify as a member, a lawyer must have tried at least 50 personal injury jury trials, and must have won at least three verdicts in excess of $1 million or one verdict in excess of $10 million, with the most recent verdict being no more than five years old. Kinnard is the only member of the group from Nashville and only one of two from Tennessee.

Burr & Forman LLP recently announced that Darlene T. Marsh, a partner in its Nashville office, has been installed as president-elect of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys. She will take office as president in 2012. Marsh practices in the firm's Commercial, Real Estate and Finance Group, as well as its Environmental Law Group. She has published and taught extensively in her practice areas and is co-author of Environmental Obligations in Bankruptcy published in 2009. Marsh earned her law degree from the Vanderbilt University Law School in 1988.

The firm also announced that John Paul Nefflen has joined its Nashville office as an associate in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Nefflen's practice includes general insurance defense, representation of electrical cooperatives and county governments in Tennessee, and representation of artists, producers and managers in the entertainment industry. He also handles products and premises liability, personal injury, medical device, employment, contract and disability cases. Nefflen earned his law degree in 1997 from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Emily H. Wilburn recently joined the Nashville law firm of Parker, Lawrence, Cantrell & Dean, where she will practice general civil litigation. Wilburn received her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2005.

Andrew L. Colocotronis has joined the Knoxville law firm of Wagner, Myers & Sanger PC as a member practicing in the area of commercial litigation. Colocotronis earned his law degree in 1993 from Washington & Lee University School of Law. He previously worked for Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP recently announced that Abbie DeBlasis has joined the firm as an associate in the Health Care Practice Group. Originally from Nashville, DeBlasis is returning to the city after working as an associate with Winston & Strawn in Charlotte, N.C. Her practice focuses on counseling health care industry clients on a variety of transactional and operational matters including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and financing transactions. DeBlasis earned her law degree in 2004 from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Nashville lawyer Robert "Bobby" Guy Jr. and the law firm of Frost Brown Todd LLC have been awarded the "Small Company Turnaround of the Year Award" by the Georgia chapter of the Turnaround Management Association. The award recognizes the firm's work as lead debtor's counsel for a cosmetics manufacturer with operations in multiple states. Frost Brown Todd represented the company and its affiliates in Chapter 11 proceedings, helped restructure the company and negotiate its sale to a German manufacturer. Guy, who led the legal team, practices in the areas of business bankruptcy, workouts and distressed acquisitions. He earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1994.

In other news from the firm, Nashville partner M. Clark Spoden has been certified as a civil trial specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. He previously was certified as civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Spoden focuses his practice on litigation, primarily defending corporations in employment, contract, wrongful death, personal injury and environmental cases. He earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1980.

Memphis lawyer Carl Q. Carter, associate general counsel of International Paper, has joined the board of directors of the Tennessee Justice Center. In his current position with International Paper, Carter has legal oversight for the company's litigation, global supply chain and information technology functions. Before joining the company, he served as a federal judicial law clerk to the late Judge Odell Horton and later worked in the U.S. Department of Justice. Carter currently serves on the TBA Board of Governors and as chair of the Membership Committee. He earned his law degree in 1986 from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Gov. Phil Bredesen recently appointed several lawyers to state boards and commissions. Nashville lawyers Martha L. Boyd with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings and Robert D. "Bob" Tuke with Trauger & Tuke were named to the Governor's Council on Service Members, Veterans & Their Families; Jeannine Alday with Patrick, Beard, Schulman & Jacoway in Chattanooga and Delta Anne Davis of Nashville were named to the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund Board of Directors; Covington lawyer J. Houston Gordon was appointed to the Tennessee Ethics Commission; Memphis lawyer Paul A. Matthews with Bourland, Heflin, Alvarez, Minor & Matthews PLC was appointed to the Tennessee Historical Commission; and Memphis lawyer Prince C. Chambliss Jr. with Evans Petree PC was named to the Tennessee Historical Commission Foundation.

The Tennessee Asian Pacific American Bar Association (TAPABA) has elected new officers and board members for 2010-2011. TBA members among them are Secretary Robert Tom with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC in Memphis. Board members are Kyong Choi and Hon-Vinh Duong with Waller Lansden Dortch Davis PLLC; Chay Sengkhounmany with the Legal Aid Society; Mohammad Syed with King & Ballow; and Lester Yano with UMG Nashville. All practice in Nashville.

Chattanooga attorney Phillip E. Fleenor recently joined the law firm of Duncan, Hatcher & Hixson PC as a partner. He will practice in the areas of construction, employment, insurance and commercial litigation. Fleenor is a 1986 graduate of the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.

Chattanooga lawyer F. Laurens "Larry" Brock has become a professional member of the National Speakers Association and has joined its business coaching and motivational/keynote specialty groups. Brock is a shareholder at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel PC and a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group, where he focuses on product liability and health care litigation. He has extensive speaking experience, addressing professional groups on a number of legal topics.

Adams and Reese Special Counsel and Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark S. Norris Sr. has joined the executive board of the Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute (IFTI) at the University of Memphis. At Adams and Reese, Norris serves as special counsel in the Litigation Practice Group. He also is a member of the Transportation Lawyers Association. As a state legislator, Norris served two years as chair of the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee. He also recently served as chair of the Transportation Policy Task Force of the Council of State Governments. Norris was first elected to the Tennessee Senate in 2000 and became majority leader in 2007.

The Franklin firm of Buerger, Moseley & Carson PLC recently announced the addition of J. Andrew "Drew" Hughes as a new associate. Hughes graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2009. While there, he served as executive articles editor for the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law and was an associate problem editor for the Moot Court Board. Prior to joining the firm, Hughes spent a year as a law clerk to Judge Daniel P. Jordan III of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. He will practice primarily in the areas of civil litigation and health care operations law.

Jennifer L. Milam has joined the Nashville law firm of Cornelius & Collins LLP as an associate and will practice in the area of civil litigation. Milam earned her law degree in 2010 from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where she focused on advocacy and dispute resolution.  

David N. Shearon, the first and only executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization, resigned effective Oct. 31. He held the position since the commission's inception in 1987. He leaves to pursue his work in positive psychology, which over the past five years he has pursued through education and experience. This work has included helping the Army develop resilience trainers, and training lawyers, judges and others in the legal system in the skills of resilience and thriving.
The commission has appointed its current assistant executive director, Andrea Curl, as acting director. Learn more about Shearon's tenure and plans at tba.org/journal_links

Nashville lawyer R. Dale Grimes, a member of Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, has been appointed chair-elect of the Lex Mundi Antitrust, Competition and Trade Group. Lex Mundi is an association of independent law firms with 160 member firms in more than 100 countries. He will take over as chair of the group in 2012. Grimes focuses his own practice in the areas of antitrust, consumer fraud, complex litigation, class actions, telecommunications, energy and water. He also leads the Bass, Berry & Sims' Antitrust and Trade Practices Group.

Robin Bicket White has joined the Nashville office of Frost Brown Todd as of counsel and will practice in the Bankruptcy and Restructuring Department. White focuses on Chapter 11 debtor and restructuring cases. She previously worked at MGLaw, a litigation, insolvency and employment firm in Nashville.

The Tennessee Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association has elected Meagan Frazier Grosvenor as president of its 2010-2011 board of directors. Grosvenor is a 2007 graduate of the Nashville School of Law and works as a lobbyist at Smith Harris & Carr in Nashville. Tennessee CASA also has elected Kevin Balkwill to its board. Balkwill, a 1999 graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, works as a disciplinary counsel for investigations at the Board of Professional Responsibility. He serves on the TBA's Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) Committee and on the Nashville Bar Association's Ethics and Professionalism Committee.

The Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has elected officers for the 2010-2011 year. TBA members among them are: President-elect Stephen R. Johnson with Ritchie, Dillard & Davies in Knoxville; Treasurer J. Robin McKinney Jr. with Jackson, Kweller, McKinney, Warden & Hayes in Nashville; and Past President Jerry P. Black with the University of Tennessee Law Clinic in Knoxville.

The Kingsport Bar Association has elected new officers for the 2010-2011 bar year. They are: President Steven Curtis (Curt) Rose with West & Rose; Vice President Matthew Wimberley with Hunter Smith & Davis; Secretary Andrew Wampler with Wilson Worley Moore & Gamble; and Treasurer Casey S. Anders, a solo practioner. All are from Kingsport.

Nashville lawyer Margaret M. Huff was elected to serve a three-year term on the council of the American Bar Association's Section of Dispute Resolution at the ABA annual meeting in August. She already was serving as co-chair of the section's Ethics Committee and as a liaison to the ABA Ethics 20/20 Commission. Huff owns and operates the Nashville-based dispute resolution firm Margaret Huff Mediation, which offers arbitration, mediation and workplace conflict management training.

Rebecca C. Blair has announced the opening of the Blair Law Firm in Brentwood, serving     clients in a range of civil litigation matters with a focus on personal injury, probate litigation and mediation. Blair is president of the Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women and parliamentarian of the Tennessee Association for Justice. She earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1996. Prior to opening her new office, Blair was a shareholder of Day & Blair PC in Brentwood.

The Jackson law firm of Gilbert Russell McWherter PLC has hired Chad Naffziger as an associate in its Civil Litigation Group. He will focus on insurance claims, constriction disputes and complex litigation. Naffziger is a 2008 graduate of the John Marshall Law School.

Passages

Nashville attorney ALFRED E. ABBEY died Sept. 26 at the age of 81. A member in the law firm of Miller & Martin, Abbey was a 1957 graduate of the Vanderbilt University Law School, where he served as managing editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. After graduation, he worked for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. and later for the Life & Casualty Insurance Company of Tennessee and the law firm then known as Trabue, Minick, Sturdivant & Harbison. Abbey practiced at that firm and its successors for the next 40 years, and was engaged in the active practice of law until the sudden onset of his final illness. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made in his name to the St. Cecilia Academy Kathleen Dyer Abbey Endowed Scholarship Fund (4210 Harding Pike, Nashville 37205) or the Father Ryan Alfred E. Abbey Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund (700 Norwood Dr., Nashville 37203).

Jamestown attorney JOHN EDWARD APPMAN died Sept. 1 at the age of 76. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to cover funeral expenses. Gifts may be sent to the Jennings Funeral Home, P.O. Box 765, Jamestown 38556. A solo practioner, Appman graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1961.

Elizabethton lawyer and former U.S. Attorney JOHN LEONARD BOWERS JR. died Sept. 23 at the age of 86. Bowers was senior partner in the law firm of Allen, Nelson and Bowers for nearly 18 years. He also served eight and a half years as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and as mayor of Elizabethton. Bowers was president of the Tennessee Bar Association's Junior Division and the Carter County Bar Association. He graduated from the Vanderbilt University Law School in 1951. Memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Elizabethton, 212 East F Street, Elizabethton 37643.

Nashville lawyer DAVID RAYMOND COLE died Aug. 23 at the age of 82. Cole earned his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law in 1951 and graduated first in his class. He spent his career working in the property and casualty insurance industry, and in 1964, was awarded the coveted Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation. Cole lived in both Clarksville and Nashville. He was admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court and in the states of Illinois, Nebraska and Tennessee. He volunteered extensively in the Nashville community and through international mission work in Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru and Russia. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the missions program of First Presbyterian Church, 4815 Franklin Rd., Nashville 37220 or to a charity of one's choice.

Memphis attorney and solo practioner CHARLES RONALD "RONNIE" CURBO died Sept. 10 at age 55. Curbo practiced law in Memphis for 30 years, making a name for himself with his creative arguments in court. He graduated from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1978.

Retired 21st Judicial District Judge JAMES "JIM" WEATHERFORD, 79, died Sept. 10 at his home in Lawrenceburg after a long illness. Weatherford graduated from the Cumberland School of Law in 1957 and began his legal career in Lawrenceburg as an assistant district attorney. He then joined the firm of Harwell & Boston, which later was named Boston & Weatherford. In 1978, he ran for and was elected 11th (now 22nd) Judicial District Circuit Court judge. In 1998, he was appointed to senior judge status and in 2000 was selected by his peers as Judge of the Year. He retired in 2006.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to Lawrenceburg First United Methodist Church (212 Waterloo Street, Lawrenceburg 38464), the Judge James L. Weatherford Memorial Scholarship, in care of the Lawrence County Education Foundation (P.O. Box 357, Lawrenceburg 38464) or Vanderbilt University Children's Hospital.

Charles O. Galvin of Dallas was named Outstanding Texas Tax Lawyer of 2010 by the Taxation Section of the State Bar of Texas. Galvin earned a law degree in 1947 from Northwestern University Law School and a doctor of juridical science in 1961 from Harvard Law School. He went on to teach at the Vanderbilt University Law School and the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University. He holds the title of Centennial Professor of Law Emeritus from Vanderbilt, and Dean Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus from Dedman.

The Nashville law firm of Parker, Lawrence, Cantrell & Dean has announced that lawyer Richard K. Smith has been named a partner of the firm and that the firm has changed its name to Parker, Lawrence, Cantrell & Smith. The new name acknowledges the departure of George Dean and the addition of Smith, who joined the firm in 1987 and became managing partner in 2003. Smith maintains an estate planning and workers' compensation practice. He joins founding partners Robert E. Parker, Thomas W. Lawrence Jr., and recently retired partner Rose P. Cantrell.

Nashville lawyer George A. Dean has joined the firm of Tune, Entrekin & White as a member. He will focus his practice on land use and zoning law. Dean received his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1979. He previously worked for the Metro Nashville Department of Law and as a partner at Parker, Lawrence, Cantrell & Dean.

Blake W. Bourland and E. Gene Thornton III have been named shareholders in the Memphis firm of Evans Petree PC. Bourland practices in the firm's corporate and real estate/banking groups. He focuses his work in the areas of corporate reorganizations, business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, commercial leasing and qualified domestic relations orders. He earned his law degree in 2002 from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Thornton practices in the health care and corporate groups, where he focuses on health care regulations, technology, business, corporate litigation, electronic records compliance, federal and state statutory matters, and corporate and contractual relationships. He graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 2002. Both joined the firm in 2002.

Former ABA treasurer and past president of the Kentucky Bar Association, Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III was elected president-elect of the American Bar Association (ABA) at the group's annual meeting in August. He will serve one year in that position and then lead the organization from August 2011 to 2012. Robinson, the member-in-charge in the Cincinnati office of Frost Brown Todd, has been an ABA member for more than 35 years. During that time he has served as a member of the group's House of Delegates, chair of the Standing Committee on Governmental Affairs, and member of the board's Strategic Planning Committee. Robinson focuses his law practice on commercial and environmental litigation, class actions and product liability and medical malpractice defense. He is a 1971 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Chancellor Howell N. Peoples has joined the Chattanooga office of Miller & Martin PLLC as of counsel in the litigation department. He will focus his practice on mediation and alternative dispute resolution. Peoples spent 32 years as a Tennessee chancery court judge. He earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Several Paine, Tarwater and Bickers attorneys were recognized for their pro bono contributions at the Legal Aid of East Tennessee's annual Pro Bono Celebration. The firm's pro bono coordinator, John Elder, received the Pro Bono Partner Award for his work with William Carver, an attorney with Kramer Rayson LP. The two established a Saturday Bar Clinic in Blount County that provides legal counseling to low-income persons. Scott Griswold received the Pro Bono Advocate Award for devoting nearly 250 hours to representing homeowners in a wrongful foreclosure case, as well as an indigent defendant in an appeal before the Tennessee Supreme Court. Firm partner Don Paine also was recognized for contributing at least 50 hours of service last year through the Pro Bono Project. Finally, the firm received the Law Firm of the Year Award for accepting more referrals and closing more cases than any other firm in the legal aid organization's service area.

Ian P. Hennessey, an attorney in the Knoxville office of London & Amburn PC, received Legal Aid of East Tennessee's annual Public Service Award at the organization's annual Pro Bono Celebration this summer. Hennessey practices in the areas of medical malpractice and long term care defense, health law, and general business and corporate law. He graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2007.

The Nashville law firm of Howard, Tate, Sowell, Wilson, Leathers & Johnson PLLC has announced the addition of Colin Turner to its litigation practice. Turner will practice in the areas of insurance defense and coverage, products liability and workers' compensation. Turner earned his law degree from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Prior to joining Howard Tate, he served as a clerk for the Medicaid Fraud Division of the Arkansas Attorney General's Office and as a law clerk for several Little Rock law firms.

The Putnam County Bar Association has named new officers for the year. TBA members among them are President Lindsay Gross and Treasurer Dale Bohannon. They both are solo practitioners in Cookeville.

Chattanooga lawyer and former TBA president Marcy Eason produced and moderated a panel on "Lawyers in Transition: Bar Associations Address Economic Impact on Members" at the National Conference of Bar Presidents (NCBP) meeting in August. Eason, a member at Miller & Martin PLLC, serves on the conference's Program and Sponsorship committees and is a sustaining fellow of the organization.

Tennessee Voices for Children (TVC) has honored Nashville lawyer Michele Johnson with its Lifetime Advocate Award. Johnson was recognized for her work with the Tennessee Justice Center and as an active member of the TVC Board of Directors. The TVC's award is given annually to an individual who spends his or her career advocating for the best interest of children and families, and supporting family-driven, youth-guided systems of care.

The University of Memphis School of Law has named Estelle Gaerig Winsett as its new assistant dean for career services. After graduating from the law school in 1997, Winsett clerked for Shelby County Probate Judge Leonard Pierotti. She then spent a number of years in private practice with several Memphis firms, including Shuttleworth, Smith, Williams, Sabbatini and Harper; Harris, Shelton, Dunlap & Cobb; and Allen, Scruggs, Sossaman, Thompson, Simpson & Lillie. Immediately prior to joining the law school administration, Winsett spent six years as client relations and placement director in the Memphis office of Counsel On Call.

Law Day Winners Illustrate Challenging Subject

The theme of this year's TBA Young Lawyers Division Law Day Art and Essay Contest was "Law in the 21st Century: Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges." It was designed to spark students' thinking about how society can honor long-standing traditions in the law while addressing new issues and situations that might challenge "old ways" of doing things. Students received cash prizes for their winning entries. Jackson lawyer Paul Whitt served as this year's state Law Day Art and Essay Contest coordinator.

At right is the First Place winner, by Chihye Kim, a 5th Grader at Cedar Bluff Elementary in Knoxville. See the other winning entries at ww.tba.org/ YLD/artessay_2010/

Passages

Retired banker, lawyer and judge WILLIAM G. BROWN of Chattanooga died Aug. 15 at the age of 100. Brown received his law degree from Emory University and relocated to Chattanooga to work for the firm of Thomas, Coffey and Folts, which later became Thomas, Folts and Brown. Later, he joined the firm of Chambliss, Chambliss and Brown as a member. Brown was active in the Chattanooga Bar Association, serving on its board of governors and as president. Brown's judicial experience included serving as municipal judge of Lookout Mountain and, on several occasions, as special chancellor of the Chancery Court of Hamilton County. He also was named to serve on the Eastern Division of the Court of Appeals during the illness of one of its members. In 1958, Brown left the practice of law to head the trust department at American National Bank and Trust Company. Following retirement, he continued to serve on the bank's board and as its counsel.

Memorials may be made to Alexian Grove, 100 Asbury Oak Lane, Chattanooga, TN 37419; First Centenary United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 208, Chattanooga, TN 37410; Hospice of Chattanooga, P.O. Box 19269, Chattanooga, TN 37416; or a favorite charity.

Memphis attorney CHARLES METCALF CRUMP of Apperson Crump PLC died Aug. 8 at the age of 96. He was the oldest and longest practicing attorney in Shelby County, having entered the practice of law in September 1937 following graduation from the University of Virginia School of Law. Crump was active in state and local bar work, including service as a board member, treasurer and secretary of the Memphis Bar Association. In 2004, he received the Judge Jerome Turner Lawyer's Lawyer Award from the association. Crump also served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1939 to 1943 as a representative from Shelby County.

Memorials may be sent to Church of the Holy Communion, Rhodes College or a charity of choice.

Jackson lawyer BUFF WAYNE HANDLEY died June 4 at the age of 62. Originally from Paducah, Ky., Handley earned her law degree from the Louisville School of Law and served as law clerk to two judges on the federal bankruptcy court. She went on to work for PSI-Child Support Services of Tennessee.

The family asks that contributions in her honor be made to Immanuel Baptist Church, 3465 Buckner Lane, Paducah, KY 42001.

JAMES BISHOP JOHNSON, 69, died Aug. 16 at his farm in Garland. Johnson was a 1965 graduate of the Vanderbilt University Law School and maintained a solo practice in Memphis.

The family requests that memorials be sent to Christian Brothers High School, St. Agnes Academy or a charity of the donor's choice.

The Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women inducted new officers and board members at its annual meeting in June. Among the new leaders are the following TBA members: President Rebecca C. Blair with Day & Blair in Brentwood; President-elect Wynne Hall with Paine, Tarwater & Bickers LLP in Knoxville; Treasurer Linda W. Knight with Gullett, Sanford, Robinson & Martin PLLC in Nashville; Recording Secretary Debra L. House with Legal Aid of East Tennessee in Knoxville; Corresponding Secretaries Christina Duncan with Rogers & Duncan in Manchester and Amy J. Everhart, a solo practioner in Nashville; and Immediate Past President and Circuit Court Judge Amy T. Hollars of Livingston. Board members include West Tennessee Director at Large Mary E. "Beth" Bates with West Tennessee Legal Services in Jackson and Middle Tennessee Director at Large Maria M. Salas with the Salas Law Group PLLC in Nashville.

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel attorney Frederick L. Hitchcock has been named chair of the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee of the American Bar Association's Section on Environment, Energy and Resources. An attorney in the firm's Chattanooga office, Hitchcock focuses his practice on environmental matters, business planning, technology issues, transactions, and trial and appellate litigation. He also helps businesses and utilities with strategic planning and regulatory compliance, and advises local governments on contract, franchise and constitutional issues. He earned his law degree in 1977 from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

The Chattanooga Bar Foundation recently inducted seven new fellows. TBA members among them are: John M. Higgason Jr. with Arbitration and Mediation Services Inc.; Phillip C. Lawrence with Lawrence & Lawrence PLLC; H. Richard Marcus with Franklin, Cooper & Marcus PLLC; Allen L. McCallie with Miller & Martin PLLC; David W. Noblit with Leitner, Williams, Dooley and Napolitan PLLC; and Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Barry A. Steelman.

The Williamson County Bar Association has elected new officers. TBA members among them are President Kim Helper, District Attorney General, and Secretary Craig Brent, a solo practitioner. Helper takes over from past president Jack Welch Jr. with Sidwell Barrett & Welch PC. All are from Franklin.

Nashville lawyer J. David Wicker has been named a fellow of the American Bar Association's Business Law Section. Wicker is an attorney at the Nashville firm of Corbett Crockett where he handles business litigation and corporate and commercial transactions. He earned his law degree from the Southern Methodist University School of Law in 2003.

The Tennessee Justice Center Board of Directors has elected new officers for 2010-2011. TBA members among them are: Chair Cynthia R. Wyrick, a shareholder with Ogle, Gass & Richardson PC in Sevierville, and Vice Chair David P. Cañas, a shareholder with Harwell, Howard, Hyne, Gabbert & Manner PC in Nashville.

The Tennessee Association for Justice has named new officers for the 2010-2011 bar year. TBA members among them include: President Phillip Miller with Phillip Miller & Associates in Nashville; President-elect Leslie A. Muse with Butler, Vines & Babb PLLC in Knoxville; Vice President (West) S. Drake Martin with Nix, Patterson & Roach LLP in Jackson; Secretary Eric L. Buchanan with Eric L. Buchanan & Associates PLLC in Chattanooga; Treasurer Kathryn E. Barnett with Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein LLP in Nashville; and Parliamentarian Rebecca C. Blair with Day & Blair in Brentwood.

The Nashville law firm of Parker, Lawrence, Cantrell & Dean has announced that effective Aug. 1 the firm will be known as Parker, Lawrence, Cantrell & Smith. The new name acknowledges the departure of George Dean and the addition of Richard K. Smith as a named partner. Smith joined the firm in 1987 and became managing partner in 2003. He maintains an estate planning and workers' compensation practice.

Nashville lawyers Thomas A. Wiseman III, Gail Vaughn Ashworth and Kimberly G. Silvus have announced the formation of a new law firm: the Wiseman Ashworth Law Group PLC. The firm, which opened on Aug. 1, is located in the Nashville City Center at 511 Union Street. The three will focus their practice on medical malpractice defense, health care law, personal injury, product liability, insurance coverage, labor and employment, and mediation. Wiseman earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1982 and later co-founded the firm of Gideon & Wiseman. Ashworth graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1983 and was an original member of the firm. Both Wiseman and Ashworth are past presidents of the Nashville Bar Association, and Ashworth is immediate past president of the Tennessee Bar Association. Silvus, a former clerk to Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Frank G. Clement Jr. and associate attorney at Gideon & Wiseman, earned her law degree from the Georgia School of Law in 2005.

Passages

JESS D. CAMPBELL of Farragut died July 2 after a battle with lymphoma. He was 66. Campbell was a founder and partner in the law firm of Campbell, Dawson, Walsh and Brown, the predecessor firm to Campbell & Dawson. For 41 years he practiced in the area of personal injury law. Campbell was a former member of the Tennessee Bar Association Board of Governors and president of the association's young lawyers conference in 1974. He earned his law degree in 1968 from the University of Tennessee College of Law. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Thompson Cancer Center in Knoxville.

WALLACE FRANCIS ESTILL died July 27 at the age of 92. A 1939 graduate of the Cumberland School of Law, Estill worked briefly for the Works Progress Administration as a claims adjustor and in his uncle's Chattanooga law firm before joining the FBI as a special agent. Estill served the bureau at posts in Alaska, Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania, Texa, and Washington, D.C., as well as overseas in Ecuador, Nicaragua, Uruguay and Puerto Rico. Estill returned to Knoxville in 1966 to serve as special agent in charge of the local FBI office,where he stayed until his retirement in 1974. Memorial donations may be made to the Paul Harris Foundation, Rotary Club of Knoxville, 625 Market St., Knoxville, TN 37920.

Attorney JAMES T. "JIM" HAVRON died Aug. 5. He was 78. Havron was the longest serving public defender in Davidson County and was responsible for greatly increasing and expanding services for indigent criminal defendants, according to the Nashville Bar Association. He was a graduate of Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. Havron is survived by his father, Nashville lawyer James C. Havron, who is 102.

Nashville lawyer RACHEL LOVE STEELE died Aug. 7 at the age of 58. Steele earned her law degree from the Duke University School of Law in 1977 and was a longtime member of the Lawyers Association for Women's Marion Griffin Chapter. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the William Cain Revolving Loan Fund for the benefit of the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program, 200 4th Ave., North, Nashville 37219, or to the charity of one's choice.

Nashville lawyer WILLIAM R. (BILL) WILLIS died July 30 at the age of 79 after being hospitalized with cancer. A 1954 graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Willis served three years in the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps before entering private practice. As a partner in the firm of Willis & Knight, Willis developed a reputation as a leader in the law and the health care field. Among his clients, he represented The Tennessean on First Amendment issues and represented the Metro Board of Education during desegregation of local schools in 1978. He also was the Nashville School of Law's chief negotiator in its proposed merger with Tennessee State University. Willis was a former president of the Nashville Bar Association. He also was a former chair of the state Board of Professional Responsibility.

Tullahoma lawyer JOANNE THORSON YODER died May 14 after a battle with kidney cancer. She was 43 years old. Yoder earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1997 and began her career working as a legislative assistant for former U.S. Sen. Jim Sasser, D-Tenn., in Washington, D.C. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be given to the Action to Cure Kidney Cancer, the Building Fund of First United Methodist Church of Tullahoma or the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center.

New officers have been elected at the Bradley County Bar Association. They are President Robert Thompson with Logan-Thompson PC, Vice President Barrett Painter with Chancey, Kanavoslove & Painter and Treasurer Joshua Jenne with Jenne, Scott & Jenne PLLC. They took office on July 1. All are from Cleveland.

Memphis-based Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc., a provider of claims and productivity management solutions, recently announced the appointment of Jason P. Hood as executive vice president and chief legal officer. In his new role, Hood will serve as the company's senior attorney and be responsible for all legal and compliance matters. Prior to joining Sedgwick, Hood was vice president, general counsel and secretary for Wright Medical Group Inc. He began his legal career with Glankler Brown PLLC in Memphis. Hood earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1994.

The Nashville School of Law honored Metro Nashville and Davidson County Law Director Sue Cain, a 1981 graduate of the school, at its 17th annual Recognition Dinner June 4. Hundreds of lawyers, judges, alumni and community leaders joined together to celebrate her contributions to the legal community. Cain was appointed to her post in 2007. Prior to that she served as executive director of the Tennessee Sentencing Commission. She also served as chief judicial planner for the Tennessee Supreme Court from 1984 to 1986.

The Lawyer's Association for Women Marion Griffin Chapter in Nashville has elected new officers. They are: President Donna Lee Roberts with Stites & Harbison PLLC; President-elect Joycelyn Stevenson with Bradley, Arant, Boult, Cummings LLP; Secretary Helena Yarbrough with Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC; and Treasurer Amber Roderer with Deloitte Tax LLP.

The Southeast Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (SETLAW) chapter in Chattanooga has elected new officers. They are: President Amanda Rogers with Luther-Anderson PLLP; President-elect Katie Smith with the Electric Power Board; and Secretary/Treasurer Katy Russell with Luther-Anderson PLLP.

Stacey Schlitz (formerly Middleton) has announced the opening of SchlitzLAW, where she will focuse on estate planning, intellectual property and controversies. Schlitz previously worked for the law firm of Drescher & Sharp PC and for Deloitte Tax LLP. She earned her law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2003 and a master of laws in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center in 2004.

Memphis attorney Michael P. Coury has been named director of the Tennessee Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association, an international nonprofit group dedicated to corporate renewal and turnaround management. Coury, an attorney with Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada PLLC, focuses his practice in bankruptcy and creditors' rights, business reorganizations, workouts and business and commercial litigation. He is a past chair of the Memphis Bar Association and Tennessee Bar Association bankruptcy sections.

Knoxville lawyer Christopher C. Field has joined the firm of London & Amburn PC, where he will maintain a general civil practice with a focus in medical malpractice, health, general business and corporate law. He previously worked as an intern for Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Robert B. King. Field earned his law degree in 2009 from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he served as an editor for the Tennessee Journal of Law & Policy.

Knoxville lawyer Joseph G. Jarret, who had been serving as interim Knox County law director, has been appointed director by the county commission. Jarret also recently received certification as a federal arbitrator. He earned his law degree from the Stetson University College of Law in 1989.

Phillip H. Miller, founding partner of Phillip Miller & Associates in Nashville, was elected and installed as president of the Tennessee Association for Justice during the organization's annual meeting in June. Miller focuses his practice on catastrophic personal injury cases. He is a certified trial specialist of the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Tennessee Board for Specialization; co-chair of the Aletheia Institute's Trial Consultant Committee; and a member of the American Association for Justice's National College of Advocacy Board of Trustees. Miller earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law in 1979 and a master degree in public administration from Pennsylvania State University.

The Nashville firm of Howard, Tate, Sowell, Wilson, Leathers & Johnson PLLC has announced the addition of Colin Turner to its litigation practice. Turner, who earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, will focus his practice in the areas of insurance defense and coverage, products liability and workers' compensation. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a clerk for the Medicaid Fraud Division of the Arkansas Attorney General's Office and as a law clerk for several Little Rock law firms.

The Gibson County Bar Association met June 30 for its annual meeting and re-elected Terri Crider as its president. She practices with Flippin, Atkins & Crider PC in Humboldt.

The Law School Alumni Chapter of the University of Memphis has named new board members for the coming academic year. David S. Kennedy (1970), chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, will serve as president of the board. Other members are JoAnn Cutting (1984) with State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Co.; General Sessions Court Judge Louis Montesi (1976); Andre B. Mathis (2007) with Glankler Brown PLLC; Andy Raines (1980) with Evans Petree PC; and Kyle M. Wiggins (2004) with Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PC.

Passages

Murfreesboro lawyer WILLIAM THEODORE "TED" SELLERS JR. died June 21 at the age of 57. Sellers practiced criminal, bankruptcy and collection law at his family's Murfreesboro law firm of Smith & Sellers. He was an active member of the Rutherford and Cannon County bar associations and a 1979 graduate of the Memphis State University School of Law. The family requests that in lieu of flowers or gifts, donations be made to the donor's charity of choice.

Former Scott County public defender JOE RICHARD "RICK" SEXTON died March 11 at the age of 63. Sexton earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law in 1992. As a private attorney, he maintained a general practice with an interest in the areas of dispute resolution, criminal defense and family law. Prior to becoming an attorney, Sexton managed several local cable companies and Halls Telephone.