Welcome
to Bench Bar 2025!
Proudly Sponsoring
Bench Bar Conference 2026
Friday, October 3
5:00 - 6:30 PM: Welcome Reception & Judicial Meet & Greet
Visit us in the Card Room for cocktails and then grab your nametag & swag bag. *Please note, this reception is cocktails only. No food will be served.
Saturday, October 4
7:00 - 9:00 AM Breakfast Service Begins
Served in the Grand Ballroom and available throughout the first session.
7:45 - 8:45 AM Breakfast CLE
Claims Jeopardy, Grand Ballroom
Presented by Sharon Stuart, Attorneys Insurance Mutual of the South Contestants: Lauran Stimac and two other local attorneys
8:45 to 11:30 AM Bloody Mary & Mimosa Bar
Served in the Grand Ballroom Foyer
9:00 - 10:00 AM - Concurrent Sessions
The Revised Playbook of College Athletics: A View from the Courts & the Court, Beachside Room
Presented by Professor Lynda Wray Black
Business Partnership Dissolutions in General and in the Context of Divorce Panel, Azalea Room
Presented by Dan Robinson, Coble Caperton, Warren Campbell, and Jon Paul Davis of HHM CPAs
10:15 - 11:15 AM - Concurrent Sessions
Emerging Issues in Education Law, Beachside Room
Presented by Mike Marshall
2025 Criminal Law Legislative & Case Review, Azalea Room
Presented by Judge Greg Gilbert and Tyrone Paylor
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM - Keynote Luncheon
*Lunch service begins at 11:15 AM
Emerging Legal Issues and Current Developments in Memphis Economic Landscape, Grand Ballroom
Presented by Ted Townsend, Greater Memphis Chamber President & CEO
Afternoon Activities Starting at 1:30 PM
Volleyball Tournament
Game Day Watch Party
Bicycling Through Mobile Bay
Paint & Sip
Boating Cruise
Shopping In Downtown Fairhope
Cocktails After Dinner
Celebrating MBA Past, Present, and Future Presidents
Join us at 8:30 PM on property at Bucky’s Lounge
Sunday, October 5
7:00 - 9:00 AM
Breakfast Service Begins
Served in the Grand Ballroom and available throughout the first session.
7:45 - 8:45 AM Breakfast CLE
U.S. Supreme Court Term Preview, Grand Ballroom
Presented by Judge Kevin Ritz and Will Perry
8:45 to 11:30 AM Bloody Mary & Mimosa Bar
Served in the Grand Ballroom Foyer
9:00 - 10:00 AM - Concurrent Sessions
A Legal Career-The Long and Winding Road, Azalea Room
Presented by Judge Rhynette Hurd, Justice Roger Page (Ret.), Dean Jim Strickland, Charles Mitchell, and Marlinee Iverson
Family Law Update: Petitioner's Interests vs. Child's Best Interest: What You Need to Know and the Factors the Court Considers When Ruling, Beachside Room
Presented by Judge Cedrick Wooten and LuJaclyn Richardson
10:15 - 11:15 AM - Concurrent Sessions
Modernization of the Practice of Law: Providing Greater Access, Azalea Room
Presented by Justice Mary Wagner, Lucian Pera, and Braden Boucek
Federal Practice for State Court Practitioners, Beachside Room
Presented by Judge Annie Christoff and Amy Sterling
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM - Keynote Luncheon
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office: Counsel to the State in Tumultuous Times, Grand Ballroom
*Lunch service begins at 11:15 AM
Presented by TN Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti
Afternoon Activities Starting at 1:30 PM
9-Hole Golf Outing (Tee Off at 2:30 PM)
Pickleball Tournament (Begins at 2:00 PM)
5:00 - 7:00 PM - YLD Sunset CLE
*Light appetizers and beverages provided
Bicycling Through Mobile Bay Shopping In Downtown Fairhope
A Good Fit: What Law Students/New Lawyers and Hiring Firms are Looking For in Each Other Grand Ballroom Patio
Presented by Preston Battle, Noor Obaji, and Dean Elizabeth Rudolph
Monday, October 6
Travel Day!
Thank you for coming to this year’s Bench Bar Conference!
Bench Bar 2025 Activity Schedule
Friday, October 3
Welcome Reception & Judicial Meet & Greet ~ 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Saturday, October 4
Bloody Mary & Mimosa Bar ~ 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Afternoon Activities Starting at 1:30 PM
Annual Volleyball Tournament
Game Day Watch Party
Bicycling Through Mobile Bay
Paint & Sip
Boating Cruise
Shopping in Downtown Fairhope
Cocktails After Dinner ~ 8:30 PM
Celebrating MBA Past, Present, and Future Presidents
Sunday, October 5
Bloody Mary & Mimosa Bar ~ 8:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Afternoon Activities Starting at 1:30 PM
9-Hole Golf Outing
Pickleball Tournament
Bicycling Through Mobile Bay
Shopping in Downtown Fairhope
Poolside Trivia
YLD Sunset CLE & Happy Hour ~ 5:00 PM
President's Circle Sponsors
Kickoff Party
Helpful Information
Important Event Contacts:
Jan Reisman Cell: (901) 361-6183
Mary Ann Upchurch Cell: (901) 457-9007
Resort Amenities
Restaurants
Salon & Spa Service
Indoor Pool
Outdoor Pool
Whirlpool & Sauna
Resort Shopping
Concierge
Valet
Cabana rentals
Tennis Courts with LED lighting
Sailing, boating, fishing
Two 18-hole championship golf courses
Horseback Riding
Bicycle Rentals & Bike Path
View The Grand’s Daily Activities
(Scavenger hunts for kids & more!)
Nearby Points of Interest
3 Miles from Fairhope
16 miles from Mobile
26 miles from Gulf Shores Beach
Fairhope Attractions
Fairhope Municipal Pier
Fairhope Shopping
Fairhope Museum of History
Weeks Bay Estuary
Hotel Directions
One Grand Boulevard, Point Clear, Alabama, 36564
View Map
Hotel Phone Number +1 251-928-9201
Check-in: 4:00 pm
Check-out: 11:00 am
Hotel Parking
Complimentary On-Site Parking
Off-Site Parking - Across the street .1 Miles
Daily Valet: $32
Claims Jeopardy
Bench Bar 2025 Speaker Bios
Sharon Stuart, President & Claims Counsel, Attorneys Insurance Mutual of the South (AIM)
Sharon has been a member of AIM's Board of Directors since 2001. She has served as Chair of the Marketing Committee and a member of the Investment/Audit, Underwriting, Personnel and Executive Committees. In 2019, Sharon was appointed President & Claims Counsel for AIM. She is a graduate of Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, where she served as Associate Editor of the Cumberland Law Review.
Jeopardy Contestants:
Lauran Stimac, Shareholder, Evans Petree
Lauran Stimac serves as Chair of Evans Petree’s litigation practice group and is president of the Memphis Bar Association. Ms. Stimac has practiced as a trial attorney since 2007, largely concentrating her practice on the defense of professional liability claims against healthcare providers and lawyers. She has also represented those and other professionals, such as real estate appraisers, in licensure matters in Tennessee and Mississippi. Ms. Stimac also represents individuals and business entities in business litigation. Her practice encompasses both trial and appellate levels. She was appointed in 2025 by the Tennessee Supreme Court as a Board of Professional Responsibility Hearing Committee member for Disciplinary District IX.
Edd Peyton, Of Counsel Attorney, Spicer Rudstrom PLLC
Edd focuses on litigation throughout Tennessee and Mississippi Edd primarily practices in the areas of employment law, healthcare liability, insurance defense litigation, and products liability He is also a Tennessee Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He received all league honors three years as a tight end on the Sprint Football team and was inducted into the Naval Academy Athletic Association Hall of Fame. Upon graduation from Annapolis Edd was commissioned an officer in the United States Navy where he led engineering and ordnance departments aboard ships and served as a regional admissions officer for the Naval Academy. At Ole Miss, Edd served on the Moot Court board and won numerous mock trial and appellate competitions. For leisure, Edd plays golf and is working towards completing a marathon in all 50 states and on every continent. He has completed 1 ultramarathon and 14 marathons to date.
Bobby Martin, Partner, Morgan & Morgan
Bobby Martin is a partner at Morgan & Morgan He attended the University of Memphis, Cecil C Humphreys School of Law and graduated in 1998 Bobby was awarded the prestigious "AV Peer Review" rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the preeminent national publication in the legal field Bobby was recognized as one of the Memphis area's “Outstanding Young Lawyers” in Memphis Magazine's Super Lawyer and Rising Star section. He received the Sam A. Myar, Jr. Memorial Award from the Memphis Bar Association for outstanding service to the legal profession, and he is a Fellow of the Memphis Bar Foundation.
The Revised Playbook of College Athletics: A View from the Courts & the Court
Professor Lynda Wray Black, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
Lynda Wray Black is the Bredesen Professor of Law at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law where she teaches Secured Transactions, Contracts, Remedies, and Sports Law. Professor Black has served as the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) to the NCAA for the University of Memphis since 2015. In her role as FAR, she serves as the liaison between the University and the Athletics Department, focusing on studentathlete welfare and development particularly with respect to the academic success and eligibility of the University’s student-athletes across 19 sports. Additionally, she has held leadership positions within the American Athletic Conference (serving as Chair of the FAR Group from 2021-2023) and at the national level. In 2024, Black was elected as President of 1A FAR, the national organization of FARs within Division I FBS institutions. Professor Black serves on President Bill Hardgrave’s President’s Council and is the faculty liaison to the University of Memphis Law School Alumni Association Board A graduate of the University of Memphis and Yale Law School, Professor Black practiced law at Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York City before returning to Memphis, where she is Of Counsel with Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, PC
Dan Robinson, Shareholder, Evans Petree
Dan Robinson entered private law practice in 1987. Since inception, his clients have primarily been closely held business owners and family holding companies. The proliferation of single- and multi-family offices has been an area of client concentration for over 30 years. Dan’s practice is primarily focused on operating companies, purchase and sale transactions and private client services. His transactional practice includes businesses across multiple industries and geographic regions, with particular emphasis on food, beverage and agribusiness.
Coble Caperton, Partner, Rice Caperton Rice, PLLC
Coble Caperton is a Partner with Rice Caperton Rice, PLLC He has experience in a range of complex civil and criminal litigation He represents a broad range of clients in matters including family law, complex tort litigation, Fraternal and non-profit organizations, personal injury, probate and criminal. He has practiced in both Federal and State Courts in Tennessee, Mississippi, New York, and Arkansas. Caperton is also a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator and Family Law Mediator. He is a member of the Memphis Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.
Warren Campbell, Attorney, Rice Caperton Rice, PLLC
Warren P Campbell is an attorney with Rice, Caperton Rice, PLLC He has over a decade of experience in a range of civil litigation He represents a broad range of clients in matters including probate matters, estate planning, family law, complex tort litigation, environmental law, fraternal and non-profit organizations and personal injury He has practiced in both Federal and State Courts in Tennessee A native of Virginia, Warren made his way to Memphis to attend Rhodes College where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science While attending Rhodes, Warren was selected to complete a semester in Washington, D C where he attended Georgetown University and worked for a Washington-based think tank. He is a member of the Memphis Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.
Jon Paul Davis, Managing Partner, HHM CPAs
As the managing partner of HHM’s Memphis office, Jon Paul Davis provides business owners with the knowledge and foresight they need to navigate complex financial decisions He stays up to date on the everchanging tax law to provide specialized tax planning for complex business organizations and their owners He believes in building long-term relationships so that he can better anticipate his clients’ needs Also serving as the lead partner of Advisory Services, he guides companies through business planning, including strategic growth decisions, forecasts and financial modeling Jon Paul assists clients with all stages of mergers and acquisitions, from planning and implementation to the evaluation of tax consequences Jon Paul also leads HHM’s business valuation and litigation support niche. He provides business valuation and litigation support services to businesses and attorneys across the country. He has served on teams representing both buy and sell sides of transactions, as well as valuations for financial reporting and intangible asset impairment.
Emerging Issues in Education Law
Mike Marshall, Shareholder, Evans Petree
Mike Marshall is the leader of the Labor and Employment section and uses his experience in other arenas to reach solutions and resolutions to his clients’ disputes He also has expertise in all areas of educationrelated law Mike has extensive experience in litigating and resolving employment matters and other business-related disputes. He is a frequent speaker on employment-related topics. He has received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for his legal ability and ethics. Mike was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2025 in the fields of Litigation- Labor and Employment, Health Care Law, and Employment Law- Management for the eighth year. He has also been selected to the MidSouth Super Lawyers list every year since 2015. He is a member of the American, Tennessee, and Memphis Bar Associations. Mike is the general counsel for the Collierville Schools, the Shelby County Emergency Communications District, the Millington Airport Authority, and for Lausanne Collegiate School.
Judge Greg Gilbert, Shelby County General Sessions Court Division 10
Greg Gilbert is a judge for Division 10 of the Shelby County General Sessions Court in Tennessee Gilbert assumed office on September 1, 2022 Greg is a native Memphian and the youngest of 4 boys His mother, who married his father, a linguist in the US Army, became his first real-life hero when she fled her abusive marriage, saving Greg and his brothers from prolonged domestic abuse at the hands of their father While in law school, Greg began clerking for the judges of the Shelby County Criminal Court It was during this clerkship that Greg realized his calling, to serve the Memphis and Shelby County community as a prosecutor. After putting in his time as an investigator for the District Attorney’s office while waiting for an open position, Greg began his career as an assistant district attorney in the domestic violence division. Greg has handled tens of thousands of cases, tried over 100 jury trials and represented the interests of thousands of victims. Greg and Allison have been married for 22 years and together are raising two children, Charlie (20), currently a sophomore in college, and daughter Mary Grove, currently a high school junior. They are all proud Memphis enthusiasts, passionately involved in the local community which they are honored to call home.
Tyrone Paylor, Federal Public Defender, Western District of TN
Paylor began his official duties as Federal Public Defender on May 1, 2025 He joined the office of the Federal Defender in the spring of 2008 as an Assistant Federal Defender Tyrone was promoted to Supervising Attorney with the office in the spring of 2013. He served as the First Assistant Federal Defender. Tyrone received his BBA in Accounting from Austin Peay State University. He obtained his Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration simultaneously from the University of Memphis. He is licensed to practice in the State of Tennessee. He is also admitted to practice before the District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Emerging Legal Issues and Current Developments in Memphis Economic Landscape
Ted Townsend, President & CEO, Greater Memphis Chamber
Ted Townsend has worked to build a 'greater' Memphis for more than two decades while serving in leadership positions in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors Prior to becoming president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber in 2022, Townsend served as its chief economic development officer (20202022), leading the Chamber through a period of significant economic growth that set the foundation for even greater achievements in subsequent years. Townsend was recently named the 2025 CEO of the Year by Memphis Magazine, and under his leadership the Greater Memphis Chamber received the prestigious 2025 Chamber of the Year award from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), recognizing the organization's excellence in economic development and advocacy efforts. Previously, Townsend served as the first-ever chief economic development and government relations officer for his alma mater, the University of Memphis (2018-2021); as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (2011-2018); and as co-founder and chief operating officer of Memphis-based arGentis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2005-2011).
U.S. Supreme Court Term Preview
Judge Kevin Ritz, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Judge Ritz is a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 2024. He previously served as the United States attorney for the Western District of Tennessee September 2022 to September 2024. Judge Ritz has dedicated his entire career to federal public service. He was nominated and confirmed to the Sixth Circuit in 2024. Before that he served 19 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Memphis, including two years as United States Attorney. At the beginning of his career, he clerked for Sixth Circuit Judge Julia Gibbons. A native of Memphis, Ritz graduated from White Station High School. Ritz received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 1997, where he was a Jefferson Scholar. He later received a Master of Science from Georgetown University in 1999, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2004
Will Perry, Partner, Butler Snow
Gadson William (Will) Perry handles high-stakes and sensitive matters that involve constitutional guarantees, contracts, real estate, consumer protection, business torts, personal injury, and personal and intellectual property. He is a former law clerk for Judge Bernice Bouie Donald of the Sixth Circuit. From June 2021 to September 2022, Will served on the Chancery Court for the Thirtieth Judicial District of Tennessee, appointed by Governor Bill Lee to finish the term of a retired Chancellor. Thirty-eight years old at the time, Will became the youngest African American judge, and second youngest judge, in Tennessee’s largest county. Will presided over a civil docket of more than 2,000 business, governmental, tax, divorce, and child custody cases, reviewed civil service and state agency appeals, and was referred commercial cases by other judges for judicial mediation In 14 months, Will and his staff cleared more than 1,700 cases, establishing the best disposition rate on the court Will has earned several professional accolades, including “Best of the Bar” from the Memphis Business Journal (MBJ), the Sam A Myar, Jr, Memorial Award from the MBA, and the A A Latting Award for Legal Excellence from the NBA He has been named a “Mid-South Rising Star” by Super Lawyers® seven times and is listed in Best Lawyers in America® for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation Will currently serves on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Memphis Bar Association and as a Master in the Memphis ADR American Inn of Court. He is an Emeritus Member of the Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court and a Fellow of the American and Memphis Bar Foundations. He also has coached advocacy teams and taught legal writing as an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis School of Law, which named Will its 2021 “Mentor of the Year.” A former middle school English teacher, Will holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wake Forest University.
A Legal Career-The Long and Winding Road
Judge Rhynette Hurd, Shelby County Circuit Court, Division 5 Rhynette Northcross Hurd is presiding judge of Division 5 of Shelby County Circuit Court in Memphis, Tennessee. Formerly she was a mediator, arbitrator, and special master at Ridder Hurd PLLC, a firm she cofounded. Prior to her work as a mediator, Judge Hurd was a transactional attorney at International Paper Company and manager of litigation and E&O claims at Sedgwick Claims Management Services. Since 1993, she has been an adjunct professor at Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, teaching Federal Courts and Legal Methods. Judge Hurd holds memberships in the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association; the Memphis and Tennessee Bar Associations; the Association for Women Attorneys; Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated, and the Links, Incorporated. Judge Hurd received a B.A. in English Composition from Mount Holyoke; a Master of Arts in Teaching from Harvard University Graduate School of Education; a Ph.D. in English Education from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University; and a J.D. from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at The University of Memphis.
Justice Roger Page (Retired), Miles Mediation & Arbitration
Hon Roger A Page is now a full-time mediator and arbitrator who practiced law in Tennessee and Georgia from 1984 to 1998, when he was elected circuit judge for a rural district in West Tennessee During his time as a judge, he began handling Rule 31A, Section 16 judicial settlement conferences, participating in mediations involving construction, medical malpractice, personal injury, real estate disputes, and wrongful death He continued to handle judicial settlement conferences until he assumed the appellate bench in 2011. As a trial judge in a busy judicial district, Roger presided over nearly every type of case. He often equated his role to that of a general practitioner in a small town, where he was unable to refuse any case. As an appellate judge on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals from 2011 to 2016 and on the Tennessee Supreme Court from 2016 to 2024, Roger reviewed cases across a broad spectrum of legal issues. He also served as chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court for two years. Today, Roger focuses on bringing his extensive legal experience to mediation and arbitration, where he continues to help parties resolve disputes with the same dedication and skill he displayed on the bench.
Dean Jim Strickland, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
Dean Strickland became the dean of the law school on June 1, 2024. Prior to that, he served as a partner in his law firm; as a member of the Memphis City Council; as an adjunct professor at the Cecil C Humphreys School of Law, and as mayor of Memphis Strickland was a practicing attorney through 2015 He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Memphis, where he majored in finance He then went on to graduate from Cecil C Humphreys School of law and was an adjunct instructor there from 1989 to 1996
Charles Mitchell, Member, Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C.
Charles S. Mitchell is an experienced trial lawyer whose practice focuses on Federal and Civil Litigation; Criminal Defense; Family Law; and white-collar matters including tax fraud, protected computer intrusions, and matters before the SEC. He has been admitted to all courts of the state of Tennessee; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee; and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He is an approved criminal defense attorney under the Federal Criminal Justice Act (CJA) and Tennessee has certified him for Death Penalty Defense Counsel. Charles is a 1993 graduate of Rhodes College, with a B.A. in History. He earned his Juris Doctorate degree from The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2003. His law school honors include University of Memphis Law Review membership, 2001-2003, and American Jurisprudence Awards (Contracts), 2001.
Marlinee Iverson, Shelby County Attorney
Marlinee Clark Iverson was named as the County Attorney by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris Iverson received her BA from Rhodes College and a JD, cum laude, from the University of Memphis School of Law Iverson began as an associate at Young & Perl, PLC, before becoming Special Assistant United States Attorney, Assistant District Attorney for the Shelby County District Attorney General, Assistant County Attorney for Shelby County Government, and most recently, Magistrate for Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County She began her post as the County Attorney September 12, 2018
Ruling
Judge Cedrick Wooten, Shelby County Circuit Court Judge for Division Six
The Honorable Circuit Court Judge Cedrick D Wooten is a proud lifelong Memphian and a graduate of Melrose High School Judge Wooten has two Bachelor’s Degrees from LeMoyne-Owen College, a Master’s Degree from the University of Mississippi, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis, Cecil C Humphreys School of Law Before completing law school, Judge Wooten had the distinct honor of clerking for the Honorable George H Brown and the Honorable Jerry Stokes in the Shelby County Circuit Court, Division 6. He was an associate attorney at the Orange Law Firm until opening his own law office in 2006, after which he remained a senior partner at Humphrey & Wooten, PLLC, until 2017 where he then transitioned back to public service as the chief administrative officer for the Shelby County Criminal Court and Circuit Court Clerks offices. He serves as Shelby County Circuit Court Judge for Division 6.
Jackie Richardson, Richardson Law Firm, PLLC
LuJaclyn (Jackie) Taylor Richardson graduated from Memphis Central High School and received her baccalaureate degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin As a law student at The University of Memphis, Cecil C Humphreys School of Law, she had the opportunity to work as a judicial law clerk for Judge John McCarroll, Jr in Shelby County Circuit Court, Division One Jackie started her legal career as a staff attorney with Memphis Area Legal Services, Inc where she represented indigent clients primarily in family, consumer, and landlord-tenant law in the rural counties of Tipton, Lauderdale, and Fayette. Prior to opening her own practice, she worked with Nahon, Saharovich, and Trotz, PLC as an associate attorney. While there, she negotiated settlements with insurance companies, advised staff and clients regarding insurance, liens and subrogation, and other legal issues.
Modernization of the Practice of Law: Providing Greater Access
Justice Mary Wagner, TN Supreme Court Justice
Judge Wagner began serving on the Tennessee Supreme Court on September 1, 2024 Prior to serving on the Tennessee Supreme Court, Justice Wagner served as Circuit Court Judge, Division VII, for the 30th Judicial District Governor Bill Haslam appointed her to that judgeship on October 24, 2016 Wagner was elected to the Circuit Bench in August 2018 and re-elected in August 2022 Prior to her appointment to the bench, Justice Wagner practiced Memphis law firm Rice, Amundsen & Caperton PLLC. While at the firm, she taught at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis from 2012-2014 as an adjunct professor, teaching second-year law students advanced skills in legal writing and oral advocacy and first-year students legal writing, research and analysis. Justice Wagner received her law degree from the University of Memphis in 2009 graduating magna cum laude. While in law school, Justice Wagner served as a Notes Editor for the University of Memphis Law Review. She received a bachelor’s degree in 2006 from the University of Colorado, majoring in political science.
Lucian Pera, Partner, Adams & Reese
Lucian’s practice focuses on legal ethics and lawyer regulation, media law, and commercial litigation Lucian is one of the nation’s leading legal ethics practitioners For more than 30 years, Lucian has represented lawyers, law firms, clients, and those who do business with lawyers and law firms, on the widest possible array of issues relating to legal ethics and the regulation of lawyers. His practice is national in scope. The ABA Center for Professional Responsibility has bestowed on him the prestigious Michael Franck Award, their highest award for work in the field of ethics and professional responsibility over his career. For twenty years, in addition to his work as a practicing ethics lawyer, he has been a leader at the highest levels of the ABA on revisions to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and other important lawyer conduct issues. Lucian was the youngest member of the ABA “Ethics 2000” Commission that rewrote the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. He served three years as chair of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility. He speaks and writes extensively on the ethical and regulatory aspects of the rapidly-changing legal services market. He is founding chair of the Practicing Law Institute’s annual full-day program, “The Ethics of New Law”
Braden Boucek, Vice President of Litigation, Southeastern Legal Foundation
Braden H. Boucek has been appointed to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. He serves as Director of Litigation at the Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF). His cases at SLF focus on restoring constitutional balance, equal protection, the First Amendment, and property rights. He is an avid defender of America's Founding and a constitutional law professor. He has also actively litigated school choice cases. Prior to joining SLF, he served as Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Beacon Center of Tennessee, where he worked on economic liberty, dedicated himself to Tennessee's unique constitutional rights, and protecting the free speech rights of professionals. Braden has been a litigator since 2001. Previously, Braden was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in both Nashville and Memphis for over nine years Braden has been recognized by his office for performance, winning both the Special Achievement award and the Distinguished Service award Two of his investigations were recognized as the district’s “Case of the Year” by the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force For nearly five years before joining the Department of Justice, Braden served as a prosecutor for the State of Tennessee, first as an Assistant Attorney General and later as an Assistant District Attorney
Federal Practice for State Court Practitioners
Magistrate Judge Annie T. Christoff, United States District Court for the Western District of TN
The Honorable Annie T Christoff is a United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Tennessee Her docket includes criminal and civil matters falling within federal jurisdiction After graduating with honors from Tulane University in 2000, she taught high school chemistry and algebra for four years and then attended Georgetown University Law Center, where she served as Managing Editor of The Georgetown Law Journal, graduating in 2007 with high honors. She returned to Memphis to serve as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Jon P. McCalla and then practiced in the litigation group at Bass, Berry & Sims PLC for the next ten years. In 2018, she left private practice to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Memphis, where she prosecuted white collar and drug trafficking crimes, until she was sworn in as a U.S. Magistrate Judge on July 24, 2020. She has served as President of the Memphis Bar Association; President of the Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court; Chair of the Court’s Standing Local Rules Committee; and a board member of Memphis Area Legal Services. Judge Christoff received the MBA’s Sam A. Myar, Jr. Memorial Award in 2016 and was selected for the Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2016 and Best of the Bar in 2017.
Amy
Sterling, Member, Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C.
Amy Worrell Sterling is a litigation attorney and member of Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee. A graduate of Belmont University and University of Memphis School of Law, she has been in practice for over 18 years, focusing on business and commercial litigation and healthcare liability defense. Her experience with federal court practice began when she served as the law clerk for the Honorable Diane K. Vescovo, Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, from 2006 to 2007. Since then, Amy has tried several cases in federal court, both jury and non-jury, and is currently serving a three-year term on the Standing Local Rules Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. She is a Master in the Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court and currently serves on its Executive Committee, and is a 2025 ex officio member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Memphis Bar Association Amy was selected to the Mid-South Super Lawyers list for Business Litigation in 2023 and 2024 and inducted as a Fellow of the Memphis Bar Foundation in 2021
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office: Counsel to the State in Tumultuous Times
Jonathan Skrmetti, Tennessee Attorney General
Jonathan Skrmetti was sworn in to an eight-year term as Tennessee’s Attorney General and Reporter on September 1, 2022. Prior to his current role, General Skrmetti served as Chief Counsel to Governor Bill Lee and as Chief Deputy Attorney General to his predecessor, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery. Before working for the State of Tennessee, General Skrmetti was a partner at Butler Snow LLP in Memphis. His legal career began with nearly a decade as a federal prosecutor. He worked at the Civil Rights Division at Main Justice and then at the Memphis U.S. Attorney’s Office and prosecuted sex traffickers, corrupt government officials, and violent white supremacists. In addition, General Skrmetti taught cyberlaw as an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis. General Skrmetti earned honors degrees from George Washington University, the University of Oxford, and Harvard Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy Following law school, Jonathan clerked for Judge Steven Colloton on the U S Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and four children
A Good Fit: What Law Students/New Lawyers and Hiring Firms are Looking For in Each Other
Brande Boyd, Member, Butler Snow
Brande Boyd is a member of Butler Snow’s Business Services and Finance, Real Estate, and Restructuring Practice Groups. She handles mergers, acquisitions, and commercial real estate transactions; assists clients with trademark registration and protection matters; and negotiates and drafts various commercial agreements, including privacy policies, terms of use, SaaS, and license agreements. In less than four years with the firm, Brande has negotiated more than $100 million worth of vendor agreements. She also has successfully registered trademarks for both local and Fortune 500 companies. She is a 2022-23 Fellow of the National Bar Association’s Associate Advancement Academy for Excellence. Brande volunteers her time with several professional and community organizations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Memphis Bar Association (MBA)’s Young Lawyers Division and is a member of the Real Property, Trusts, and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association She also mentors high school students through the MBA’s Summer Law Internship Program and judges high school, college, and law school mock trial competitions Further, Brande is active in Butler Snow’s Pro Bono expungement initiative with International Paper and Memphis Area Legal Services
Preston Battle, Shareholder, Baker Donelson
Based in Memphis, Preston has represented clients in complex commercial disputes across practice areas, including securities claims, business separations, corporate misconduct, and consumer class actions. He maintains an active appellate practice and has successfully briefed and argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the Tennessee Court of Appeals. He has represented U.S. and nonU.S. businesses and individuals from a range of industries, including financial services, real estate, health care, EB-5 investor immigration, medical cannabis, and government services He has further experience representing senior executives and corporations involved in regulatory and criminal enforcement actions involving the Department of Justice, U S Attorneys' Offices, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, as well as various state enforcement agencies Preston serves as an executive on the board of directors for the Memphis Bar Association and as a member of the Firm's Baker Women Leadership Team, and he is a member of the Memphis office's Recruiting Committee After law school, Preston clerked for the Honorable Thomas L Parker of the U S District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. While in law school, he clerked for the Honorable Felicia Corbin Johnson and the Honorable Robert S. Weiss in the Shelby County Circuit Court. Before law school, Preston taught English as a second language in the South of France and is fluent in French.
Dean Elizabeth Rudolph, Assistant Dean for Law Career Services, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
In addition to serving as Assistant Dean for Law Career Services, Elizabeth Rudolph is a nurse, lawyer, and nationally acclaimed speaker After obtaining her nursing license, she received her JD at Vanderbilt University Her knowledge of the law and nursing uniquely positions her as an expert in legal issues in nursing and healthcare She is also Founder and CEO of Jurex Certification for Legal Nurse Consultants
Noor Obaji, Associate Attorney, Lewis Thomason
Noor Obaji is an associate in the firm’s Memphis office, where she focuses her practice on civil litigation She is an active member of the Memphis legal community and currently serves as President of the Association for Women Attorneys, having previously held the role of Vice President. Noor also contributes to the profession by mentoring aspiring lawyers and coaching Hutchison School’s mock trial team. Noor is a member of the Memphis Bar Association and its Young Lawyers Division and participates in various community outreach and professional development initiatives. She brings a thoughtful and client-centered approach to her practice, shaped by a strong foundation in advocacy, ethics, and leadership. Noor earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Political Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.