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Brian  M.  Dobbs
Associate
Nashville
P:(615) 742-7884
F:(615) 248-2940
E-mail Brian M. Dobbs
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Education
University of Tennessee - J.D., 2001
Auburn University - B.A., 1994

Court Admissions
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, 2004
U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 2002

Bar Admissions
Tennessee, 2007
California, 2001

Memberships
American Bar Association (Forum Committee on the Construction Industry)
Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel
National Association of Industrial and Office Properties
State Bar of California

Honors & Distinctions
United Way of Williamson County (Allocations Panel)
Cum laude (University of Tennessee) 
Tennessee Law Review
John Joseph Graham Scholarship, Recipient
Student Bar Association, Member
UT Legal Clinic, Student Attorney

Publications
"Point/Counterpoint on Key Provisions of B101 (Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect): The Hot Button Issues and How They Have Changed," Construction Lawyer , vol. 28, no. 2 (Spring 2008)



Brian’s focus is on construction contracting, construction litigation, real estate litigation and general business litigation.

Construction: Brian has represented numerous public and private clients, including owners, contractors and subcontractors, in various types of construction transactions and dispute resolution. He has extensive experience reviewing, drafting and negotiating all types of construction and design contracts, including industry-standard forms such as American Institute of Architects (AIA), Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC) and ConsensusDOCS. Brian also has experience handling various construction-related disputes, including mechanics’ and materialmen’s liens, Prompt Pay Act issues, construction defect and delay claims.

In 2009, Brian became the second attorney in Tennessee to earn the Green Building Certification Institute’s LEED® Green Associate designation. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. A LEED Green Associate is an individual who has demonstrated the knowledge and skill needed to understand and support green design, construction, and operations.

Real Estate: Brian has represented clients in various real estate transactions and disputes.

Representative Matters:
  • Represented a nonprofit hospital association in negotiating and drafting the design and construction agreements for a $75 million hospital seeking LEED® Silver certification;
  • Represented the nation’s largest owner of senior living communities in negotiating and drafting design and construction agreements for various facilities around the country, including a $79 million independent living and skilled nursing facility;
  • Represented a manufacturer of polypropylene film used for food packaging in negotiating and drafting a design-build agreement for a 112,000 square foot, $32 million expansion of its production line and warehouse facilities;
  • Represented a leading provider of automated material handling systems in a dispute over nonpayment by one of the “big three” automakers;
  • Represented a charitable organization in negotiations with the state of Tennessee and a municipality to preserve one of the state’s most important historical buildings;
  • Represented a utility district in various disputes with vendors and others, including defective specification and installation of a water treatment system.
    Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims in August 2007, Brian was an associate in the Irvine, California offices of Berry & Perkins, P.C., where his practice included construction law and litigation, real estate transactions and litigation, and general business litigation.

Brian and his wife Laura have two young daughters, Campbell and Mallory. Brian’s interests include golf, running and cycling.