In the early days, our founders developed a reputation for excellence; F.M. Bass, Frank Berry and Cecil Sims were fastidious, intellectually curious and highly sought after. They pioneered our now robust mergers and acquisitions practice by participating in notable transactions such as the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company, known for Maxwell House Coffee, in its sale to Postum in 1928 for $20 million and by representing Fourth and First National Bank in its merger with American National Bank in 1930. A few years later, Cecil Sims initiated one of the firm’s first alternative fee arrangements, which lasted from 1934 until the late 1960’s, with Vanderbilt University’s Chancellor Kirkland.
One hundred years after its inception, Bass, Berry & Sims continues to lead clients through increasingly complex legal challenges. Our highly skilled attorney teams aim to provide a profound understanding of our clients’ businesses and perspective, sound judgment, efficiency and responsiveness to every matter. Recently, we represented a Nashville-based, leading provider of healthcare services in its leveraged buyout (LBO), which was, at the time, the largest LBO in history; we were engaged as the New York Stock Exchange’s Regulatory Auditor; and we successfully tried the largest case in Tennessee involving the breach of a $1.4 billion merger agreement. We advance opportunities and deliver results.
Our Numbers
- Primary outside counsel to more than 35 public companies
- More than 75 practice groups
- Long-term client relationships: 54% of our clients have been with the firm for 10 or more years
- 4 offices: Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis and Washington, D.C.
Our Awards
- Firm recognized by Law360 as a Practice Group of the Year winner in the Health Care category for 2020 and in 2016.
- 44 attorneys listed as leaders in Chambers USA 2022.
- Nine practices ranked #1 for Tennessee; three practices ranked in Nationwide categories; one category ranked in the District of Columbia in Chambers USA 2022.
- For the seventh year in a row, the firm received a Nationwide ranking in the Healthcare: The Elite category in Chambers USA 2022, earning a Band 4 national recognition. In addition, the Healthcare Practice was ranked in Tennessee (Band 1) and the District of Columbia (Band 4) in 2022. Chambers research indicates the firm is a “Versatile group that acts on behalf of clients such as physician practice management companies, hospitals, pharmacies and disease management companies. Deep expertise across the healthcare arena, fielding experience in areas such as enforcement actions, operational issues and corporate transactions. Also serves clients within the hospice, private equity and telemedicine sectors. ‘They have a fantastic healthcare practice and they do a significant amount of work.'” (from Chambers USA 2022).
- M&A Advisor named Bass, Berry & Sims its Law Firm of the Year for 2021 at the 20th Annual M&A Advisor Awards.
- M&A Advisor’s Annual M&A Advisor Awards:
- 2022: M&A Deal of the Year (Between $1B-$5B)
- 2021: “Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year (Over $100MM)” and “M&A Deal of the Year ($50MM to $75MM)”
- 2020: “Healthcare and Life Sciences Deal of the Year (Over $1B)” and “Corporate/Strategic Deal of the Year (Over $1B)”
- 2019: “Healthcare & Life Sciences Deal of the Year ($100MM-$1B)” and “Industrials Deal of the Year (Over $1B)”
- 2018: “M&A Deal of the Year ($10MM-$25MM)” and “Healthcare and Life Sciences Deal of the Year (Over $100MM-$1B)“
- 2017: “M&A Deal of the Year (From $1B-$5B)” and “Corporate/Strategic Deal of the Year (Over $1B)”
- 2016: “Corporate & Strategic Deal of the Year (Over $500MM)”
- 2014: “Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year (Over $250MM)”
- Named “Tennessee Firm of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation (2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2012).
- 92 attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2023; 37 attorneys listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2023.
- Ranked 5th largest healthcare practice in nation by Modern Healthcare (2022).
- Recommended as a United States firm for “M&A – Middle-Market (sub-$500M)” by The Legal 500 United States 2022.
- For five years in a row, Bass, Berry & Sims received a perfect score of 100% on the Corporate Equality Index (CEI) administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the nation’s premier benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality (2018-2022).
- For the fourth consecutive year (2019-2022), Bass, Berry & Sims was named one of the “Best Law Firms for Women” by Seramount (formerly Working Mother Media). Read about the 2022 honor here.
“In this age of consolidation in the legal market and the quest to become larger, we remain committed to being as large as our clients need us to be, committed to being an extraordinary law firm that delivers value and results to our clients.” Todd Rolapp, Managing Partner