Nashville, Memphis and Washington, D.C., (December 1, 2022) – Bass, Berry & Sims is pleased to announce the addition of 21 new associates, including three in Memphis, 17 in Nashville and one in Washington, D.C. Including this latest group of new hires, the firm has announced that 55 new attorneys joined Bass, Berry & Sims so far in 2022.
“We are excited to welcome this latest group of exceptional attorneys to the firm. They will further enhance our collaboration across offices and practices as we continue to best serve our clients,” said Todd Rolapp, managing partner of Bass, Berry & Sims.
Commercial Real Estate
The following two associates assist clients with commercial real estate transactions and financing matters, and also collaborate with the firm’s Corporate & Securities Practice on corporate transactions.
Matthew Morrow (Nashville) earned a law degree from Washington University School of Law (2022) and a B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University (2016).
Bria Smith-Edwards (Nashville) earned a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School (2022) and a B.A. from Michigan State University (2018). In addition to commercial work at the firm, Smith-Edwards counsels clients on public finance matters, with a particular focus on affordable housing projects.
Corporate & Securities
The following eight associates join the firm’s Corporate & Securities Practice where they counsel clients in mergers & acquisitions, capital markets transactions and securities regulations matters and filings. In addition, the attorneys represent private equity firms and portfolio companies in various transactions.
Kyle A. Conley (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law (2022) and a B.A. from the University of Kentucky (2018). During law school, Conley served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Rebecca Grady Jennings of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
Kyle Conley is licensed in Kentucky; Tennessee bar application pending.
Erica S. Gray (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School (2022) and a B.A. from the University of Michigan (2016).
Caylyn G. Harvey (Nashville) earned a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School (2022), a master’s degree in commerce from the University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce (2017), and B.A. and B.S. degrees from Davidson College (2016).
Juedon B. Kebede (Memphis) earned a law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law (2022), an M.B.A. from the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business and Economics (2022), and a B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder (2015). During law school, Kebede served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Bernice B. Donald of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Braxton R. Kinney (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (2022) and a B.A. from the University of Tennessee (2019).
David A.G. Kitchin (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law (2022) and a B.A. from Fordham University (2016). Before law school, Kitchin worked in various roles within the finance industry, where he counseled clients on asset selections and individualized investment strategies.
William Logan McCallie (Nashville) earned a law degree from The University of Texas School of Law (2022) and a B.A. from Vanderbilt University (2019). During law school, McCallie was a law clerk for the State of Tennessee, Office of the Attorney General, Finance Division.
Aleah Reno-Demick (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (2022) and a B.A. from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (2019). During law school, Reno-Demick served as a judicial intern for Magistrate Judges Debra C. Poplin and H. Bruce Guyton of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee.
Employee Benefits
The following associate works with clients on the design, implementation and administration of qualified benefit plans, health and welfare benefit plans and deferred compensation packages. He also provides diligence and support on employee benefits and compensation issues arising in mergers, acquisitions and other corporate transactions.
William T. Gebo (Memphis) earned his law degree, with a tax certificate, from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law (2022) and a B.S. from Portland (OR) State University (2013).
Healthcare
The following five attorneys provide healthcare regulatory counsel as it relates to mergers and acquisitions, compliance and operational matters.
Abigail Pirie Anderson (Nashville) earned a law degree from Belmont University College of Law (2022) and a B.S. from the University of Tennessee (2017). Prior to law school, Anderson worked as a registered nurse for two years at a hospital in Nashville.
Delaney Durst (Nashville) earned a law degree from Belmont University College of Law (2022) and a B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2019).
Dee Harleston (Washington, D.C.) earned a law degree with a health law concentration from Saint Louis University School of Law (2020), a Master of Public Health from Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice (2020), and a B.S. from Belmont University (2015). Before joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Harleston was a healthcare associate at a U.S.-based law firm. During law school, he worked as a legal extern at three health systems reviewing contracts to ensure compliance with federal and state healthcare regulations while advising on operational issues related to telemedicine, COVID-19 and academic medical centers.
Dee Harleston is admitted only in Missouri and Illinois; practice supervised by D.C. Bar Members.
Ben Kelly (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (2022) and a B.A. from the University of Tennessee (2019).
Steffie Rosene (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law (2022) and a B.S. from Auburn University (2019).
Intellectual Property
The following three associates represent clients on a broad range of intellectual property matters involving the development, transfer and licensing of technology and IP. They help clients protect their IP assets, representing them in a variety of transactions, including advising on the IP aspects of mergers and acquisitions, licensing and service agreements and strategic relationships.
Samantha Ross Liskey (Nashville) earned a law degree and a Master of Laws in Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law from the University of Miami School of Law (2022) and B.B.A. from Belmont University (2019).
Ethan M. Riley (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law (2022) and a B.S. from the University of Tennessee (2018).
Masie Taylor (Nashville) earned a law degree from Indiana University Maurer School of Law (2022) and a B.S. from Missouri State University (2019).
Litigation
The following two associates join the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice where they represent clients in complex business litigation, as well as assist clients in response to government investigations and related civil and criminal proceedings.
Johnny Cerisano (Memphis) earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (2021) and a B.A. from George Mason University (2016). Before joining the firm, Cerisano served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable S. Thomas Anderson of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
Angel Lasley (Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law (2019) and a B.A. from the University of Findlay (2016). Before joining the firm, Lasley served as a law clerk to the Honorable J. Bernice Donald of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit and as a staff attorney to the Honorable J. Candace Crouse of the Ohio First District Court of Appeals.
Angel Lasley is licensed only in the District of Columbia; Tennessee bar application pending.
About Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
Bass, Berry & Sims is a national law firm with nearly 350 attorneys dedicated to delivering exceptional service to numerous publicly traded companies and Fortune 500 businesses in significant litigation and investigations, complex business transactions and international regulatory matters. Our people are true partners who work seamlessly across substantive practice disciplines, industries and geographies to deliver highly-effective legal advice and innovative, business-focused solutions. In 2022 the firm celebrates its centennial anniversary and continues to build on our foundational attributes of agility, tenacity and collaboration. For more information, visit www.bassberry.com.