Nashville, Memphis and Washington, D.C., (December 12, 2023) – Bass, Berry & Sims is pleased to announce the addition of 24 new attorneys, including three in Memphis, 19 in Nashville and two in Washington, D.C. Including this latest group of new hires, the firm has announced that 42 new attorneys joined Bass, Berry & Sims so far in 2023.
“We are proud to be adding this latest group of individuals to our firm’s growing roster of outstanding attorneys,” said Todd Rolapp, managing partner of Bass, Berry & Sims. “We are honored they have chosen Bass, Berry & Sims as part of their career path and know they will accomplish many things during their time at the firm. Their addition will further strengthen our bench strength as we continue to provide excellent client service across our offices and various practices.”
Corporate & Securities
The following nine 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.
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Eric A. Allen (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee (2020). During law school, Allen was a student attorney at the Transactional Law Clinic. While earning his undergraduate degree, he worked as a fund manager at LaPorte Torch Fund. |
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Alexandra L. Bernard (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School (2023) and an undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama (2020). Prior to law school, Bernard worked as a legislative intern for U.S. Senator Bob Corker. |
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Bailey Cormier (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree and a masters in taxation from the University of Alabama School of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama (2019). |
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Layna Deneen (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from Clemson University, Calhoun Honors College (2019). |
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Sutton Dunwoodie (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from Hillsdale College (2020). |
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Danny H. Harris (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School (2023) and an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University (2020). During law school, Harris served as a law clerk for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Tennessee. |
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Danielle M. Hunt (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky (2020). During law school, Hunt served as a law clerk for the Honorable L. Scott Coogler and the Honorable Annemarie Carney Axon of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama. |
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Tanya McGill (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law (2023) and a bachelor of business administration from the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business (2020). |
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Alyx M. Thompson (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee (2020). During law school, Thompson was a student attorney at the Transactional Law Clinic. |
Government Advocacy
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Ross V. Smith (Senior Public Policy Attorney, Nashville) advises clients before the Tennessee General Assembly and the various branches, departments, agencies and commissions of state government. In this role, he represents companies, organizations and associations related to regulatory issues and to advocate for their business interests within the state of Tennessee. Prior to joining the firm, he was an attorney and lobbyist at Farrar Bates Berexa, LLP. Smith earned a law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law (2015) and an undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee (2007). |
Healthcare
The following four attorneys provide healthcare regulatory counsel as it relates to mergers and acquisitions, compliance and operational matters.
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Idena R. Allen (Associate, Memphis) earned a law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi (2018). After receiving her undergraduate degree, Allen taught English in Shanghai, China for two years. |
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Katie Darden (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School (2023); a Master’s in Commerce from the University of Virginia, McIntire School of Commerce (2016); and an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication (2015). |
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Morgan Tandy (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from Belmont University College of Law (2023) and a bachelor of business administration from Baylor University (2019). Before entering law school, Tandy worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center as part of a clinical research team and at Mission Waco Health Clinic as a clinic intern. |
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David W. Wilson (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from Amherst College (2020). During his final year of law school, Wilson was a clerk at Zeisler PLLC. |
Intellectual Property
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Chase Van Patten (Associate, Nashville) represents clients on a broad range of intellectual property matters involving the development, transfer and licensing of technology and IP. He helps 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. Van Patten earned a law degree from The University of Texas School of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis (2020). During law school, Van Patten was a judicial intern at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. |
Litigation
The following five 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.
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Latazia Carter (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School (2022) and an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University (2017). Prior to attending law school, Carter was a teacher at KIPP Collegiate High School as a 2017 Corps Member of Teach for America. Before joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Carter served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Susan M. Carney of the Alaska Supreme Court. |
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Alfonso Cuen (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from Belmont University College of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from Lee University (2018). During law school, Cuen served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Charles M. Walker of the Tennessee Middle District Bankruptcy Court and to the Honorable Joseph A. Woodruff of Tennessee’s 21st Judicial District. Before attending law school, Cuen was a teacher at Valor Collegiate Academies through Teach for America. |
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Daniel J. Riley (Associate, Memphis) focuses his litigation practice on environmental and construction disputes. Riley earned a law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law (2023) and undergraduate degrees from Florida Gulf Coast University (2015). During law school, Riley served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Bernice B. Donald of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Prior to his legal career, Riley had a successful career as an environmental engineer in the construction and environmental industries and is a licensed professional engineer in Tennessee and Florida. |
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Reagan P. Schmidt (Associate, Nashville) focuses his litigation practice on fraud and abuse matters in the healthcare industry. Schmidt earned a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School (2023) and an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (2020). |
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Patrick Zinck (Associate, Washington, D.C.) focuses his litigation practice on a range of antitrust matters, including merger reviews, domestic and international antitrust litigation, and government investigations. Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Zinck was an associate at Hogan Lovells in its Washington, D.C. office. He earned a law degree from Columbia Law School (2021) and an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University (2018). During law school, Zinck was a pro bono scholar with the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and a summer legal intern with the 15th Judicial District Public Defender’s Office. |
Real Estate & Debt Finance
The following four attorneys assist clients with commercial real estate transactions and debt finance matters, and also collaborate with the firm’s Corporate & Securities Practice on corporate transactions.
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Brendan P. Glynn (Real Estate Attorney, Washington, D.C.) earned a law degree from American University Washington College of Law (2023) and undergraduate degrees from Fordham University (2017). During law school Glynn was a law clerk with Federal Realty Investment Trust and a legal intern with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
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Paden Hemphill (Associate, Memphis) earned a law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law with a Business Law Certificate (2023) and an undergraduate degree from Harding University (2014). Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims Hemphill served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Bernice Donald of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. |
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Steven Steenson, II (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from The College of William and Mary (2020). During law school, Steenson served as a legal extern at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oxford, Mississippi, and also volunteered with the Mississippi Innocence Project. |
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Matthew T. Still (Associate, Nashville) earned a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law (2023) and an undergraduate degree from Auburn University (2020). |
About Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
Bass, Berry & Sims is a national law firm with more than 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. For more than 100 years, our people have served as true partners to clients, working seamlessly across substantive practice disciplines, industries and geographies to deliver highly-effective legal advice and innovative, business-focused solutions. For more information, visit www.bassberry.com.