Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Lillian Blackshear was named one of the “40 Under 40 Nation’s Best Advocates” award recipients for 2022 by the National Bar Association (NBA). The awards recognize the nation’s top 40 lawyers under the age 40 who exemplify a broad range of high achievement in the legal field, including in advocacy, innovation, vision, leadership and overall legal and community involvement. In addition to being recognized in this 40 Under 40 group, Lillian was recognized with the 2022 40 Under 40 Excellence in Leadership Award honoring an individual who has shown leadership in the legal profession and throughout the community.
“These awards are designed to recognize attorneys who have shown a true commitment to advancing important legal interests as demonstrated by their hard-work, creativity, leadership and the successes they have achieved at this stage in their respective careers,” said President Carlos Moore. “The awardees were selected from a sizable list of nominees solely on merit and the ultimate recipients are those most deserving based on the strength of their legal acumen, ingenuity, and community service. The NBA believes this group will continue in the future to exhibit the same skills, leadership and commitment that led the selection panel to select this group of 40,” Moore said.
Lillian focuses her legal practice exclusively on public finance matters, representing an array of governmental entities, investment banks and commercial banks on debt issuances throughout Tennessee. Clients look to Lillian to help them secure the financing necessary to green-light a wide range of development projects and debt refundings. Lillian is a valuable resource to the firm’s Public Finance Practice Group on municipal securities disclosure issues and frequently works with issuers regarding their continuing disclosure obligations. Lillian was named to the Nashville Business Journal’s “40 Under 40 List” in 2018. She is an active participant in a number of industry associations, including the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the Women in Public Finance – Tennessee Chapter, among others. Lillian currently serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and is the past leader of the firm’s African-American Affinity Group.
The recipients will be honored at the National Bar Association’s renowned 40 Under 40 Awards Gala on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, during the NBA’s 97th Annual Convention in Memphis, Tennessee. More information about the event and the National Bar Association can be found on the organization’s website.
