Class of 1979
(Notes posted in the order they were received, with the newest posts on top.)
Leigh Walton, a 25-year Bass Berry & Sims partner and co-chair of its health care practice, has been named a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. The nonprofit ABF, which bills itself as “the nation’s leading research institute for the empirical study of law,” hosts its fellowships in residence at its offices in Chicago. Leigh hosted a party for the Class of 1979 at the 2009 Reunion. Posted 10-31-09
Terry and Robert Banta were profiled for the law school's "In Brief" alumni newsletter in October 2009. Robert Banta founded an immigration law firm, Banta Immigration Law, in Atlanta. Terry founded Currie-Bonner, which designed and sold high-end bridesmaids' dresses through its own shops as well as retailers such as Neiman-Marcus, with a partner, and has focused on real estate investments since selling the company in 1996. Read the profile.
Leigh Walton, partner at Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville, has been named co-chair of the transactions affinity group of the American Health Lawyers Association business law and governance practice group, which focuses on the corporate side of healthcare practice. “The appointment is not just ceremonial or honorary,” said Keith Simmons, managing partner at Bass, Berry & Sims. “It is a substantive position that involves position papers and analysis of transactions. It gives Leigh the chance to work with some of the players in the healthcare arena.” Leigh co-chairs Bass, Berry & Sims’ healthcare practice and is also active in corporate and securities law matters. Her work with public companies includes securities, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance matters. For healthcare clients, she assists in the acquisition of hospital systems, structures hospital syndications and joint ventures and coordinates financing transactions. She led the firm's healthcare regulatory team when Bass, Berry & Sims represented HCA Inc. in its 2006 sale to a consortium of private equity buyers. Leigh received a B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, and at Vanderbilt she was a member of Order of the Coif and the National Moot Court Team. Posted 2-21-09
William Holby has become the National Association of Bond Lawyers president, as the municipal market grapples with the largest reordering of the financial markets in history. He is a partner at King & Spalding in Atlanta. Posted 11-3-08
Donald Finley Daugherty died October 6, 2008, at home, after battling cancer. He is survived by wife, Floy Oliver Daugherty, and son, Donald Jr.. Born September 2, 1953 in Mobile, Alabama, Don grew up in Springfield, Missouri, graduated from Vanderbilt University before earning his J.D. at Vanderbilt Law School, and practiced law in Atlanta and at Delta Air Lines. He was a private pilot and a voracious reader who loved golf and baseball. A board member of Druid Hills Golf Club, co-chairman of the Dogwood Invitational Golf Tournament, co-captain of the American team of the Quigg Cup Golf Competition, he cherished his relationships with the British Quigg Team. Posted 10-9-08
Alan Duncan, of Smith Moore Leatherwood, has been awarded the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys’ most prestigious individual recognition. Alan, who practices in the firm’s Greensboro office, is the recipient of the NCADA’s J. Robert Elster Award for Professional Excellence. The award recognizes the member who exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and ethics. “There is no better person the association could honor with this award,” said Julie Theall, a member of Smith Moore’s management committee. “Everyone who knows Alan, professionally or personally, recognizes that he sets a standard for all attorneys to emulate. He embodies the values of our firm.” According to the selection criteria for the award, recipients must exemplify sustained, excellent service to individual and corporate defendants in civil litigation, to the bar, and to the community. Alan is an alumnus of Davidson College and his 30-year practice includes focus on commercial litigation, product liability and catastrophic injury litigation, First Amendment and media, intellectual property, insurance, and professional liability. In addition to his law practice, Alan has served on the Guilford County Board of Education since 2000, and as chair of that board since 2002. Posted 8-27-08
John A. (Jack) Barbour was unanimously chosen as CEO-elect of Pittsburgh-based Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney by the firm’s shareholders. Jack will spend the next year working alongside the firm’s current CEO and then will take the reins. Jack has been an executive shareholder at Buchanan since 2006.Posted 8-19-08
Fred Manget is departing on a sabbatical this fall semester to teach Intelligence Law at the University of Georgia School of Law, and Strategic Intelligence at the UGA School of Public and International Affairs, in Athens, Georgia. Posted 7-9-08
Ronald P. Cima has joined Seward & Kissel as a partner in its Tax Department. Cima was previously a partner in the Tax practice group at Greenberg Traurig, where he had co-chaired the Executive Contract practice group and earlier founded the firm’s Investment Funds practice group and chaired the Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions national Tax practice group. He was one of the founding partners of Schreiber, Simmons, MacKnight prior to the firm merger with Greenberg’s New York office, and he concurrently served as Associate General Counsel-Tax with Signature Financial Group, a mutual fund administrator. Posted 6-08
Alan Duncan was placed on the 2008 Chambers USA listing of "America's Leading Business Lawyers" for his work at Smith Moore in Greensboro, NC. Mr. Duncan was seleted based on his diligence in areas such as professional conduct, technical legal ability, commitment, client service, and commercial awareness.
Gary Greer Love passed away on February 14, 2008, following a seventeen-month battle with cancer. Gary practiced commercial real estate litigation in Grand Rapids, MI, for more than twenty-five years. He was an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, a Lay Minister in his local church, and an avid music enthusiast before succumbing to his illness.
Lawrence Harrington was named Chief Policy Deputy in Tennessee's attorney general's office. In this position, Harrington will work on special projects and policy initiatives while overseeing legislative relations and communications strategies. "His unique combination of legal, financial and government experience makes him an exceptional fit for this job," Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper said in a prepared release. "He is an excellent addition to our executive team."
Chris Horsnell and three others are leaving the Nashville, Tenn. law firm of Bass Berry & Sims to form a new entertainment law firm named Milom Joyce Horsnell & Crow. The group's clients include Publishing Group of America, DreamWorks SKG, Arista, Interscope, Crysalis, RCA Records, and Skaggs Family Records, among many others.
John Vail and wife Alison Fields have now lived in Washington DC for ten years, longer than they have lived anywhere else. They are spending summers renovating a farmhouse in southwestern France. John also teaches public interest lawyering as an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School.
William Holby has been honored by the Metro Atlanta YMCA as the 2006 recipient of the Bransby Christian Leadership Award, the Metro Atlanta YMCA’s highest volunteer award. Bill was honored at the organization's November 9, 2006, annual volunteer recognition dinner.Before joining the Metro Atlanta YMCA Board of Directors in 1990, Bill was an active Y volunteer, having served as a fund raiser for the Partner With Youth annual campaign which provides financial assistance to children to participate in sports, summer camp and other Y activities. He was the Partner With Youth annual campaign chairman from 1997-2000, and was honored as the 1999 Metro Volunteer of the Year for his leadership and commitment to the Partner With Youth campaign. He served as Metro board chairman from 2001 through 2004. He is an advisory board member of The Salvation Army and chairs its development committee. A partner at King & Spalding, Bill chairs the firm’s public finance practice and has served in numerous other administrative roles for the firm. He is an officer and director of the National Association of Bond Lawyers, is a Fellow of the American College of Bond Counsel, and is active in a number of other professional associations.
R. Preston Bolt, Jr. has been elected as a Regular Fellow of the American College of Bond Counsel. The American College of Bond Counsel was formed in 1995 for the purpose of recognizing lawyers who have established reputations among their peers for their skill, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of bond law. Preston has been practicing law with the law firm of Hand Arendall since 1982 and serves as the firm's managing lawyer. He practices in the fields of public finance, securities, and commercial and lending transactions. In doing so, he represents numerous local and regional lenders, investment bankers and governmental bodies.
Kenneth P. ("Pete") Ezell, Jr. has been elected a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. Pete is a shareholder in the Nashville office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz.
Douglas W. Ey, Jr., has become a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America. Doug is a partner in the Charlotte, North Carolina, office of Helms Mulliss & Wicker.
Gary Irvin Christian passed away November 20, 2005, of cancer. Gary was an associate of the law firm of Rogers, Towers, Bailey, Jones & Gay in Jacksonville from 1979 to 1983, and of the law firm of Foley & Lardner from 1983 to 1986. He was a founding partner of the firm of Christian, Prom, Korn & Zehmer from 1986 to 1992, when he joined Rumph, Stoddard & Christian.
Mary Frances Lyle has stepped down as lobbyist for the Nashville Women's Political Caucus.
Connie Clark was named by Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen to fill the Tennessee Supreme Court seat vacated by retiring Chief Justice Frank Drowota, '65.
Do you have news you would like to share or just want to let everyone know what you are up to these days? Submit your class note online, e-mail Grace Renshaw or call 615-322-2606.
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