Vanderbilt University Law School

Class of 1989

(Notes posted in the order they were received, with the newest posts on top.)

Matthew A. White has joined Hangley Aronchick Segal & Pudlin in Philadelphia as a shareholder in the firm’s litigation practice. Matt concentrates his practice on the protection of business identity, proprietary information and corporate structure, and he is a member of the State Civil Litigation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association. In 2005, he was appointed by Judge William J. Manfredi, Supervising Judge of the Civil Trial Division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, to serve as the sole liaison from the Philadelphia Bar Association to assist the court's National Center for State Courts Committee. Matt is also the co-author of the definitive text on procedural practice in the Philadelphia state court, “The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Civil Practice Manual” (7th through 13th Editions, 1995 to 2007). He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Posted on web 8-19-08

Gary McLean was named the Puyallup City Manager on Jan. 31, after serving the last several months in the position on an interim basis. He came to town as the new city attorney six years ago. "I'm humbled they asked me to do it," McLean said, of the council's decision last week. "It really is about the council saying 'OK, they're ready to move forward,'" he said. "I never came to this position thinking this is something that would happen to me. It's a new challenge and it certainly is an opportunity to listen to folks."

John Buchanan, was named senior executive vice president for Regions Financial Corporation. As General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Regions, Buchanan leads the Reputation Risk unit, which includes the Legal Department, Community Affairs, Governmental Affairs and Issues Management. Prior to joining Regions in 2005, Buchanan was general counsel for South Trust Bank for approximately a decade. He also served as an officer and helicopter pilot in the United States Army.

Colleen F. Coonelly has been retained by Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll to direct its expanded Professional Development Department. Coonelly will oversee firm-wide attorney professional development and training, recruitment, integration, evaluation, professional compliance, retention and alumni outreach for Ballard’s eleven offices. Coonelly’s primary mission is to enhance Ballard’s long established investment in sophisticated lawyer training and mentoring at both the departmental and office level, and to support the firm’s professional personnel initiatives, including initiatives to attract and retain female and diverse attorneys. Coonelly has practiced and taught law for nearly 20 years. Coonelly was a litigator with Pepper Hamilton, a Clinical Faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and most recently served as Director of Litigation Training and Pro Bono at Wolf Block.

Alan N. Greenspan, partner in the Dallas office of Jackson Walker, has been appointed to serve a two-year term as Chairman of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Dallas. The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Dallas unites all Jewish organizations, agencies, and religious institutions in the Dallas area to promote understanding and respect among Dallas citizens, to develop effective public information, and implement programs to promote positive community relations within Dallas. Alan specializes in business litigation and intellectual property law. Alan also serves in leadership positions with the American Jewish Committee and Temple Emanu-El of Dallas.

MarshJohn John F. Marsh has joined the Columbus office of Hahn Loeser + Parks as a Partner. John was formerly a Partner with Porter Wright Morris & Arthur. He resides in Worthington with his wife and stepson.

Henry F. Sherrod III helped found Alabama's first organization of attorneys for employees, NELA-Alabama, an affiliate of the National Employment Lawyers Association, in 2005. Hank was then elected to the Executive Board, served as its first President during 2005 and 2006, and was recently re-elected President. Hank's practice is dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals who have had their civil rights violated by discrimination or harassment in the workplace or by denial of their constitutional rights by police officers or other government officials.

Jennifer G. Redmond has joined the San Francisco office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton as a partner in the firm's Labor and Employment practice group. Jennifer most recently practiced with Bingham McCutchen in San Francisco.

Andrew Wizner was appointed the 2006-2007 Chair of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). In 1997, Andy joined Leete Kosto & Wizner, a five-attorney firm that limits its practice to immigration law.

Jeffrey M. Grantham, a shareholder at Maynard, Cooper & Gale in Birmingham, Alamabam, provided a presentation at the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Session (TIPS) Mid-Winter Symposium which was held January 11 – 14, 2007 in Laguna Beach, CA. The symposium brought together plaintiff’s attorneys, defense attorneys, and insurance and corporate counsel to exchange information and ideas on current issues in insurance, employment and benefits. Grantham spoke on “Recent Trends in Class Action Litigation.”

Grantham is Chair of Maynard Cooper’s Insurance and Financial Services Litigation practice group. He has a national practice focusing on the defense of complex claims against the insurance and financial services industry, as well as the defense of consumer class-action litigation in other industries, including health care and retail.

Andrew Bayman has been elected to the 10-person policy committee at King & Spalding, effective January 1, 2007. Andy is the leader of the firm’s tort and environmental litigation practice. The group, with over 120 lawyers, is one of the largest practice groups of its kind in the U.S. and is devoted exclusively to defending tort litigation. He is based in Atlanta, and his practice focuses on representation of pharmaceutical, medical device and automotive manufacturers in product liability cases.

Nathan C. Hamilton has joined the Columbus, Ohio law firm of Schottenstein Zox & Dunn as a partner with the firm's Tax and Wealth Management Practice Area. Nathan brings over 17 years of experience in the federal tax area counseling clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to closely-held businesses to individual taxpayers. Nathan's areas of expertise include: mergers and acquisitions; the formation and operation of complex joint ventures; real estate transactions, including structuring complex like-kind exchanges; equipment leases; and tax-exempt and other nonprofit organizations, including UBIT planning and analysis.

Tracy Heslin Bock and her husband, Bill Bock, welcomed a baby girl, Haley Esther Bock, on October 24, 2004. Haley joins her 4 brothers: Billy (11), Micah (9), Samuel (7) and Isaac (5). They live in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Paul W. Kruse has joined the Nashville law firm of Bone McAllester Norton PLLC as a member with the trademark and intellectual property governance team. Paul was previously a partner with Bass Berry & Sims and spent several years as a trademark attorney at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is licensed to practice in Tennessee and the District of Columbia.

Deh Chien Chen has relocated to London, and is studying for her Ph.D. at Imperial College, London.

Andrew Bayman was named head of the Tort & Environmental Litigation Group at King & Spalding on January 1, 2006.

W. Leighton Lord was elected chairman of the board of Nexsen Pruet Adams Kleemeier, in Columbia, South Carolina. Prior to joining Nexsen Pruet, Leighton clerked for the Delaware Chancery Court and practiced corporate litigation in Wilmington, Delaware.

Matthew A. White, a partner in the business litigation practice group of Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen in Philadelphia, co-authored the forthcoming Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Civil Practice Manual, 12th edition. The manual, published by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI), is considered by the Court and practitioners as one of the definitive guides to the local rules and procedures that face lawyers who have civil litigation in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Matthew also serves as general counsel to the Jewish Family & Children's Services of Philadelphia and as a member of the board of directors for the Society Hill Civic Association.

Kirk Henderson and his wife, Kristin, welcomed their third daughter on August 1, 2005. "A legal education prepares us for so much, but has little to say about how to cope with three children less than three and a half years old, except maybe for some training in multi-tasking and sleep deprivation," Kirk writes. "Still, my wife Kristin and I are doing well since Caroline Elisabeth joined Logan and Amelia."

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.

Please check the "Alumni MIA" list to see if you can help us find any of your "lost" classmates!