Vanderbilt University Law School

Class of 2005

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

Rebecca McClintock Barnett, a registered patent attorney,has joined Waddey & Patterson in Nashville as an associate. She is a member of the firm’s patent prosecution team. Posted 10-31-09

Candice Richards-Forest married Roy Forest III on November 22, 2008, in New Orleans. The couple lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Monifa Gray and Lillian Stewart were bridesmaids.

Rachael Mahaffey Crews was listed as a "Florida Rising Star" in the field of bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights in the most recent edition of Florida Super Lawyers. Rachael is an associate with GrayRobinson in Orlando. Posted 7-8-09

Kristal Boone was recognized at the Tennessee Bar Association meeting for organizing a successful pro bono "Wills for Heroes" clinic in Nashville on April 4, Tennessee's statewide Pro Bono Service Day. At the event, volunteer attorneys provided free legal services to police, fire fighters and first responders at the event. Kristal's firm, Boone Law, focuses on estate planning, business law and nonprofit law. Posted 7-1-09

Jasmin Yang has joined the bankruptcy practice group at Snell & Wilmer based on Costa Mesa (Orange County), California. Jasmin started her career at Snell & Wilmer's Arizona office in 2005. Posted 6-18-09

Sudket Boriboonsir (LL.M) has accepted a position with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Sudket will be the first Thai attorney to work for the WIPO, which is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest. Posted 6-18-09

Chris Fox has joined the Atlanta office of the law firm Thompson Hine as an associate in the business litigation practice group. Chris has represented companies and individuals in commercial matters, issues of professional liability, employment disputes, wrongful death cases and in general litigation. In addition to representing clients throughout discovery, dispositive motions and on appeal, Chris has served as co-counsel at multiple jury trials and lead counsel at bench trials. Chris earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Tennessee in 2002. He is a member of both the Georgia State Bar Association and the Atlanta Bar Association. Chris is admitted to practice in the state of Georgia, the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, and before the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Posted 10-1-08

Robert Wilson and his wife, April, welcomed their first daughter, Addison Grace Wilson, on May 16, 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, Robert has joined Jones Day in Atlanta as an associate in the firm's capital markets practice group. Robert was previously an associate with Haynes & Boone in Dallas. Posted 10-1-08

Megan Short and Michael Bess were married on May 3, 2008 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The couple currently resides in Chicago where Megan works as an administrator at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Michael practices in the Appellate Group at Winston & Strawn. Posted 9-12-08

Yuri Venters, an assistant attorney general in Texas based in the East El Paso office where he serves in the Child Support Division, has been honored as Assistant Attorney General of the Year for a 21-county region based in El Paso. The honor was presented by another Vanderbilt Law graduate, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, ’84, at the Statewide Assistant Attorneys General Conference in Austin. “Yuri Venters’ hard work and dedication has helped ensure thousands of young Texans have the child support they need to grow healthy and strong,” Attorney General Abbott said. “A committed and selfless public servant, Yuri stands out as one of the state’s most dedicated and impressive lawyers. We are grateful to Yuri for his commitment to Texas children and the State of Texas.” Deputy Attorney General for Child Support Alicia Key selected one assistant attorney general from each of the state’s eight child support regions and the main office in Austin. Recipients are chosen based on recommendations from their peers and supervisors, with a particular focus on employees who are willing to go beyond their normal duties to serve Texas children. Each recipient demonstrated a desire to help others and enhance the Attorney General’s Child Support Division. Yuri is responsible for establishing legally recognized relationships between children and their unmarried parents. As an assistant attorney general, he also works to establish, enforce and modify court orders for child support and medical support. Yuri was chosen to be the region’s “Assistant Attorney General of the Year” because of his extraordinary commitment to the achievement of office goals and his excellent customer service and team work. Yuri’s colleagues praise his passion for providing young Texans the financial and medical support they need and deserve. “Mr. Venters has quickly become a very good representative for the Office of the Attorney General,” said Debra Morgan, senior regional attorney. “He possesses great customer service skills and is a huge asset to our region.” Posted 9-7-08

Chris Fox has joined the Atlanta office of the law firm Thompson Hine as an associate in the business litigation practice group. Chris has represented companies and individuals in commercial matters, issues of professional liability, employment disputes, wrongful death cases and in general litigation. In addition to representing clients throughout discovery, dispositive motions and on appeal, Chris has served as co-counsel at multiple jury trials and lead counsel at bench trials. Chris earned his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Tennessee in 2002. He is a member of both the Georgia State Bar Association and the Atlanta Bar Association. Chris is admitted to practice in the state of Georgia, the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, and before the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Posted 8-20-08

Taylor Wedge French has joined the Charlotte office of McGuire Woods as an associate in the firm's tax and employee benefits department. French was previously an associate with Shearman & Sterling in New York.

Madeleine Harrison and husband, Gray, welcomed their first son, Keegan, on September 12, 2007, at 5 lbs 5 oz. Keegan was born with a congenital heart defect and had a heart transplant when he was one week old on September 19. He is the youngest and smallest transplant in Texas and the smallest in the country. He is now home and doing well.

Kristal Hall Boone has opened up her own law practice in Nashville, Tenn. Her practice focuses on general business and nonprofit law.

Teresa Chan has joined the Sacramento, Calif. law firm of Ellison Schneider & Harris. Teresa's practice will relate to California water rights law and all related areas of natural resources law, including water quality, endangered species, and environmental law.

Shubi Arora and Rebecca Tyler have announced their engagement. Shubi recently rejoined Squire Sanders & Dempsey in the Tampa office.

Ryan Baker has joined the Memphis office of Bass Berry & Sims.

Patty and Gerard ('03) Stranch proudly announce the birth of their son, Daniel Augustus Stranch, on September 12, 2007. They live in Franklin, Tennessee.

Lauren Spitz has joined the Franklin, Tenn. law firm of Byrd & Associates after serving as clerk to Judge Gilbert S. Merritt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Michael Mellen has joined the Tysons Corner, VA office of Patton Boggs in the Export Compliance Group.

Rashmi Puri is a Republican staff member of the United States House of Representatives Financial Services Committee. Joining the Committee in 2005, Rashmi's experience includes work on insurance, trade, and housing issues.

Laverne Hill joined the Corporate Restructuring Group of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom as an associate in the Chicago office. Laverne recently completed a clerkship with the Honorable C. Ray Mullins of the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Georgia, in Atlanta.

Christina Leath joined the Jacksonville, FL office of Holland & Knight in September 2005. She practices in commercial litigation and intellectual property.

Nell Czura is engaged to be married to Bret Schiller. Nell is an associate with Proskauer Rose and Bret works for Lehman Brothers as an associate in investment banking.

Patty Daniel Stranch has joined the Nashville law firm of Dodson Parker & Behm. Patty, a native of Nashville, received her bachelor of arts degree with concentrations in science and Spanish, summa cum laude, from the University of Tennessee in 2000. While at UT, she was a Whittle Scholar, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Mortar Board. Stranch spent her senior year studying abroad at La Universidad de Murcia in Murcia, Spain.

She taught English as a second language at Hillsboro High School for one year before attending Vanderbilt University Law School. While at Vanderbilt, she was a founding officer and president of the Vanderbilt chapter of the American Constitution Society. She was also elected to the Honor Council and participated in Moot Court and Mock Trial competitions. She was awarded the Bennett Douglas Bell Memorial Award. Before joining Dodson, Parker & Behm, Stranch served as a law clerk to the Honorable Marietta Shipley.

Sasha Bloch Klein lives in Orlando, Florida and works for the law firm of Broad & Cassel.

Brad Anderson and fiancée Barbie Minner were married August 5, 2006 at Mountain Brook Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

Amy Olive Wheeler married Jay Ives Wheeler on July 1, 2006. After graduation, Amy clerked for Justice William Cooper of the Kentucky Supreme Court. Amy works for Stoll Keenon Ogden's Louisville office in the commercial litigation department.

Michael Wall has won the $600 first prize for his essay, entitled "Language G@me$: A Case for Abolishing the Idea/Expression Dichotomy in Copyright," in the local Nathan Burkan Memorial Competition at Vanderbilt Law School. The annual essay competition is sponsored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), and Michael's essay will now be considered for one of three national prizes. He is an associate with Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings in Nashville.

Nicholas White has joined the Cleveland office of Baker & Hostetler as an associate.

Denise Hill Haire has joined Spicer, Flynn & Rudstrom as an associate at the firm's Nashville office, where she will practice in the areas of civil liability, workers' compensation and premises liability.

Thomas Hayes has joined the law firm of Miller & Martin as an associate focusing on mergers, acquisitions and business transactions. Thomas joined the firm after having taught for many years at Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville. A native of Chattanooga, Thomas earned in undergraduate degree in Latin from Brown University and earned an M.A. in classics from Vanderbilt in 1994. While in law school, he was also appointed to the faculty of Vanderbilt University's College of Arts and Sciences as an instructor of Latin. He has published articles on effective classroom instruction in the New England Classical Journal and in the Journal of Legal Education, along with a Latin reader.

Monica Leigh Pace has joined Jackson Walker as an associate in the Corporate department of their Dallas office.

Emily Reddick Walsh has joined the litigation team of Boult, Cummings, Conners & Berry.

James Streett has joined the Brentwood, Tennessee, law firm of Branham & Day as an associate. Prior to joining the firm, James completed an internship with the Tennessee Supreme Court and spent a year working with Native American tribes in Montana.

Kate Komp has accepted a prestigious Bristow Fellowship in the Office of the Solicitor General of the United States, which will start at the conclusion of her clerkship with Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Pooneh Ghiassi has joined the healthcare practice area of Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville. Pooneh completed an externship at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from Fall 2004 until Spring 2005.

Dr. Martin Kellner, LL.M., was granted a postdoctoral fellowship in Tokyo, Japan by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Dr. Kellner will be performing legal research on the present discussion concerning a revisions of the Japanese Constitution at the invitation of Dean Isao Kaminaga of the Aoyama Gakuin University Law School in Tokyo. Dr. Kellner is currently working as a researcher and lecturer at the Institute for Public Law at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt with expertise in German administrative and constitutional law.

Lorenzo Segato, LL.M., is a partner with Policicchio & Segato Studio Legale in Padova, Italy. Lorenzo's LL.M. thesis, "A Comparative Analysis of Shareholder Protections in Italy and the U.S.: Parmalat as a Case Study," has been accepted for publication in the Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business.

Catherine J. B. Sloan has joined the healthcare practice area of Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville.

Matthew Trent has joined Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice the firm's Greenville, South Carolina office. Matthew was hired on as an associate in the real estate development practice group. Matthew also attended the Duke Law School Institute in Transnational Law in Geneva, Switzerland in 2003.