Awards presented to volunteer lawyers at winter meeting in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Jan. 25, 2013 -- At its Mid-Winter Board Dinner on Saturday, the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (YLD) recognized a number of volunteers for their work on behalf of the public and the legal profession. Awards were presented by YLD President David Veile, who practices at Schell Binkley & Davies LLC in Franklin.

Veile recognized fellow Franklin lawyer Shauna Billingsley and Clarksville lawyer Brad Carter as "Stars of the Quarter" for the first quarter of the 2012-2013 bar year (July-September). Murfreesboro lawyer Tommy Santel and Nashville lawyer Mary Beth Haltom were named "Stars of the Quarter" for the second quarter (October-December).

Billingsley was recognized for her service as the YLD's District 11 Representative, for organizing the 2013 Williamson County Mock Trial Competition, and for chairing the Children's Subcommittee of the TBA Public Education Committee. A 2003 graduate of the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, Billingsley serves as city attorney for the city of Franklin.

Carter was recognized for his work chairing the Wills for Heroes Committee and coordinating Wills for Heroes clinics across the state. Based on his efforts, the YLD is on track to exceed previous records of heroes served by this program, which provides free wills and other end of life documents for first responders in the state. A 2004 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Law, Carter is now an attorney with Runyon & Runyon in Clarksville.

Santel, chair of the YLD Continuing Legal Education Committee, was recognized for his work planning two educational programs for young lawyers across the state over the last few months. Santel earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law in 2004. He practices with Cope, Hudson, Reed & McCreary PLLC in Murfreesboro.

Finally, Haltom was recognized for her service as Continuing Legal Education Committee Vice Chair and her work planning two educational programs for young lawyers in Middle Tennessee. She graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2005 and now practices with Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop PC in Nashville.