Belmont University College of Law's American Inn of Court honored Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Andy D. Bennett with the student-nominated Outstanding Mentor award. Bennett mentored two first-year law students, meeting monthly to discuss topics including legal writing, study skills and test-taking strategies. The students were also invited to view a session of the Court of Appeals.

Dickinson Wright PLLC recently added five attorneys to its Entertainment Law Practice Group. They will work out of the Las Vegas office collaborating with the Music Row office, led by Nashville attorney Derek Crownover. This is the second major expansion to the firm’s Entertainment Practice Group in the last year.

Nashville attorney Maria Spear launched Spear Intellectual Property Law (Spear IP), where she will counsel entrepreneurial clients, creators and businesses in intellectual-property related legal issues. Spear IP will offer a flat rate to clients in hopes of serving clients unfamiliar with retaining an attorney. Prior to forming Spear IP, Spear was a contracts manager at Country Music Television and an attorney at Everhart Law Firm.

Carmalita “CC” Carletos-Drayton joined Baker Donelson’s Real Estate and Finance Group as a shareholder in the firm’s Memphis office. Drayton focuses her practice on economic development and environmental law with an emphasis on water quality issues. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Dayton served as the senior assistant city attorney for the city of Memphis.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) recently honored several lawyers at its Annual Celebrate Pro Bono event. Knoxville attorney Bernie Bernstein, one of the original incorporators of the Knoxville Legal Aid Society, was inducted into the Donald F. Paine Memorial Pro Bono Hall of Fame. He was honored for 50 years of commitment to maintaining access to civil legal services for low-income residents. Joshua D. Hedrick of Whit, Cooper, Trant & Hedrick received the Pro Bono Advocate Award for taking on complex pro bono cases; Donald J. Farinato with Hodges, Doughty & Carson received the Pro Bono Partner Award for his advocacy skills on behalf of low-income clients; and Eldridge & Blakney was recognized as the Law Firm of the Year for its participation in the Pro Bono Project and acceptance of all LAET cases involving the expungement of criminal records.

Burr and Forman LLP and the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) has announced M. Clark Spoden successfully achieved recertification as a specialist in Civil Trial Advocacy and Civil Pretrial Advocacy. The certification requires substantial trial experience, submission of judicial and peer references, and continuing legal education. Spoden, who practices in Nashville, has been a NBTA member in good standing since 2010.

Meredith L. Williams, chief knowledge management officer at the Memphis office of Baker Donelson, has been elected to her third term on the board of directors of the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) and began serving as president beginning September 2015. Williams served the association in several volunteer leadership roles, including serving as a member of the Risk Management Peer Group steering committee. She has also spoken and written on knowledge management topics for the association.

Sean C. Wlodarczyk has joined the Nashville law firm of Cornelius & Cornelius as an associate. Wlodarczyk’s practice focuses on litigation, with an emphasis on commercial disputes and the health care industry. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Wlodarczyk practiced at Anderson & Reynolds PLC and clerked for Judge Thomas W. Brothers.

The Community Legal Center, a nonprofit legal agency in Memphis and Shelby County, has named Anne Mathes as its new executive director. Mathes has more than 30 years of practice in law, with most of her practice at Baker Donelson.

During 2015-2016, the Tennessee Bar Foundation will be led by the Hon. Barbara D. Holmes of Nashville. After 30 years in private practice, Holmes was appointed U.S. magistrate judge for the Middle District of Tennessee in August, just as she assumed the office of Foundation chair.  William C. Argabrite of the Kingsport firm of Hunter Smith & Davis LLP is the chair-elect.  Knoxville’s Angelia M. Nystrom joined the board’s existing nine-person group of regional trustees.  Nystrom is the director of specialty programs for the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
 

Compiled by Linda Murphy and Amelia Ferrell. Tennessee Bar Association members may send information about job changes, awards and work-related news. Send it to SUCCESS! c/o The Journal at 221 Fourth Ave. N., Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37219-2198, or email to lmurphy@tnbar.org.

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