TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Dec 28, 2020

Former Collierville and Germantown city attorney Tom Cates died Dec. 23 at 79. Cates earned his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School and practiced law for 48 years before retiring from Burch, Porter & Johnson in 2013.  He became attorney for Germantown in 1991 and for Collierville in 1995, holding both positions until his retirement. During his time as Germantown attorney, Cates helped the city negotiate the development of Wolf River Boulevard and was a key legal adviser in the formation of municipal school districts in Shelby County suburbs. “He was a unique individual,” said Nathan Bicks, who followed Cates as Collierville’s attorney. “He was a lawyer who could handle a multi-million-dollar transaction, but also handle a jury trial in federal court, and he could do it well.” The Daily Memphian has more on Cates’ legacy.