The Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association has named Memphis attorney Kay Anderson “Defense Lawyer of the Year.” Anderson practices with Baker Donelson in Memphis, where she is a member of the Health Care Litigation group. Anderson represents physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and CRNAs in malpractice defense litigation. The award honors a TDLA member who has made significant contributions to the defense bar and to the practice of law in Tennessee in the past year. Anderson accepted the award during TDLA’s Virtual Annual Meeting. In addition to TDLA, Anderson is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Memphis Bar Foundation and the Memphis, Mississippi and Tennessee Bar Associations.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP attorney and TBA member Alé Dalton has been selected for the Hispanic National Bar Association’s 2020 Latina Leadership Academy. According to a press release from Bradley, the Latina Leadership Academy offers leadership training on areas that are key to shattering glass ceilings and securing the advancement and long-term success of Latina attorneys. Dalton earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and is a member of Bradley’s Healthcare Practice Group. She was a member of the TBA’s Diversity Leadership Institute Class of 2016 and is a member of the Health Law Section and the Young Lawyers Division. In a 2018 interview with Bradley, Dalton said one of her passions was increasing diversity in the legal profession, especially for women of color. “Latinas represent less than 2% of the total U.S. lawyer population and are the most statistically underrepresented attorney group in nearly every legal sector,” she said. “While the numbers are improving, there is a lot of work to be done.”

Sumner County lawyers and TBA members Jake Mason and Michael Ponce joined forces this summer to hold the End Hunger For Heroes Food Drive, benefitting the Sumner County Veterans Food Pantry. The effort collected approximately 3,500 pounds of food and additional monetary donations. Mason noted that “the past several months have been difficult for many throughout Sumner County” and said it “was so wonderful to see how generous the community was to help our local veterans food pantry.” Mason is founder of the Heritage Law Group, a boutique estate planning and elder law firm serving clients in Tennessee and Kentucky. Ponce is founder of Ponce Law, which handles personal injury, employment law, Social Security/disability, wrongful death and worker related injury cases.

TBA member and Chattanooga lawyer Marc Harwell has received the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel’s President’s Community Service Award for his service related to the #FeedThePartnership campaign. Through Harwell’s work, the campaign has provided over 600 meals to the residents and staff of the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults, which provides shelter to victims of domestic violence and emergency shelter for homeless families in the Chattanooga community. Harwell is the founder of the Harwell Law Group PLLC, a past president of the Chattanooga Bar Association, and a member of the federation’s executive committee.

TBA member and Nashville lawyer Kee Bryant-McCormick was chosen as the recipient of the 2020 ATHENA Leadership Award earlier this summer. Presented by Nashville Cable, the award celebrates women who demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their profession, contribute to their community, and mentor other women. Bryant-McCormick is a member of Bone McAllester Norton’s Sumner County office where she focuses on criminal defense, government investigations, estate planning, business law and special education law. Prior to joining the firm, she ran her own law practice in Hendersonville, was planning commissioner for the city, and was an assistant public defender for the 18th Judicial District. She was also the first African American president of the Sumner County Bar Association. Read more about the ATHENA award or watch the award ceremony.