Former Davidson County prosecutor Zoe K. Sams has been named deputy director of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. Most recently, she served as the director of legislation and Safe Baby Court statewide coordinator for the Tennessee Department of Children Services.

At DCS, Sams was responsible for the department’s strategy and communication with the Tennessee General Assembly, coordinated policy and legislative actions with external partners, such as state agencies and nonprofit organizations, and led the DCS Safe Baby Court team’s program development, training and expansion.

Before her work with DCS, Sams was an attorney and legislative liaison for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, where she served as a legislative liaison on behalf of the bureau to the Tennessee General Assembly, supervised the administration of the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry Program, and sat as a representative and legal adviser to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force and the Dangerous Drug Task Force.

She was an assistant district attorney general in Davidson County 2013-2017 and served on the office’s Child Sexual and Physical Abuse Prosecution Unit and the Human Trafficking Task Force.

Sams earned a degree in political science from Maryville College and is a graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

Rathmell to chair VUMC Department of Medicine

After serving as interim chair since Jan. 1, Kimryn Rathmell, M.D., Ph.D., Cornelius Abernathy Craig Professor of Medicine, has been named chair of the Department of Medicine in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief for the Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital and Clinics.

Through her appointment, effective Aug. 20, Rathmell becomes the Department of Medicine’s ninth chair since its founding in 1925.

Rathmell is a physician-scientist focused on renal cell carcinoma. She earned her M.D. and Ph.D. in biophysics at Stanford University, completed internal medicine training at the University of Chicago and University of Pennsylvania, and completed a medical oncology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.

She joined the Departments of Medicine and Genetics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 2003, and was a founding member of the Department of Urology in 2013. She helped to lead several Cancer Genome Atlas efforts and has a clinical and translational trials program focused on pre-operative therapy and integrated genomics and functional imaging.

She has held roles in the Kidney Cancer Association, Society of Urologic Oncology, NIH Kidney Cancer Task Force and VHL Alliance. She holds a K24 supporting her mentoring activities of physician-scientists.

Brookfield selects manager for Fifth + Broadway

Brookfield Properties, developer of the downtown mixed-use project Fifth + Broadway, has named Monika Hartman, CPM, as property manager, office and retail.

Hartman will oversee daily operations for 501 Commerce, the project’s 372,000 square feet of office and the future headquarters of AllianceBernstein, as well as the diversified and retail components of Fifth + Broadway.

Hartman comes from the Nashville office of Colliers International. There she managed a portfolio of 10 buildings totaling approximately 700,000 square feet.

Nashville-area attorneys honored by Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers in America has released its annual list, which includes dozens of attorneys in the Nashville.

Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. For the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, 8.3 million votes were analyzed. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.

Area attorneys, along with their specialties, include:

Baker Donelson

• Lauren W. Anderson: Business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships; corporate; mergers and acquisitions

• L. Mabel Arroyo: Immigration

• Mark A. Baugh: Employment - management; litigation - labor and employment

• Martha L. Boyd: Commercial litigation; employment - management; litigation - ERISA; litigation - labor and employment

• Joel R. Buckberg: Franchise; leisure and hospitality

• Ashby Q. Burks: Corporate; Health care; mergers and acquisitions

• Christopher M. Caputo: Arbitration, construction; litigation - construction, mediation

• Scott D. Carey: Commercial litigation, personal injury litigation - defendants; transportation

• Brigid M. Carpenter: Commercial litigation; mass tort litigation/class actions - defendants; personal injury litigation - defendants; product liability litigation - defendants

• Jonathan L. Cole: Commercial litigation; litigation - banking and finance

• Richard G. Cowart: Health care; mergers and acquisitions

• Christy T. Crider: Litigation - health care

• James A. DeLanis: Commercial litigation; litigation - intellectual property

• Bruce C. Doeg: Business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships; corporate; information technology; Information technology outsourcing; mergers and acquisitions; technology; venture capital

• Steven J. Eisen: Banking and finance; financial services regulation; mergers and acquisitions

• Kenneth P. “Pete” Ezell: Commercial finance; commercial transactions/UCC; economic development; land use and zoning; public finance; real estate

• Samuel Lanier Felker: Bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation, mass tort litigation/class actions - defendants; personal injury litigation - defendants; product liability litigation - defendants

• Charles W. Ferguson: Closely held companies and family businesses; health care; mergers and acquisitions

• Charles K. Grant: Commercial litigation; employment - management; litigation - labor and employment

• Tonya M. Grindon: Business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships, corporate; international mergers and acquisitions; mergers and acquisitions; securities/capital markets

• John A. Gupton III: Commercial finance; economic development; land use and zoning; real estate

• Claire Cowart Haltom: Health care

• Matthew T. Harris: Land use and zoning; litigation - real estate; real estate

• John S. Hicks: Bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; professional malpractice - defendants

• Darwin A. Hindman III: Commercial litigation; government contracts

• Brett A. Oeser: Construction; litigation - construction

• Richard L. Pensinger: Real estate

• W. Edward Ramage: Copyright

• Clarence Risin: Commercial litigation, transportation

• J. Allen Roberts: Business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships, corporate; health care; mergers and acquisitions; securities/capital markets

• John H. Rowland: Bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency; reorganization; litigation - bankruptcy

• Elizabeth C. Sauer: Real estate

• John M. Scannapieco: Litigation - ERISA

• Gary C. Shockley: Bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; criminal defense - white-collar; environmental; litigation - antitrust; litigation - construction; litigation - environmental; mass tort litigation/class actions - defendants

• Christopher A. Sloan: Business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships, copyright; corporate; information technology; trademark

• Matthew J. Sweeney III: Administrative/regulatory; arbitration, bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, franchise; litigation - securities, mediation

• Christopher E. Thorsen: Banking and finance; commercial litigation

• M. Kim Vance: Employment - management, litigation - labor and employment

• Kenneth A. Weber: Employment - management; litigation - ERISA; litigation - labor and employment

• William H. West: Health care

• Steven K. Wood: Nonprofit/charities; tax; trusts and estates

• Steve F. Wood Jr.: Business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships, privacy and data security; technology

Three of the firm’s attorneys were named 2021 “Lawyers of the Year” for Nashville:

• Buckberg: Franchise

• Ezell: Economic development

• Weber: Litigation - ERISA

2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list:

• Aaron Chaloner: Intellectual property

• Evan L. Clark: Health care

• Hannah McSween Cole: Mergers and acquisitions

• Christopher Douse: Mergers and acquisitions; Securities/Capital Markets

• Andrew J. Droke: Health care; technology

• Joel K. Hargis: Real estate

• Alexandria Hartill: Commercial litigation

• Sye Hickey: Litigation - banking and finance

• Sarah Murray: Commercial litigation

• Michaela D. Poizner: Health care

• Patrick Pope: Real estate

• Austin Purvis: Commercial litigation

• Ryan M. Richards: Mergers and acquisitions

• Jimmie B. Strong: Mergers and acquisitions

• Chelsea Sudbury: Health care

• Megan M. Sutton: Labor and employment - management

Bradley

• Patrick L. Alexander: Corporate; public finance

• Jeffrey L. Allen: Entertainment - music

• Christopher A. Bowles: Real estate

• Emily Hatch Bowman: Banking and finance; Real Estate

• Stephen T. Braun: Corporate; health care; mergers and acquisitions

• Michael D. Brent: Health care

• Kevin B. Campbell: Health care

• Ann Peldo Cargile: Real estate

• George H. Cate III: Commercial litigation

• J. Greer Cummings, Jr.: Real estate

• Alexandra Dugan: Bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization

• Doug Franck: Corporate governance; corporate

• Joseph W. Gibbs: Economic development; litigation and controversy - tax, tax; trusts and estates

• John E. Gillmor: Health care

• William F. Goodman III: Bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; mass tort litigation / class actions - defendants; product liability litigation - defendants

• Bob Hannon: Banking and finance

• Jay Hardcastle: Corporate; health care; mergers and acquisitions

• John R. Haynes: economic development; real estate

• E. Berry Holt: Corporate; health care; mergers and acquisitions

• Ty E. Howard: Commercial litigation; criminal defense: white-collar; health care; litigation - health care

• Lela Hollabaugh: Commercial litigation, eminent domain and condemnation; mass tort litigation / class actions - defendants; product liability litigation - defendants.

• H. Frederick Humbracht, Jr.: Commercial litigation - Insurance; Litigation - banking and finance, litigation - construction

• B. David Joffe: Employee benefits [ERISA]

• Roger G. Jones: Bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization; litigation - banking and finance, litigation - bankruptcy

• Johanna L. Jumper: Real estate

• Sarah K. Laird: Real estate

• Scott Lenz Jr.: Health care

• Amy S. Leopard: Health care

• Samuel D. Lipshie: Entertainment - motion pictures and television; entertainment - music; media

• Travis G. Lloyd: Health care

• Matthew C. Lonergan: Employment - management; labor - management; litigation - labor and employment

• Chuck Mataya: Employment - management; labor - management; litigation - labor and employment

• Matthew B. Mattingly: Real estate

• Austin L. McMullen: Bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization; litigation - bankruptcy

• Mark W. Miller: Tax

• Russell B. Morgan: Commercial litigation; litigation - construction

• John E. Murdock III: Banking and finance; equipment finance; project finance

• James L. Murphy III: Economic development; Land Use and Zoning; Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, Municipal and Real Estate

• Aandrew J. Murray: Health care

• John W. Myers II: Banking and finance; commercial finance

• Gordon Earle Nichols: Employee benefits [ERISA]

• Michael B. Noble: Real estate

• William L. Norton III: Bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization; bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; litigation - bankruptcy

• Craig Oliver: Employment - management; labor - management; litigation - labor and employment

• Robert S. Patterson: Bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; litigation - intellectual property

• Todd Presnell: Commercial litigation; litigation - banking and finance; litigation - intellectual property; litigation - labor and employment

• Christopher C. Puri: Health care

• R. Calloway Renegar: Real estate

• Nathan H. Ridley: Administrative / regulatory; government relations practice

• John P. Rodgers: Litigation - labor and employment

• David A. Rutter: Real estate

• Charles S. Sanger: Banking and finance

• Jonathan M. Skeeters: Corporate

• Brooks R. Smith: Real estate

• David W. Stempel: Corporate

• David K. Taylor: Arbitration, construction; mediation

• D. Bryan Thomas: Construction

• John W. Titus: Business organizations [including LLCs and partnerships]; corporate; mergers and acquisitions

• J. Thomas Trent, Jr.: Business organizations [including LLCs and partnerships]; corporate; economic development; real estate

• Thor Y. Urness: Commercial litigation, litigation - intellectual property; trade secrets

• Henry M. Walker: Energy

• Phillip E. Walker: Litigation - intellectual property; litigation - patent; patent; trademark

• Richard F. Warren: Real estate

• Robert E. Wood: Real estate

Two of the firm’s attorneys were named “Lawyers of the Year” for Nashville:

• Hollabaugh: Energy.

• Murphy: Eminent domain and condemnation

2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list:

• Katherine H. Blankenship: Construction

• Timothy L. Capria: Intellectual property

• Kimberly M. Ingram: Appellate practice; litigation - intellectual property; mass tort litigation / class action - defendants)

• Lauren B. Jacques: Corporate; health care; mergers and acquisitions

• Casey L. Miller: Litigation - intellectual property, litigation - real estate

• Jake Neu: Intellectual Property

• Keaton H. Osborne: Banking and finance; intellectual property

• Kristina Allen Reliford: Commercial litigation

• Tara S. Sarosiek: Commercial litigation; criminal defense: White-Collar

Butler Snow

• Robert L. Trentham was named “Lawyers of the Year” for Nashville in the personal Injury litigation - defendants category

2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list:

• Tara L. Blake: Insurance, product liability litigation - defendants

• C.E. Hunter Brush: Appellate; bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization; commercial litigation; government relations; litigation – construction; real estate

• Beau C. Creson: Commercial litigation, intellectual property; litigation - intellectual property

• Trammel Hoehn, Jr.: Government relations practice

• Ashley J. Markham: Health care

• Terrence M. McKelvey: Commercial litigation

• Elizabeth W. Moreton: Commercial litigation

• Sara Anne T. Quinn: Labor and employment - management, litigation - labor and employment

Dickinson Wright

• John E. Anderson, Sr.: Commercial litigation

• Jeffrey M. Beemer: Litigation - labor and employment

• Rob Dodson: Construction

• Kevin M. Doherty: Entertainment - Music; insurance

• M. Reid Estes, Jr.: Employment - management; litigation - labor and employment

• N. Courtney Hollins: Real estate

• Peter F. Klett: Litigation - labor and employment

• Slade Sevier: Construction; litigation - real estate

• M. Kimberly Stagg: Bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization

• Two of the firm’s attorneys were named “Lawyers of the Year” for Nashville:

• Slade Sevier: Litigation; real estate

• Colin T. Ferguson: Banking and finance; corporate; real estate

Lewis Thomason

• R. Dale Bay

• J. Randolph Bibb, Jr.

• Christen C. Blackburn

• Charles W. Cagle

• David Changas

• Robert F. Chapski

• Lisa Ramsay Cole

• David N. Garst

• Michael S. Goode

• Joseph M. Huffaker

• John W. Lewis

• Jason Pannu

• John R. Tarpley

• Mary Beth White

2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list:

• Alaina M. Beach

• Ryan N. Clark

• Brad W. Craig

• Michael Holder

• Whitney Henry Kimerling

• Kaya Grace Porter

• Jordan Scott

• Kaycee Weeter

• Miller and Martin

• Douglas Berry: Land use and zoning; real estate

• Dudley M. West: Commercial litigation; real estate

MTR Family Law

• Marlene Eskind Moses: Family

Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison

• Mike Abelow

• Albert J. Bart

• C. Dewey Branstetter, Jr.

• Kim A. Brown

• L. Webb Campbell II

• C. Mark Carver

• Phillip F. Cramer

• John L. Farringer IV

• Scott W. Fielding

• William L. Harbison

• Lisa K. Helton

• J. Scott Hickman

• Ryan T. Holt

• Mark Ison

• Carla L. Lovell

• Robert J. Mendes

• Elizabeth E. Moore

• Todd E. Panther

• Gregory J. Pease

• Tracy A. Powell

• Michael D. Roberts

• John H. Roe Jr.

• Carolyn W. Schott

• Thomas J. Sherrard III

• Mark T. Smith

• John R. Voigt

• Christopher C. Whitson

Five of the firm’s attorneys were named “Lawyers of the Year” for Nashville:

• Abelow: Litigation - bankruptcy

• Farringer: Litigation - banking and finance

• Hickman: Employment - management

• Mendes: Bet-the-company litigation

• Moore: Corporate governance

2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list:

• Mary N. Balthrop

• Hunter Branstetter

• Lauren Z. Curry

• Cornell H. Kennedy

• Christina R.B. Lopez

• Amy Rao Mohan

• Eric Osborne

• Andrea J. Sinclair

• Hannah J. Smith

• Talley K. Wood

Stites and Harbison

• Erika R. Barnes: Bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization

• A. Stuart Campbell: Corporate

• B. Walker Entwistle: Real Estate

• Rebecca McKelvey Castañeda: Family

• Jeffrey (Jeff) R. King: Land use and zoning; real estate

• Alexandra (Alex) MacKay: Copyright; litigation - intellectual property; trademark

• Richard S. Myers, Jr.: Copyright

• Lauren Paxton Roberts: Litigation - banking and finance

• Gregory (Greg) D. Smith: Family

• J. David Wicker: Banking and finance; real estate

• John R. Wingo: Commercial litigation

Three of the firm’s attorneys were named “Lawyers of the Year” for Nashville:

• Campbell: Corporate

• MacKay: Litigation - intellectual property

• King: Land use and zoning

2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list:

• Ashley Goins Alderson: Appellate; family; insurance

• Rachel Bishop: Commercial litigation, intellectual property; Litigation - labor and employment

• Elizabeth Anne (Liz Anne) Bowden: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization

• Ann Ralls Brown: Family, trusts and estates

• J. Anne (Annie) Tipps: Commercial litigation; litigation - banking and finance

Wiseman Ashworth

• Thomas A. Wiseman, III: Medical malpractice - defendants; personal injury litigation - defendants

• Gail Ashworth: Personal injury litigation - defendants