Adams and Reese has elected six attorneys across the firm to partnerships, including Clayton Byrd of Nashville.

Byrd heads the firm’s Tennessee alcoholic beverage practice, representing clients across the state and the U.S. with matters involving every aspect of alcoholic beverages, from manufacture and sale to licensing. Byrd represents the interests of manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and other businesses with regard to state and federal liquor licensing and regulatory matters.

He is the former executive director of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Byrd earned his J.D. from the Campbell University Normal Adrian Wiggins School of Law in 2011. He also is a graduate of the College of Charleston.

Powers, Hill to lead Waller health care team

Patsy Powers and Brent Hill have been named leaders of the Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis health care industry team.

Powers is a partner in the Waller’s health care compliance and operations group, where she serves as adviser to health care providers in acquisitions, joint ventures and physician alignment initiatives.

Powers rejoined Waller after serving as senior associate general counsel at Vanderbilt University. She also served as the interim compliance officer of an investor-owned health care system.

She is a past leader of Waller’s health care regulatory team and has been recognized by Best Lawyers and Chambers USA for her health law experience and accomplishments.

Powers earned her J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law. She also is a graduate of Vanderbilt University.

Hill has been a partner in Waller’s corporate practice group for more than two decades. He counsels health care providers in the physician services, behavioral health, outpatient services and home health sectors in acquisitions, dispositions, and joint ventures of health care facilities throughout the United States.

Hill has earned a national reputation and recognition in Chambers USA, Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers for his extensive health care transactional experience and was named 2021 Nashville Lawyer of the Year for Healthcare Law by Best Lawyers. He has served on Waller’s board of directors.

Hill also is a Vanderbilt University graduate and earned his J.D. from Emory University.

Kennedy, Mohan named members at Sherrard

Cornell Kennedy and Amy Rao Mohan have been named members at Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison.

Kennedy practices primarily in the areas of general corporate law and health care and represents companies and individuals in business formation and dissolution, acquisitions and various other operational matters.

As a dental corporate lawyer, Kennedy is a frequent speaker throughout Tennessee on topics such as practice startups/transitions, lease negotiation strategies, associate contracts/buy-ins and other employment law matters.

A native of Nashville, he earned his J.D. from The University of Tennessee College of Law. Kennedy also is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. He is a member of the Nashville Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association and the American Health Lawyers Association.

Mohan founded and heads the firm’s crisis management/media relations practice group, which helps both businesses and individuals in connection with civil and criminal matters or outside of a litigation context. Her practice areas also include general and commercial litigation, including hospital and physician litigation, landlord-tenant disputes, media law, and state and federal appellate litigation.

She earned her J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law. She also is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

Mohan worked as a television reporter and anchor for nearly eight years, most recently at WTVF, winning two Emmy awards for her coverage of the 2004 Asian tsunami.

She serves on the executive committee of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Communication’s Law Section and is the Nashville Bar Association representative to the Davidson County Board of Ethical Conduct.

Franklin names Butler deputy police chief

Longtime Franklin Police employee Lt. Scott Butler has been named deputy chief for the Franklin Police Department.

Butler will be in charge of field operations and special operations. He joins J.P. Taylor as one of the department’s two deputy chiefs.

Butler has 25 years of law enforcement with the Franklin and Smithville police departments. He holds a degree in sociology from Tennessee Tech University and a master’s in criminal justice administration from TSU/MTSU Nashville. He also holds two associate degrees from Georgia Military College in general studies and criminal justice.

Butler is a member of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, Law Enforcement Accreditation Coalition of Tennessee and the International Defensive Pistol Association.