All Things Legal


2006 News


February

Mike Lattier and Scott Powers named new Hunter, Smith & Davis partners

Michael S. Lattier and Scott T. Powers were recently named Partners of Hunter, Smith & Davis law firm.

Mr. Lattier is a member of the firm’s Corporate/Business Practice Group and Employment/Labor Practice Group. He practices in the areas of labor and employment law, corporate law, as well as commercial and civil litigation.  Mr. Lattier is a graduate of Louisiana State University where he received both his bachelor’s and law degrees. He is a member of the Tennessee, Florida and Montana Bar Associations and is a past president of the Kingsport Bar. He is licensed to practice before the state courts of Tennessee, various federal district and appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court.

He is a board member and General Counsel for the Sequoyah Council of the Boy Scouts of America and a board member of the Dawn of Hope.  He is the Past Chair of Girls, Inc. of Kingsport, Leadership Kingsport and the Arts Council of Greater Kingsport. 

He has been with Hunter, Smith & Davis for three years and was previously a partner in another law firm.  Mr. Lattier and his wife Michelle reside in Kingsport.  They have three children.

Mr. Powers is a member of the firm’s Corporate/Business Practice Group and practices in the areas of corporate law and corporate transactions including mergers and acquisitions.  He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and he holds both his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Tennessee.  Mr. Powers is admitted to practice before the Tennessee Supreme Court, United States District Court and United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Powers was named to the most recent regional “40 under 40” class for rising professionals in the business community.  He is a member of the American, Tennessee and Kingsport Bar Associations as well as the Northeast Tennessee Young Lawyers Association.

Mr. Powers and his wife Melissa reside in Kingsport.  They have two children.

Hunter, Smith & Davis is currently celebrating its 90th year of serving clients throughout the Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia region

Hunter, Smith & Davis’s Mark Dessauer named one of state’s best lawyers for second consecutive year

Hunter, Smith & Davis, LLP partner Mark S. Dessauer has, for the second year in a row, been named a top lawyer in the state of Tennessee by Business TN magazine. Mr. Dessauer was named to the “150 Best Lawyers” listing for 2006.

Mr. Dessauer, a partner in the firm and Chair of the firm’s Corporate/Business practice group, is described by his nominating peers as “handling major corporate reorganizations.”

Mr. Dessauer is a member of the Board of Directors of the Mid South Commercial Law Institute and is a former member of the Tennessee Bar Association Board of Governors.  He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law and also received his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee.  He resides in Kingsport with his wife Gina and their three children.

Hunter, Smith & Davis is currently celebrating its 90th year of serving clients throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia region. The firm has offices in Kingsport and Johnson City, Tennessee.

March

Bill Bovender Elected Tennessee Bar Foundation Fellow

William C. Bovender, a partner in Hunter, Smith & Davis, LLP, was recently elected a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation, an association of 620 attorneys across the state.  Invitations to membership, which is a position of honor, were extended to 33 attorneys this year by the Board of Trustees.  The introduction of new Fellows took place in January at the annual Fellows' Dinner in Nashville.

The Bar Foundation's purpose is two-fold; to honor attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the profession and to administer a grant-making program that supports law-related public interest projects.   Area recipients of funds from the Foundation include Legal Aid of East Tennessee and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Northeast Tennessee headquartered in Johnson City and CASA for Kids, Inc. headquartered in Kingsport.

A member of the firm’s Employment/Labor practice group and the Corporate/Business Practice Group, Mr. Bovender is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received both his B.A and J.D. degrees. Mr. Bovender began his career with Hunter, Smith & Davis as a summer associate in 1974.  He joined the firm the following year as an associate and became a partner in November 1978.

A resident of Kingsport he is a past president of the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce and Kingsport Chamber Foundation.

He is a Past President of the Paramount Theatre Board, Bristol and is and Ex-Officio Board member of the Johnson City/Jonesborough/Washington County Chamber of Commerce.  He is Counsel to the Hands On! Museum in Johnson City. 

Mr. Bovender is licensed to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Tennessee Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court.   He is a member of the Kingsport, Tennessee and American Bar Associations and is a former member of the House of Delegates for the Tennessee Bar Association Defense Research Institute.

He is a frequent speaker on Labor and Employment Issues and Trial Practices and Techniques. 

Mr. Bovender and his wife Nancy reside in Kingsport.  They have two grown children.

Hunter, Smith & Davis is a regional firm serving clients in the Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia region for 90 years.  The firm has offices in Kingsport and Johnson City.

Racing Fun


Pictured Left to Right: Senitria Goodman, Mike Lattier, Lilian Abboud, Jody Mitchell and Renee Gaskins at the “War Party” Race.

On Saturday, February 4, Mike Lattier, Renee Gaskins, Lilian Abboud, Jody Mitchell and Senitria Goodman participated in the “War Party 10K Run” at Warriors Path State Park.

Mike’s son, Renee and Jody each won awards for taking top spots in their age groups!

April

Laura Steel to speak to Johnson City Kiwanis Club

Laura Steel, an attorney with Hunter, Smith & Davis law firm will speak to the Johnson City Kiwanis Club Wednesday, April 5th about a current hot topic- employers’ legal obligations to returning veterans.

Ms. Steel practices in the areas of labor and employment law and commercial litigation, with specific emphasis on defense of management in discrimination and harassment claims and unemployment compensation actions, affirmative action compliance, and general employer counseling. She has spoken before a wide variety of groups on various employment, labor and employee benefits issues.

Employment/Labor Team to take part in HR Expo

Members of the Hunter, Smith & Davis Employment/Labor team will take part in the upcoming HR Expo at the Johnson City Holiday Inn April 5-8. The Firm will have its trade show booth present and attorneys will speak at three different legal sessions.

The presentations will be as follows:

  • Workers' Compensation Mental Disability Claims
    Presenters: Leslie T. Ridings and Michael L. Forrester

    The presentation will address recent court decisions pertaining to claims for workers’ compensation benefits based on mental/emotional disability. We will discuss the latest legislative directives on compensability and proof requirements for depression claims.

  • Panel Discussion
    Presenters: Michael L. Forrester, Stephen M. Darden and Julie P. Bennett

    At times, the combination of the ADA, FMLA and workers’ compensation law can seem like a 3-headed monster. During this panel discussion, attorneys Julie Bennett, Mike Forrester and Steve Darden will use factual scenarios and an interactive format to explore and explain this ever-evolving subject matter. Also, while employees seem to be holding all the cards, some useful employer approaches to the scenarios will be suggested as well.

  • Union Update and Avoidance
    Presenter: Stephen M. Darden

    Last year, in a much-publicized split, several unions left the AFL-CIO fold. In this session, attendees will learn what is going on with organized labor in our region, what is on the horizon, how to avoid becoming the target of a union organizational drive, and what a campaign involves in a targeted workplace.

May

Morris Hadden elected Fellow of the American Bar Foundation

S. Morris Hadden, the senior partner of Hunter, Smith & Davis law firm, was recently elected by the Board of Directors to become a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. According to the American Bar Foundation, “The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation” is the preeminent attorney group in the country. Membership in The Fellows is limited to one third of one percent (1/3 of 1%) of the lawyers in America (or about one in every 300 lawyers.)

According to information released by the American Bar Foundation, “Selection as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation is recognition of a lawyer as one whose professional, public and private career has demonstrated outstanding dedication to the welfare of the community, the traditions of the profession and the maintenance and advancement of the objectives of the American Bar Association.”

Mr. Hadden, a litigator and former Managing Partner of the firm, has practiced law for more than 30 years. Mr. Hadden served three years as a Special Agent for the FBI. He also served as a Special Justice to the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1996. During his distinguished legal career he has tried more than 200 jury trials. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law where he was a member of the Dean’s Circle and the U.T. Law Alumni Council.

Mr. Hadden serves on the Board of Governors for the Tennessee Bar Association. He is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel. He is a winner of The Business Journal’s “50 over 50” award for leadership in both work and the community.

Mr. Hadden is married to Anne Hadden. They have one grown son Rob, a daughter-in-law Shelley, and three grandchildren. The Haddens reside in Kingsport and are active members of First Presbyterian Church where he serves as Elder.

Mark Dessauer set to speak to Bristol Chamber

Mark Dessauer will speak to the Business and Industry Council of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce May 17 at their monthly breakfast meeting. Mr. Dessauer, a partner with Hunter, Smith & Davis and Chair of the Firm’s Corporate/Business Practice Group, will address the topic of business entity selection. Mr. Dessauer has been named one of the top lawyers in the state of Tennessee for the second year in a row by Business Tennessee magazine.

Greg Haden to speak at state wide convention

Greg Haden, a partner with Hunter, Smith & Davis will be the featured speaker at the Tennessee State Claims Convention in Bristol on Saturday, May 6th. Mr. Haden will be speaking on the following topic: “The Changing Tide Since McIntyre, Developments in Comparative Fault.” More than one hundred claims adjustors from across the Volunteer State are expected to be present for the event.

Flipping Flapjacks for Charity

Our own Laura Steel is working with the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) of the Tennessee Bar Association in an effort to benefit CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).

“Our district’s project this year is to help out with a pancake breakfast that will benefit CASA. CASA is an organization that is close to our firm’s heart; we had representatives from the organization talk to our firm about the wonderful things CASA does in our area during the United Way Pacesetter campaign last year,” said Ms. Steel. “Local young lawyers will be taking tickets, seating people, clearing tables, etc. the morning of the breakfast.”

The fundraiser is at Rush Street Grill on Saturday, May 6 from 6:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.