Introducing the A-List
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Staying Connected with A-List Colleagues Old and New Staying Connected with Colleagues Old and New Summer 2014 This is an advertisement. Introducing the A-List We recently formed the Baker Donelson A-List, a formal alumni program for our former attorneys and advisors who wish to stay connected with their colleagues and friends. The Baker Donelson A-List Table of Contents offers our alumni an impressive professional network, numerous educational and informational Introducing the A-List opportunities, and continued relationships with colleagues. Senator Baker Tribute Since 1888, Baker Donelson has grown to be one of the largest law firms in the country with more than 650 attorneys and advisors across 20 offices. Those attorneys and advisors – both past and present Alumni Profile: – helped us become the organization we are today. And, as the Firm grows, it becomes even more John Bryant with Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated important to stay connected to the alumni who played important roles in our development as a leading law firm. In the Community: Icons of Freedom As an attorney or advisor who previously worked for Baker Donelson, please take a moment to connect with us: Practice Spotlight: Four Myths of the Hobby • Register as a member of the Baker Donelson A-List and let us know if you would like to receive Lobby Decision: Separating timely legal updates for particular industries or practice areas and invitations to upcoming CLE Fact from Fiction seminars or networking events, as well as community service and pro bono opportunities. • Join the Baker Donelson A-List LinkedIn Group to connect with other Baker Donelson alumni, Alumni Career Moves attorneys and advisors. Employment Opportunities If you have questions about the Baker Donelson A-List, please contact the chair of Baker Donelson’s Recent Accolades Alumni Program, Claire Cowart Haltom. New to the Firm 1 Staying Connected with A-List Colleagues Old and New Staying Connected with Colleagues Old and New Summer 2014 This is an advertisement. Senator Baker Tribute For all of Senator Baker’s wonderful accomplishments – in law, in politics, in diplomacy – on global, national and regional stages, and given the degree of success he had in each, his greatest accomplishment may have been remaining connected to his roots. No amount of global notoriety or success could uproot him from his hometown of Huntsville, Tennessee. And none could separate him from his lifelong friends and colleagues there. His On June 26, the Baker loyalty not only served his local community and church in Huntsville well, but it also invigorated, Donelson family said goodbye informed and grounded him in all he did for our to former Tennessee senator, country and for our law firm. He was homespun yet had a world-class intellect. He drew upon his presidential advisor and experiences and his relationships throughout his ambassador Howard H. Baker life. He had an extraordinary skill for telling a homegrown story that fit any occasion, no Jr., senior counsel to the Firm. matter how serious or complicated the topic or sophisticated the audience. He was a joy and inspiration to be around. He was admired and Baker Donelson alum, Jim respected by people of all walks and affiliations. Duff, President and CEO of We were very fortunate to have him as a leader of the firm and we benefited greatly from his wisdom. the Freedom Forum, shares his Jim Duff thoughts on Senator Baker’s Baker Donelson alum, President and life and legacy. Chief Executive Officer of the Freedom Forum Please visit our Senator Baker tribute page. 2 Staying Connected with A-List Colleagues Old and New Staying Connected with Colleagues Old and New Summer 2014 This is an advertisement. Alumni Profile: John Bryant with Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated Former Baker Donelson activity, working with our senior management Shareholder John Bryant joined group and board on all manner of things, and long-time client Healthcare Realty occasionally doing some “real work,” such as Trust in 2002 as “understudy” to handling a purchase, sale or lease. the general counsel at that time. Today, John serves as Executive How long have you been in this Vice President and General Counsel to the position and what were your prior Nashville-based real estate investment trust (REIT). positions with the company? While a number of our attorneys both keep up About ten and a half years. I was and work with John regularly, we recently took an assistant general counsel for about a year opportunity to visit with him about his trajectory and a half before that and have had various flavors at Healthcare Realty Trust, what he does and/or of the “vice president” title while in the general dreams about outside the office (including a very counsel and assistant general counsel roles. interesting REIT concept), and what guidance he would impart to those beginning a career in the What do you enjoy most in your practice of law. current role? Working with Steve Cox (also a Baker Upcoming Events For those who may not be familiar Donelson alum), Andrew Loope and Trucking Owners with Healthcare Realty Trust Robin Higgins in our legal department Business Roundtable Incorporated, please provide a bit and the many other very talented people who Nashville, August 19, 2014 of backdrop on the company and operate our business. 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. how your position is of importance to its operations. What to Expect When Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated owns and You’re Expecting a operates a portfolio of about 200 medical office Lawsuit buildings and health care facilities in 28 states. Jackson, August 21, 2014 Our properties are located, predominantly, on or 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. near the campuses of large acute care hospitals. We are headquartered in Nashville and have about ADAAA, FMLA and 250 employees spread among our corporate office Workers’ Compensation: and various other offices around the country How to Stay on Course (e.g., Memphis; Dallas; Houston; San Antonio; in the Bermuda Triangle Richmond; Charlotte; Denver; Seattle; Orange of Employment Law County, California). Some might argue whether Nashville, August 21, 2014 my position is of importance to the operation, but 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. I spend my time managing inside and outside legal Continue on next page 3 Staying Connected with A-List Colleagues Old and New Staying Connected with Colleagues Old and New Summer 2014 This is an advertisement. Alumni Spotlight, continued What is the toughest thing about Donelson. I learned a lot about accounting and your job? public company reporting after I got here as well, It’s harder to be objective when your and I’m still learning (and re-learning). client is also your employer. Keeping a dispassionate sense about things is often How did working with the Firm help tough. Our CEO, David Emery, has a quote from to shape your current career path? Albert Einstein on his desk that says “Bureaucracy Working with the Firm had everything is the death of any achievement.” Guarding against to do with my current career path. The bureaucracy-creep and the omnipresent hand- Firm was involved in getting our company wringing about “risk management” and off the ground in 1993, and I was fortunate to be “compliance” is also tough. able to handle transactional work for our company while a lawyer with Baker Donelson. Roger West, Prior to joining Healthcare Realty who was then the general counsel, was looking to Trust, was there a particular retire in a couple of years and hired me to be his reason you chose to work for understudy in April 2002. Baker Donelson? I got a lucky break – one of many in my Do you keep in touch with former life. I had been unsuccessful in getting hired by colleagues? either Baker Worthington or Heiskell Donelson Yes. Some of my best friends are Upcoming Events as a law clerk (and several other name-brand firms lawyers (including my wife, Karyn). Baby Bump Blunders! for that matter) and went to work with a smaller I’ve worked with a good many of my Avoiding Pregnancy firm in Nashville. I did insurance defense litigation former Baker Donelson colleagues while at Discrimination in the primarily, but was exposed to some commercial Healthcare Realty and have maintained friendships Workplace real estate transaction work through one of the with former Baker Donelson colleagues still with Memphis and Birmingham partners who represented a group of German the Firm and elsewhere. Skip Hindman and Gary August 21, 2014 investors. After doing that for a few years, my friend Shockley indulge my poor guitar playing about 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. and law school classmate, Scott Carey, called once a month in a group Skip leads called “The me in late ‘95/early ‘96 about an opportunity to Can’t Hardly Playboys.” (Gary and Skip really Women on work in the real estate group at Baker Donelson. can play, though.) Wednesdays I remember interviewing with Matt Harris, John Girl Power: How Hicks and Larry Papel. They gave me a shot and What do you do in your spare time? to be Street Smart I jumped on it. Like most people, my spare time is New Orleans spent following my daughter and son August 27, 2014 How does your current position relate around to the sports events and school 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. to your previous law practice with events they are involved in, trying to keep the Firm? the house and yard in shape, paying bills, cussing Class and Collective Though I’m not nearly as involved in at the Vols on TV, and sleeping intermittently.