FARRAR BATES BEREXA - Key Persons
Ryan joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2019. In his practice, he focuses on municipal law, employment law, employment discrimination and retaliation, general tort liability, municipal liability, and trial and appellate litigation. Ryan possesses a strong understanding of cases involving FLSA, FMLA, discrimination and whistleblower claims.
Prior to joining the firm, Ryan was an associate attorney at The Employment and Consumer Law Group in Nashville, Tennessee. He effectively resolved numerous employment claims through mediation and private settlement negotiations, and aided in the development and drafting of employment policies for local businesses to comply with applicable regulations and laws.
Ryan earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2012 from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in Denver, Colorado. He graduated magna cum laude from Lipscomb University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 2008. While at Lipscomb, he studied abroad in Vienna, Austria and London.
A Nashville native, Ryan enjoys traveling the world with his family in tow, and enjoys skiing, hiking and biking.
Education:
University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2012
Lipscomb University, Bachelor of Arts in psychology, 2008
Addison joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2016. In her practice, she specializes in the areas of real estate and government relations. Prior to joining the firm, Addison served as legislative director of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. She also previously served as a research analyst for the Tennessee General Assembly's Senate State and Local Government Committee.
Addison earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2012, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Auburn University in 2009.
An active member of the Tennessee Bar Association and Government Affairs Committee, Addison resides with her husband, Matt, and their two young children in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.
Education:
University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2012
Auburn University, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, 2009
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Partner
- Member of the Tennessee Bar Association
Ben Allen joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2023. He practices in the areas of governmental tort liability defense, municipal liability defense, civil rights defense, police liability defense, land use and zoning law, real estate errors and omissions defense, employment law and discrimination, and trial and appellate practice.
Before joining Farrar Bates Berexa, Ben worked as a staff attorney from 2017 to 2022 for the Sumner County Government, where he handled civil matters for the county and provided legal counsel to the Sumner County Commissioners, elected county officials, county departments, the regional planning commission and various other boards. He also served as Sumner County's interim county attorney.
Ben obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2017 from the Belmont University College of Law. During law school, he received multiple recognitions and was a member of the Board of Advocates Arbitration team. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 2014, where he earned a bachelor of science in political science, with a focus on public administration.
Ben is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the Sumner County Bar Association.
Education:
Bachelor of Science degree, University of Tennessee at Martin, 2014
Juris Doctor degree, Belmont University College of Law, 2017
Billy joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2023. He practices in the areas of municipal liability defense, civil rights defense, land use and zoning law, governmental tort liability defense, real estate errors and omissions defense, employment law, and workers' compensation defense.
Before joining the firm, Billy was an attorney for Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones. He also worked for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and the Tennessee Department of Human Services from 2021 to 2022.
His professional background also includes serving as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Timothy L. Easter of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals from 2019 to 2021, and he was a registered representative for Raymond James & Associates from 1994 to 2019.
Billy earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Tennessee Technological University in 1993 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Nashville School of Law in 2017. While in law school, he earned induction into the Cooper's Inn Honor Society and was named a Law Student for Justice.
Billy has served on the Tennessee Bar Association Board of Governors since 2020, and he was president of the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division from 2021 to 2022. A member of the Nashville Bar Association, Billy was part of the Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum Class of 2022-2023. He is a member of the American Bar Association and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Education:
Tennessee Technological University, Bachelor of Science, 1993
Nashville School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2017
Casey Crane joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2017. Her practice focuses on general civil litigation, including municipal liability defense, civil rights defense, police liability defense, governmental tort liability defense, employment law and discrimination, and trial and appellate litigation. She has had tremendous success in prevailing on summary judgment and negotiating favorable settlement agreements for her clients.
Prior to joining Farrar Bates Berexa, Casey worked as counsel for the commercial litigation and employment law departments at the McKellar Hyde, PLC firm. She also previously served as an associate for Meyers Nave, specializing in First Amendment and public law matters for public agency clients.
Casey obtained her Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2006 from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2002 from the University of North Alabama. She is licensed to practice in three states, as well as in both the Sixth and Ninth Circuits of the United States Court of Appeals.
Education:
John Marshall Law School, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2006
University of North Alabama, Bachelor of Arts, 2002
Casey Crane joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2017. Her practice focuses on general civil litigation, including municipal liability defense, civil rights defense, police liability defense, governmental tort liability defense, employment law and...
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Partner
- Senior Partner
Since 1992, Russ has served as a co-founder and senior partner at Farrar Bates Berexa, where he practices in the areas of insurance defense, municipal liability defense, civil rights defense, police liability defense, governmental tort liability defense, employment law, employment discrimination, workers' compensation, administrative law, governmental relations, real estate errors and omissions, entertainment law, trial and appellate litigation, and business law. Since 2002, Russ has been rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™, the only nationally recognized attorney rating service, and he was the recipient of the 2018 William (Bill) Tune Award for Excellence in Real Estate Education from the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.
Prior to joining Farrar Bates Berexa, Farrar served as assistant commissioner and chief legal counsel for the Tennessee Department of Labor and as director of the Department of Labor's Division of Employment Codes.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Partner
- Member of the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association
Jennifer joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2000. She practices in the areas of general workers' compensation defense; municipal government workers' compensation defense; automotive workers' compensation defense; workers' compensation on behalf of employees; insurance subrogation; and administrative, trial and appellate litigation. Jennifer's most notable case is Pope v. Nebco of Cleveland, Inc., 585 S.W.3d 874, 879 (Tenn. Workers Comp. Panel 2018).
Jennifer earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2001 at the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky in 1998.
Jennifer is a member of the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association and is a guest lecturer on various workers' compensation topics.
Education:
Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2001
University of Kentucky, Bachelor of Arts, 1998
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Partner
- Member of the American Bar Association
Keith Blue joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2003. He concentrates his practice in municipal law defense, including municipal liability, general tort liability, and premises liability. Keith frequently handles automobile accidents for the firm's clients. Prior to joining Farrar Bates Berexa, Keith practiced at Jenkins & Jenkins Law Firm in Knoxville, Tennessee, from 1983 to 2003, where he laid his foundation in general civil litigation.
Keith obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1983. He received both his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in History at the University of Tennessee in 1975 and 1978, respectively.
Keith currently serves as a member of the American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and Nashville Bar Association.
Keith resides with his wife, Nancy, in Franklin, Tennessee.
Education:
University of Tennessee College of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 1983
University of Tennessee, Master of Arts Degree in History, 1978
University of Tennessee, Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, 1975
Kristin joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 1994. Her areas of practice include civil rights defense, law enforcement liability defense, municipal liability defense and employment law. She handles cases in both federal and...
Laura joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2010 as an intern in the firm's lobbying division. After graduating law school in 2013, she found her passion in litigation, specifically in real estate errors and omissions defense and land use and zoning. Laura also focuses her practice on civil rights defense, employment law, and governmental tort liability defense. Laura has successfully defended clients at the trial and appellate levels. She has been selected as Rising Star to the 2020 Mid-South Super Lawyer list.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Laura received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, cum laude, in 2007. She earned her J.D. in 2013 from the Nashville School of Law. In her downtime, Laura enjoys spending time with her husband, Justin, and their two young children.
Education:
Nashville School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2013
University of Tennessee, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, 2007
Before joining Farrar Bates Berexa, Macayla practiced in the areas of domestic relations, estate planning and civil litigation. Her practice areas now include real estate errors and omissions defense, municipal liability defense,...
Mark joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2012. He practices in the areas of civil rights defense, municipal defense, governmental tort liability defense, police liability defense, employment law, employment discrimination, and trial and appellate litigation. Most notably, Mark successfully litigated Coffee County Board of Education v. City of Tullahoma before the Supreme Court of Tennessee.
Prior to joining the firm, Mark served as chief deputy prosecutor and the elected prosecuting attorney for Fountain County, Indiana. He also operated his own private practice in Hillsboro, Indiana. Mark is licensed to practice law in Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee.
Mark earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1984 from Duke University School of Law, where he graduated with high honors, Order of the Coif, and was a member of the Alaska Law Review. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wabash College in 1981. He is a frequent lecturer at NBI seminars on civil rights law.
Education:
Duke University School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 1984
Wabash College, Bachelor of Arts, 1981
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Partner
- Paralegal to Attorney Jennifer Orr Buchanan
Rebecca joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2013 as a paralegal to attorney Jennifer Orr Buchanan. This experience ignited Rebecca's passion for workers' compensation.
After graduating law school in 2022, she began serving with Farrar Bates Berexa as an attorney, primarily practicing in the areas of general workers' compensation defense, municipal government workers' compensation defense, automotive workers' compensation defense, workers' compensation on behalf of employees, and insurance subrogation. Rebecca also practices in the areas of municipal liability defense and real estate errors and omissions defense.
Rebecca received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Nashville School of Law in 2022 and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Middle Tennessee State University in 2005.
She is a member of the American Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.
A Nashville native, Rebecca and her husband, Noah, reside in Murfreesboro with their four children.
Education:
Nashville School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2022
Middle Tennessee State University, Bachelor of Arts in English, 2005
Robyn joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 1999. She practices in the areas of governmental liability, police liability, governmental ordinances, and trial and appellate litigation. Robyn has had tremendous success in obtaining favorable outcomes on summary judgment at the trial level and through oral arguments before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Prior to joining the firm, Robyn clerked for the Chancery Court in Shelby County, Tennessee. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1998, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Memphis. Robyn is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association.
Education:
University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 1998
University of Memphis, Bachelor of Arts
Ross joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2016. In his practice, he concentrates on government relations and litigation. He litigates in the areas of municipal liability, civil rights, police liability, governmental tort liability, employment law and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defense. Ross also has experience with appellate litigation. Prior to joining the firm, he clerked for the Honorable Jimmy L. Croom in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of Tennessee.
Ross earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2015 from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, where he served on the moot court board and as vice president of the student bar association. In 2007, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Tennessee.
A member of the Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Lobbyists Association and Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association, Ross is a frequent lecturer at the annual Public Entity Partners' Risk and Insurance Symposium.
Education:
University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2015
University of Tennessee, Bachelor of Arts in political science, 2007
Terri joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 1997. She practices in the areas of real estate errors and omissions, real estate licensee defense, land use and zoning, and trial and appellate litigation.
Will joined Farrar Bates Berexa in 2018. In his practice, he focuses on civil rights defense, governmental tort liability defense, land use and zoning law, employment law, and real estate errors and omissions defense. Will has a record of obtaining favorable outcomes for his clients - whether prevailing on summary judgment or negotiating settlements.
Bill is a co-founder of Farrar Bates Berexa and served as managing partner from 1992 until his retirement in 2023. He practiced in the areas of insurance defense, municipal liability defense, civil rights defense, police liability defense, governmental tort liability defense, employment law, employment discrimination, wage and hour defense, land use and zoning, real estate broker liability defense, and trial and appellate litigation. Bill has been rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™, the only nationally recognized attorney rating service.
Prior to joining Farrar Bates Berexa, Bates served as the assistant attorney general for the State of Tennessee Office of the Attorney General and chief administrative law judge for the Tennessee Secretary of State.
Bill obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1974 from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama in 1971.
Bill is an active member in the Tennessee Bar Association and Nashville Bar Association. In addition to practicing law, Bill is a guest lecturer at the Tennessee Municipal League's annual meeting.
Education:
University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 1974
University of Alabama, Bachelor of Arts 1971