Nashville attorney Edward D. Lanquist Jr. took office as president of the Tennessee Bar Association last week during the group's Annual Convention in Memphis.
Mr. Lanquist has been active in the TBA and other legal and community organizations for many years. For the TBA, he most recently served as president-elect, after being elected vice president in 2022. He also served as general counsel for the association from 2016-2022. In addition, Mr. Lanquist is on the faculty of the Nashville School of Law and is a past president of the Nashville Bar Association and past president of the Tennessee Intellectual Property Association. He holds engineering and law degrees from the University of Tennessee and is a shareholder in the Nashville office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Mr. Lanquist co-founded a full-service intellectual property and technology law firm where he practiced for 30 years.
Mr. Lanquist's community involvement is broad. He is a former board member and former chair of Hands On Nashville and is on the executive committee and board of directors of the United Way of Greater Nashville. He previously served in leading roles with the Boy Scouts of America, the Multiple Sclerosis Society's Mid South Chapter, the Nashville Technology Council, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Renewal House, the Belcourt Theater and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
Taking office along with Mr. Lanquist are President-elect Heidi Barcus of Lewis Thomason in Knoxville and Vice President Charlotte Knight Griffin, who served as manager of legal services at Memphis Light, Gas and Water until her retirement in 2023. More than 200 Tennessee lawyers were in Memphis for the TBA's Annual Convention, which provides opportunities for continuing legal education, networking, and recognition of attorneys who have performed outstanding legal work and community service.
The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) is the largest professional association in Tennessee with nearly 14,000 members. Founded in 1881, the TBA represents the entire spectrum of the legal profession in Tennessee and beyond and is dedicated to enhancing fellowship and professionalism among the members of Tennessee's legal community.