Heather Moore Collins, principal partner and founder of HMC Civil Rights Law, which focuses on employment discrimination and civil rights cases, has been named the “Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.

The award recognizes, “a trial lawyer who is an advocate of a noble cause, and who demonstrated superior skills and achieved an outstanding result for a client against great obstacles.”

Collins has litigated and served as lead trial counsel in civil rights and employment cases in federal and state courts for more than 20 years. Recently, her firm, along with two others, represented the “Jane Does” who filed a lawsuit in the eastern District of Tennessee in June 2023. The case was unique in that it was the first case to allege sex trafficking claims under the Trafficking Victims Protections Act (TVPA) 18 U.S.C. 1591 – the federal sex trafficking act – due to the alleged corruption by local law enforcement in furtherance of a sex trafficking conspiracy.

Collins’ civil rights practice has a heavy emphasis on sexual violence, including sexual assault and battery, but includes employment discrimination, deprivation of civil and constitutional rights under federal and state law due to law enforcement or governmental negligence.

Farringer takes office as TBA vice president

Nashville lawyer John L. Farringer IV has taken office as vice president of the Tennessee Bar Association after being elected in February. He will advance to the presidency in June 2027.

A member of the law firm Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison, Farringer has practiced law for more than 20 years, focusing on complex business and commercial litigation. Past cases have involved securities, banking, contracts, real estate, land use, torts, civil rights and trade secret matters. He practices in state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate level and before administrative agencies. He also is experienced with all forms of alternative dispute resolution and is certified as a civil mediator.

Farringer has been active in the TBA for many years, including serving for six years as a member of the Board of Governors and as associate general counsel with a special focus on issues related to indigent representation. He was a member of the 2011 Leadership Law class and received the 2015 President’s Award for his work as chair of the Medical-Legal Partnership Working Group.

Last week, he received the TBA President’s Award for his efforts in support of a new indigent representation system for the state, which passed the state Legislature in April and was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee last month.

Farringer is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and Vanderbilt University Law School.

Bahou selected as fellow of Litigation Counsel

Bradley partner A.J. Bahou has been selected as a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.

He is the firm’s artificial intelligence practice leader and an intellectual property attorney who focuses on the intersection of law and technology. He has extensive experience in the areas of electrical and computer engineering technologies, including AI, virtual reality, medical devices, computer hardware, software and internet security systems. He also focuses his practice on emerging technologies, most notably artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Bahou serves on the AI Committee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and chairs the AI Task Force for the Tennessee Bar Association. Since 2011, he has served on the board of directors for LaunchTN, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the startup ecosystem through capital, connections and commercialization.

He joins seven other Bradley partners as LCA Fellows.

Belmont names Archer dean of O’More College

Belmont University has selected Rick Archer as the new dean of the O’More College of Architecture & Design, effective Aug. 1. Archer is a founding principal of Overland Partners, an architecture firm based in San Antonio, and a fellow of the American Institute of Architects with nearly four decades of distinguished practice.

The appointment comes as O’More College celebrates 55 years of architecture, fashion and interior design education, having originally been founded in 1970 in Franklin before joining Belmont in 2018.

The school celebrated its first cohort of architecture students this spring.

Archer’s commitment to education spans decades of involvement with various universities. At his alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin, he has led 14 architectural projects that have significantly shaped the campus, served as chair of the School of Architecture Advisory Council and chaired its capital campaign committee.

Under Archer’s leadership as CEO from 2016 to 2023, Overland Partners earned multiple AIA Committee on the Environment Top 10 Awards and was named Texas Society of Architects’ Firm of the Year. The firm has grown into an international creative community of 95 employees, with 23 holding ownership positions and staff representing diverse backgrounds from around the world.

Hastings Architecture names new associate principals

HASTINGS Architecture has promoted Anna Yoder, Blaine Kimbrough and Meaghan Edwards to associate principal.

Yoder, director of planning and urban design, is both an urban and architectural designer. Throughout her tenure at HASTINGS, she has implemented the urban master planning of more than 250 acres and has facilitated the rezoning process for more than 60 properties, and her work with Metro Parks and Greenways for Nashville has expanded the city’s greenway system across Davidson County.

She is an active member of the Urban Land Institute and currently serves on the Urban Revitalization Product Council. She is a member of the American Planning Association (APA), National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA), where she serves on the Regional and Urban Design Committee.

Kimbrough has led the design, management and oversight of some of HASTINGS’ most complex and large-scale projects. His award-winning projects include Virgin Hotels Nashville, Twelve | Twelve and the renovation and expansion of the Ryman Auditorium. His most recent project, Peabody Union, opened this spring and creates a 7.33-acre walkable, mixed-use district along the Cumberland River.

Edwards has specialized expertise in the design of academic environments for both K-12 and higher education institutions. Her clients include The University of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State University, Montgomery Bell Academy and Randolph School in Huntsville, Alabama, among others.

Harvey joins Onward as managing broker

Onward Real Estate has added Wesley Harvey as the managing broker of the firm’s Green Hills office.

Harvey will oversee Onward’s Green Hills office operations and support the agents based at this location.

Following a career in the music industry, Harvey transitioned into real estate and, over the past decade, has become an award-winning agent.

Vick Joins FirstBank as relationship manager

Scott Vick has joined FirstBank’s Middle Tennessee market as relationship manager. A native of Franklin, with 16 years of industry experience, Vick will be responsible for building relationships and servicing clients’ needs in the Nashville MSA.

Vick joins FirstBank after 10 years with Banc Card of America, most recently serving as its vice president of sales. Before that, he spent five years with Comdata. He spent his first two college years at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before transferring to Middle Tennessee State University, where he graduated with a degree in liberal arts. He played on the golf teams at both schools.

LP elevates Hamill to senior VP, COO

LP Building Solutions, a manufacturer of building products, has appointed Tony Hamill as senior vice president and chief operating officer, effective June 30.

Hamill will oversee LP’s North American manufacturing footprint, which includes 18 facilities and a workforce of over 3,000 team members.

A registered professional engineer, Hamill joined LP in 2013 and has held progressively senior leadership roles, including vice president of engineering and vice president of siding manufacturing.

Before joining LP, Hamill held leadership roles at Stantec, a global engineering firm, and served as chief operations officer at Roseburg Forest Products, where he directed manufacturing operations, engineering and sales and marketing. He is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick.

Trevecca taps Dean to lead STEM, Health Sciences

Trevecca Nazarene University has hired Ronald De Vera Barredo, Ed.D., as the new dean of the School of STEM and Health Sciences.

Barredo brings a wealth of clinical and academic experience and knowledge to Trevecca. A physical therapist since 1990, he has clinical specialties in geriatric and cardiopulmonary physical therapy and carries a fellow designation with the American Physical Therapy Association, the American College of Healthcare Executives and the National Academies of Practice.

He’s served in all faculty ranks and in department chair, assistant dean and dean positions, and has taught at the associate, baccalaureate master’s and doctoral levels.

Barredo earned a master’s in organizational management and an Ed.D. in professional practice from Trevecca. He also earned a doctor of physical therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professionals in Provo, Utah. He has taught and served in leadership positions at various universities, including Rocky Mountain University, Arkansas State Kaskaskia College in Illinois. He most recently served as the dean and a professor in the College of Health Sciences at Tennessee State University.