Published on nashvillepost.com (http://nashvillepost.com)

Miller & Martin departures continue as litigation chief leaves

Miller & Martin departures continue as litigation chief leaves [1]

Several other firm attorneys could soon be gone
Published June 4, 2012 by Philip Nannie

Nashville attorney Todd Presnell — a former partner and head of the Miller & Martin PLLC litigation department — has left the law firm for the offices of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP.

Presnell’s departure marks a certainty in the continuing uncertainty clouding Miller & Martin’s  future. Last week, firm spokesperson Frederick Strobel confirmed “a number of attorneys” were leaving.

“We should know more [soon],” Strobel told Nashville Post.com when asked if multiple (sources have said up to 18) attorneys — including section heads and other prominent partners — were bolting. Strobel said internal firm meetings were in process and confirmation of staff changes forthcoming.

Presnell was not available for comment.

On May 25, Miller & Martin leadership issued a presser alluding to the changes but provided no detail as to the departing group’s composition or where the lawyers might be headed. Reference was made to the establishment of a “Nashville office for an out-of-town law firm,” but nothing further.

Several efforts over a period of days to confirm the identities of those leaving were unsuccessful as the behind the scenes discussions churned last week.

In the same May 25 presser, James Haley, Miller’s Chattanooga–based chairman, said the departures were philosophically based.

“There may be various reasons for this decision, but the overriding reason has to do with different philosophies about how to build and expand our practice,” Haley said.

Haley said efforts at reaching a consensus with the group were unsuccessful.

“It became clear this was not going to be possible and we decided that it was better for us to pursue our growth strategies separately,” Haley said.

Last fall, firm officials removed Chairman Melvin J. Malone in favor of Haley. Malone had served in that capacity for two years. Click here [2] for the link to that story.

And in April, a bevy of four attorneys — including Tony Swafford, head of Miller’s labor and employment group — left the Nashville office for the Adams and Reese LLP law firm. Click here [3] for NashvillePost.com coverage.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings is located in the Roundabout Plaza building near Music Row.

“We are thrilled to welcome Todd to our firm to help us enhance our litigation practice group’s outstanding service we provide to our clients,” said firm Chairman Beau Greni.