David Raybin

With more than 35 years of experience, David Raybin heads the criminal defense section of our firm, which includes criminal trials, criminal appeals, parole hearings, and civil rights litigation.

David has been named the Best Criminal Lawyer in Nashville by Best Lawyers in America, and listed among the Best Criminal Lawyers in TN by Tennessee Business magazine.

A regular commentator on local legal subjects, David often deals with prominent cases in the trial courts. David has successfully handled a number of significant criminal appeals throughout Tennessee.

A prolific writer, David has authored numerous articles and publications. He wrote the book Tennessee Criminal Law, which has been cited hundreds of times by Tennessee courts and relied on by judges and attorneys throughout the state. He was twice awarded the Justice Joe Henry Award for outstanding legal writing by the Tennessee Bar Association

David also engages in federal civil rights litigation including cases directed to improving the health of prisoners. David serves as local counsel for Children’s Rights, a non-profit involved in foster care litigation in Tennessee. For over twenty-five years David has represented Nashville police officers through the Fraternal Order of Police. David has also served as General Counsel for Street Works, a non-profit devoted to the treatment of AIDS.

David Raybin served on the Tennessee Sentencing Commission for nine years. David also chaired the Tennessee Supreme Court Criminal Rules Commission and has been a member of the current Tennessee Rules Commission for two terms.

David has lectured on various substantive and ethical criminal law topics to the Judicial Conference, Leadership Nashville, police departments, and legal organizations such as the TBA and the NBA as well as various local bar associations throughout Tennessee. He served as a guest instructor in the Criminal Jury Trial Project in Moscow, Russia. David also gives presentations to religious, school, and civic youth groups about the criminal justice system.

David Raybin is a 1973 Order of the Coif graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law where he was a member of the Law Review. After graduation he served as an Assistant State Attorney General in the appellate division for three years. Then he was hired by Tom Shriver to serve as an Assistant District Attorney for seven years. He eventually became team leader in Division II.

After his service with the government, David joined what was then Hollins Wagster and Yarbrough. Following the reorganization of the firm, David is now the senior partner of Hollins Raybin and Weissman.

David is rated as "AV" by Martindale-Hubbell. He is also listed in Best Lawyers in America and has been recognized by Business Nashville magazine as one of "Nashville's Best Lawyers." Business Tennessee magazine has consistently rated him as one of the "Top 150 Attorneys in Tennessee." He is a Fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation and a Master in the Harry Phillips Inn of Court.

David is a member of the Tennessee and Nashville Bar Associations and has served on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is admitted to practice in Tennessee and the U. S. District Court for Middle District of Tennessee, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.