Hunter C. Branstetter

Hunter Branstetter helps clients favorably resolve thorny disputes, minimize the chance of future issues, and maximize success if problems do arise. His practice consists primarily of litigation; representing utilities, municipalities, and related entities; and certain aspects of business law.

His trial and dispute resolution experiences range widely from contract claims to civil rights, corporate disputes to commercial litigation, condemnation/eminent domain to construction, antitrust to administrative law, environmental law to employment issues, property rights to professional liability, and trade secrets to torts of all sorts. Hunter enjoys examining the facts in detail, developing evidence and crafting arguments to try a case to a judgment, and working to protect or—if necessary—overturn that judgement on appeal. In addition to handling his own appeals, Hunter is thrilled when he is retained in appellate matters where he was not trial counsel.

Hunter comprehensively represents a number of municipalities, utilities, and other governmental or quasi-governmental entities. In addition to serving as outside general counsel, he represents these sorts of clients in singular engagements, often related to service-area disputes, solid waste issues, or environmental claims.

Importing lessons learned from more than a decade of litigation, Hunter advises certain clients on corporate and general business matters. He also strives to maintain a meaningful pro-bono practice, takes pride in having an ongoing streak of annually receiving the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Attorney for Justice Pro Bono Service Award, and is particularly honored to have received the Tennessee Bar Association’s Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award in 2025 as part of the Sherrard Roe team representing the Covenant School parents.

A native Nashvillian, Hunter earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he was Development Editor for the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law, Content Editor for Obiter Dictum, and the president of its American Constitution Society chapter. He has since been on the board of the Nashville Lawyers chapter of ACS, including a multi-year term as president. He remains active in multiple bar organizations including previously co-chairing the Nashville Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, participating in the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law program, and currently serving as a delegate to the TBA Litigation Section’s Executive Council. He participates as a barrister in the Belmont University Law School Inn of Court and is honored to be a fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation.

Before joining the firm, Hunter clerked for the Honorable Bernice B. Donald of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. While in law school, he also worked as a summer law clerk for the late Judge Thomas A. Wiseman, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. Between college and law school, Hunter was licensed as an EMT and served on the Davidson County Rescue Squad.

Hunter graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English from Washington & Lee University, which he attended on a Francis P. Gaines Honor Scholarship and where he received several awards for volunteer leadership including being named the John W. Elrod Unsung General of the Year his senior year. In 2019, Washington & Lee honored him with its Distinguished Young Alumni award.

Outside of the office, Hunter enjoys spending time with his wife, young daughter, and their golden retriever. He sits on the board of chatterbird, a nonprofit contemporary chamber orchestra, and is a legacy member of the Phoenix Club of Nashville. A long-time whitewater enthusiast, Hunter has served as a director for the American Canoe Association—the country’s oldest and largest paddle-sports organization and the National Governing Body for Olympic paddle sports—and still chairs the ACA’s Grievance Committee and Policy Review Committee. He is a multi-time member of the U.S. Freestyle Kayaking Team and has competed internationally, including placing ninth in the world in men’s squirt boating at the 2019 ICF Freestyle World Championship and placing fourth at the 2022 ICF Freestyle World Cup. Hunter also qualified as a member of the U.S. Team in 2021 and 2023.