Laura Deakins

Laura Deakins, a shareholder in the Memphis office, focuses her civil litigation practice primarily on the defense of corporations, as well as doctors and hospitals in healthcare liability matters. She has extensive appellate experience, arguing and briefing many matters before the appellate courts. Prior to joining Lewis Thomason, Ms. Deakins served four years as the judicial law clerk to the Honorable Holly Kirby on both the Tennessee Supreme Court and Tennessee Court of Appeals where she worked on over 100 appellate opinions in a wide variety of legal fields. Ms. Deakins has achieved successful results for her clients through defense jury verdicts, summary judgments, mediations, and on appeal. She also serves on the firm’s recruitment committee, and is responsible for interviewing and hiring candidates for the firm’s summer associate program.

PROFESSIONAL HONORS AND ACTIVITIES

•fellow, Memphis Bar Foundation
•Memphis Business Journal - Best of the Bar - Ace Associate Winner (2019)
•SuperLawyers - Mid-South Rising Star - Appellate Category (2018 - 2020)
•Association for Women Attorneys (AWA)
•President (2019 - Present)
•President Elect (2018)
•Vice President (2017)
•Annual Meeting Chair (2015 - 2017)
•Mary Wolff Memorial Golf Tournament Committee (2014 - 2019)
•Mentor (2016 - Present)
•Included in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for her work in Appellate Practice and Medical Malpractice Law/Defendants
•Memphis Bar Association
•Bench Bar Conference Committee Recruitment Chair (2018 - 2019)
•Social Committee - Member (2018 - Present)
•Young Lawyers’ Division Member (2013- Present)
•Tennessee Bar Association - Executive Counsel for Appellate Section (2019 - Present)
•Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility - Hearing Committee Panel Member (2018 - Present)
•Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society (2018 - Present)
•Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inns of Court - Associate (2016 - Present)
•Tennessee Supreme Court - Attorney for Justice (2017- 2018)
•Community Legal Center (CLC) - Board Member (2016 - 2017)
•South Main Association (2013 - 2017)
•Downtown Memphis Commission- My HQ Committee (2016)
•CALI Awards for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, ADR/Mediation, and Labor Law
•Cecil C. Humphreys Law Fellowship
•Kiesewetter, Wise, Kaplan & Prather, PLC Labor Law Award
•Dean’s Distinguished Service Award - Platinum
•Scholarship Chair Association for Women Attorneys
•Girls’ Preparatory School Young Alum Council
•Junior League of Memphis
•Chi Omega Symphony Award
•Girls Preparatory School Founders’ Medal (embodied the founders’ goals of integrity and character).

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

•Junior League of Memphis
•South Main Association
•Girls’ Preparatory School Young Alum Council