Contact the General Counsel

Main Office – Knoxville

Mailing address for all Knoxville Counsel
University of Tennessee – Office of the General Counsel
505 Summer Place – UT Tower #1155
Knoxville, TN 37902
Telephone: 865-974-3245

Physical address for all Knoxville Counsel
University of Tennessee – Office of the General Counsel
400 West Summit Hill Drive – UT Tower Suite 1155
Knoxville, TN 37902

UT Tower is managed by the Public Building Authority (PBA) of Knox County and owned and operated by the federal government. All visitors must provide a valid state ID to enter the building and will be required to undergo screening and obtain a visitor badge upon each entry into the premises. Visitors will enter through the lobby of UT Tower, and after screening, call our one of our support staff to come downstairs to escort you to our Offices on the 11th floor.

Visitors may park in Summer Place Garage, located at 505 Summer Place. There is a fully accessible route to UT Tower when parking in the ADA spaces on the 3rd floor of the Summer Place parking garage.

Counsel

Support Staff

Joan Roberson

Legal Administrator
roberson@tennessee.edu
Direct Dial: 865-974-2543

Joan joined the Office of General Counsel in 1997. She serves as office manager with responsibilities over all four locations (Knoxville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Martin). Joan also is assigned to support Deputy General Counsel Rachel Powell, with her duties related to overseeing the University’s litigation.

Litigation Paralegal (vacant position)
Direct Dial: 865-974-3633

The litigation paralegal to be hired will primarily provide support to Lela Young, Associate General Counsel, in her work on faculty matters and research misconduct cases, and a second attorney (hiring in progress) who will be involved in proactively advising University leaders on matters relating to academic, faculty, and student affairs, including but not limited to academic policies, faculty employment policies, research compliance, Title IX, Clery Act, FERPA, and student conduct.

Tina Caiazza

Litigation Paralegal
tina.caiazza@tennessee.edu
Direct Dial: 865-974-8300

Tina is primarily assigned to provide litigation support Mike Fitzgerald, Associate General Counsel, and Rachel Powell, Deputy General Counsel. Mike advises and provides training in employment law matters, particularly the FMLA (family medical leave), FLSA (wage & hour) and ADA (disabilities), and he handles employment litigation in all forums — state, federal, appellate courts, and the Tennessee Claims Commission, and advises on various University matters, including Athletics.

In her role as Deputy, Rachel is responsible for supervising all University litigation, and she serves in a supervisory role with regard to other attorneys in our office handling student affairs, faculty affairs, and employment matters. Rachel advises and provides support in student affairs and conduct, particularly Title IX, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Clery Act and she represents the University in litigation and administrative matters, including employment and other civil litigation, agency investigations, and administrative hearings of student disciplinary and academic matters. Rachel maintains a broad practice area within student affairs, including student conduct, student life and activities, and disability accommodations.

Diana Garner

Litigation Paralegal
dgarner2@tennessee.edu
Direct Dial: 865-974-6583

Diana is primarily assigned to support Josh Walker, Associate General Counsel, with his litigation before the Tennessee Claims Commission, and Harold Pinkley, Associate General Counsel, in his litigation in federal and state court and before the Tennessee Claims Commission. She also assists in preparing credentialing letters for current and former resident physicians from the Graduate Medical Education Program located at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, and the Chattanooga and Erlanger Health System, as well as other faculty MD’s and nurse practitioners employed by the State who have staff privileges at those entities. Credentialing requests for employees at the entities listed here should be faxed to Diana at (865) 974-0100. (See information under Latasha Franklin’s bio in the Memphis Office for credentialing requests for employees at the entitles not listed here)

Tina Loflin

Litigation & Transaction Paralegal
tloflin@tennessee.edu
Direct Dial: 865-974-8399

Tina is primarily assigned to support Ryan Stinnett, General Counsel, Katie Lane, Deputy General Counsel, Frank Lancaster, Associate General Counsel, and Aziz Ahmad, Associate General Counsel. These attorneys primarily handle transactional work, though Ryan also handles construction litigation.

Memphis Office

Mailing address
66 North Pauline Street, Suite 428,
Memphis, TN 38163
Phone: 901-448-5615

Counsel

Support Staff

Kathy Mathis

Office Manager and Litigation Paralegal
kmathis@tennessee.edu
Direct Dial: 901-448-4261

Kathy serves as office manager in our Memphis Office. She also is assigned to support Rebecca Tuttle, Associate General Counsel, with her litigation before the Tennessee Claims Commission.

Latasha Franklin

Litigation Paralegal
lbaker41@tennessee.edu
Direct Dial: 901-448-7043

Latasha is primarily assigned to support Associate General Counsel Heather Colturi, with litigation before the Tennessee Claims Commission, and Walter Schuler, Associate General Counsel, with administrative tasks related to health and business law matters. Latasha and Teresa Young share responsibility for preparing credentialing letters for current and former resident physicians from the Graduate Medical Education Program at UTHSC, and other UTHSC faculty and staff. Credentialing requests for the employees at the entities listed here should be faxed to (901) 448-8031. (See information under Diana Garner’s bio in the Knoxville Office for credentialing requests for employees at the entitles not listed here.)

Teresa Young

Legal Assistant I
tyoung6@tennessee.edu
Main Phone line: 901-448-5615

Teresa answers phones and greets visitors to our Memphis Office, and prepares invoices for payment. She assists Rebecca Tuttle, Associate General Counsel, with some duties related to her litigation before the Tennessee Claims Commission, and also is assigned to support Mark Petzinger, Associate General Counsel, who advises and provides training regarding employment law matters, student and medical resident matters (disciplinary and academic) and research integrity, and employment and student related litigation. Teresa and Latasha Baker share responsibility for preparing credentialing letters for current and former resident physicians from the Graduate Medical Education Program at UTHSC. and other UTHSC faculty and staff.

Chattanooga Office

615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37403
Phone: 423-425-5703

Counsel

Support Staff

Holly Bentley

Paralegal
Holly-Bentley@utc.edu
Direct Dial: 423-425-5705

Holly is assigned to support to Yousef Hamadeh, Assistant General Counsel, who provides counsel to the UTC campus on a broad range of legal matters, including student conduct, faculty and staff employment, policy and contract/transactional issues.

Martin Office

The University of Tennessee at Martin
322 Hall-Moody Administration Building
554 University Street
Martin, TN 38238

Phone: 731-881-7565
Fax: 731-881-7019

Counsel