Contact the General Counsel

Main Office – Knoxville

Mailing Address for all Knoxville Counsel
719 Andy Holt Tower
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-0170
Telephone: 865-974-3245

Counsel

Support Staff

Joan Roberson

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

Joan serves as office manager with responsibilities over all three locations (Knoxville, Memphis, and Chattanooga). She also is assigned to support David Whitcomb, Deputy General Counsel, who oversees the office litigation.

Susan Allemand

Litigation Paralegal
sallema1@tennessee.edu
Direct Dial: 865-974-3633

Susan primarily provides support to Lela Young, Associate General Counsel, in her work on faculty matters and research misconduct cases. Susan and Tina Loflin also share support for the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.

Tina Caiazza

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

Tina is primarily assigned to support Mike Fitzgerald, Associate General Counsel, and Rachel Powell, Assistant 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. Rachel advises and provides support in student affairs and conduct, particularly Title IX, FERPA and the Clery Act and she handles litigation matters, including employment and other civil litigation in all forums – state, federal, appellate courts and administrative hearings of student disciplinary and academic matters.

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.

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, Associate General Counsel, and Frank Lancaster, Associate General Counsel. These attorneys primarily handle transactional work, though Ryan also handles construction litigation. Tina and Susan Allemand also share support for the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.

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 Baker

Legal Assistant II
lbaker41@tennessee.edu
Direct Dial: 901-448-7043

Latasha is primarily assigned to support our Associate General Counsel Heather Colturi, with litigation before the Tennessee Claims Commission, and Walter Schuler, Associate General Counsel, with administrative tasks related to his 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.

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.