John Day
I am a fifty year old lawyer who is fascinated by the law. I have studied the field for over twenty-five years, both in an effort to help my clients and help other lawyers do a better job representing their clients. I have represented victims of medical negligence for 25 years and tried my first malpractice case over 20 years ago.
I grew up in Spencer, Wisconsin, a village about 140 miles due north of Madison. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville in 1978 with a B.S. degree in Comprehensive Business and Economics.
I then moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where I attended the University of North Carolina. I received my J.D. degree in May 1981, graduating with honors. I was elected to the Order of the Coif and served on the staff of the North Carolina Law Review.
I moved to Nashville in May 1981. I was an associate and later partner in a Nashville firm from 1981 - 1992, and had the privilege to learn how to be a trial lawyer from John T. Conners, Jr. On January 1, 1993, John Branham and I started our own firm which now has six full-time and one part-time lawyers. Our practice is limited to complex civil litigation.
I enjoy bar association activities. I served as President of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, Chair of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America Council of State Presidents, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Nashville Bar Association. I am also a past President of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a non-profit group that certifies trial lawyers across the Nation.
I also enjoy working on committees designed to improve the quality of the legal system. The Tennessee Supreme Court has appointed me to the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization; I am serving my second term on that Commission and currently serve as the Chairperson. I also serve as a consultant to the Tennessee Judicial Conference's Committee on Pattern Jury (Civil) Instructions; I am one of two non-judges on that Committee. Lt. Governor John Wilder has appointed me to the Tennessee Judicial Evaluation Commission, the group that evaluates Tennessee's appellate judges. I have also served on the Tennessee Supreme Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission.
I have been an active legal writer and speaker. In 1995 I founded the Tennessee Tort Law Letter, a monthly newsletter about tort law in Tennessee. Donald Capparella and I wrote the newsletter together for ten years; I now work with John Wood and Rebecca Blair on it.
Donald and I also wrote Tennessee Law of Comparative Fault, the only book in Tennessee in the field. John Wood joined us for the Second Edition; the book is published by Thomson West Publishing Company. I have also written over 30 articles for legal publications and 3 chapters in legal books.
I have been honored to speak at legal seminars across the country. I have given over 125 speeches to lawyers in 19 states. In 2004 former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Penny White and former Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Joe Riley and I started "Justice Programs" to offer seminars to Tennessee lawyers.
I was honored to be named in the 1993-94 edition of Best Lawyers in America at the age of 36, and have been included in every edition thereafter. Other than the opportunity to represent my wonderful clients, my biggest professional honor was election to the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2002 at the age of 45. Less than 140 Tennessee lawyers are Fellows in this organization and less than 20 of those have a substantial practice on behalf of plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful death cases.
On the personal side, my wife Joy (also a lawyer) and I would rather be at our cabin on Tim's Ford Lake outside of Winchester, Tennessee than any other place in the world. Joined by Sarah (age 15) and Michael (11), both children from a previous marriage, we enjoy boating and related water sports. Joy and I ride motorcycles (a Harley Davidson Sportster and a BMW 1200 CLC, respectively) and like to hike. We both are Tennessee Titans fans, and Joy is an avid University of Tennessee Vols football fan.