Stephen Heard joined the firm as Of Counsel August 24, 2015. Stephen practiced law with the firm of Stewart Estes & Donnell for almost 30 years and then with the firm of Dickinson Wright following its merger with Stewart Estes & Donnell. His practice focuses primarily on civil trial and appellate practice in State and Federal courts as well as the representation of small businesses and non-profit organizations.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Emory Law School, he has tried over 200 court of record lawsuits and argued 31 appeals. He has served as a lecturer and presenter in over 24 continuing legal education programs, most recently at the National Equine Law Conference on the subject of Non-Profit Law Issues for EquineTrade and Breed Associations; and on the subject of A Doping and Contamination Hearing. Stephen has also recently presented a program at the 22nd Tennessee Worker’s Compensation Educational Conference on The Compensation Conundrum, Points of View of a Complicated Death Case. He has also served as faculty at the Defense Lawyers Trial Academy, sponsored by the International Association of Defense Counsel. Stephen is a member of the Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky Bar Associations.
He is a Rule 31 Mediator (since 2001). He is a member of the Nashville Bar Association, American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, the International Association of Defense Counsel (Employment Law Committee Chairman from 1993 to 1995; Medical Malpractice Committee; Products Liability, Drug Device, and Biotechnology Committee), Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel, American College of Equine Attorneys, and Transportation Lawyers Association. He has twice been awarded Strathmore’s Who’s Who Professional of the Year Award (2007 and 2009).
He has also received the highest possible peer review rating in Legal Ability and Ethical Standards (AV, Preeminent), by Martindale Hubbell for the past 26 years. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers, Lawyers of Distinction, and Best Attorneys.