Graduated from Vanderbilt Law School 1979. Spent 1 year in private practice in Nashville, TN. Joined the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office in 1980 as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Justice Division, handling criminal appeals and defense of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 suits. Briefed and argued appeals before the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court. Handled appeals to the United States Courts of Appeal for the Sixth and Eighth Circuit. Represented the state in jail overcrowding cases in all three federal districts and on appeal obtained an order for a coordinated approach including jails and the state correctional institutions.

In 1991 was promoted to Deputy Attorney General of the Law Enforcement and Special Prosecutions Division and served in that position until 2004. Prosecuted securities fraud and bribery cases as a special assistant district attorney. Prosecuted environmental crime as a special assistant United States Attorney.  Led in-house trial advocacy training classes using NITA materials and methods.

Left the Attorney General’s Office in 2004, and through 2011 worked for the Tennessee Office of Inspector General, the Tennessee Bureau of Identification Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Tennessee Ethics Commission, and the Tennessee Department of Health. In 2011 joined StrategicHealth Solutions, LLC, as a Senior Subject Matter Expert in Medicaid fraud.  Retired from Strategic in 2017.

Served as volunteer assistant coach of the MTSU mock trial team from 2018 through 2022. In 2023, became coach of the mock trial team. Placed my license on inactive status in 2025 after 38 years of practicing law.