Batson Nolan PLC

Attorney Christina M. Bartee

To Christy Bartee, the most important thing an attorney can do is listen to their client and work with them to accomplish a common goal. “I love working with people to resolve complicated issues and life decisions,” says Christy. While Christy’s practice includes real estate, social security disability, estate planning/probate, domestic, business/corporate, and banking, her passion is Agricultural Law.

Though she wasn’t raised on a farm herself, the Springfield, TN native has agriculture in her blood. Both of her parents grew up on farms, and her maternal grandparents worked and lived on a farm that was in the family for almost 100 years. While Christy’s parents both had “town jobs,” Christy and her family raised registered and commercial cattle herds. 

Christy always had a deep appreciation for agriculture and farming, but she felt called to a different path and left her hometown to blaze her own trail. Her journey led her a few hours west to a little town called Martin, Tennessee, and the University of Tennessee at Martin. She went on to graduate magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.  Following undergrad, she attended law school at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.  

Attorney Richard H. Batson

Richard H. Batson was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, and has continuously practiced with the firm since 1957. After years of practice principally in the area of trial work and the defense of various suits involving bodily injury, products liability, libel and slander law, and commercial law, Mr. Batson presently concentrates in General Business/Corporation Law, Land Development, and Industrial Development areas of the law. His past experience includes organizing and serving as counsel for several non-profit corporations and foundations. Mr. Batson has served as hospital counsel and currently serves as counsel for the Industrial Development Board of the County of Montgomery. He has also worked extensively with several land development companies. Mr. Batson is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest peer review rating for professional excellence.

After graduating from Austin Peay State University in 1952, Mr. Batson then received his law degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1954. After receiving his law degree, Mr. Batson served in the United States Army with the 11th Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Division before entering private practice with the firm. He is licensed and admitted to practice in all of the Courts in Tennessee and also in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee and the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Batson is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, Montgomery County (Tennessee) Bar Association, and a former member of the International Defense Counsel.

In past years Mr. Batson has served in numerous community organizations and activities including serving as President of the Clarksville-Area Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Clarksville Academy, serving on committees of the Tennessee Bar Association and as former Chairman of the Harriett Cohn Mental Health Center. He also served as the first American Red Cross “Bloodmobile” Chairman in Montgomery County and served as a former Chairman of the Clarksville Chapter of the American Red Cross. Mr. Batson served as legal counsel to the first Clarksville-Montgomery County Charter Commission for the Unification of the City and County governments, and he also served as the first Chairman of the Central Business Improvement District, later named the Downtown District Partnership, which was originally formed after the tornado of 1999. He was active in the creation of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council and also the creation of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Tourist Commission.

Attorney Matthew J. Ellis

Matthew was born in Clarksville and raised in nearby Cedar Hill, Tennessee.  After graduating from Springfield High School, he joined the United States Navy.  After his service, he returned home to attend Austin Peay State University.  He graduated in 2000 with a B.S. in Environmental Geography with a concentration in Environmental Hazards.  Following graduation from Austin Peay, Matthew went on to attend law school at The Vermont Law School. Upon graduation in 2004, Matthew began his practice with Batson Nolan.

Matthew has handled a wide range of legal matters in the areas of Real Estate Law, Business and Corporate Law, Secured Transactions and Commercial Banking.  His practice is concentrated in conducting residential and commercial real estate closings, and in protecting Creditor’s Rights in all manner of Secured Transactions, including, Foreclosure, Bankruptcy and Enforcement of Remedies. Matthew is a member of the Montgomery County (Tennessee) and Tennessee Bar Associations.

Outside of work, Matthew enjoys being involved in the Clarksville community.  He is a 2010 Graduate of Leadership Clarksville.  He currently serves on the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library Board of Trustees, and on the Austin Peay State University Foundation Board of Trustees.

Attorney Suzanne G. Marsh

Though she was raised in Nashville, Suzanne G. Marsh considers Clarksville her hometown, having attended college and spending her entire 30-year professional career here. After graduating from Austin Peay State University, she left her home state and headed due south, enrolling in law school in Alabama at the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. After graduation, however, she felt compelled to return to her Tennessee roots. 

Drawn to Clarksville’s close-knit sense of community and Batson Nolan’s reputation, she began her professional career with the firm in 1992. Suzanne rose through the ranks, becoming partner after 10 years. Now having been with the firm for 30+ years (20 as a partner) and licensed in state and federal courts in Tennessee and Kentucky, she credits her longevity to her love of problem-solving, passion for learning, and the support of her BN colleagues. 

“Early in my career with the firm, we had two former Tennessee Bar Association Presidents (F. Evans Harvill and Dan L. Nolan) actively practicing law as partners,” says Suzanne. “Their mentorship and professionalism encouraged me to remain engaged through the peaks and valleys of law practice.”    

Attorney J. Matthew Miller

Matt Miller was raised in Brentwood, Tennessee.  He attended college at David Lipscomb University graduating in 1993 with a B.S. in Biology.  He attended law school at the University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, earning a J.D. in 1998. During law school, Matt was selected to the University of Memphis law review and the Moot Court Board where he served as an associate editor and judge. Matt also received the Glencoe McGraw-Hill Award for the most outstanding graduate paper in the nation, and was inducted into the American Inns of Court and is published as an author in law reviews and legal treatises.

Matt joined Batson Nolan after finishing law school and has practiced with the firm since.  He became a Member of the firm in 2004.  Matt’s practice is primarily insurance defense, but he also regularly handles personal injury and domestic litigation cases. Specifically, Matt serves as lead counsel for national and regional insurance companies in all areas of litigation and in trial representation in significant personal injury, automobile accident, wrongful death and medical malpractice litigation.

Matt’s practice also focuses on complex family law matters with a specific emphasis on Surrogacy, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), including representation of Intended Parents and Surrogates in Gestational and Traditional Surrogacy. Matt is licensed to practice law in both Tennessee and Kentucky and has 16 years of experience representing clients throughout Tennessee and southern Kentucky in both federal and state trial and appellate courts.

Attorney Philip M. Mize

Philip M. Mize is a Member of Batson Nolan PLC and he primarily practices in the areas of Serious Personal Injury & Wrongful Death; representation of Homeowners Associations; Commercial Law and Construction Law.  Mr. Mize is legal counsel for Ghertner & Company and he represents developers and homeowners associations throughout Montgomery County and Middle Tennessee. 

Mr. Mize joined Batson Nolan PLC in 2002 after graduating from law school, and he became a Member of the firm in 2007.  He is licensed to practice law in all federal and state courts in both Tennessee and Kentucky, and his practice entails litigation throughout Tennessee and Kentucky trial and appellate courts; Supreme Courts; and Federal Courts of the Sixth Circuit.

Mr. Mize is a member of the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association, the Montgomery County (Tennessee) Bar Association, and the Christian County (Kentucky) Bar Association.  He is also a member of the Kentucky Justice Association and the Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel (TACC).

Attorney Dan L. Nolan

Dan was raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He attended college at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.  Dan stayed in Knoxville to attend law school at the University of Tennessee.  He graduated with his law degree in 1965.  He then practiced law briefly in Maryville and Knoxville, Tennessee before moving to Clarksville to join the firm, known then as Daniel, Harvill & Batson.  Dan became a Member of the firm shortly thereafter and has practiced here ever since then.

He has more than forty years of experience as a trial attorney litigating and trying numerous jury and bench trials involving a wide range of issues in both state and federal courts. His practice includes Civil Rights, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury, Banking and Commercial Disputes, and Construction Law.  Dan is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest peer review rating for professional excellence.  He is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is listed in Best’s Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys.

Dan is also a Rule 31 Mediator.  He is active in the practice of Alternative Dispute Resolution and is a member of the Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators and the Tennessee Academy of Mediators and Arbitrators.  He has conducted mediations and arbitrations in cases involving Medical Malpractice, General Civil Damages, Commercial Issues, Civil Rights, Construction Law, and Employment Discrimination Claims.

Attorney Daniel Mark Nolan

Mark is a native of Clarksville and a graduate of Clarksville High School (1985). He attended college at Austin Peay State University and the University of Tennessee Knoxville where he received a B.S. in Business Administration (1989), followed by law school at Mississippi College School of Law (1992). Mark has been with the firm of Batson Nolan, PLC over 30 years now, having clerked before and during law school and then beginning his practice full time in 1992. He currently serves as managing partner of the firm.

Mark is an experienced trial attorney handling and trying cases (jury as well as bench trial) involving a wide range of issues both in State and Federal Courts, including Civil Rights, Municipal Liability, Personal Injury, Employment Disputes and varied civil litigation. He is licensed to practice law in both Tennessee and Kentucky, as well as in the United States District Courts of the Western District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Kentucky and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Since 2012, Mark has maintained offices in both Clarksville and Brentwood, Tennessee, which allows him to serve clients throughout all of Middle Tennessee. Mark is listed as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator in the field of both General Civil and Family Mediation. He is a member of the Montgomery County Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association and American Bar Association. He is also a member of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association and the Tennessee Council of School Board Attorneys. In 2005, he became a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) and he is also a member of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA) and Defense Research Institute (DRI).

Attorney Austin Peay VII

Austin is of counsel with the firm, and has been practicing law since 1993.  Austin graduated magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Political Science. He went on to obtain his J.D. from the University of Tennessee in 1993.

Austin concentrates his practice in the areas of Real Estate, Probate and Business. He is a member of the Montgomery County (Tennessee) and Tennessee Bar Associations and is also a member of the Tennessee County Attorneys Association. He is also a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Kiwanis Club.

Attorney Lauren S. Meadows

Lauren is a native Tennessean who was raised in Nashville.  She attended the University of Tennessee where she majored in Political Science and graduated magna cum laude. As an undergraduate, Lauren was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society, and Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.

Lauren graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law. While in law school, Lauren focused on Estate Planning, Taxation, and Business Law. During law school, she served a summer clerkship for the Honorable Randy Kennedy, Probate Court in Davidson County, Tennessee, where she developed an interest in Estate Planning and Probate. Lauren was a UT Law Web Ambassador, and handled multiple cases in the UT Law Wills Clinic. Lauren was also a member of the senior editorial staff of UT Law School’s Business Transaction Journal. Her case synopsis of “Salman v. United States, 137 S. Ct. 420 (2016).” was chosen for publication in the May 2017 edition of  the Business Transaction Journal.

Currently, Lauren is a member of the Lawyers Association for Women (LAW) –Marion Griffin Chapter and serves on the LAW Law School Outreach Committee.

Attorney Jeff T. Goodson

According to Jeff Goodson, the two personal qualities that have helped him the most during his career are his inherited competitive drive and attention to detail. “My father was an accomplished coach and athlete and, as a result, I suppose I am competitive by nature,” says Jeff. “It is a helpful attribute as a civil litigator, and I very much enjoy the competitive aspect of litigation.” He adds, “I also enjoy discovering/scrutinizing intimate and nuanced details which, in my experience, goes hand-in-hand with a successful litigation practice.” 

Indeed, Jeff’s competitive spirit and detail-oriented nature have been the backbone of his educational and professional careers. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, Jeff began a nearly decade-long career at Lovell Communications, Inc., a nationally known marketing communications firm headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.

As an assistant account executive at Lovell, Jeff served as a ghostwriter and speechwriter for physicians, attorneys, and business executives, where his knack for well-written, nuanced details proved invaluable. He worked regularly with large, publicly traded corporations and with numerous national media outlets, and he assisted “Yes for Nashville,” a group that was instrumental in bringing the NFL’s Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) to Tennessee in 1997.

Attorney Caroline T. Brink

Caroline was raised in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on her family’s farm. She attended college at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, graduating magna cum laude. Caroline majored in Political Science and minored in Hispanic Studies, and while at UT, she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority as well as the Chancellor’s Honors Program.

After completing her undergraduate degree, Caroline attended law school at the University of Tennessee College of Law, where she was a member of Law Women. While in law school, Caroline’s primary areas of interest were Estate Planning, Contracts, and Property law.

Following graduation, Caroline moved to Clarksville, Tennessee to join Batson Nolan where she works in Estate Planning and Probate practice areas.

In her free time, Caroline enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family and her Golden Retriever, Hobbes.

Attorney Matthew Holman

When people hear the name “The Volunteer State,” most probably conjure up an image of the University of Tennessee Volunteers, clad in their iconic orange and white. Fewer know that Tennessee actually earned the nickname ‘The Volunteer State’ because of Tennesseans’ eagerness to step forward to serve during the War of 1812. Fewer still use that knowledge to shape their career. 

Growing up, Tennessee native (and huge Vols fan) Matt Holman was inspired by these acts of service and bravery. He, too, felt a calling to step forward and serve, though not in war, as his fellow Tennesseans had 200 years ago. He knew his calling was to serve by being a voice for others in his community. “I wanted the opportunity to help people,” says Holman. “I knew I could make a real difference in the lives of others.”

Matt’s prior experience includes working in-house for a large corporation, volunteering as a judicial intern, and working in private practice on cases including criminal defense, family law, and civil litigation. While he enjoyed all of these areas of practice, he was particularly drawn to the field of litigation. “I love advocating for other people and coming up with creative solutions to solve difficult problems,” says Matt.