Waller Opens Memphis Office

Nashville, TN – Waller, one of the nation's preeminent law firms serving the healthcare industry, announced today that it has opened a new office in Memphis, Tenn. that will expand the firm’s depth and experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors. Four attorneys from Butler Snow’s Memphis office have joined Waller as partners, bringing nearly 80 years of combined legal experience to the firm’s fourth office:

♦ G. Robert “Bob” Morris

♦ Denise D. Burke

♦ Joseph “Joey” E. Dudek, Jr.

♦ Al Bright, Jr.

Waller, headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. also has offices in Birmingham, Ala. and Austin, Tex.

“My partners and I are very excited about expanding Waller’s footprint and working with these talented lawyers,” said Waller chairman John Tishler.  “This is an experienced team that enhances our life sciences capabilities and complements our core healthcare practices in Austin, Birmingham and Nashville. We see tremendous synergy between their deep relationships within the Memphis biotech community and our experience with investor-owned hospitals, health systems and other healthcare providers.”

G. Robert Morris represents technology, biotechnology and life sciences companies in in connection with domestic and international technology acquisition, licensing, intellectual property protection, and technology commercialization activities.  Morris serves on the board of directors of Life Science Tennessee and served on the boards of the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation and Lifeblood Biological Services, LLC. He is the former chair of the Tennessee Board of Economic Growth. Morris has been recognized in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and The Best Lawyers in America.  He earned his J.D. in 1982 from the University of Memphis and a B.S. in 1979 in Commercial and Financial Management from the University of Tennessee.

Denise D. Burke counsels healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device companies on a wide range of regulatory compliance and operations issues, including federal and state fraud and abuse regulations, government and internal corporate investigations, and corporate practice of medicine issues.  She has developed and implemented corporate compliance programs and served as a key member of a Deferred Prosecution Federal Monitor Team for a medical device manufacturer.  Burke is recognized for her healthcare experience in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and The Best Lawyers in America.  She earned her J.D. in 1993 from Memphis State University and earned a B.S. in Health Information Management Administration, with honors, in 1986 from the University of Tennessee.

Joseph E. Dudek, Jr. focuses his practice on corporate matters, including securities offerings, venture capital and private equity transactions, and mergers and acquisitions.  He also advises clients on compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-corruption laws and regulations.  Dudek is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, in 1999 from the University of Mississippi and earned a B.A. in Business Administration in 1994 from Rhodes College.

Al Bright, Jr. represents pharmaceutical, medical device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies in mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, securities offerings, venture capital financings, economic development matters and government relations.  Additionally, he advises clients in commercial transactions involving licensing, supply, distribution, and sales agreements.  Bright is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America.  He earned his J.D. in 2003 from the University of Tennessee and earned a B.B.A. in 2000 from the University of Memphis.

About Waller

Waller is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. with offices in Birmingham, Alabama, Austin, Tex., and now Memphis, Tenn.  With approximately 200 attorneys, Waller helps clients navigate a diverse range of complex transactional, regulatory and litigation issues across myriad industries.  Founded in 1905, Waller has client relationships spanning decades because clients, time and again, come for the lawyer and stay for the firm^SM. For more information, please visit www.wallerlaw.com.