Waller Elects New Chairman

Nashville, TN – Waller, a leading law firm serving the healthcare, financial services, retail and hospitality industries, announced today that Matthew R. Burnstein has been elected chairman of the firm. Effective August 1, 2014, Burnstein will succeed John Tishler, who will assume the role of Chairman Emeritus and resume his bankruptcy and restructuring practice at Waller.

“I am honored to have my partners’ confidence and trust, and I look forward to working with them to serve the firm’s clients,” Burnstein said. “Waller has grown significantly under John’s leadership, and we will be fortunate to have his continuing assistance as we implement our new five-year strategic plan.”

Waller also announced that David Lemke has been named to lead the firm’s Financial Services industry team and Marcus Crider will lead the firm’s Retail and Hospitality team. Ken Marlow was appointed chair of Waller’s healthcare department in September 2013.

Burnstein has spent his entire legal career at Waller. He joined the firm in 1997 after graduating Order of the Coif from Vanderbilt University Law School and serving as law clerk to Chief U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He earned a B.A.,magna cum laude, in 1993 from Vanderbilt University. Burnstein’s legal practice focuses on corporate transactions, primarily in the healthcare industry. He also represents private equity and venture capital funds. He is recognized in Chambers USA and Best Lawyers for his corporate and M&A experience. Burnstein served on Waller’s Board of Directors from 2006 to 2012.

“It has been a privilege to lead Waller over the last six years,” Tishler said. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished for our clients and how we’ve strengthened the firm. Matt will be a tremendous asset in his new role, and I’m excited to get back to the full-time practice of law.”

Tishler was elected Waller’s chairman in January 2008. During his tenure, Waller opened new offices in Austin and Memphis and enhanced its position as one of the nation’s largest and most respected firms for healthcare law. Tishler represents lenders and creditors in bankruptcy and corporate restructuring matters, including the largest creditors in the Service Merchandise and K-Mart bankruptcies. He is a past president of the Tennessee Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association and he is recognized in Best Lawyers in the categories of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Bankruptcy Litigation. Tishler currently serves as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Franklin Road Academy and on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville.

About Waller

With approximately 200 attorneys in Nashville, Tenn., Birmingham, Ala., Austin, Tex., and Memphis, Tenn., Waller helps clients navigate a diverse range of complex transactional, regulatory and litigation issues across myriad industries.  For more information, please visit www.wallerlaw.com