Nine attorneys have joined Butler Snow LLP in five offices across the firm’s footprint, including Austin, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; Memphis, Tennessee; Nashville, Tennessee; and Ridgeland, Mississippi.
“We are thrilled to have this talented group of attorneys join our firm,” said Christopher R. Maddux, chair of Butler Snow. “This will offer our clients additional support across many of our practice areas and depth across offices. We look forward to working with each of them and helping them develop their careers at Butler Snow.”
Austin, Texas
Victoria A. Giese and David A. Gonzalez have joined Butler Snow’s Austin, Texas, office. Filoso and Gonzalez will both practice with the firm’s Commercial Litigation group.
Filoso earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas Austin and her Juris Doctor from Baylor University. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Austin Bar Association, American Bar Association and Travis County Women Lawyers Association.
Gonzalez earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law and his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of San Diego. In the American Bar Association, he is a member of the Young Lawyers Division and Litigation Section. He is also a member of the Austin Bar Association, the Austin Young Lawyers Association, the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin and the Hispanic National Bar Association.
Charleston, South Carolina
N. Denver Smith has joined Butler Snow’s Charleston, South Carolina office. Smith will practice with the firm’s Tort, Transportation and Specialized Litigation group.
Smith brings a background in artificial intelligence studies and private sector security to his practice. He earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Coastal Carolina University and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of South Carolina. During law school, Smith was a Judicial Extern for Justice Kaye Hearn of the South Carolina Supreme Court.
Memphis, Tennessee
Brooke F. Benjamin and Lauren N. Jones have joined Butler Snow’s Memphis, Tennessee, office. Benjamin will practice with the firm’s Finance, Real Estate & Restructuring group and Jones will practice with the firm’s Commercial Litigation group.
Prior to joining the firm, Benjamin received her LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida and served as an Attorney Advisor for the U.S. Small Business Administration. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, summa cum laude, from the University of Memphis and her Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi. While in law school, Benjamin served as an extern for the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and for the Honorable Paulette J. Delk of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
Jones received her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Tennessee and her Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University Law. In law school, she served as the Development Editor of the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law.
Nashville, Tennessee
Y. Larry Cheng and Kenya T. Freeman have joined Butler Snow’s Nashville, Tennessee, office. Cheng will practice with the firm’s Commercial Litigation group and Freeman will practice with the firm’s Business Services group.
Cheng counsels clients through complex commercial litigation disputes, including contract disputes and business torts. Cheng also has extensive experience defending trucking accident cases, medical malpractice claims against health care providers, and commercial premises liability litigation. He earned his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Tennessee and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Belmont University.
Freeman is experienced in corporate and transactional matters with a focus on emerging technology and healthcare companies, as well as the medical and dental practice industries. She counsels clients on real estate development and finance matters and guides clients through formation, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic collaborations. Freeman received her bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee.
Ridgeland, Mississippi
William H. Russell and Charity W. Karanja have joined Butler Snow’s Ridgeland, Mississippi, office. Russell will practice with the firm’s Business Services group and Karanja will practice in the firm’s Public Finance, Tax Incentives & Credit Markets group.
Russell focuses his practice on estate and trust planning, estate administration, business taxation, employee benefits, and taxation law. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American, Mississippi and Capital Area Bar Associations, as well as Jackson Young Lawyers, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants. Russell received his bachelor’s degrees from Mississippi State University, his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Mississippi College School of Law and his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University.
Karanja focuses her practice on municipal bonds, public finance, economic development incentives, and government relations. She is a member of the American Bar, Mississippi Bar, National Bar, Magnolia Bar and Capital Area Bar Associations as well as the Jackson Young Lawyers and the National Bond Lawyers Association. Karanja received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi.
