Baker Donelson has named three attorneys to new leadership roles within the Firm. Buckner Wellford has been named chair of the Firm's Advocacy Department, Christy Tosh Crider has been named chair of Baker Donelson's Health Care Advocacy Practice, a position previously held by Mr. Wellford and David Gevertz has been named managing director of the Advocacy Department.
"Buck, Christy and David have all demonstrated substantial leadership capabilities and a high level of industry knowledge that I am confident will benefit our clients and lead our Firm to continued success," said Jennifer P. Keller, president and chief operating officer of Baker Donelson.
As chair of Baker Donelson's Advocacy Department, Mr. Wellford will oversee more than 300 attorneys from seven of the Firm's practice groups, including business litigation, construction, health care litigation, labor and employment, new litigators, product liability and mass tort, and transportation. Attorneys in the Advocacy Department serve clients from a variety of industries from financial institutions, to manufacturers and retailers, to professional service companies. Mr. Wellford will maintain his legal practice focused on the representation of hospitals, physicians and medical groups in health care litigation, regulatory, peer review, contract and employment matters. He has substantial jury and bench trial experience in state and federal courts and has briefed and argued cases for clients at the state and federal appellate levels. Mr. Wellford has been recognized as a leading attorney by Chambers USA since 2011, The Best Lawyers in America® since 2005 and by Mid-South Super Lawyers since 2006. He is a Fellow of the Tennessee and Memphis Bar Foundations and a member of the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility's Hearing Committee.
Ms. Crider will chair Baker Donelson's Health Care Litigation Group, which is comprised of attorneys located across the Firm's 24 offices, while continuing to manage her successful practice concentrated in the long term care and behavioral health industries, managing the litigation of numerous long term care facilities around the country while serving as outside general counsel. She will also continue to serve in her roles as chair of Baker Donelson's Long Term Care Group as well as the Firm's Women's Initiative. Since 2008, Ms. Crider has been recognized in Mid-South Super Lawyers and was listed among the top 50 female attorneys in the Mid-South, the top 50 attorneys in Nashville and the top 100 attorneys in Tennessee in the publication's 2016 edition. Ms. Crider was named as one of the "Women to Watch" by The Nashville Medical News and was also a recipient of the "Women of Influence Award" from the Nashville Business Journal.
As Managing Director of Baker Donelson's Advocacy Department, Mr. Gevertz works closely with Mr. Wellford to improve overall performance within the department by focusing on growth, alternative pricing and profitability maximization. He will maintain his full-time practice as an employment litigator, where he tries employment discrimination, wage and hour, non-compete, whistleblowing and trade secrets cases to juries throughout the country. Mr. Gevertz also directs companies through sensitive internal and government investigations and mass layoffs. A frequent author and speaker, he has been listed as a top Labor & Employment lawyer in Georgia by Chambers USA since 2009, The Best Lawyers in America® since 2014 and by Georgia Super Lawyers since 2009.