News & Events
Miller & Martin names Melvin Malone '89 Chair of the firm
Melvin J. Malone, a 1989 graduate of the UT College of Law, has been named Chairman of the Southeastern law firm Miller & Martin PLLC . Malone, the first African-American named to this position at the firm, succeeds Howard I. Levine, who served as firm Chairman since 2002.
“Having worked closely with Melvin on firm management the past few years, I have no doubt he will succeed in his role. I am confident his leadership skills, focus on teamwork and commitment to the firm will provide great benefit to Miller & Martin and our clients,” said Levine.
Since 2002, Miller & Martin has expanded from 157 attorneys to 199 attorneys. The firm also adopted a strategic plan to become the most diverse regional firm in the Southeast by 2013. In its Spring 2009 issue, MultiCultural Law Magazine ranked Miller & Martin first in the magazine's list of the 'Top 25 Law Firms for African Americans' and in the 'Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity' nationwide. The firm has offices in Chattanooga, Nashville and Atlanta.
“Quite simply, this appointment is one more indication of our firm’s genuine commitment to achieving a diverse workplace and building internal leadership from the pool of talented attorneys of our firm, regardless of ethnicity,” said Joseph R. Delgado, the firm’s Diversity Partner.
A native of Chattanooga, Malone currently serves as Managing Member of the firm’s Nashville office. He is also a member of the firm’s Telecommunications & Utilities, Government Relations and Litigation Practice Groups. Malone has successfully litigated on behalf of a regional financial institution, a global wireless communications company, the nation’s largest three-service public utility, an automotive finance company and a coalition of Tennessee telephone cooperatives.
An alumnus of the University of Tennessee from both undergraduate college and law school, Malone has been with Miller & Martin for seven years. In addition to sitting on the Board of Directors for the Youth Life Learning Centers and 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, he is also a volunteer for Tennessee Governor Bredesen's Children's Cabinet Mentoring Initiative.
Prior to joining Miller & Martin, Malone was Deputy Legal Counsel to Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist and Commissioner of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, where he presided over many telecommunications arbitrations and presented testimony before Congress on telecommunications issues. Since June 2002, he has been recognized as Commissioner Emeritus of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
“I am extremely honored and privileged to assume the Chair position from Howard, and on behalf of the law firm, would like to thank him for his years of service as firm Chair,” said Malone. “I am grateful to my colleagues for the opportunity to continue the work he has set in place and to lead Miller & Martin to greater prominence as a Southeastern law firm.”