Skip to Content

Adams and Reese had five attorneys selected by the Nashville Business Journal among the 2024 “Best of the Bar” – recognizing firm-associated lawyers and corporate counsel voted on by their peers based on career achievements and community involvement.

All honorees will be listed in the July 26 print issue of the Nashville Business Journal.

The annual special publication accepts nominations from the public, then the nominees participate in a round of closed voting (weight given to votes from outside firm/company), followed by the top-scoring names selected as Best of the Bar honorees.

Adams and Reese 2024 Best of the Bar honorees include:

  • Cindy Barnett, Partner, Public Finance
  • Will Cheek, Partner, Alcohol and Hospitality
  • Brad Lampley, Partner, Intersection of Business and Government Practice Group Leader
  • Gif Thornton, Managing Partner, Government Relations
  • Maia Woodhouse, Partner, Global Intellectual Property

Cindy Barnett is a senior public finance partner who played a key role in adding and establishing the firm’s Nashville office. Barnett serves as bond counsel, issuer’s counsel, and underwriter's counsel. She assists domestic and foreign financial institutions in providing credit and liquidity facilities to support municipal obligations. She advises major public organizations and has been involved in several landmark financings. Additionally, she helps nonprofit organizations, industrial development groups, and sports and convention interests navigate through the legal issues they encounter. 

Will Cheek is a Partner at Adams and Reese. He leads the Tennessee Retail Team of the firm's Alcohol and Hospitality practice. Often referenced as the go-to liquor lawyer in Tennessee, Will counsels both local and national clients on licensing and regulatory compliance under Tennessee state and local liquor and beer laws.

Brad Lampley serves as the Adams and Reese Intersection of Business and Government Practice Group Leader. Prior to serving in that role, he served as Partner in Charge of the Nashville office and as Team Leader of the firm’s Government Relations team. In his practice, Brad serves as legislative counsel to businesses and trade associations with interests before the Tennessee General Assembly and Tennessee state government.

Gif Thornton has served as Managing Partner for Adams and Reese since March of 2015. Previously, he served as legislative counsel to a number of businesses, trade associations, and governmental entities with interests before Tennessee state and local government. He has been named as Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” in Nashville for both Government Relations and Insurance Law.

Maia Woodhouse is a leading member of the Adams and Reese Global IP practice, serving clients on litigation and enforcement in trademark, trade dress, patent, trade secret and copyright disputes. She practices in federal courts across the country and before the U.S Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Woodhouse prosecutes and defends against motions for TROs and preliminary injunctions in “bet-the-company” IP and technology disputes.