Lisa K. Helton

Member

p. (615) 742-4525
f. (615) 742-4539

lhelton@srvhlaw.com
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Lisa Helton’s practice areas include estate and trust litigation, appellate practice, general and commercial litigation, landlord/tenant law, representation of homeowners associations, homeowners association disputes, and IRS tax litigation and controversy.  Lisa was recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” in Nashville for both Trust and Estate Litigation and Tax Litigation and Controversy. In addition to her law practice, Lisa serves as Professor of Rigorous Writing Exercise at Nashville School of Law.

Lisa graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 from The University of Tennessee, where she was admitted to the College Scholars program and deemed a top graduate in the College of Arts and Sciences: Social Sciences. In 2004, she received a J.D., magna cum laude, with a concentration in advocacy and dispute resolution, from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Lisa was Order of the Coif, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, president of UT Law Women and a member of the Tennessee Law Review. Prior to joining the firm, she served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable William C. Koch Jr., Tennessee Court of Appeals, Middle Section.

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Education & Bar Admissions

Education

  • J.D., University of Tennessee College of Law, magna cum laude, 2004
    • Member, Order of the Coif
    • Member, Phi Beta Kappa
    • Member, Phi Kappa Phi
    • President, UT Law Women
    • Member, Tennessee Law Review
  • B.A., University of Tennessee at Knoxville, summa cum laude, 2001

Bar Admissions

  • Tennessee
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Tax Court
Recognition, Speaking Engagements & Publications

Recognition

  • 2023 Lawyer of the Year in Nashville by The Best Lawyers In America for both Litigation and Controversy-Tax and Litigation-Trusts and Estates
  • Nashville Business Journal Best of the Bar 2023
  • Nashville Bar Foundation Fellow
  • Attorney for Justice Tennessee Supreme Court Pro Bono Service Award 2022
  • The Best Lawyers In America 2019-Present (Litigation-Environmental; Litigation and Controversy-Tax; Litigation-Trusts and Estates)
  • Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers 2012-Present (Estate and Trust Litigation) (“Mid-South Rising Star”)
  • Selected for inclusion in the Young Leaders Council 2017 Spring Class
  • Selected for inclusion in the Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Class of 2016
  • The American Society of Legal Advocates: Top 40 Litigation Lawyers Under 40 in the State of Tennessee for 2013-2016
  • TBA Young Lawyers Division “Star of the Quarter” 2015
  • Selected as a Woman of Outstanding Leadership by the International Women’s Leadership Association 2015
  • Nashville Post Law Leaders Rising 2012

Speaking Engagements

  • “Landfill Legal Update: Expansion and Impact,” speaker, Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association Winter Seminar, 2024
  • “Shifting Landscapes: 21st Century Property Law,” panelist, Belmont Law Review Symposium on “Developing Tennessee: Balancing Modern Property Interests”, 2022
  • “Tennessee Cemetery Law,” speaker, Bellevue Harpeth Historic Association, 2017
  • “Discussion of Historic Cemeteries and Grave Removal Actions in Tennessee,” presenter and panelist, Tennessee Preservation Trust, Tennessee Historic Preservation Conference, 2017
  • Making the Most of Discovery: What You Don’t Know Can Come Back to Haunt You,” speaker and producer, Tennessee Bar Association, 2015
  • The Business of Lawyers: Professional Development for Today’s Attorneys,” producer, Tennessee Bar Association, 2015
  • Transactional Practice,” producer, Tennessee Bar Association, 2014
  • “Tennessee Real Estate Law Conference: Ethical Considerations in Real Estate Law,” speaker, Tennessee Attorney’s Memo, 2015
  • “Tennessee Landlord and Tenant Law: Evictions, Court, and Litigation,” speaker, Tennessee Attorney’s Memo, 2015
  • “Inside Chambers: Demystifying the Judicial Clerkship Experience,” speaker, The Nashville Chapter and Vanderbilt University Law School Student Chapter of the American Constitution Society, 2013
  • “Successfully Navigating the Appeals Process,” speaker, National Business Institute, 2009
  • “The Role of Law Clerks in Appellate Procedure,” speaker, Nashville Bar Association, Appellate Practice Committee, 2005

Publications

“It’s not surprising Lisa Helton graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee. And, it’s equally expected she would graduate magna cum laude from UT’s law school. All because sources familiar with Helton’s work repeatedly used words like ‘extremely intelligent,’ ‘smart,’ ‘very thorough’ and ‘good lawyer’ to describe her legal acumen and work.” – Nashville Post

Professional & Civic Activities

Professional Activities

  • Professor of Rigorous Writing Exercise, Nashville School of Law (Present)
  • Member, Harry Phillips Inn Executive Committee and Chair of the Membership Committee (Present)
  • Master of the Bench, American Inns of Court, Harry Phillips Inn (Present); Barrister (2010-2014); Associate Member (2005-2007)
  • Member, Nashville, Tennessee, and American Bar Associations, and the Lawyers’ Association for Women, Marion Griffin Chapter
  • Secretary/Treasurer, Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Alumni Association (2020-2021)
  • Chair, CLE Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association (2019-2020)
  • Chair and Co-chair, Nashville Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (2018-2019)
  • Member, Board of Directors, CLE Committee Vice Chair, and Middle Division CLE Captain of the Young Lawyers Division of the Tennessee Bar Association (2014-2015)
  • Co-chair, Nashville Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Committee (2008-2009)
  • Vice Chair, Nashville Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Committee (2008)
  • Participant, Tennessee Supreme Court SCALES Project

Civic Activities

  • Member, Cheekwood Estate & Garden’s Outreach and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) Committee
  • Board of Trustees, Adventure Science Center
  • Young Leaders Council Board Intern, Adventure Science Center, 2017-18
  • Member, Bellevue Harpeth Chamber of Commerce
  • Vice-Chair (2011-12), Secretary (2010-11), Member, Board of Directors (2009-12), Former Co-Chair of Volunteer and Educational Outreach Committee, Nashville Shakespeare Festival

Blog Posts

Unearthing the Dead

You never know what – or who – lies beneath the surface. Imagine you are engaged in construction, landscaping, or some other improvement to real property, and suddenly you make a grim discovery.  [...]

Unearthing the Dead

You never know what – or who – lies beneath the surface.  Imagine you are engaged in construction, landscaping, or some other improvement to real property, and suddenly you make a grim [...]