3L: Live, Learn, and Lead Like a Lawyer

#8: Emily Jenkins

In this episode of 3L: Live, Learn, and Lead Like a Lawyer, I sit down with Emily Jenkins, Staff Attorney at the Tennessee Justice Center. Emily earned her B.A. at Rhodes College, where she starred on their award-winning Mock Trial team. After her graduation there, she proceeded on to the College of William and Mary, where she received her J.D. in 1997. Emily is an inspirational attorney, and her work in volunteer and pro bono capacities is especially impressive. She has worked as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, helping children receive the resources they need to survive and thrive in the community. She has also served with the Hard Bargain Association to help preserve the historic Hard Bargain neighborhood in Williamson County. This is all on top of her normal professional work at the Tennessee Justice Center, where she focuses on child welfare advocacy and assists clients in receiving Medicaid and SNAP benefits. Emily truly exemplifies what it means to be a servant leader in both her community and the profession, and it was an honor to speak with her. I'm sure you will benefit from her hard-earned wisdom, but I encourage you even more to gain from her wonderful spirit of generosity. In these tumultuous times, we need that more than ever. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share with a friend! If you’d like to learn more about me or this week’s guest, please visit the links below: https://www.tnjustice.org/team-1/emily-jenkins [https://www.tnjustice.org/team-1/emily-jenkins] ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/]

#7: Kaci Garrabrant

In this episode of 3L: Live, Learn, and Lead Like a Lawyer, I sit down with Kaci Garrabrant, Senior Associate at Eric Buchanan & Associates. Kaci first joined EBA as a law clerk at Penn State and has served her clients through plaintiff injury litigation ever since. In our conversation, we are able to discuss why she finds this practice area so fulfilling and the impact she is able to make on the lives of her clients. Kaci is also an expert on managing her time, which we get into as well. As a young attorney with a full case load and a full family life, she emphasizes the importance of staying on top of deadlines and being proactive rather than reactive. She also provides a list of skills she feels young attorneys and law students should strive to cultivate if they are interested in pursuing trial work, such as courage, oral communication, and the ability to tell a story. In recognition of her inspiring work at EBA, Kaci was named the Tennessee Trial Lawyer's Association Young Lawyer of the Year in 2025, which is an incredible honor for an incredible advocate. If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, subscribe, and share with a friend! If you’d like to learn more about me or this week’s guest, please visit the links below: ⁠https://www.buchanandisability.com/our-attorneys/kaci-garrabrant/ [https://www.buchanandisability.com/our-attorneys/kaci-garrabrant/] ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/]

#6: Michele Johnson

In this episode of 3L: Live, Learn, and Lead Like a Lawyer, I sit down with Michele Johnson, co-founder and Executive Director of the Tennessee Justice Center. Michele is an alum of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where she received both her Bachelors degree and her J.D., and her career has been heavily focused on children with special health care needs. Her work at TJC aims to aid clients in accessing health care, and we were able to get into some of the nuances of the healthcare industry and how it works (as well as how it doesn't). Michele is a brilliant advocate for her clients, and her insight into the healthcare system as someone who has worked so diligently to reform it is immensely valuable. Over her illustrious career, Michele has won numerous awards, including the ABA's Child Advocacy Award in 1999, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Tennessee Voices for Children in 2015, and the Tennessee Bar Association's Public Interest Attorney of the Year. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share with a friend! If you’d like to learn more about me or this week’s guest, please visit the links below: https://www.tnjustice.org/team-1/michele-johnson [https://www.tnjustice.org/team-1/michele-johnson] https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/]

#5: Laura Brown

In this episode of 3L: Live, Learn, and Lead Like a Lawyer, I sit down with Laura Brown, executive director of the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS). Laura has a myriad of legal experience and has worked in essentially every sector of the legal profession, which we are able to cover extensively. She began her career at a boutique litigation law firm in East Tennessee and transitioned after her time there to become in-house counsel at Goodwill Industries-Knoxville. She also has extensive public interest experience, including her current role as executive director of TALS. One of Laura's principal characteristics is her love of learning. In addition to her J.D., she also has a Master of Arts in civic leadership from Lipscomb University and is working on her Ph.D in learning and leadership (public policy) at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. This wide-ranging conversation covers topics including public interest work, private practice and litigation strategy, and how lawyers can best lead in their communities. Laura's spirit for the profession and for empowering her clients is truly inspirational, and I know you will gain a lot from her hard-earned wisdom. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share with a friend! If you’d like to learn more about me or this week’s guest, please visit the links below: https://www.tals.org/apruitt [https://www.tals.org/apruitt] https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/]

#4: Gordon Bonnyman

In this episode of 3L: Live, Learn, and Lead Like a Lawyer, I sit down with Gordon Bonnyman, co-founder of the Tennessee Justice Center and one of the most influential advocates in Tennessee’s modern legal history. Gordon reflects on his remarkable journey from what he once described as a “sanctimonious avenger of the Lord” into a wise, humble, and zealous lawyer devoted to the cause of justice. We explore his tireless impact on poverty and civil rights law, his groundbreaking role in prison reform, and the lessons he learned along the way. Gordon’s story carries echoes of Thurgood Marshall’s legacy, and his story of meeting his hero is one you certainly won't want to miss. This conversation offers a rare glimpse into the heart of a lawyer whose life’s work demonstrates how the law can be harnessed to serve the least among us, and how advocacy, tempered by humility, can leave a legacy that endures. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share with a friend! If you’d like to learn more about me or this week’s guest, please visit the links below: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-prim-91638b24b/] https://www.tnjustice.org/team-1/gordon-bonnyman [https://www.tnjustice.org/team-1/gordon-bonnyman] https://www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/9780826505101/everyday-justice/ [https://www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/9780826505101/everyday-justice/]