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From the
Publisher
By far the best fortune cookie I ever opened read, “You should have been a lawyer.” This has been a recurring
theme throughout my adult life. Many people agree with this clairvoyant confectionary’s sentiment—and maybe that’s why I enjoy creating the Cityview Top Attorneys issue each year. Really, though—I think being a publisher
is more fun. I just enjoy hearing the attorneys’ stories from the sidelines.
Last year, Cityview had the tremendous opportunity to highlight three of Tennessee’s Supreme Court Justices on the cover [July/August 2014] as we broke the story about Ten- nessee Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey’s plot to subvert the justices’ confirmation bids [“Justice Is Not for Sale”]. In addition, telling Chief Justice Gary Wade’s story about the Friends of the Smokies’ creation [“Friends at the Top”] gave me the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with a great man. The more I have come to know Gary, the more impressed I am by his consistently high ethical standards. Even when we were on location last year—busy with our photoshoot—he took time to allow a young hiker to interview him to qualify for a Boy Scout merit badge.
So, as you can imagine, I was thrilled when Gary agreed to share his views on our court system for our readers this year. “Justice for All,” beginning on page 124, gives great insight into the issue of open courts and access for all.
This year also brought the appointment of a new attorney general, Herbert Slatery III, and it seemed fitting to invite him to share his viewpoint as one of Tennessee’s top attorneys.
Attorney Bruce Fox graciously agreed to conduct the interview, as part of our “Conversations” series [page 50]. The result is a good look into the part of our state government responsible for defining all legal matters.
In June, the Tennessee Asso- ciation for Justice recognized another notable attorney with
a lifetime achievement award: my friend Sidney Gilreath. He is an accomplished attorney who upholds civil justice and makes
a difference in the lives of Tennesseans. I couldn’t agree more with the Tennessee Association for Justice—Sid is an outstand- ing attorney! This prestigious award has only been granted to three others, including JD Lee, another Knoxvillian. This is a testament to the phenomenal legal talent we have in Knoxville.
And, in the Smokies, it’s refreshing to see our new Great Smoky Mountains National Park superintendent Cassius Cash encouraging young people to become more involved with the park. This entails the creation of new projects, coupled with
a fresh vision on the participation of volunteer organizations, such as Friends of the Smokies. You can read about Cash’s vision in “Paying it Forward,” beginning on page 118.
Just down the road from the park, we talked to Gatlinburg city manager Cindy Ogle about the trials and triumphs of the city [“Constrained by Beauty: How Cindy Ogle Manages to Grow the ‘Gateway to the Smokies’,” page 114.] We also spoke with Sevier County natives Martha Whaley, Robert Tino, Kim DeLozier, Ruth Miller, Kenny Maples, and Ted Miller [“Smoky Mountain Treasures,” page 94]. These locals shared their stories and suggestions—and with their help, you can plan the perfect summer trip to the Smokies!
Nathan Sparks
Publisher
30 CITYVIEWMAG.COM JULY AUGUST 2015