Waller Awards Diversity Scholarship to UT College of Law Student

NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwire - Aug 29, 2012) -  Waller, Nashville's oldest and largest law firm, today announced Natalie Greene is the recipient of its Diversity Endowed Scholarship at the University of Tennessee (UT), Knoxville College of Law. Established in 2011 with a $100,000 endowment from Waller, the scholarship is awarded annually to a student at UT Law whose life has been guided by the examples of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

"Throughout her life, Natalie has shown a deep commitment to protecting and defending others," said Doug Blaze, dean of the UT College of Law. "Plus, she has a passion for law that every good attorney must possess. We're proud to have a student like Natalie who is fitting of this honor. We cherish this partnership with Waller, a firm that continues to lead by example when it comes to diversity in the legal profession."

Greene, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, earned her bachelor's degree in communications from UT in 2006. After graduating, she held several marketing and sales positions throughout Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. She begins classes at UT College of Law on August 22, 2012.

The program was created by Waller's Diversity Committee, which is led by John Tishler, chairman of Waller, and includes other community leaders like John Seigenthaler and Agenia Clark, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. This committee reviews all candidates and selects the recipient of scholarship. 

"With her belief in helping others and her passion for the legal profession, Natalie embodies what the Waller law firm's Diversity Endowed Scholarship is all about," said Seigenthaler. "Our community is better off because of initiatives like this."

The scholarship considers students' ethnic and cultural backgrounds, career goals, social and economic disadvantages, age, race and gender. It will be officially presented to Greene at the annual King luncheon for incoming UT College of Law students on January 21, 2013. Greene will receive $5,000 for the Fall semester, a scholarship that is renewable each semester for the three years she attends law school. In 2011, UT Law student Meesha Kaw was the first recipient of the scholarship. 

"We are excited to award the scholarship for the second straight year," said John Tishler, chairman of Waller Lansden and UT Law alumnus. "The recruitment and retention of women and minority attorneys is a priority for our firm. We're excited to help Natalie as she begins to make her mark on the legal profession."

About Waller
Waller is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee with offices in Birmingham, Alabama and Austin, Texas. With approximately 200 attorneys, Waller helps clients navigate a diverse range of complex transactional, regulatory and litigation issues across myriad industries. Waller is Nashville's oldest and largest law firm. Founded in 1905, Waller has client relationships spanning decades because time and again, clients come for the lawyer and stay for the firm. For more information, please visit www.wallerlaw.com.