Thornton Named Managing Partner of Adams and Reese
April 22, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – The law firm of Adams and Reese announced that governmental relations and legislative counsel, Guilford F. “Gif” Thornton, Jr., a partner in the firm’s Nashville office, has been elected Managing Partner.
Thornton, who has previously served as Chairman of the firm’s Executive Committee and held numerous management roles, joined the firm in 2005 when then Nashville’s Stokes Bartholomew merged with larger regional firm, Adams and Reese.
Thornton succeeds Charles P. Adams, Jr., who held the role of managing partner since 2001 until his term ended recently. Adams led the 300 lawyer firm through a volatile period in the economy and the legal industry, through natural catastrophes like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as the firm’s successful expansion into Birmingham, Alabama, three offices in Tennessee, five offices in Florida, and the firm’s newest office in Columbia, South Carolina.
Thornton said he wants to maintain Adams’ focus on exceeding client expectations, strategic growth, and profitability. Adams, who will continue to serve the firm overseeing several strategic initiatives, was instrumental in the selection of Thornton as his successor.
Adams, said of Thornton, “Gif and I have been working on this transition for more than a year, and he is definitely well prepared to lead the firm into the future. He has been involved as a key member of the firm’s leadership since he joined us, and we are fortunate to have someone with his vision, talent, and commitment,” said Adams.
“Gif brings tremendous national, regional, and local experience having served significant clients across a broad range of industries and sectors,” said B. Jeffrey “Jeff” Brooks, firm Chairman. “His perspectives will help further energize our future growth and success.”
Brooks continues, “Gif is one of the most effective and respected lawyers in the state of Tennessee, and his is a prominent voice in the governmental relations arena and within the business and philanthropic communities.
Well-known in political circles, Thornton serves as legislative counsel to a number of businesses, trade associations and governmental entities with interests before Tennessee state government. In addition, he represents clients before regulatory boards and administrative agencies of local, state and federal government. He has extensive experience in the areas of education, energy, health care, insurance, technology, transportation and utilities.
He serves on the Board of the Metropolitan Development Housing Agency, as well as the Board of the Tennessee Business Roundtable. He is a Fellow of the Tennessee and Nashville Bar Foundations and is former Board President of the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee. Thornton currently serves on the board of The Hermitage, and has served on the Board of Trustees of Vanderbilt University.
Thornton has received numerous honors and recognitions throughout his distinguished career to date, including most recently: “Lawyer of the Year” in Government Relations by Best Lawyers® in 2014; Pro Bono “Attorney for Justice” by the Tennessee Supreme Court; Best of the Bar by the Nashville Business Journal; “In Charge” by the Nashville Post; and Best Lawyers® in Tennessee by Business TN.
Adams and Reese is a multidisciplinary law firm with attorneys and advisors strategically located in 16 offices in 15 markets throughout the southern United States and Washington, D.C. American Lawyer includes Adams and Reese on its distinguished list of the nation’s top law firms – “The Am Law 200”. The National Law Journal also includes the firm on the “NLJ 350” list of the nation’s largest law firms.
