Alumni Spotlight Featuring: James Miller

By Trinity Sandifer | May 14, 2024

Spotlight Feature: James Miller

Graduation Year: 2022

Tennessee Law Review Position: Editor-in-Chief

Meet James Miller, a talented lawyer and law clerk who is passionate about contributing to his community. James served as Editor-in-Chief of the Tennessee Law Review (TLR) from 2021 to 2022 and has since worked as a law clerk for the federal courts. He has valuable experience clerking for the Honorable J. Daniel Breen, U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Tennessee, and the Honorable Ron L. Gilman, Senior U.S. Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. These experiences have allowed him to hone his legal research and writing skills.

James held the same job title in both the District Court and the Court of Appeals, but his work was significantly different. In the District Court, he handled a wider range of tasks, such as drafting dispositive orders and minor orders in both civil and criminal cases and researching various legal issues. He also had the opportunity to observe lawyers in court on a daily basis. James noted that working for a District Court mimics the kind of practice that a young lawyer can expect to have soon after graduating, and it offers an excellent opportunity to work on a wide range of interesting and significant issues early on, which may not be available while working at a law firm.

In contrast, James has spent his time working for the Sixth Circuit conducting legal research and drafting opinions, much like the job of a law student taking a legal writing course. By the end of his clerkship, he will have served on seven panels, with cases distributed to three-judge panels. In his present position, James writes about one opinion, dissent, or concurrence each month, reviews motions referred to Sixth Circuit staff attorneys, and sometimes works on motions filed in appellate cases.

James’ experience on Tennessee Law Review has been incredibly valuable for his current role. As an Editor-in-Chief, he read and edited numerous articles while ensuring they complied with Bluebook style guidelines and the standards of the Tennessee Law Review. This experience helped him develop his writing skills, enabling him to write with precision, brevity, and clarity. The Bluebook skills he learned are essential to him, even now, whether he is citing sources, using ellipses, or writing explanatory parentheses.

James was asked to provide any advice he may have for members of the Tennessee Law Review. He shared that being a part of the TLR team requires a significant amount of time and effort, which can be challenging to balance with academic work. However, developing efficient writing skills is crucial and involves not only managing time effectively but also discerning what is necessary and what can be excluded from written work. He noted that despite the hard work, being a part of the Tennessee Law Review team offers significant benefits. Employers value the skills learned on law review, and the vast network of TLR alumni can provide valuable connections. Additionally, for those interested in clerking, being part of a law review team is crucial.

After completing his clerkship, he and his wife are excited to finally go on their long-awaited honeymoon to Croatia. They are both looking forward to indulging in truffles, savoring Istrian wine, and unwinding on the beautiful Adriatic coast. Following their trip, he plans to return to his hometown of Nashville and work as an associate at Bass, Berry & Sims PLC. In his spare time, he plans to improve his culinary skills with the All Clad cookware his wife gifted him for his birthday and begin his journey in learning to play the jazz saxophone.

James is passionate about being actively involved in civic and professional activities as a lawyer in Nashville. He has a deep care for the city and looks forward to giving back through his service on boards and commissions or representing future clients. Having graduated from UT, he is proud of his alma mater and hopes to support fellow graduates in any way possible.