Laura Brown
Laura Brown brings more than 17 years of legal experience to TALS. She most recently worked as the Senior Deputy Director of Client Services for the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. Her duties included the overall management and direction of client services at Legal Aid Society, including the implementation of strategic planning and regionalization; administration of grant programs; investigation and resolution of client complaints and grievances; contract compliance; and program development, implementation and evaluation.
Previously, Brown served was general counsel at the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability, where she worked on advocacy issues for seniors and vulnerable adults and was also involved in the investigation and resolution of complaints, legislative support and strategic planning. She also previously was an insurance defense attorney for Robinson, Smith and Wells in Chattanooga, TN, general counsel for Goodwill Industries – Knoxville, Inc. and, as an adjunct professor at Volunteer State Community College.
Brown received her juris doctorate from University of Tennessee College of Law with a concentration in business and transactional law and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in learning and leadership (public policy) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She also holds a Master of Arts in civic leadership from Lipscomb University and a Bachelor of Science in English education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Among her many professional accomplishments, Brown wrote and received the Model Approaches to Statewide Legal Assistance Systems grant from the Administration on Community Living, which funded the design and implementation of the first statewide, free senior legal helpline in Tennessee. She also oversaw and implemented the Title IIIB Legal Assistance Program, which provides free legal assistance to Tennesseans over 60 years old.
Laura Brown completed the State of Tennessee Government Executive Institute Leadership Academy and the State of Tennessee Boards and Commissions Leadership Academy.