Faculty Profile: Lawrence Ahern III

Lawrence R. (Larry) Ahern practiced bankruptcy, commercial and real estate law after his 1972 graduation from Vanderbilt and admission to the Tennessee bar, until 2013, when he limited his practice to consulting engagements by legal and financial professionals on legal issues involving bankruptcy, commercial and real estate law, expert testimony, teaching and speaking. He was trained and certified (2012-16) as a Rule 31 Mediator in Tennessee and has trained mediators for both the TBA and the American Bankruptcy Institute. He is certified as a Business Bankruptcy Specialist by the American Board of Certification (ABC). Mr. Ahern served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Vanderbilt 1998-2020, teaching Secured Transactions. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor of Law in St. John's Bankruptcy LL.M. Program (Bankruptcy Procedure) and Belmont College of Law (Secured Transactions) and was Visiting Professor at Cumberland School of Law (Secured Transactions and Banking). He is a Fellow of both the American College of Bankruptcy and the American College of Mortgage Attorneys. He chaired both the ABC and the Tennessee Commission on CLE & Specialization and continues to serve the ABC as Director Emeritus. He also served on the Advisory Board of the St. John's Bankruptcy LL.M. program. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 1989, in the categories of business reorganization, creditors' rights and bankruptcy litigation, and has been honored by various publications based on peer ratings as best of the bar" and similar honors. Brown & Ahern has been designated a "Tier 1 Lawfirm" by U.S. News since 2016. Mr. Ahern is currently a Director of the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors and his other professional affiliations include the American Bankruptcy Institute (former Director), the Mid-South Commercial Law Institute (former Director and President) and the TBA (former Chair, Bankruptcy Section). He is author or co-author of numerous books and articles on bankruptcy and commercial law and related fields and is a frequent speaker.