Faculty Profile: Shawn Henry

Shawn concentrates his legal practice in the areas of land development, property rights, zoning and subdivision regulations, government relations, and litigation pertaining to these topics.  He works closely with government officials and often appears before regulatory boards, commissions, and legislative bodies. He occasionally lectures on state and local laws applicable to land use and development.

Prior to joining the firm in 2002, Shawn was the Assistant Director for Urban Development with Nashville's Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency responsible for administering the inner-city economic revitalization programs of the agency. Before MDHA, he was a city planner for the Metropolitan Planning Commission of Nashville/Davidson County responsible for reviewing applications for land development and making public recommendations to the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and the City Council.  With  more than 15 years of public sector experience, Shawn brings a unique perspective to the firm’s clients who find themselves navigating governmental procedures, rules and regulations.

• Nashville Bar Association, Nashville Bar Foundation Fellow, and Tennessee Bar Association
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• American Planning Association/American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
• Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association
• Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
• Nashville Downtown Partnership
• Economic Club of Nashville (ECON), past board member
• The DISTRICT, Inc., (past-chairman)
• Leadership Middle Tennessee (2013 class)
• Young Leaders Council (2001 class)

• Nashville School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence (1999)
• The Ohio State University, Master of City and Regional Planning (1990)
• East Tennessee State University, Bachelor of Science (1988)