Laura Baker

Laura Baker is a Shareholder at the Law Offices of John Day where she has practiced law for 18 years representing clients in personal injury, wrongful death, and tort litigation across the state. She has successfully represented clients in hundreds of injury cases including motor vehicle, wrongful death, and slip and fall accidents, as well as medical negligence and products liability cases.

Laura's reputation and experience have earned her a number of awards and accolades. She has been named by The Best Lawyers in America as a top attorney in Personal Injury Litigation for Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law for Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation for Plaintiffs. She has been selected as one of the “Best of the Bar” by the Nashville Business Journal nine times, most recently in 2024. She has been named a Mid-South Super Lawyer in Personal Injury every year since 2013. Laura has also been recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in the Mid-South by Super Lawyers, one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Tennessee, and one of the Top 50 Nashville Super Lawyers. Laura has earned the AV® Preeminent™ ranking from Martindale-Hubbell through its peer-review system, which indicates a ranking at the highest level of professional excellence.

Laura has also been recognized by the Nashville legal and business community for her professional and community contributions. Laura was named one of the Nashville Business Journal’s 2021 Women of Influence for her contributions to the Nashville community. She has received the "Rising Star Award" from the Lawyers' Association for Women. She has been recognized as an Athena Young Professional Award Nominee two times. In 2015, at the age of 34, Laura was recognized by the Nashville Business Journal as one of Nashville’s “40 Under 40.” Laura has been recognized since 2019 as an Attorney for Justice by the Tennessee Supreme Court for her pro bono work in our legal community. Laura served as Chair of the 2021 Campaign for Equal Justice by the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. Under her leadership, the campaign brought an unprecedented $1 million in contributions to ensure free, civil legal services to low-income and vulnerable people in our community.

Laura is a leader in the legal community. Laura is a Past President of the Nashville Bar Association, the largest metropolitan bar association in the state of Tennessee. Laura served on the Board of Directors for the NBA since she was first elected in 2016 through her presidency in 2020, and as Immediate Past President in 2021. Laura was awarded the NBA President’s Award in 2017 for her work in establishing the Friday Fundamentals program, a 13-week program for new lawyers designed to bridge the gap from law school to law practice. She served as Chair of the program in 2017 and 2018. In 2014, Laura was selected as one of 28 inaugural members of the Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum. She also served on the Steering Committee for the Leadership Forum from 2015 through 2019, including serving as Co-chair of the Steering Committee for the 2018-2019 program year. Laura was inducted as a Fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation in 2015. Laura previously served the NBA as co-chair of the Chancery and Circuit Courts Committee.

Laura served as the President of the Lawyers’ Association for Women from 2014-2015. She also has served this organization in other leadership roles, including as Treasurer from 2012-2013 and as a member of the planning committee for the Marion Griffin Women’s Symposium. Most recently, in 2022-2023, Laura was an inaugural co-chair of the Oral History committee, which produced and unveiled the first video installment of A History of LAW Members: The Pioneers and Their Legacy.

Laura is a Master of the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court. She previously was an Associate Member of the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court from 2011 to 2013. She was again selected for this organization as a Barrister from 2014 to 2018, and she served on the Executive Committee for the Inn from 2017-2018.

Laura is a member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, the Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women, and the Nashville, Tennessee, and American Bar Associations. In 2013, Laura was selected to the Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law class, an honor reserved for approximately 30 lawyers across the state each year.

Laura is a native Nashvillian. She attended St. Henry School and Father Ryan High School. Laura completed her undergraduate studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, and earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence at the University of Tennessee in 2006 where she concentrated on Advocacy and Dispute Resolution. During law school, she was selected as a member of the National Trial Team and she was a member of the Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy. She also won the Ray H. Jenkins intramural mock trial competition. After completion of her law degree, Laura was awarded the Award of Excellence in Trial Advocacy by the Tennessee Attorney General in 2006.

Laura is married to J.T. Baker, who is a Senior Business Intelligence Analyst for Vanderbilt University Medical Center. They live in Nashville with their two children and their Labrador retriever, Knox.

University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., Concentration in Advocacy and Dispute Resolution

• Editorial Staff, Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy, 2005-2006
• National Trial Team, Member, 2004-2005
• First Place Team, Ray H. Jenkins Intramural Trial Competition, 2006
• Moot Court Board, 2004-2006
• Tennessee Attorney General Award of Excellence in Trial Advocacy, 2006
• Hamilton Burnett American Inn of Court, Student Member, 2005-2006

Rhodes College, B.A., Political Science

• Pi Sigma Alpha
• Order of Omega
• Intercollegiate All-American Attorney, American Mock Trial Association National Championship, 2002

• Car Insurance Basics for the Non-Injury Law Practitioner, Legal Summitt, May 2018
• Handling Difficult Conversations with Clients, Legal Summit, November 2017

• How to Level Up with Effective Case Management, Middle Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women, July 2019
• Personal Injury Law, Nashville Bar, Friday Fundamental Program, January 2019
• Rule 12 Motions and the Proper Pleading of Affirmative Defenses, Tennessee Attorneys Memo, Tort Law Conference, September 2018
• #MeToo, How the Social Movement is Impacting the Law, Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville, TN, June 2018
• CLE Presenter, Fundamentals of Civil Litigation Seminar, Nashville, TN, April 2018
• Client Communication and Case Management
• Making the Most of Case Management
• Advanced Discovery Practice – Party and Fact Deposition Tactics
• Rules to Know
• Drafting Pleadings
• Personal Injury Law, Nashville Bar, Friday Fundamentals Program, February 2018
  
• Just Enough to Be Dangerous: Practice Legal Tips for Your Family and Friends, Personal Injury Law, Lawyers’ Association for Women, September 19, 2017
• Mastering the Deposition: Critical Skills and More, Overview of Applicable TRCP and FRCP Rules, Tennessee Bar Association, April 6, 2017
• Personal Injury 101, Friday Fundamentals, Nashville Bar Association, March 2017
• Deconstructing Dedmon, Nashville Bar Association, December 2016
• Deconstructing Dedmon, Tennessee Attorneys Memo, Live Webinar, December 14, 2016.
• Post-Trial Issues and Preserving Issues for Appeal, Nashville Bar Association, December 2016.
• Sophisticated Deposition Strategies, Tennessee Attorneys Memo, Tort Law Conference, September 2015
• Maximizing Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Tennessee from the Plaintiff’s Perspective, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Live Webinar, July 2015
• Women and the Media: Overcoming Misrepresentation with Effective Communication, moderator, Lawyers’ Association for Women annual free member CLE, December 2014
• Auto and Trucking Update, Tennessee Association for Justice, Annual Review, December 2014
• Legal Realities, Harpeth Hall School and Montgomery Bell Academy, November 5, 2014
• 15 Deposition Rules to Remember, Tennessee Bar Association, Mastering the Deposition: Critical Skills and More, April 10, 2014
• What You May Not Know You Need to Know About Car Insurance, LAW Matters, March 2014
• Theories of Liability in Automobile Wreck Cases, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Tort Law Conference, December 13, 2013
• Rule 12 Motions / Dealing with Bogus Affirmative Defenses, Tennessee Association for Justice, Annual Review, December 12, 2013
• Personal Injury Introduction, Tennessee Bar Association, General Practice Bootcamp, August 15, 2013
• Belli Program: Motions to Strike, Tennessee Association for Justice, June 13, 2013
• Speed Mentoring, panelist, Tennessee Bar Association, Diversity Leadership Institute, January 19, 2013
• Liquor Liability Claims in Tennessee: Who is Responsible When Alcohol is Involved, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Tort Law Conference, December 14, 2012
• Personal Injury Cases in Tennessee: Subrogation, Reimbursement, and Liens for Medical Benefits, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Live Audio Conference, November 15, 2012
• Medical Proof Requirements in Personal Injury Cases, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Live Audio Conference, August 22, 2012
• Liquor Liability Claims in Tennessee: Who Can Be Left Holding the Bag?, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Live Audio Conference, October 18, 2011
• Workers' Compensation Law, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1995 Annual Steward Conference, September 2011
• More Insurance in Auto Accident Cases in Tennessee: Exploring All Possibilities, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Live Audio Conference, June 14, 2011
• Personal Injury Cases - What Role Can the Legal Nurse Consultant Play?, Tennessee Chapter of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, March 12, 2011
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Claims: How to Serve Your Clients More Effectively, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Live Audio Conference, September 16, 2010
• Settlements on Behalf of Minors: Protecting Your Clients and Yourself, Tennessee Attorneys Memo Live Audio Conference, July 21, 2010
• Locality Rule: Recent Case Law Update, Tennessee Medical Malpractice Conference, May 21, 2010
• Dram Shop Laws, “Let’s Talk Law” with Steve Oberman, aired on WNOX-FM 100.3 News Talk 100, November 1, 2009
• Litigation Skills for Legal Staff, Lorman Education Services, 2008

• Nashville Bar Association, 2006-Present
  • President-elect, December 2018-present
  • Board of Directors, 2016-Present
  • Chairperson, Steering Committee, Friday Fundamentals, 2016-2018
  • Co-chair, Chancery and Circuit Courts Committee, 2016
• Lawyers’ Association for Women, Marion Griffin Chapter, 2006-Present
  • President, 2014-2015
  • President-Elect, 2013-2014
  • Treasurer, 2012-2013
  • Board of Directors, Newsletter Editor, 2010-2012
  • Co-chair, Programs Committee, 2009-2010, 2017-2019
  • Co-chair, Mentoring Committee, 2008-2009
  • Marion Griffin Women’s Symposium, Steering Committee and Champions’ Liaison, 2016-2017; Steering Committee and Programs Chair, 2017-2019.
• Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum
  • Leadership Forum Steering Committee, 2015-Present
  • Leadership Forum Steering Committee Co-Chair, 2018-2019
  • Leadership Forum, member of inaugural class, 2014-2015
• Harry Phillips American Inn of Court
  • Executive Committee, 2017-2018
  • Barrister, 2014 to 2018
  • Associate, 2011 to 2013
• John Marshall American Inn of Court, Associate, 2013-2014
• Nashville Bar Foundation, Fellow, 2015-Present
• American Bar Association, 2006-Present
• Tennessee Bar Association, 2006-Present
  • Leadership Law Class, 2013
• Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, 2006-Present
• American Association for Justice, 2006-Present
• Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women, 2014-Present
  • Chair, Legislation Committee, 2015-2016

• Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury Litigation, 2018
• President's Award, Nashville Bar Association, December 2017
• Rising Star Award, Lawyers' Association for Women, 2016
• Athena Young Professional Award nominee, 2016
• 40 Under 40, Nashville Business Journal, 2015
• Best of the Bar, Nashville Business Journal, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Mid-South Super Lawyers
  • Super Lawyer, Personal Injury-Plaintiff, 2013-2018
  • Top 100 Lawyers in Tennessee, 2018
  • Top 50 Women Lawyers in the Mid-South, 2015, 2018
  • Rising Star, 2012
• AV® Preeminent™ ranking from Martindale-Hubbell, 2013-Present