Rule 31 Mediator
Dan Berexa served as the firm’s Managing Partner for eight years and is currently a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. The focus of his practice is civil litigation, dispute avoidance and alternative dispute resolution in the areas of tort and personal injury law, product liability, professional liability, insurance law, and business law. He represents plaintiffs and defendants and is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Tennessee. He is also a Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator.
Over the years, Dan has handled a broad range of matters from catastrophic accidents to complex business disputes. He maintains an active practice representing manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of various products, including automobiles, heavy equipment, consumer goods and food products. His practice includes the defense of professionals and he is often called upon to give guidance regarding insurance coverage and litigates insurance coverage disputes. He has been named to Mid-South Super Lawyers® and The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of personal injury litigation and his trial experience includes obtaining a 7.8 million dollar verdict in a Madison County wrongful death case arising from the death of a Tennessee Highway patrolman. In a recent case, his clients were awarded a judgment in excess of $300,000 against two contractors for the faulty construction of two homes.
Dan received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he graduated cum laude and was a member of the Tennessee Law Review. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, where he was a Distinguished Military Student and member of the Scabbard & Blade Military Honor Society. Before joining the firm in 1992, he served overseas in the Persian Gulf War as a Military Police Officer, where he was attached to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
More Information
Bar Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Tennessee
- U.S. District Court Western District of Tennessee
- Tennessee Supreme Court
Representative Cases
- Gummo v. Ward, 57 F. Supp 3d 871 (M.D. Tenn. 2014)
- Davis v. McGuigan, 325 S.W. 3d 149 (Tenn. 2010)
- Watts v. Mercedes-Benz USA, 254 S.W.3d 422 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2007)
Honors & Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America® 2011-2020
- Mid-South Super Lawyers® 2011-2019
- National Association of Distinguished Counsel-Nation’s Top One Percent
- Best of the Bar, The Nashville Business Journal, 2009, 2017, 2018
- Fellow, American Bar Association
- Fellow, Tennessee Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Tennessee Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division
- Fellow, Nashville Bar Foundation, 2010
- Graduate, Tennessee Bar Association, Leadership Law Class of 2006
Professional Associations & Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Barrister, Harry Phillips American Inn of Court (2009-2013)
- Defense Research Institute (DRI)
- International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
- Nashville Bar Association
- Second Vice President Elect (2020)
- Board of Directors (2018-2022)
- Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum, Co-Chair, 2016-2018
- Chancery and Circuit Court Committee
- Nashville School of Law, Professor, Civil Trial Practice (2011-Present)
- National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI)
- Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Board of Governors, (District 5 Governor 2011-2016)
- Executive Committee, Board of Governors (2013-2016)
- TBA Programs Committee Chair, (2013-2016)
- TBA Special Committee on Evolving Legal Markets (2016-2018)
- Graduate, Leadership Law Class of 2006
- Steering Committee, Leadership Law Class of 2007
- Law Office Technology & Management Section Chair, 2006-2008 & Executive Council Member 2008-2010
- Member: Dispute Resolution Section, Construction Law Section, and Law Office Technology and Management Section
- Volunteer TBA Lawyer Mentoring Program
- Tennessee Assoc. of Professional Mediators
- Williamson County Bar Association
Publications
- Best Practices for Using Depositions at Trial, 52 Tenn. Bar Journal 3, March 2016.
Civic & Community Activities
- American Legion
- Board of Directors, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Service (TALS)
- Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, former Campaign for Equal Justice, Large Firm Co-Chair
- Nashville Bar Association, Pro Bono Program
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Youth Soccer Coach
Past Employment Positions
United States Army Reserve, Captain, Military Police, 1985 – 2000
Fraternities
- Delta Chi
- Scabbard & Blade Military Honor Society
Rule 31 Mediator