Larry Bridgesmith serves as Adjunct Professor of Law and Coordinator of the Program on Law & Innovation at Vanderbilt University School of Law, where he teaches courses in mediation, conflict management, and legal project management. He holds a Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Wayne State University Law School (1978), where he received high honors, Dean’s List recognition, and the American Jurisprudence Award. He also earned a Bachelor’s degree in English magna cum laude from Oakland University (1972) and completed master’s degree work in English there as a University Scholar and Graduate Assistant. Additional certifications include a Six Sigma Green Belt from Villanova University (2011) and a Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Ethics from the Alden March Bioethics Institute at Albany Medical Center (2010). Bridgesmith began his professional career in production management at General Motors Truck and Coach Division (1968-1975), followed by service as a judicial law clerk at Oakland County Probate Court (1975-1978). He practiced as an associate attorney at Cox & Hooth, P.C. (1978-1980), focusing on labor and employment matters, grievance arbitration, litigation, and employee relations.

From 1980 to 2000, Bridgesmith was Managing Member at Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLC, managing the Nashville office from 1986 and serving on the firm’s Executive Committee. He later held positions as Member and Of Counsel at Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, PLLC (2000-2009), Of Counsel at Miller & Martin, LLP (2009-2012) and Bone McAllester Norton PLLC (2012-2015), with responsibilities in labor and employment practice, alternative dispute resolution, client representation, and business development. In 2006-2013, he founded and served as Executive Director, Senior Fellow, and Associate Professor at the Institute for Conflict Management at Lipscomb University, developing a master’s degree program in conflict management. Since 2010, he has been Adjunct Professor of Business at Belmont University Massey Graduate School of Business and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Albany College of Medicine’s Alden March Bioethics Institute. Currently, he is Chief Executive Officer of Legal Alignment LLC (2015-present), applying legal technology and Lean methodologies, and Chief Academic Strategist at ODEM.io (2018-present). Bridgesmith has received numerous honors, including Chambers USA recognition since 2004, America’s Best Lawyers since 2006, Super Lawyers since 2005, the Tennessee Bar Association President’s Award (2017), and fellowships in the Nashville Bar Foundation, Tennessee Bar Foundation, and American Bar Foundation. Key publications include “Representing the Title VII Class Action” in the Wayne Law Review (1978), “Summer of Union Discontent” in the Health Law Journal (2006), and columns in the Tennessee Medical Journal (2009-present). He has served as Co-Chair of the ABA Dispute Resolution in Healthcare Committee and the ABA International Committee Multi-disciplinary ADR Task Force, Commissioner on the Tennessee Supreme Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission, and on various strategic planning and access to justice committees. Bridgesmith has delivered presentations on conflict management, legal project management, employment law, and ADR at conferences and coached a Vanderbilt team to fourth place in the International Chamber of Commerce Mediation Competition (2013).

Professional Email: larry.bridgesmith@law.vanderbilt.edu