Alumna to serve as deputy director of TN Administrative Office of Courts

University of Tennessee College of Law alumna Michelle J. Long (’94) has been appointed the deputy director of the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. 

Long has served as the assistant commissioner of the division of Health Licensure and Regulation for the Tennessee Department of Health since 2012.

“Michelle has a stellar history of public service in Tennessee, and the Court is thrilled to bring her talents to the AOC,” Chief Justice Jeff Bivins said. “The AOC’s mission is constantly evolving, and Michelle brings the perfect mix of legal skills, policy expertise, and management talents to the judicial branch.”

Long joins Director Deborah Taylor Tate, a 1980 College of Law alumna, at the helm of the Administrative Office of the Courts. The office operates and supports the state court system with more than 700 employees and a $160 million annual budget.

Long has been a licensed attorney in Tennessee for almost 25 years. At the Department of Health, she provided executive leadership in all aspects of licensure, discipline, and regulation of over 350,000 health professionals and health care professionals in the state.

Long also served as senior vice president and general counsel for the Tennessee Hospital Association, the executive director of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and as legal counsel to former Governor Don Sundquist.

“Michelle and I worked together previously for Governor Sundquist, and I am thrilled to reconnect,” Tate said. “Her addition to the AOC will allow us to further modernize the court system and provide innovative solutions to criminal justice reform efforts, civil legal reforms, and the opioid epidemic, as well as how we educate the judiciary and communicate with the bar and the general public.”