Sharon G. Lee was appointed to the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2008 and retained by the voters in 2010 and 2014. She served as Chief Justice from 2014 to 2016.

During her tenure as Chief Justice, she promoted access to justice, establishment of the state’s first Business Court pilot project, implementation of electronic filing, a review of the state’s indigent representation system, and a docket clean-up initiative.

From 2004 to 2008, she served on the Tennessee Court of Appeals, being the first woman to serve on the Eastern Section of the Court in its 79-year history.

Justice Lee practiced law in her hometown of Madisonville from 1978 until her appointment to the bench in 2004. In addition to representing business entities and individuals in civil and criminal matters, she was the attorney for Monroe County, the City of Madisonville, and the City of Vonore.

She also served as the Madisonville municipal judge. Justice Lee was a Rule 31 listed family mediator with advanced family domestic violence training. She is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice Lee graduated from the Webb School of Knoxville, attended Vanderbilt University, and received a degree in Business Administration with high honors from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. 

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A committee of students, faculty and staff annually select the featured commencement speaker for the College of Law hooding ceremony held each spring semester.