Taurus Bailey

Taurus M. Bailey

44 North Second Street, Suite 502 Memphis, TN 38103

(901) 481-8700

(901) 481-8700

(901) 575-8705

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Education

J.D., Nashville School of Law, Nashville, TN (2002)
B.A., University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (1991-1995)
Major: Political Science (concentration in International Affairs)
Overton High School for Performing Arts (1991) (Diploma in Music Performance and Theory)
Memphis Catholic High School (1987-1990)

Employment History

Bailey & Bailey Law Firm, PLLC – Memphis, TN (Partner – 2016 to Present) Personal injury litigation; federal criminal litigation mostly under Criminal Justice Act Panel

City of Memphis Division of Legal Affairs – Memphis, TN Mayoral appointee – “Part Time Staff Attorney” (2016 to Present) Municipal tort defense and litigation

T. Bailey Law Office – Memphis, TN (Solo legal practitioner – 2010 to 2016) Federal and state criminal defense; family law; general tort litigation

Shelby County Public Defender – Memphis, TN Part-Time Assistant Public Defender (2005 to 2016) Trial level criminal defense

State of Tennessee Attorney General – Nashville, TN (2001 to 2002) Discovery coordinator: Bridgestone/Firestone & Ford Motor for national state Attorneys General

Professional Memberships

• National Trial Lawyers – Member – Top 100 (2023)
• Standing Local Rules Committee for the Western District of Tennessee – (2024 to present)
• TN Board of Professional Responsibility – Committee Member – (2023 to present)
• Memphis Bar Association (2005 to present) – Tech Division Chairman (2020 to 2023); Board of Directors (2021 – 2023)
• Federal Bar Association Memphis Chapter – Board of Directors (2023 to present)
• St. Agnes Academy / St. Dominic School – Board of Trustees (2022 to present) – Chair of Trustee and Governance Committee
• Leo Bearman, Sr. Inn of Court (2019 to present) – Mentorship Chairman (2021 to 2024)
• American Bar Association – Member – (2003 to present)
• Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Tennessee Bar Association – (2011 to present)
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (2010 to 2014)
• National Bar Association, Ben F. Jones Chapter – Historian (2011-2013)
• Mid-South Federal Bar Chapter and Federal Bar Association (2010 to present)
• National Cannabis Bar Association (2017 to present)
• St. Thomas More Catholic Lawyers Guild of West TN – Board of Directors (2014-2015; 2019); Vice President (2021-2022)
• Memphis Lawyer Magazine Articles Published –
  • Increase Efficiency With Tech: Memphis Lawyer Magazine (01-15-2015)
  • 21st Century Law Profession: How Video Conferencing Is Blowing The Dust From The Practice Of Law (03-05-2021)
• Nashville School of Law, Honor Council – Class Representative (2001-2002)
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Mock Trial – Competitor (2002)
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America, NSL Chapter – Vice President (2001-2002)
• Sigma Delta Kappa Law Fraternity – Beta Delta Chapter – Secretary (2000-2002)
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. – Life Member (1997); Community Service Chairman (1994)

Personal Accomplishments

• Bilingual in Spanish
• U.S. District Court: Western District of Tennessee – Magistrate Judge Candidate (2020)
• Co-Founder of 901(c)(3) Business Meets Chess & Kids (2018-2019)
• Executive Producer: Building Minds With Chess – Documentary at Cannes Film Festival – Diversity in Film – Short film category winner (2023); New Orleans Film Festival (2019)
• Building Minds With Chess – PART II – Short Film category winner (2024)
• Development Committee Member – St. Agnes Academy and St. Dominic School (2019 to 2022)
• Co-Organizer and General Counsel: Millionaire Chess (Las Vegas; Atlantic City) (2015-2017)
• Film Co-Producer: The Opera Game [re-edited for Prime Video] (2019)
• United States Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel Member – Western District of Tennessee (2018)
• Conducted over 20 CLE seminars on Law and Technology [General Litigation; Criminal Law and Family Law Practice] (2013 – present)
• Calvary Place Daycare Board of Directors – (2015 – 2017)
• Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court Division 7 – Judicial Candidate (2010)
• Advisory Board for City of Memphis Animal Services (2014 – 2016)
• Outstanding Legacy Award recipient – National Bar Association, Ben F. Jones Chapter (2007)
• Advisor – TN H.B. on Felons and Dangerous Animals for State Rep. G.A. Hardaway (D) (2010)
• Appointee – Shelby County, Tennessee Democratic Party Primary Board (2008)
• United States Judo Association – Legal Advisor / National Competitor (6 state gold medals)
• American Amateur Karate Association – Legal Advisor (2008 to 2010); National Instructor / Competitor (1997 to 2010)
• Vice Chairman, Board of Directors – Project Motion Modern Dance Company (2006 – 2007)
• African American Health Magazine – Columnist (2003-2004)
• University of Tennessee columnist of campus newspaper The Daily Beacon (1992)

Continuing Legal Education Seminars

• 09/20/2011: Show Me The Marketing: The Ethics, The Rules, The Pitch sponsored by National Bar Association Ben F. Jones Chapter
• 12/05/2013: Increasing Efficiency with Tech: In The Courtroom and Out sponsored by National Bar Association Ben F. Jones Chapter
• 10/04/2013: Technology, Evidence and Criminal Trial Practice – Memphis/Mid-South Chapter Of The Federal Bar Association Annual Seminar
• 03/25/2014: Technology, Evidence and Criminal Trial Practice – 201 Poplar Criminal Justice Center Presentation (Sponsor Unknown)
• 12/06/2015: Tech, Life and Law Practice (Sponsor Unknown)
• 12/08/2015: Enhancing Trial Skills With Technology In And Outside The Courtroom sponsored by National Bar Association Ben F. Jones Chapter
• 12/03/2017: Preparing Your Shelby County Divorce – Sponsored by The J. Anthony Bradley Law Firm
• 11/09/2018: Practical Aspects of Divorce Practice sponsored by The J. Anthony Bradley Law Firm
• 11/19/2020: Virtual Meeting Platforms – Presented by Taurus Bailey
• 11/19/2020: Legal Technology Panel: Tips and Tricks from the Bench and a Legal Investigator (Panel): Presenters: Judge Christopher Craft, Magistrate Judge Charmiane Claxton, Private Investigator Marc Caudel Moderator: Taurus Bailey. Sponsored by Memphis Bar Association
• 03/03/2021: The Alan Crone Law Firm Podcast sponsored by Alan Crone – “2 Generations from Walter to Taurus: Presenters: Alan Crone, Walter Bailey, Taurus Bailey
• 03/2021: 21st Century Update: The Virtual Court and Law Practice. Article for Memphis Bar Association Tech Division
• 04/08/2021: The Legal And Political Impact Of The Brothers Bailey. Judge D’Army Bailey and Commissioner Walter Bailey. Presenter: Taurus Bailey. Sponsored by Memphis Bar Association
• 11/09/2021: CLE entitled: The Complete Crypto Crash Course (3 Hours)
  • Part 1: Bailey on Blockchain to Bitcoin: Everything You Wanted to Know About Crypto but Were Afraid to Ask
  • Part 2: Crypto and the Courts: The Effect Of Blockchain In Legal Practice And Life
  • Part 3: Just Ask the Panelists! Panel Discussion with Millionaire Bitcoin Investor and Attorneys
• 03/30/2022: The Ethical Implications of Cybersecurity Attacks: Panel Discussion with 3 Tech Specialists in the Legal Industry (Criminal and Civil)
• 04/27/2023: NFT and Crypto Update: Hosted by the Mid-South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association in Jackson, Tennessee
• 06/21/2023: The Pitfalls And Misunderstandings Of Criminal Law: Hosted by the Memphis Paralegals Association
• 08/22/2023: AI. The Impact on Life, Challenges of Evidence and Authenticity: Hosted by the Memphis Bar Association, Technology Section
• 12/13/2023: Generational Lawyering Panel: Hosted by the Memphis Bar Association
• 12/15/2023: (Panel Host) The Legacy Of Jim Crow: The Evolution Of The Practice Of Law From The Lived Perspectives Of Legal Giants: Hosted by the Memphis Bar Association and Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association
• 12/19/2023: Generative AI – The New Law Associate? Hosted by the Memphis Bar Association, Technology Section

In 2024, among countless past awards, Walter Bailey was honored by the Memphis Bar Association with the “Judge Jerome Turner Lawyer’s Lawyer Award.”