Herbert H. Slatery III was sworn in as Attorney General and Reporter for the State of Tennessee on October 1, 2014. He was appointed by the Supreme Court to serve an eight-year term.
As the chief legal officer of the state, General Slatery represents state officers and agencies through his staff of approximately 340 employees working in five offices across Tennessee.
General Slatery also has the authority to investigate and prosecute civil actions for environmental enforcement, antitrust violations, Medicaid fraud, and consumer fraud. He is solely responsible for criminal appellate cases.
Under his direction, the Tennessee Attorney General’s office is leading a nation-wide investigation into opioids manufacturers and distributors as well as filing suit against Purdue Pharma in Tennessee for the unlawful marketing and selling of opioids.
As Attorney General, he has also successfully defended the laws of the State in cases of federal encroachment including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the United States Rule and a challenge to the way Tennessee counts votes in the controversial Amendment 1 case.
In addition to his duties as Attorney General, Slatery also serves the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) as Co-Chair of the Charities Committee and Co-Chair of the Finance Committee.
He has also served as chair of the Southern Region of Attorneys General, which stretches from Texas to Virginia.
Prior to his appointment as Attorney General and Reporter, General Slatery served as Counsel to Governor Bill Haslam from 2011-2014. In that role, he also advised on judicial appointments, coordinated the legal affairs of the executive branch, assisted in the development and implementation of legislation, and reviewed requests for executive clemency and extradition.
Before joining the Haslam Administration, General Slatery was in private practice in Knoxville, Tennessee with Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis, P.C. for whom he served as President from 1998-2007, and Chairman from 2008 to January 2011. He practiced in the areas of finance (both private and local government), corporate governance, capital formation, real estate, and acquisitions and sales of businesses.
General Slatery is a Knoxville native. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and law degree from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife, Cary, have two children, Frances and Harrison, and in October of 2014 welcomed their first grandchild, Carter Elizabeth Slatery, into the family.
Five attorneys general join host Ron Flagg for a powerful conversation about civil justice initiatives.
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