After a long and arduous selection process, William Conway Koch, Jr. was chosen to be a Justice of The Supreme Court of Tennessee. To his surprise, Justice Koch was roasted by other Inn members at its meeting in June before the start of the scheduled program, "Video Depositions."
Before his fellow Inn members would allow him to be sworn in as a member of the Tennessee Supreme Court he was asked a series of questions: (1) May we still call you Bill?; (2) Will you continue to bring the projector to the Inn meetings each month?; (3) Can we keep your legal assistant?; (4) Will you promise not to wear that long white curly wig that you wore during one of our Inn meetings?; (5) Will you continue to give our Inn the love, attention, and dedication that you have provided while a member of the Court of Appeals?
Prior to this appointment, Justice Koch was the presiding Judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals for the Middle District of Tennessee. In addition, Justice Koch has been included in The Lawdragon 500 Leading Judges in America in 2006, which distinguished him nationally as a renowned jurist.
Justice Koch was a founder of and currently serves as President of the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition, Justice Koch is serving on the National Board of the American Inn of Court. In line with the principles promoted by the American Inn of Court, Justice Koch embodies professionalism, civility and mentoring in the legal profession. Justice Koch is passionate about the law and encouraging young people to uphold the standards and traditions that attorneys hold sacred.
Justice Koch is a judge who has served so well that he has been appointed by both a Republican and a Democratic Governor as a member of the Judiciary. His opinions are distinguished as they provide a thorough review of the applicable law which is condensed, concise and very quotable. His opinions serve as teaching tools for lawyers and judges.
Justice Koch is an involved member of not only the legal community, but of our community at large. He values giving to the community and currently serves on the Boards of the United Way and the Community Foundation.
All of Justice Koch's professional experience and associations have prepared him for taking his distinguished seat on the Tennessee Supreme Court. Justice Koch epitomizes the qualities desired for a Supreme Court Justice. He believes in treating people fairly and making sure justice is made available to all. He is honorable, loyal, and honest. Justice Koch much deserves this honor, and the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court recognizes him and his many contributions. After passing the test administered by his fellow Inn members, Justice Koch was officially sworn into office on June 22, 2007.