Bill Killian
Polsinelli, an Am Law 100 firm, announced Thursday shareholder Bill Killian received an appointment to serve his alma mater as a member of the Board of Directors of the University of Tennessee- Knoxville Alumni Association.
Mr. Killian is a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee who joined Polsinelli in December 2015 adding to the firm’s national Government Investigations and Compliance—Civil and Criminal Practice. Polsinelli has more than 800 attorneys in 20 offices coast to coast, and Mr. Killian serves clients nationally out of Polsinelli’s Chattanooga and Nashville locations.
Mr. Killian earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and his jurisprudence doctorate from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Last month, UT announced that more than 43,000 donors and philanthropic investors contributed $167 million in fiscal year 2016.
“To be a Volunteer is special and I am grateful to be able to give back and help advocate for the
University of Tennessee,” Mr. Killian said. “We are working hard to help achieve the state’s goal of
raising the percentage of college-educated Tennesseans.”
Mr. Killian was appointed in 2010 U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee by President
Barack Obama, where he was responsible for representing the United States and prosecuting federal criminal violations throughout his district of about 2.6 million residents across 41 counties.
“Bill has a decorated career and a very real passion for his university and community,” said Clay
Jones UT-Knoxville Alumni Association president. “His involvement will certainly provide real
value to our strategic direction.”
Prior to his work as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Killian was a certified civil and criminal trial lawyer, working at his law firm in Jasper, Tenn. As United States Attorney, he personally mediated the largest civil healthcare settlement in the history of his district, and also negotiated a record criminal financial fraud settlement, both resulting in the payment of tens of millions of dollars. Mr. Killian also served as city attorney for the Town of Monteagle, Tenn. for 21 years and was the assistant district attorney for the Twelfth Judicial District in Tennessee. Throughout his professional career, Mr. Killian has held various teaching positions with colleges and universities in east Tennessee and the University of Tennessee College of Law. He served in the United States Army and the Tennessee National Guard from December 1970 to January 1973.
Among his many distinctions, Mr. Killian was selected for inclusion in Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2016 and previously nominated as Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year by Southeast Tennessee Legal Services.