Candi Henry
Candi Henry advises clients in matters relating to employment law, general business concerns, and entertainment and intellectual property contracts. She is also involved in civil appellate litigation across all practice areas.
Growing up in Cookeville, Tennessee, she developed an interest in government and the law very early—her first memory is drinking grape soda while watching her parents manage the local headquarters for a gubernatorial campaign. While she was still in junior high, Candi enrolled at Tennessee Technological University to study state and local politics. After high school, she received her A.B. in Government cum laude from Harvard University, where she also took advantage of Harvard’s affiliation with the American Repertory Theatre to study acting and directing.
Prior to law school, Candi developed a wide variety of business experiences, including composing internal communications for the world’s oldest and largest advertising agency in New York City and performing with the professional cast at Tennessee’s largest not-for-profit theatre, the Cumberland County Playhouse. She earned her J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law, graduating cum laude and completing an externship practicing with the Knox County Public Defender’s Office.
Candi served for over two years as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable William C. Koch, Jr., clerking for Justice Koch on both the Tennessee Court of Appeals and the Tennessee Supreme Court. This position provided her with an in-depth exposure to appellate litigation practice in the state—an invaluable experience that she draws upon in her diverse practice.
For four years, she taught for Duke University’s Talent Identification Program, and she currently serves as an advisor to Vanderbilt University’s Programs for Talented Youth. She is also Adjunct Professor of Negotiation and Conflict Management through Tennessee Tech University.
Since 2008, Candi has been Associate Editor of the Tennessee Tort Law Letter, a monthly publication providing case summaries and analysis to attorneys across the state. She is also Assistant Editor of the Appellate Practice Handbook (4th Edition).
A member of the Tennessee Bar Association, Candi was named a “Star of the Quarter” by the Young Lawyers’ Division for her service on the Mock Trial Committee. She serves as co-chair of the Nashville Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Committee. Candi is also a member of Tennessee Volunteer Lawyers and Professionals for the Arts. In 2009, in recognition of her contributions to her profession and the community, Candi was named one of Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30 by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Candi is married to Jay Watson, the academic coordinator for Vanderbilt’s Programs for Talented Youth. They have two children and a cat.