Criminal Law » Civil Rights » Personal Injury
About Ben Raybin, Attorney
Dedicated Nashville criminal defense lawyer
A Nashville native, Ben began his legal career with Raybin & Weissman after graduating from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2010.
In his practice at the firm, Ben has defended hundreds of clients against various misdemeanor and felony charges, and has also worked on several civil cases involving personal injury and civil rights matters. He has briefed and argued cases before the Tennessee Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Ben has appeared multiple times in both television and print news giving interviews on trending legal cases and issues.
From 2011 to 2012, Ben took a one-year hiatus from the firm to serve as a law clerk for Judges Jane B. Stranch and Gilbert S. Merritt, both of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. As a law clerk, Ben assisted the judges with dozens of cases in several areas of law—such as criminal (state and federal), civil rights, personal injury, employment, contracts and constitutional.
While at Vanderbilt, Ben was Articles Editor for the Vanderbilt Law Review, in which he published a Note on federal criminal law: “Objection: Your Honor is Being Unreasonable!” Law and Policy Opposing the Federal Sentencing Order Objection Requirement, 63 Vand. L. Rev. 235 (2010). The article has been cited by two federal courts and in more than a dozen briefs.
Prior to law school, Ben attended the University of Chicago, graduating with honors. He is a graduate of the TBI, TDOC, Metro Police, and Tennessee Highway Patrol Citizens Academies, in which participants learn firsthand about law enforcement procedures, structure, and investigation. He has presented at numerous continuing education programs for attorneys, is an active member of TACDL (Tennessee Association for Criminal Defense Attorneys), and is the co-chair of the Nashville Bar Association’s Criminal Law Committee. Ben has completed the Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum Program and is a past member of the Board of Trustees for the Nashville Temple. Outside of work, Ben enjoys coaching the USN high school mock trial team, cheering the Titans to victory, and spending time with wife Sarah, daughter, and two black cats.
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Education
- J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School, 2010
- B.A., The University of Chicago, 2007
Professional Bar Association and Memberships
- Nashville Bar Association
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Clerkships
- Judge Jane B. Stranch, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Law Clerk, 2011-12
- Judge Gilbert S. Merritt, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Law Clerk, 2012
Publications
- “Objection: Your Honor is Being Unreasonable!” Vanderbilt Law Review, 2010
- “Pardon Me: How Executive Clemency Works in Tennessee (and How It Doesn’t),” Tennessee Bar Journal, 2016
- “Case Comment: State of Tennessee v. Kevin E. Trent,” Belmont Criminal Law Journal, 2018
Honors and Distinctions
- Justice Joe Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing, 2017
- Super Lawyers Mid-South Rising Star, 2016-21
- Avvo Clients’ Choice Award, 2013-2021, 2024
- Vanderbilt Law School Scholastic Excellence Award, 2008
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- Tennessee
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Tennessee
Press
- Tennesse Lookout: ‘Egregious’ abuse of power: Tennessee wildlife agency takes falcons and prosecutes their owner, February 2023
- News Channel 5: 'Ordeal' over for woman whose birds were seized in TWRA raid, January 2023
- News Channel 5: Judge calls TWRA raid 'illegal' and demands seized birds be returned to owner, January 2023
- News Channel 5: Man, who killed gym owner with ax in Nashville, sentenced with murder, November 2022
- News Channel 5: Deputy 'sucker punched' a man then lied to cover it up, federal lawsuit says, November 2022
- Tennessee Supreme Court, February 2021
- Tennessee Lookout: 6th Circuit Court Sacks Immunity For Lawrenceburg Cop in 2018 Shooting
- News Channel 4: Uber responds to BBB report on ‘vomit fraud’ scams, July 25, 2018
- News Channel 5: Female inmate claims officer impregnated her, January 30, 2018
- The Tennessean: Officer at southern Tennessee jail raped, impregnated female inmate, lawsuit states, January 25, 2018
- The Tennessean: U.N. Officials call Cheatham County Taser incident ‘torture,’ December 19, 2017
- Fox 17 News: Judge lowers bond for man accused of stabbing two women in Nashville tanning salon, November 29, 2017
- The Washington Post: Deputies tortured a restrained teenager by using a stun gun on him, lawyers say, August 2, 2017
- News Channel 5: Restrained man repeatedly tased, according to lawsuit, July 26, 2017
- The Tennessean: Man Accused of Killing TSU Student in Hadley Park Found Not Guilty, July 12, 2017
- The Tennessean: Tennessee Man’s Confrontation with Georgia Fugitives Sparks Talk About Gun Ownership, June 17, 2017
- WSMV Channel 4 News: Lawyer Talks About Catfish Charges in Tennessee, June 2, 2017
- Nashville Scene: The Tennessee Supreme Court Keeps Reversing Itself, and Criminal Defense Attorneys Are Worried, April 13, 2017
- Wrongful arrest for domestic violence prompts calls for change, December 28, 2016
- Tennessee Bar Association Journal: Pardon Me-How Executive Clemency Works in Tennessee (and How It Doesn’t), August 1, 2016
- Big Changes to Davidson Jail Work Credit Policy Raise Concerns, July 26, 2016
- WSMV Channel 4 News: Debate Swirls Around Tennessee’s Forfeiture Law, Dec 15, 2015
- WSMV Channel 4 News: Gay Marriage Supreme Court Case, Nov 04, 2015
- The Tennessean, September 29, 2015
- TBA Today, June 20th 2014
- The Tennessean: Walmart Case, May 25th 2013
- The Tennessean, March 23rd 2013
- The Tennessean: Villegas Case, March 4th 2013
Accolades
Contact Ben Raybin and the law firm of Raybin & Weissman for a confidential consultation of your criminal defense case today at 615-256-6666.
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