J. Russell (Russ) Farrar has more than three decades of lobbying and governmental relations experience. As a co-founder and senior partner of Nashville-based law firm Farrar & Bates, he has successfully tried numerous civil rights and governmental tort liability cases. Since 2002, he has been rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™, the only nationally recognized attorney rating service. AV Preeminent® is the highest rating an attorney can obtain. Russ currently serves as general counsel and senior lobbyist for the 32,000-plus member Tennessee REALTORS®, and general counsel for Public Entity Partners, which insures more than 90 percent of Tennessee’s local governments. He also serves as chairman of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development TOSHA Review Commission. Russ previously served as assistant commissioner and chief legal counsel for the Tennessee Department of Labor and as director of the Department of Labor’s Division of Employment Codes. He is a frequent guest lecturer for the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association, the Tennessee Public Risk Management Association, the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, and numerous realtor groups across the state. Additionally, Russ was a recipient of the 2018 William (Bill) Tune Award for Excellence in Real Estate Education from the Tennessee Real Estate Commission. The award is presented to individuals who represent the highest ideals of dedicated service and professionalism in Tennessee real estate education.
