Miller & Martin last week announced that John David Spiller, Jr., has joined the firm as an associate in its Chattanooga office. Spiller joins the firm’s corporate department, where he’ll practice in the areas of corporate finance; mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures; and securities.
Prior to joining Miller & Martin, Spiller practiced at the firm of Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody in Austin, Texas. During his four-and-a-half-years at Graves Dougherty, he represented clients in a broad range of business transactions in the corporate and commercial sectors. Among other engagements, Spiller has represented buyers and sellers in business acquisitions, founders and investors in company formation and financing, including venture capital financings, and businesses in the development, marketing, licensing and distribution of products, including intellectual properties. His clients have spanned many industries, and their transactions have ranged in size from small transactions to those in excess of $100 million.
Spiller is licensed to practice law in Texas and in Tennessee.
“We’re thrilled to have David join our team as our corporate practice, and in particular the mergers and acquisitions practice continues to grow. His experience in tackling a variety of business transactions and private equity deals will allow us to continue to serve our clients in an efficient and cost-effective way,” said Ward Nelson, chair of Miller & Martin’s corporate department.
Originally from Baton Rouge, La., where he graduated from Episcopal High School, Spiller attended The University of the South as a Wilkins Scholar and received a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Philosophy, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. He also received the Hugh H. Caldwell Award for the outstanding graduate in the Philosophy Department. Spiller then received a J.D. with Honors from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law.
After law school, Spiller clerked for Justice Nathan L. Hecht at the Supreme Court of Texas. In 2010, David was chosen as one of 20 young attorneys in Texas for the State Bar of Texas leadership training program, LeadershipSBOT.
Spiller is an advisory member of the Law Practice Management Committee of the State Bar of Texas. Since 2009, David has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Texas Hearing & Service Dogs, a nonprofit that provides trained assistance dogs for mobility- and hearing-disabled Texans, including recent veterans, on a substantially cost-free basis.
Spiller is an avid tennis player. He also enjoys drawing and painting, especially oil portraits, several of which he has completed and sold on commission, including one which hangs in the School of Theology at Sewanee. Spiller, his wife Hillary – a native of Bell Buckle, Tenn., and Webb School and Sewanee graduate – and their 7-month-old son Julien David are excited to have returned to Tennessee, and are looking forward to settling into life in Chattanooga.
Established in 1867, Miller & Martin is a full-service regional law firm. The firm’s offices are located in Atlanta, Chattanooga and Nashville, with approximately 200 attorneys practicing in over 35 areas of law. More information can be found on the firm’s Web site at www.millermartin.com.