Faculty Profile: Shawn Henry

Shawn Henry, Land Use Attorney

 

Shawn practices in the areas of real estate development, land use law impacting urban growth and regional planning, government relations, and litigation throughout Middle Tennessee. He represents numerous clients before regulatory boards, commissions, and legislative bodies.  He has lectured on legal and practical issues related to land development, including state and local laws pertaining to planning, zoning, subdivisions, roads, easements, and boundary disputes.  He provides counsel to several home owner associations (HOA’s) in the Nashville region.  

Prior to joining the firm in 2002, Shawn served as the Assistant Director for Urban Development with Nashville's Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency responsible for administering the inner-city economic revitalization programs of the agency. Before his tenure at M.D.H.A., he was a city planner for the Metropolitan Planning Commission of Nashville/Davidson County responsible for reviewing applications for land development and making public recommendations to the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Metro Council.  Shawn’s more than 15 years of public sector experience in city planning and economic development brings a unique perspective to the firm’s clients who find themselves navigating governmental procedures, rules and regulations. 

Shawn is a member of the American Planning Association/American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), the Nashville and Tennessee Bar Associations, the Government Affairs Committee of Associated General Contractors of Tennessee, Urban Land Institute – Nashville District Council, Nashville Civic Design Center, and Nashville Downtown Partnership.  He is a board member of the Economic Club of Nashville (ECON) and past-chairman of The DISTRICT, Inc.    He represents the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce on the Downtown Code Design Review Committee and chairs the Chamber’s Planning and Zoning Policy Task Force.  He is a graduate of Young Leaders Council (2001) and Leadership Middle Tennessee (2013).  

Shawn is admitted to practice law in Tennessee, the U. S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  He holds an "AV" rating from Martindale-Hubbell.