Nashville, Tenn. – Heather Collins, principal partner and founder of HMC Civil Rights Law – a law firm focused on employment discrimination and civil rights cases – was recently named as the “Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association. The award is presented at the group’s annual convention and recognizes, “a trial lawyer who is an advocate of a noble cause, and who demonstrated superior skills and achieved an outstanding result for a client against great obstacles.”
Collins has litigated and served as lead trial counsel in civil rights and employment cases in federal and state courts for over twenty years. Recently, her firm, along with two others, represented the “Jane Does” who filed a lawsuit in the eastern District of Tennessee in June 2023. The case was unique in that it was the first case to allege sex trafficking claims under the Trafficking Victims Protections Act (TVPA) 18 U.S.C. 1591 – the federal sex trafficking act – due to the alleged corruption by local law enforcement in furtherance of a sex trafficking conspiracy.
Collins’s civil rights practice has a heavy emphasis on sexual violence, including sexual assault and battery, but includes deprivation of civil and constitutional rights under federal and state law due to law enforcement brutality, or governmental negligence or deliberate indifference to a person’s rights.
On receiving the award, Collins expressed, “It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by your peers, especially for work you care deeply about. Thank you so much to the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association and its members for this recognition.”
More information on the firm may be found at hmccivilrights.com.
HMC Civil Rights Law is a Middle Tennessee-based civil rights litigation law firm. They use a collaborative approach by combining the skills of seasoned trial attorneys and staff to confidently and relentlessly pursue justice for their clients. More information on the agency may be found at hmccivilrights.com
