JACKSON Tenn. – The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation announces the appointment of Deana Seymour as a trial judge on the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims.
Ms. Seymour is a partner at Rainey, Kizer, Reviere and Bell, PLC in its Jackson office.
Ms. Seymour brings 27 years of experience practicing law to the bench. According to her resume, Seymour earned her J.D. with honors from the University of Tennessee in 1990 and her bachelor’s in public administration from University of Tennessee at Martin in 1987.
Ms. Seymour is a member of the Tennessee and Jackson-Madison County Bar Associations, as well as the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association and the Defense Research Institute.
Abbie Hudgens, Administrator of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, selected Ms. Seymour from recommendations from the Workers’ Compensation Interview Committee. The Committee is composed of representatives of employees, employers and the legal community from all three grand divisions of the state.
Administrator Hudgens said, “I am pleased to make this appointment. Ms. Seymour’s experiences and commitment to providing the highest quality court system for workers’ compensation in Tennessee made her an outstanding candidate for judge.” Hudgens continued, “We will miss Judge Umsted and his wealth of knowledge about workers’ compensation. He has
made many contributions to the work and life of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.”
Ms. Seymour will sit in Memphis after her April 5, 2017 swearing-in. Currently one judge sits in Memphis: the Honorable Jim Umsted, who will be retiring the first week of April. Ms. Seymour’s position is new.
