Tennessee Supreme Court selects new attorney general

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Tennessee Supreme Court selected Jonathan Skrmetti, a Memphis lawyer, as the state’s new attorney general Wednesday.

Skrmetti served as the Chief Deputy Attorney General from 2018 to 2021, where he managed around 160 attorneys in 15 litigating divisions and served as a negotiator in the $26 billion multi-state opioid settlement, state officials said. Since December 2021, he served as chief counsel to Gov. Bill Lee.

“Mr. Skrmetti has dedicated the majority of his career to public service and has the breadth of experience and vision necessary to lead the Attorney General’s office for the next eight years,” Chief Justice Roger A. Page said. “He is an accomplished attorney with a deep understanding of Tennessee government and our judicial system.”

The Supreme Court interviewed six candidates before settling on Skrmetti. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s office, the Harvard graduate was a partner at Butler Snow LLP in Memphis.

“It will be a privilege to continue serving the people of Tennessee as their Attorney General and Reporter,” Skrmetti said. “I look forward to working with the dedicated public servants at the Attorney General’s office to represent all three branches of Tennessee’s government. I thank the Supreme Court for entrusting me with this responsibility and General Herbert Slatery for his eight years of distinguished leadership.”

Skrmetti will be the state’s 28th Attorney General and Reporter.

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