Tanner Franklin
Meet Tanner Franklin
Tanner Franklin is a knowledgeable and committed personal injury and employment trial lawyer dedicated to fighting for the rights of hard-working East Texans. Tanner began his legal career in Beaumont as a law clerk to United States District Judge Marcia Crone. Upon finishing his clerkship, Tanner became a trial lawyer and has represented hundreds of clients in state and federal court throughout East Texas and around the state.
Tanner has tried 7 cases to jury verdict as a first-chair lawyer, 4 in federal court, and served as second-chair in numerous other cases. In June 2022, Tanner and his now law partner Sean Hightower tried Mahan et al. vs. The Texas Department of Public Safety that resulted in a $1,500,000.00 jury verdict in favor of Tanner’s and Sean’s clients. The Mahan case was reported to be among the Top 50 largest jury verdicts in 2022 by TopVerdict.
Education
- Baylor University School of Law, Waco, Texas – May 2015
- Juris Doctorate
- Magna Cum Laude
- Texas A&M University, Mays Business School, College Station, Texas – 2013-2015
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Management
- Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity
Legal Awards & Honors
- Texas Bar College 2024-Present
- Super Lawyers – Rising Stars for 2023 and 2024
- James P. Alexander Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance in Baylor Law School’s Practice Court Program
- Abner V. McCall Evidence Award
- Magna Cum Laude, Baylor University
- Dean’s List, Baylor University
- High “A” in Appellate Advocacy and Procedure
- High “A” in Advanced Criminal Procedure
- Baylor Law Review, Executive Editor
- Order of Barristers
- Student Bar Association
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Texas (November 2015)
Bar Number 24082506 - U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (2023)
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (2021)
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (2018)
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (2017)
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (2017)
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims (2017)
Professional Associations
- Texas Employment Lawyers Association 2021-Present
- Co-Chair Legislative Affairs Committee 2023-Present
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association 2017-Present
- Board of Advocates 2023-Present
- Angelina County Bar Association 2021-Present
- Board of Directors 2022-Present
- Jefferson County Bar Association and Young Lawyers Association 2015-Present
- JCYLA Vice-President 2020-2021
- JCYLA Board of Directors 2017-2022
- Michelle F. Mehaffy American Inn of Court 2015-Present
- Secretary 2018-2020
- Board of Directors 2018-2022
- Nacogdoches County Bar Association
Published Works
- Presenter, Employment Discrimination Claims and Recent Developments (July 2024), Nacogdoches County Bar Association (Nacogdoches, Texas)
- Co-Panelist, TELA Texas Legislative Work (Apr. 2024), Texas Employment Lawyers Association (Burnett, Texas).
- Presenter, The Simple Dos and Don’ts and Answers to Commonly Asked Questions in Federal Court (Oct. 2021), Jefferson County Bar Association/Jefferson County Young Lawyers Association (Beaumont, Texas).
- Co-Panelist, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure – Rules Update (Nov. 2020), Jefferson County Bar Association (Beaumont, Texas).
- Panel Speaker, 2017-2018 Trial Series: Direct Examination and Cross-Examination of Witnesses (Feb. 2018). Panel speaker proper techniques for an effective direct and cross examination of witnesses for the Michelle F. Mehaffy American Inn of Court (Beaumont, Texas).
- Panel Speaker, 2017-2018 Trial Series: Voir Dire (Nov. 2017). Panel speaker on the law concerning jury strikes during jury selection for the Michelle F. Mehaffy American Inn of Court (Beaumont, Texas).
- Note and Comment, Rule 23(F): On the Way to Achieving Laudable Goals, Despite Multiple Interpretations, 67 Baylor L. Rev. 412 (Spring 2015)
Community Involvement
- Etoile Water Supply Corporation
- President of the Board of Directors 2022-Present
- Elected Member of the Board of Directors 2022-Present
- San Augustine Methodist Church 2020-Present
- Board of Trustees 2022-Present
- San Augustine, Texas Lions’ Club 2021-Present
- President 2024-Present
- Vice-President 2022-2024
- Board Member 2021-2022
