Rhea
Tannehill has been practicing law in Oxford since he graduated from the
University of Mississippi School of Law in 1996. The first six years of his
legal career Rhea worked for a firm representing individuals primarily in the
areas of personal injury and criminal defense from 1996 until 2002. Rhea
ventured out on his own and opened the Tannehill Law Firm, PLLC in Oxford in
January 2003. In his solo practice, Rhea successfully served individuals in the
areas of personal injury, criminal defense, collection law (creditors), and
estate planning and probate. Rhea was honored with an appointment to serve as
Board Attorney for the Oxford Housing Authority and Mississippi Region II
Housing Authority, both of whom he still represents today.
Jay
Carmean joined Rhea in January 2004 and they opened the law firm of Tannehill
Carmean, PLLC. For 22 years Rhea and Jay’s practice has focused largely on
representing the rights of injured persons, criminal defense, estate planning
and probate, real estate, and collection law (creditors) in all State and
Federal Courts in Mississippi. Rhea serves as Managing Partner for the firm
they founded with a common goal of providing exceptional service to their
clients while maintaining a positive and rewarding work environment for
themselves and their employees.
In
the last 20 years Rhea’s practice has gravitated toward personal injury and
criminal defense work because of the fulfillment that comes from helping
individuals and families facing difficult situations. Some people are quick to
pass judgment on others who have been charged with a crime, but those same
people are quick to look for the best legal representation they can find when
they or someone in their family has been caught drinking and driving or worse.
The
same is true for personal injury cases. People often jeer at trial lawyers as
“ambulance chasers,” yet they are quick to call one if they, or someone in
their family, is in a car wreck or feels they have been wronged in some way.
Rhea’s experience and success has allowed him to be recognized by his peers for
inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2009 in the area of
personal injury.
In
addition to his civil practice, Rhea has served as Municipal Court Judge of
Sardis, Mississippi since 2007 where he previously served as Municipal Court
Prosecutor.
Rhea
is a native of Union, Mississippi, and a graduate of Union High School. His
parents, Jack Rhea Tannehill and Jane Tannehill owned and operated The Union
Appeal, which is a weekly newspaper, while he was growing up. Rhea helped in
the family business with the printing and distribution of the newspapers and
other printed materials until he graduated from high school. Jack Tannehill
owned and operated The Newton County Appeal (the successor of The Union Appeal)
until he retired in 2012 – 44 years after taking over The Union Appeal.
Rhea
received a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and Master’s Degree in
Education from the University of Mississippi in 1991 and 1992, respectively.
While an undergraduate at the University of Mississippi, Rhea was elected
President of the Associated Student Body and inducted into the Student Hall of
Fame. Rhea was an active member of the Mississippi Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta
Theta Fraternity, for which he served as Vice-President
Rhea
recently retired from a 28 year career in the Mississippi Army National Guard
at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Most
recently Rhea served as Military Judge for the Mississippi Military. He
completed the Military Judge’s Course in 2018 as one of only three members of
the National Guard in the class. The Military Judge’s Course is notorious for
being the most challenging and difficult military legal courses, with service
members from Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. As Military
Judge, Rhea heard all courts-martials in Mississippi and presided over
administrative hearings regarding National Guard Soldiers
Rhea’s
most challenging role in the military was his service as Brigade Trial Counsel
for the 168th Engineering Brigade headquartered in Vicksburg, Mississippi
during a thirteen month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom
from November 2008 until December 2010. Rhea was stationed at Forward Operating
Base Sharana, Afghanistan. While in Afghanistan Rhea served as the only JAG
Officer on Forward Operating Base Sharana and rendered legal assistance to all
Soldiers, civilians, and contractors on the FOB. Rhea also advised the
Commanders within his Brigade on military justice and general legal matters.
Rhea and his wife, Robyn, maintained a website during his deployment where they
share photographs and their experiences at www.thetannehillfamily.com. During
his deployment to Afghanistan, Rhea was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Combat
Action Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal,
Overseas Service Ribbon, and Global War on Terrorism Medal.
Rhea
was also mobilized with the Mississippi Army National Guard in 2005 for almost
two months with Headquarters Battery, 631st Field Artillery Brigade after
Hurricane Katrina struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His unit performed
disaster relief and clean-up operations, and he was awarded the Mississippi
Magnolia Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Mississippi Commendation Medal and
the Mississippi Emergency Service Medal for his service.
During
his military service Rhea was also awarded the Mississippi War Medal, Army
Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Army Reserve
Component Overseas Training Ribbon (2), Army Commendation Medal, Mississippi
Commendation Medal (2) and the Mississippi Recruiting Medal.
Rhea
has been an active member of The Mississippi Bar during his entire career. Rhea
served as President of the Young Lawyers’ Division of the Mississippi Bar
during 2006-2007, Commissioner of The Mississippi Bar and Executive Committee
of the Mississippi Bar from 2006-2008. In 2011 Rhea was selected as a Fellow of
the Young Lawyers’ Division of the Mississippi Bar.
Rhea
has served on the Mississippi Bars Ethics’ Committee, which issues “advisory
opinions” for its members regarding complex and contentious ethical issues.
Prior to his service on the Ethics Committee, Rhea served five years on The
Mississippi Bar’s Professional Responsibility Committee. This committee reviews
all complaints filed against lawyers in Mississippi, and Rhea was honored to
serve as Chairman in 2008.
Rhea
was selected by his peers as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar in 2011, which is
the Foundation’s highest honor. Fellows only represent approximately 10% of the
Mississippi Bar’s membership, who have achieved the “highest level of
professionalism, competence, and leadership. Fellows are selected for
membership based not only on their excellence as a lawyer but also by their
dedication and service to the public and profession.”1
In
2020, Rhea was appointed by the Mississippi Supreme Court to serve as a member
of the Complaint Tribunal. “The 27-member Complaint Tribunal is made up of nine
judges and 18 lawyers selected by the nine members of the Supreme Court from
three Supreme Court districts. The Complaint Tribunal sits in panels of three,
with each panel comprised of two attorneys and one judge…. Members of the
Complaint Tribunal hear and decide disciplinary matters arising from complaints
against attorneys. Discipline may range from private reprimand to disbarment.”
Rhea
also served on Board of Bar Commissioner’s Committee on Character and Fitness
for 12 years. He has been honored to participate in the James O. Dukes
Professionalism Program for first year law students at the University of
Mississippi since its inception. Rhea is a member of and has served as
President of the Lafayette County Bar and the Tri-County Jr. Bar Associations.
The
biggest honor of Rhea's career was being elected by his peers as the 120th
President of The Mississippi Bar. As President, Rhea oversees 19 Bar
committees and 20 Bar sections. His initiatives during his tenure are to
update the Bar's website, which will have more information and provide better
access to benefits for members, and access to justice in rural
communities.
Rhea
has been active in the Oxford and Lafayette County communities through civic
and community organizations including the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and the
Oxford/Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce. Rhea is a graduate of Leadership
Lafayette and former member of the Oxford/Lafayette County United Way Board of
Directors, Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion Post
55, and University of Mississippi Alumni Association.
Rhea
is married to his best friend, the former Robyn McKenzie of Florence, Alabama,
have been married for 30 years. Robyn is in her second term as Mayor of Oxford.
Robyn and Rhea have three children, Maggie (26), who works for Court Appointed
Special Advocates in Tupelo, Mississippi, Jack (23), who plays football at
Murray State University and recently enlisted in the Mississippi Army National
Guard, and Molly Catherine (1), who attends Mississippi State University. The
Tannehill’s love Oxford High School sporting events, the Neshoba County Fair,
going to Murray State Football games, the Neshoba County Fair, and drinking
coffee or a cold beer on their back porch. The Tannehill’s are members of
Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oxford, which is a church they help found
and charter in 1995.
of the Mississippi Bar Foundation (2012); Fellow of the Young Lawyers of the Mississippi Bar Foundation (2010).
