Rachel Park Hurt currently focuses her practice on insurance defense, medical malpractice/healthcare liability defense, premises liability defense, and healthcare regulation. Her successes at the trial court level (in both pre-trial motions and multiple jury and non-jury defense verdicts) and at the appellate court level exemplify her ability to prepare, research, write, and articulate winning strategies. During her time at the firm, Rachel has obtained 20+ favorable appellate decisions, both in the Court of Appeals and Tennessee Supreme Court and has obtained numerous pre-trial dismissals in both state and federal court.
Rachel received her B.A., cum laude, from Syracuse University, where she was a nationally recognized player for the Syracuse Softball team. She received her Master’s in Public Administration from the #1 graduate program in the country, the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University. In 2007, Rachel graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where she was a member of the Tennessee Law Review and Moot Court – Constitutional.
Prior to joining the firm in 2009, Rachel clerked for Justice Cornelia A. Clark, Tennessee Supreme Court, and was a legal extern for the Tennessee Sixth Judicial Circuit.
RECENT DEFENSE VERDICTS/FAVORABLE RULINGS INCLUDE:2026 – Motion to Dismiss granted in favor of defendant hospital for failure to comply with Health Care Liability Act2025 – Court of Appeals affirmed trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendant2025 – Motion to Dismiss granted in favor of defendant doctor for failure to comply with Health Care Liability Act2024 – Motion for Summary Judgment for Defendant following exclusion of Plaintiff’s standard of care Expert2023 – Trial verdict in favor of client (commercial contractor) in contract dispute litigation2023 – De minimis settlement of lengthy and protracted healthcare liability cause of action after Plaintiff’s expert witnesses excluded2022 – Motion for Summary Judgment in complicated birth injury litigation2022 – Motion for Summary Judgment – apparent agency and vicarious liability2021 – Motion for Summary Judgment in birth injury litigation2019 – Motion to Dismiss for failure to comply with presuit mandatory requirements2019 – Motion to Dismiss for failure to comply with Rules of Civil Procedure – service of process2019 – Defense verdict in two+ week healthcare liability cause of action2018 – Summary Judgment in continuous healthcare liability claim lasting four years in Anderson County2018 – Motion to Dismiss in healthcare liability claim in Knox County SIGNIFICANT APPEALS IN WHICH SHE HAS PREVAILED HAVE ADDRESSED:The interpretation and application of the Health Care Liability Act (numerous opinions)The applicable statute of limitations for alleged defective improvement of real estatePremises Liability; failure of Plaintiff to meet burden of proof
Professional Recognition & Honors:Best Lawyers – Lawyer of the Year (Health Care – Knoxville) – 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026Best Lawyers (practice areas: Health Care Law, Litigation – Health Care, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants) – 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026Best Lawyers – Women in the Law (Top Peer-Nominated Lawyer) – 2020, 2022Super Lawyers: Top Attorneys in the Mid-South – 2023, 2025Super Lawyers – 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026Super Lawyers Mid-South Rising Stars – 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent (judicial edition) – (2015- present)Selected to City View’s Top Lawyers – medical malpractice defense (2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)Knoxville Bar Foundation (named Fellow, 2020)Tennessee Bar Foundation (named Fellow, 2026)Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (2020-Present)University of Tennessee Chancellor Promise Award (2018) – highest award given by the University to alumnus under the age of 40Graduate, Tennessee Bar Association Law Leadership Program (2015)Awarded Pro Bono Advocacy Award (2013)Awarded Donald F. Paine Lawyer of the Year Award (2012)Member, American Inns of CourtMember, Knoxville Bar Association, Tennessee Bar AssociationSelected by the Governor’s Counsel for Judicial Appointments to be considered for Appointment to the Tennessee Court of AppealsNominated by Governor Bill Lee to be appointed to the Tennessee Court of Appeals
Professional Associations & Leadership:Adjunct Professor, University of Tennessee College of Law – pre-trial litigation (2012-2015)Commissioner, Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education (2013-2019)Interviewer, Tennessee Board of Law Examiners (2020 – present)Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility, Panel Member (2025 – present)Knoxville Bar Association:KBA President (2026)KBA Vice President (2025)KBA Treasurer (2024)KBA Secretary (2023)KBA Board of Governors (2019-2021, 2023-2026)Nominating Committee (2013, 2025), Board of Governors (2015 – 2017), Functions Committee (2013-present); Board of Governors (2019-2022); Executive Committee (2023-2027)Knoxville Bar Association, Barristers:President (2016), Vice-President (2015), Hunger & Poverty Relief Committee (2014), Athletics Committee, (2012-2013)President’s Award (2013)Defense Research Institute (DRI) (2016-present)East Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (2011-present)CLE Committee Chair
Civic & Community Leadership:Civic & Community Leadership:Fort Sanders Foundation (2021 – present)MEDIC Regional Blood Center (Board Member 2014-2022)Covenant Health Pat Neal Golf Tournament Board of Directors (2014-2020)University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Associates (2024-2027)
Publications & Presentations:The Business Judgment Rule Expanded in Disney, 8.2 Tenn. J. Bus. Trans. 458 (2007)“At Will” the De Facto Standard for Oral Agreements of Indefinite Duration, 8.1 Tenn. J. Bus. Trans. 208 (2007)Competing Interests: Punish v. Passing Constitutional Muster, A Discussion of Punitive Damages in Tennessee, DICTA, Oct. 2010I Object to Your Objection, DICTA, Sept. 2011Being a Mentor Can Change Two Careers, DICTA, Nov. 2013There’s a Reason We Are the Volunteer State, Knoxville Business Journal, December 2013Winter Weather Advisory: The Premises Liability Hazards Caused by Snow, Sleet, and Ice, Knoxville Business JournalUnderstanding HIPAA & Why You Should – 2014CLE Update, DICTA, Jan. 2015Herpetology: The Study of Lizards, Snakes, & Turtles (Reptilian Theory and how to defend against) – 2015Controlled Substances: Don’t Misuse, Abuse, Over Prescribe, or Fail to Report – 2015Dates, Deadlines, and To-Dos – 10 Practice Tips for Calendaring, DICTAIt’s All a Game: Winning at Trial – Presentation on 9/24/18Winning Your Case on Appeal: A Discussion on Hatfield – Presentation on 9/7/19Ethics Bowl XIII: Justice League (Members of the Bar with BIG Personalities) – Presentation on 12/6/19Damn Zoom Depositions, DICTA, 2020New Lawyers Welcome Reception – remarks for new attorneys – Presentation on 1/30/2020A Refresher on Depositions – Presentation on 9/16/2020Dear Partner, A view from an Associates’ Desk – Presentation on 10/20/2020Sharpen Your Skills: Tips and Techniques from Seasoned Trial Lawyers – Session Title: Setting theRecord for Appeal – Presentation on 2/26/212nd Annual Sharpen Your Skills: Tips and Techniques from Seasoned Trial Lawyers – Session Moderator for panel: Judge Kristi Davis, Brooklyn Sawyer, Heidi Barcus – Presentation on 2/18/22Ethics Bowl XVI Moderator – Presentation on December 2, 2022Ethics Bowl XVII Moderator – Presentation on December 1, 2023“Getting it ‘In the Box’”: Setting the Record for Appeal – Presentation at Tennessee Health Care Law Forum, April 18, 2024You Can Have It All! (But do you want it) – Presentation to ETLAW, May 29, 2024Everything you ever wanted to know about Health Care Law – Presentation on August 16, 2024Ethics Bowl XVIII Moderator – presentation on December 6, 2024Ethics Bowl XIX Moderator – presentation on December 5, 2025Understanding EMTALA – numerous presentations throughout 2025
WITHIN THE FIRMAssociates Committee (Chair 2023 – present)HR Committee (2026 – present)Strategic Planning Committee (2024 -present)
PRIOR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:Clerk, The Honorable Cornelia A. Clark, Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court (2007-2009)Extern, Tennessee Sixth Judicial Circuit (2006-2007)Clerk, Waller, Lansden, Dortch & Davis (Summer 2003, 2004)
