What is your title?
Lang Wiseman, Shareholder
Tell us about your role at Baker Donelson.
When I transitioned from my role as Deputy Governor and Chief Counsel to Governor Bill Lee, I searched for a firm that was eager to be part of the fabric of the dynamic growth taking place in the Southeast generally, and in the state of Tennessee specifically. Baker Donelson is committed to being the dominant law firm serving as trusted strategic advisors and partners to clients looking to make a difference in cutting-edge industries, bringing to bear an extensive array of resources and strategic connectivity with policymakers. We are the only firm in this region, for example, that had the foresight to establish and nurture a dedicated Electric Vehicle (EV) and Electrification Infrastructure team that harnesses and directs the Firm’s diverse knowledge in a number of cross-disciplinary areas including, among others, energy, manufacturing, construction, economic incentives and development, regulatory, data privacy, and real estate. I spend a great deal of time advising and counseling clients at the intersection of those areas, and I also work closely with our cross-border team that works with foreign-owned businesses looking to make investments in Tennessee, including in the EV and infrastructure sectors.
What is Baker Donelson’s mission or vision related to smart mobility?
At Baker Donelson, we have been working in the smart mobility sector helping clients throughout various stages of the life cycle grow their business in this fast-evolving sector. Understanding the ecosystem and all the various stakeholders, being able to identify and connect our clients to opportunities, spotting challenges proactively, and working with them through those challenges, is meaningful as we strive to be key strategic advisors for our clients, helping them grow and expand their business as they contribute to the adoption of EV and smart mobility broadly.
Why are you a member of TennSMART?
We at Baker Donelson value the mission of TennSmart, which is to bring together leaders in both the public and private sectors to accelerate and facilitate the development and deployment of mobility innovations. We work to understand the opportunities and challenges related to TennSmart’s mission so that we can be a true contributor to it.
Where do you think there is the most energy and opportunity in Tennessee to advance smart mobility?
Opportunity is everywhere in Tennessee because Tennessee is at the forefront of energy, technology, manufacturing, electrification, and just a generally favorable business climate for attracting growth. We are a low-tax, low-regulation state with its financial house in order. Tennessee is now one of only two states with four OEMs, and all the follow-along investment and opportunity that goes hand in hand with such a distinction. We are home to battery R&D and technology and production for passenger, fleet, and grid storage solutions. And we are home to ORNL, TVA, and three R1 designated research institutions. The opportunity to be a part of something special in Tennessee is limitless.
Lastly – just for fun – if you had a company vanity plate, what would it be?
evBaDass
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