M. Kimberly Stagg

• Best Lawyers in America® 
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2020-2024
  • Commercial Litigation, 2024
• ALM’s
  • Women Leaders in the Law, 2015
• Tennessee Bar Association
  • Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing, 2014
• TriState Minority Supplier Development Council
  • Impact of the Year Award, 2014
• Nashville Bar Foundation
  • Fellow
• Nissan Chairman's Award
  • Honorable Mention

Counsel to numerous manufacturing companies in addressing and finding practical solutions to legal and business issues, from corporate, commercial, real property, troubled customer and supplier, and bankruptcy litigation, to general business matters.

Significant experience in production and non-production purchasing contracts from drafting and negotiation to dispute resolution. Contract experience includes all aspects of manufacturing operations and related joint ventures, outsourcing projects, and supply chain and logistics matters.

Counsel to various companies, members, owners, and shareholders involved in start-ups, acquisitions, divestitures or out-of-court restructuring efforts.

Counsel to financial institutions and closely-held real estate development companies in connection with general litigation and bankruptcy matters in Tennessee.

Representations in Bankruptcy Courts include counsel to Original Equipment Manufacturer in various North American supplier and bankruptcy matters, including Noble International, Ltd. (E.D. of Mich.), Contech U.S., LLC (E.D. of Mich.), Fluid Routing Solutions Intermediate Holding Corp. (Delaware), Imagepoint, Inc. (E.D. of Tennessee), and counsel to various Tier 1 automotive suppliers regarding preparations for GM bankruptcy filing and defending various bankruptcy matters.

In-house lead attorney at Nissan North America, Inc. for numerous significant transactions and regulatory and litigation matters, including international and domestic strategic planning projects, contract negotiations and settlements, bankruptcy and out-of-court workout matters, corporate divestitures, outsourcing arrangements, minority joint ventures, environmental matters, corporate compliance matters, real property transactions, state incentive negotiations, and aviation matters. Founding member of Nissan's cross functional team implemented to respond strategically and proactively to automotive industry restructuring activities.  

• Nissan North America, Inc., In-House Counsel, 2001-2009
• Law clerk to the Hon. Aleta A. Trauger, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, 1996-1998
• Law clerk to the Hon. Richard C. Stair, Chief Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, 1994-1996
• E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Finance Function Field Program in auditing, biomedical manufacturing cost accounting, and international tax, Delaware & Massachusetts, 1987-1991
• Certified Public Accountant (Delaware), May 1989-1991

• Author, “Right-to-Repair Orders Issued by Federal Trade Commission", Dickinson Wright Client Alert, Nov 2022 
• Speaker, The Automotive Industry & Lessons from the COVID Crisis, Turnaround Management Association (Tennessee Chapter), April 2021 
• Co-Author, "Managing Uncertainty Through Financial Crisis Requires Proactive Guidance," Dickinson Wright Client Alert, March 2020 
• Co-Author, “A Tale of Two Industries and the Bankruptcy Code,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, August 2016
• Author, “Legal Considerations for Manufacturing Contracts,” AME Target Online, April 2016
• Speaker, Going Global & Developing Cross-Border Strategic Relationships, Great Lakes Women’s Business Conference, September 2015
• Co-author, "Beware the Email Account: Protecting Attorney-Client Communications," Computer and Internet Lawyer, Vol. 31, No.4, at 1 (CCH Inc. Apr. 2014)
• Co-author, "Legal Corner: E-mail Troubles-- Can Your Company's Handbook Help You in Employment Litigation?," Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) News, January 2014
• Co-author, "We Know . . . You’ve Got Mail: Attorneys Face Challenges in Protecting Client Communications in the Age of Email," Tennessee Bar Journal, December 2013
• Speaker, Legal Strategies, Supplier Trends and Supply Chain Issues, Original Equipment Suppliers Association Regional Meeting, June 2013
• Speaker, Purchasing Pitfalls, Tennessee Automotive Manufacturers Association, June 2013
• Speaker, Performance-based SOWs and Contract Success, Association for Operations Management, Middle Tennessee Chapter, October 2012
• Speaker, NMSDC Certification: Its Value and Benefits, Tennessee Minority Supplier Development Council Marketplace of Opportunities, August 2012 
• Moderator, Roundtable Presentation, Original Equipment Suppliers Association Regional Meeting, May 2010
• Panel Speaker, Mid-South Commercial Law Institute, December 2009
• Panel Speaker, Vanderbilt Law School, Winter Symposium, 2008
• Speaker, In-House Contract Principles and Purchasing Training, Nissan North America, Inc., 2001-2009 
• Author, "Sixth Circuit Review, Norton Bankruptcy Law Adviser," March 1998
• Author, "You Are Ruined by the Company You Keep, Vicarious Liability and § 523(a)," Norton Bankruptcy Law Adviser, February 1997