About Paul E.
Paul E. Tennison built a career that runs along two steady tracks: military service and the law. He began at the United States Military Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science in 2010, then turned to legal study and completed his J.D. at Vanderbilt University Law School in 2018.
His early years were marked by military assignments. Commissioned after West Point, he served as a Field Artillery Officer in the U.S. Army beginning in 2010. He continued his military service with the Tennessee Army National Guard and held the rank of Major in 2015. Those dual roles — soldier and student — shaped how he approaches problems and organizes work.
After law school, Tennison moved into private practice. In 2018 he joined Cole Law Group, PC as a senior associate. He handled matters that drew on his background and courtroom admissions. In 2023 he accepted a position as an associate lawyer at Hall Booth Smith, P.C., where he is part of a broader roster of litigators and counsel.
Tennison is admitted to practice in Tennessee and before the three federal districts that cover the state: the Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Tennessee. He also holds accreditation from the Department of Veterans Affairs to prepare, present and prosecute claims for veterans benefits. That credential intersects with both his military background and his legal practice.
Outside firm titles, he has been active in bar and service organizations. He has held membership in the Nashville Bar Association and the American Bar Association since 2016. He also belongs to the National Guard Association of Tennessee. From 2021 to 2022 he chaired the Nashville Bar Association’s Veterans Committee, a role that brought together local lawyers, veterans and service organizations on issues affecting former service members.
Colleagues describe Tennison as methodical in case preparation and steady under pressure. He has combined courtroom admissions, VA accreditation and military experience into a practice that addresses clients who face claims and litigation tied to service and civil disputes. He balances litigation tasks with administrative work that veterans’ claims often require.
He currently practices as an associate at Hall Booth Smith, P.C., where he works on veterans benefits claims and civil litigation matters.
