Karl Dean

Karl served as Nashville’s Director of Law from 1999 to January 2007, advising Mayor Bill Purcell on legal issues and bringing people together to solve problems. For example, Karl led the effort to revitalize neighborhoods by closing down over 30 massage parlors and other adult businesses that operated as houses of prostitution.

Karl was elected Nashville’s Public Defender in 1990 and re-elected in 1994 and 1998. During that time Mayor Phil Bredesen chose him to serve on the Commission of Twelve, a specially formed crime prevention task force.

Karl completed the program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 1999. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at Vanderbilt.

Karl Dean has been married to Anne Davis for 23 years. Karl and Anne have three children, Rascoe age 19, Frances age 13 and Wallen age 11.

He has served on the boards of Greenways for Nashville, Leadership Nashville Alumni, the Oasis Center, Reconciliation Ministries and as President of the Board of United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee.