Kristen Vanderkooi
Member
859.255.8581
A former Metro Nashville Police Department Detective, and a Deputy Sheriff in Colorado, Kristen brings more than 15 years experience as a practicing attorney in both civil and criminal litigation to her government, police law, and civil litigation practice across Tennessee.
Having worked on multiple sides of the legal system, Kristen’s distinctive skill set and perspective make her an effective advocate for departments, officers, and families. Based in Nashville, Tenn., she represents officers during critical incidents and officer involved shootings and defends the expanding area of lawsuits filed against police officers, such as malicious prosecution, illegal search and seizure, false arrest and excessive force. She also practices probate and elder law, and worked for 12 years with Nashville’s Center for Elder Veterans Rights, representing elderly disabled Veterans to help them claim the disability compensation and pension benefits they’ve earned.
As an officer and detective for 10 years with the Metro Nashville PD, Kristen served as an instructor in criminal and constitutional law for recruits and service personnel. She worked on SWAT teams, search and rescue, undercover narcotics and vice control, youth services, anti-terrorism investigations (jointly with the FBI), and of course many days and nights on patrol. This experience helps her in so many ways as a lawyer; she knows where to go to get things done, and how to talk to people, whether she’s deposing, negotiating, investigating or de-escalating a difficult situation.
Areas of Practice
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Tennessee Bar Association
Nashville Bar Association
Fraternal Order of Police, Nashville
Andrew Jackson Lodge #5 -
Nashville School of Law, J.D.
Trevecca Nazarene University, B.A. Management & Human Resources
