Edward M. (Ed) Yarbrough

In 2007, Ed was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. He is well known for his time of service as a state and federal prosecutor. He believes “some of the most satisfying experiences come from representing individuals whose lives and fortunes were on the line in court.”

Ed has tried more than 160 jury cases to verdict, including more than 40 homicide cases. He has served as both prosecuting attorney and defense attorney in matters involving white-collar crime, wrongful death, personal injury, public corruption, and a variety of criminal charges at the state and local levels. Ed says, “Winning their cases is the greatest possible thrill in the legal profession. One of my heroes, Gen. George S. Patton, said, ‘Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser.’”

With more than 50 years of experience, Ed is an award-winning lawyer in his field. He was elected a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 2011, he received the first Criminal Justice Section Service Award from the Tennessee Bar Association. The Nashville Bar Association awarded him with the Jack C. Norman Sr. award for excellence in criminal law. Recently, Ed was honored by the Nashville Bar Association with the CLE Excellence Award for his leadership and dedication to continuing legal education.  Ed also received the David Rutherford Award from the Nashville Bar Foundation.

While in college, Ed served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Sou’wester. As editor-in-chief, he learned law and politics were at the epicenter of American life and a career in the legal profession would keep him in the thick of the action. The desire to be on the front lines served him well as an infantry lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was a ceremonial platoon leader at Arlington National Cemetery and received the Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge for his service in Vietnam.