Embrace the Art of Advocacy
"Success is born not from toil, but from play."
- Francis Ford Coppola, American Filmmaker
While trial lawyers tell their clients’ stories in a way that compels juries to deliver justice, songwriters tell their stories in three minutes or less. The Bard Room will provide the space, the songwriters, and the instructors to help lawyers understand how to powerfully achieve emotional depth with economy of words so justice can be delivered in ways they may have never considered.
“Bards” date back to the era of Shakespeare. A bard is a poet who writes impassioned and lyrical verse. Over time, the word evolved to describe tribal poets and singers who were gifted in composing and reciting verses on heroes and their deeds. And so, The Bard Room Founder, Nashville native, and long-time plaintiff trial lawyer Jeff Roberts, envisioned a place in his hometown where trial lawyers could comfortably come together with peers, mentors, younger lawyers who want to be mentored, songwriters, and other performers to discover the passion inherent in writing and telling a story well. In fact — to become the bard in their own courtrooms across the country.
With a theatre-in-the-round, a rooftop classroom overlooking the historic Hermitage Hotel, and within walking distance to the Ryman Auditorium, The Bard Room will provide quality instructors and performers at Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs that will improve one’s practice of law and honor the value of play, cherish the importance of taking time to exhale, and revel in the laughter and joy of a performance well done. All in the heart of Nashville. We welcome you. and look forward to the exploration!
Join us for our first program
Oct. 16-19, 2024
Until we complete our space, we will meet in the historic Ocean Way Recording Studio on Music Row. Get ‘yer boots on and join us for our debut program with a top line-up of excellent lawyers, songwriters and performing arts specialists who will work with you one-on-one as you explore the magic of discovering and telling the story of your case in every phase of your upcoming trials. Space is limited. We look forward to seeing you in Nashville.
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Other Upcoming Events
As we complete our renovation , please follow us on this website, Facebook and LInkedIn to keep abreast of our activities:
MAY 4-7, 2024:
Partnering with Florida Attorney John Romano’s Connectionology: Brain Injury and Pain/Suffering/Anguish Causation and Damages Institute. Our own Creative Director Max T. Barnes will open the program for attendees with a performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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JULY 21, 2024:
Singer-songwriter and The Bard Room Creative Director, Max T. Barnes, will pair up with singer Marty Haggard for an invite-only concert at 3rd & Lindsley, sponsored by Jeff Roberts & Associates and Tom Metier, Metworks.
OCTOBER, 16-19, 2024:
The Bard Room debut CLE program featuring trial lawyers Vicki Slater, Tom Metier, Mel Orchard-pending, Actor and Author of Tell the Winning Story Jesse Wilson, and Singer/Songwriter Max T. Barnes. Held at the Ocean Way Recording Studio on Nashville’s Music Row.
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FEBRUARY, 2025:
Spring program. Teachers and presenters to be listed shortly.
Max T. Barnes Nashville
singer/songwriter
Max T. Barnes has written the hits you’ve loved for years. He and his father, Max D. Barnes, have sold over 70 million records, scoring 33 #1s and hits for names like Cash, Haggard, Gill, Jones, and Nelson. Songs like “Love, Me”, “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes”, And “Look At Us”. In 1993, Max and his father were both nominated in the same year for the songwriter’s highest award: CMA Song of the Year. Max now brings his songwriting skills to the legal community with a fresh take on a storytell- er’s standpoint focusing on tempo, brevity, and awakening all of the senses.
Tom Metier
Founder, The Metier Law Firm,
Ft. Collins, CO
“I am greatly honored to co-create with Jesse Wilson, Vicki Slater, Mel Orchard, and Nashville singer-song- writer Max T. Barnes at a new kind of trial skills workshop at “The Bard Room”, the dynamic, new, creative space in the heart of the Nashville music scene. We will combine The Metier Trial Skill Methods, How to Tell the Winning Story, and #1 hit songwriting skills in a one-of-a-kind, multi-day creative experience for trial lawyers. Explore your inner artist, develop new trial skills, and learn a new trial paradigm from voir dire to damages. Join us and learn to maximize your verdicts. Let’s create together in the heart of Nashville.” – Tom Metier
Vicki Slater
Attorney at Law
Founder of the Vicki R. Slater Law Firm, Jackson, Mississippi, Vicki has won a wide range of verdicts and settlements for her clients. Vicki is a teacher at the Trial Lawyers College and the AAJ Ultimate Trial Skills College. She has received many awards from the Mississippi Association for Justice including its Fannie Lou Hamer Award (2022), Advocate of the Year (2016), Lifetime Achievement Award (2014), Woman Advocate of the Year (2009) and Consumer Advocate of the Year (2008).
Mel Orchard Invited
Managing Partner of The Spence Law Firm, Jackson, WY. Over Mel’s 27 year career, he has litigated hundreds of cases for hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for his clients. He has also devoted significant time to pro bono work through Lawyers and Advocates for Wyoming, and he serves on the faculty of the Trial Lawyers College. Mel also served for 6 years as Chairman for the Wyoming Commis- sion for Judicial Conduct and Ethics.
Jesse Wilson
Author, Trial Consultant, Founder of How to Tell the Winning Story
“In the courtroom, mastering the art of persuasion is crucial. Incorporating the arts into trial skills cultivates a powerful ability to captivate, connect, and compel – turning a dreary case into a gripping narrative that resonates with judge and jury alike.
I’ll go to my grave saying that the arts are trial skills – more than you can ever imagine. I can’t wait to combine The Tell the Winning Story approach with the Metier Methods and the rest of this creative crew who deeply understand what it looks like when you embrace “performance” – a very dangerous and misunderstood word for many trial lawyers. The Bard Room is the place to put new trial skills into action and become the best storyteller (and courtroom director) that you can possibly be.”
From Bon Jovi to Garth Brooks;
George Straight to John Fogerty.
This is where the greats record.
This will be our hang-out for 3 days!
Lodging available
Virgin Hotel
Right on Music Row
