WTLS Announces Ashley Holliday as new Executive Director
PRESS RELEASE FROM WEST TENNESSEE LEGAL SERVICES:
WTLS Announces Ashley Holliday as new Executive Director
Today, West Tennessee Legal Services announced that it has selected Ashley Holliday as its new Executive Director, effective January 1, 2024.
“Ashley Holliday’s experience with West Tennessee Legal Services will make the transition seamless. She is well prepared for this new role,” WTLS Board of Directors Chair Vanedda Webb said. “WTLS is fortunate to have a person with her qualifications ready to serve as Executive Director.”
Holliday currently serves as the WTLS General Counsel. She has worked at WTLS for 14 years, where she started as managing attorney. Prior to that she worked in private practice in Jackson after graduating from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Holliday is currently a Barrister in the Howell Edmunds Jackson Inns of Court.
“I’ve been committed to West Tennessee Legal Services’ mission since I joined in 2009,” Holliday said. “I am excited about the opportunity to continue to serve vulnerable West Tennesseans.”
Holliday succeeds Cathy Clayton, who is retiring from the role on December 31, 2023. Clayton has served in the role since October 2015. Clayton began her career at WTLS after she graduated from University of Tennessee College of Law. She then transitioned to private practice and before returning to WTLS to serve as the Executive Director.
“Ashley Holliday is the perfect choice to lead WTLS forward. She is mission-driven, innovative, and hard-working,” Clayton said. “Ashley has been and will be instrumental in strategic planning and obtaining funding to implement improving ways WTLS can better serve our clients and community.”
As the Executive Director, Holliday will take the helm of the organization at the time of its largest growth in its forty-four year history. This year alone, WTLS has received many new grants expanding its services for family law, disaster services, veterans services, pro bono delivery, and more. With a staff of forty-five employees working in four offices throughout West Tennessee, WTLS serves low income West Tennesseans by providing no cost legal services.
About West Tennessee Legal Services
West Tennessee Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm, offers free civil legal representation and educational programs to help people in 17 West Tennessee counties receive justice, protect well-being, and support opportunities to overcome poverty. Counties served from offices in Jackson, Dyersburg, Huntingdon, and Selmer are Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Madison, McNairy, Obion, and Weakley. WTLS is funded in part by the Legal Services Corporation and state, federal, and local funding. Learn more at www.wtls.org or by following the firm on Facebook.
