Butler Snow has appointed Benjamin Whitehouse as senior counsel in its Nashville office.
Whitehouse, the former supervising attorney and assistant general counsel for insurance at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, will practice with the firm’s regulatory and business group.
In his previous role, Whitehouse served as legal advisor to the Department’s captive insurance section providing legal advice on the regulation and formation of new captives in the state.
Additionally, he worked regularly with local industry groups, venture capital firms and private industry to promote and encourage the formation of captive insurance companies throughout Tennessee.
Whitehouse has significant experience in insurance regulatory matters and also held the role of assistant general counsel at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
Prior to joining the Department in 2013, he also held positions at the Tennessee Office of the Attorney General and Reporter, the Naval Safety Centre, and the United States Navy.
Donald Clark, chairman of Butler Snow, said: “Benjamin Whitehouse will be a tremendous asset to our firm and to our regulatory and business group, and we are excited he has joined our team.”
“His unique captive insurance and tax issues knowledge and government leadership experience will prove valuable in helping our clients successfully navigate insurance matters.”
Whitehouse commented: "Tennessee’s Captive Insurance Section, ably supported by the Tennessee Captive Insurance Association, Commissioner McPeak, and the Tennessee General Assembly, has made great strides in making the domicile a top tier home for captive insurance."
"I’m very proud to have played a part in the Captive Section’s success, such as innovations for protected cell captives to allow for cell dormancy and portability, premium tax credits for redomesticating captives, and a very flexible redomestication process."
He added: "I felt that the time was appropriate to go into private practice and Butler Snow is proving to be a great fit."
"There is a need for qualified legal counsel for captive insurance companies both in Tennessee and around the world and I look forward to helping meet those demands of our ever-growing industry.”