Lee Barfield managed complex civil litigation as a partner with the law firm of Bass, Berry & Sims PLC in Nashville for 40 years until he retired in 2015. He taught legal ethics at Vanderbilt Law School for ten years.

Lee worked extensively with former Governor Bill Haslam and members of the Tennessee General Assembly to adopt legislation to stimulate job growth, including reforms in the tort system, to eliminate Tennessee’s taxes on inheritance, gifts, and unearned income, and to adopt a constitutional amendment for appointment of appellate judges.

Lee has also worked closely with AFC and a coalition of school choice advocates to encourage the Tennessee General Assembly to adopt Governor Bill Lee’s Tennessee Education Savings Account Pilot Program, which provides independent scholarships of approximately $7,000 per student for low-income K-12 students to attend independent schools and to pay for tuition, tutoring, textbook, transportation, and other approved educational expenses.

He is experienced in the operation of successful independent schools, has served on the boards of four leading independent schools and has served as chair for three schools.