A periodic Q & A session with a Lewis Thomason (LT) lawyer
Lewis Thomason: When did you decide to become a lawyer?
David Changas: At some point during my time as an undergraduate at UT, as I realized my degree in Political Science and History wasn’t going to get me very far in life. It was a very practical pursuit.
Lewis Thomason: What has been the highlight of your career so far?
David Changas: I’m still waiting for it. On a serious note, coming to Lewis King in 2002 from a firm that wasn’t such a pleasant place to work and joining a group that had such great camaraderie was the best thing to happen to my career. The firm has changed a bit over the past 15 years, but we’re still just a big family.
Lewis Thomason: What do you enjoy most about being a lawyer?
David Changas: Lawyers, as a group, don’t always enjoy the best reputation, but I value the friendships I’ve made over the years, whether it was during my time as an active member of the TBA and ABA young lawyers divisions, or just through cases I’ve had. The reality is that most of the folks we deal with are great.
Lewis Thomason: You’re stranded on a desert island – what music are you listening to?
David Changas: People find it odd when I tell them I’m not really a music buff. I figure that if I’m stranded on a desert island, the last thing I’ll be worrying about is what kind of music I’ll have to listen to.
Lewis Thomason: What do you want your legacy to be?
David Changas: Above all, that I always took the ethical high road and treated those around me with respect.
Lewis Thomason: What is one thing on your bucket list and why?
David Changas: Unrealistically, a round at Augusta National. Realistically, a golf trip to Ireland. I got to go to Scotland to play after I took the bar and had the time of my life, and I’ve heard Ireland is an even better place to play.
Lewis Thomason: What is your favorite drink and why?
David Changas: I’m an unsophisticated Scotch drinker, but I honestly can’t remember when my enjoyment of it began.
Lewis Thomason: What famous person do you admire and why?
David Changas: Jack Nicklaus, because he dominated a game that is so incredibly difficult for so many years – people that don’t follow golf can’t fathom how incredible his record in the sixties and seventies was – and managed to do it while having what appears to have been a great family life with a wonderful wife and five children.
Lewis Thomason: What has been your greatest challenge as an attorney?
David Changas: Managing the stress of what we do is often difficult. We never really leave what we do behind at the office, and I’ve got a long way to go in learning better time management and organizational skills.
Lewis Thomason: What motivates you?
David Changas: My faith and my family.
David A. Changas is a shareholder in the Nashville office. Mr. Changas focuses his practice in the areas of transportation law, casualty defense litigation and product liability. He has successfully handled and tried numerous jury and non-jury cases since he began practicing in 2000. Mr. Changas is an active member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Nashville and is a member of the board of St. Sampson’s Clinic, which provides indigent care to rheumatology patients.