J.E. "Buddy" Stockwell III, Esq.
Executive Director
Buddy Stockwell was appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court on July 1, 2020, as the new Executive Director of the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP). Stockwell comes from south Louisiana where he has been a volunteer and program monitor for the state’s Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse since 1993, and the Executive Director of Louisiana's comprehensive Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP) peer professionals' program for the last ten years. He is a Certified Clinical Interventionist through “Love First” training at the Betty Ford Center and has personally been in recovery from alcoholism for over 37 years. Over the years he has supported hundreds of bar members, bar applicants, and family members of the bar with a wide range of substance use disorders and mental health issues. Stockwell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Louisiana State University in 1989 and a Juris Doctor degree from LSU Law School in 1993. Post-law school, he practiced in both large and small firm settings, but ultimately opened a solo practice in Baton Rouge where he focused heavily on domestic litigation until 2004 when he sold his Baton Rouge law office, home, and vehicles and he and his wife, Melissa, moved aboard a large catamaran and sailed the seas for six years, covering 19,000 nautical miles. Stockwell is a U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Captain and seasoned ocean mariner. He also served in the Navy prior to college. He is dedicated to TLAP's mission and very excited to serve the Tennessee Supreme Court, the TLAP Commission, and stakeholders in the profession as the new TLAP Executive Director.
Email: Buddy.Stockwell@tncourts.gov
Emily Lacey, CRS
Program Manager
Emily Lacey was hired as the full-time Program Coordinator in October 2005. She is responsible for conference planning, expenses and reimbursements, random urine drug screening, and compliance management of TLAP Monitoring Agreements. She also manages repayments for the Cain Fund and is on call after hours to answer TLAP crisis calls. She was promoted to Program Manager in 2016 and is a certified mental health first aid provider and Certified Recovery Specialist.
Email: Emily.Lacey@tncourts.gov
Kim Williams, CRS
Head Of Office Operations
Kim Williams is a Nashville native and studied education and mass communications at Austin Peay State University. She was hired part-time for TLAP in April 2015 and proved she is a great communicator and self-motivated team player, which led her to a full-time position in July 2016. Since then, Kim has provided many strengths to TLAP and has taken on many responsibilities. She is an experienced professional responsible for cultivating strategic outreach activities. She is a certified mental health first aid provider, a QPR suicide prevention gatekeeper, and a Certified Recovery Specialist. Kim is on call after hours to answer TLAP crisis calls. She interfaces regularly with the clients and the leadership of the Commissioners of TLAP.
Email: kim.williams@tncourts.gov
Lindsey O'Connell, LMSW
Clinical Supervisor
Lindsey O'Connell joined the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program in November 2018. Lindsey is a Licensed Masters Social Worker with a Masters in Clinical Social Work from the University of Tennessee. Prior to coming to TLAP, Lindsey worked in clinical settings spanning the entire continuum of care for behavioral health including: acute psychiatric hospitalization, residential treatment, psychiatric rehabilitation, community mental health, and outpatient counseling. Lindsey's clinical specialties include somatic and attachment focused EMDR, trauma and addiction treatment, and mindfulness-based therapies. Lindsey is also a certified Veterinary Social Worker, focusing on animal assisted therapy and utilizing the human-animal bond to promote healing. Lindsey came to the mental health field with extensive experience in advocacy and government relations, which informs her current work in educating legal communities about mental health. Lindsey currently serves as Vice President of the Middle Tennessee Employee Assistance Professionals Association and as Legislative Chair for the National Association of Social Workers TN Chapter.
Email: Lindsey.O'Connell@tncourts.gov