Tanner Paul Samples
Biography
Tanner Samples is an associate in the Asheville office, where he focuses his practice on governmental, commercial, premises, and general liability.
Before joining HBS, Tanner developed a broad background in both civil and governmental work. He served as a judicial intern for three judges of the Buncombe County Superior Court, where he assisted on both the civil and criminal dockets. He also worked as a summer associate in HBS’s Asheville office, contributing to cases involving medical malpractice, governmental liability, and contract disputes.
Earlier in his career, Tanner clerked at a plaintiff’s firm in Athens, Georgia, supporting litigation efforts from initial filings through resolution. During law school, he worked for the Athens-Clarke County City Attorney’s Office on First Amendment compliance, and with the University of Georgia’s Business Law Clinic, advising small businesses and nonprofits on organizational and compliance needs.
Tanner earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he was executive notes editor for the Georgia Law Review. While on Law Review, he published a note analyzing the impact of products liability cases on advancements in safety technology. He was also active as a dean’s ambassador, law student mentor, and member of the Student Bar Association and Business Law Society. He received his B.B.A. in management from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. In his free time, Tanner loves to woodwork, flyfish, and explore the mountains of western North Carolina with his wife, Hannah.
Credentials
Admitted
State Courts:
- North Carolina
Federal Courts:
- United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
Education
- J.D., cum laude, University of Georgia
- B.B.A., University of Georgia
Recognition
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award – Ethics in Litigation
Publications
- Protecting “Learned Hands”: Table Saw Injuries, the SawStop Saga, and How Our Design Defect Doctrine Is Disincentivizing Safety
University of Georgia School of Law, 2025