Holly M. Kirby

Holly M. Kirby (born July 9, 1957) is an American lawyer who served on the Tennessee Supreme Court from 2014 to 2026, serving as chief justice from 2023 to 2025. She was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Bill Haslam in 2013. She served as a judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals from 1995 to 2013.

Education

Kirby graduated from Columbia Central High School in Columbia, Tennessee. She attended Memphis State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 1979. She received a Juris Doctor from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1982.

In 1983, Kirby joined the Memphis law firm of Burch, Porter and Johnson, where she specialized in defending businesses in employment-related litigation. In 1990, she became a partner in the firm.

In 1995, she was appointed to the Tennessee Court of Appeals, becoming the first woman on the court. In September 2023, she was elected to serve as chief justice. She retired from the court in June 2026.

Personal life

Kirby is married and has two grown children.