Distinguished Alumni: Assistant Attorney General Rebekah Baker

Distinguished Alumni 

of the 

Appalachian School of Law:  

Assistant Attorney General 

Rebekah Baker

Legal Career

Mrs. Rebekah Ann Baker serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Tobacco Enforcement Division of the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Tennessee.  The Tobacco Enforcement Division, one of five consumer/crime protection divisions, enforces the provisions of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement and handles other tobacco–related matters. 

In that position, Mrs. Baker not only represents the State in civil litigation matters involving tobacco, but she also helps track and review all tobacco-related legislation introduced in the General Assembly each year. She also drafts legislation and legislative amendments when necessary.  In addition, she works on regulatory matters involving tobacco companies doing business in Tennessee.  Mrs. Baker serves on several working groups within the National Association of Attorneys General Tobacco Project and chaired the Legislation and Regulations working group for a two-year time period.  She is also involved in coordinating public health efforts and events centered on tobacco prevention and cessation with other state and local agencies. 

Mrs. Baker graduated cum laude from Marshall University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.  In 2005, she graduated cum laude from Appalachian School of Law.  She was thereafter admitted to the Tennessee State Bar.

Upon graduation, Mrs. Baker served in a highly coveted, one-year clerkship for the Honorable Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr., during his last year with the Tennessee Supreme Court. 

In 2006, after her clerkship, Mrs. Baker joined the Attorney General’s Office.

Law School Career

During law school, Mrs. Baker completed a summer externship with the District Court in Greeneville, Tennessee, serving the Honorable Thomas Hull.  Mrs. Baker also volunteered extensively at the Mountain Mission School and at the preschool program at the Grundy United Methodist Church. 

Mrs. Baker served as Editor for the Appalachian Journal of Law, and the journal published her article entitled: Can States “Locke” The Treasury Door Against Religion: A Look at State Scholarships Used to Fund Religious Education.  She also served on the Appellate Advocacy/Moot Court Team during the fall/winter of 2004 and 2005.

Family Life

Mrs. Baker is married to another Appalachian School of Law alum, Josh Baker (also class of 2005). (I'll profile Josh later. He also works in public service.) 

She has two beautiful little girls—Rosalie (4 years) and Alice (11 months).   

Recently, Mrs. Baker said: 

"I feel like I am one of the lucky ones who has a job that I love that does not completely consume me, amazing kiddos that I get to see by 5 or 5:30 every night, and a wonderful hubby who has his own amazing career and supports mine (and with whom I sometimes get to spend time alone). We have a great life right now."

Community Service

Consistent with ASL's emphasis on community service, for the past two years, Mrs. Baker has served as an editor of the newsletter produced by the Marion Griffin Chapter of the Lawyer's Association for Women (LAW): LAW Matters. 

She has coached a high school mock trial team for the past seven years.  

She also serves in several leadership positions within her church and sings second soprano in the church choir.