Decherd Lawyers

Tennessee personal injury lawyer, John R. Colvin, is a practicing trial lawyer who uses his legal training and experience to help individuals and families throughout the Tennessee Valley region, cope with and recover from the hardships brought on by disability, injury, or the loss of a loved one. His practice concentrates primarily in the areas of Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises Liability, and Social Security Disability.

In the specific areas that I focus my law practice, I have an opportunity to help individuals throughout Southern Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama who have suffered a tragic loss or have been injured through...

Andy Peters Davis attended law school in San Diego, California, where he graduated from California Western School of Law and returned back to his hometown to join the law firm. Andy Davis was born in Winchester, Tennessee. His education and work experience took him to all corners of the world before returning to work in Tennessee.

After becoming licensed to practice law in Tennessee, Andy Davis joined the law firm and was thrown into the fire in his first year. Andy Davis demonstrated an acute ability to adapt and learn the local laws and continues to strive in the practice of...

Matthew Harris is managing partner and trial counsel with The Harris Firm, P.C. in Manchester, Tennessee.   He practices on behalf of individuals and corporate entities in all state and federal courts in Tennessee and Mississippi.  He has personally tried personal injury matters including premises liability claims (i.e., "slip-and-fall" cases), motor vehicle accidents, as well as medical and dental malpractice lawsuits to verdict on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants.  Mr. Harris earned a B.S. in Political Science from Austin Peay State University in 2008 and a J.D. from Mississippi College School of Law in 2011.   The Harris Firm, P.C. represents litigants...

I am the founder and managing member of LaBAR LAW PLLC. I concentrate my practice on advising business and corporate clients on all manner of general counsel services, including, transactional, corporate and real estate law matters throughout Tennessee and the Southeast. I also advise clients on employment law matters and represents them in both administrative matters as well as in litigation, including matters in State and Federal courts as well as before the EEOC, NLRB, and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

I also advise clients and business owners in implementing tax, business and estate planning strategies and, for...

John A. Day is the founding partner of The Law Offices of John Day, P.C., located in the Nashville, Tennessee, area. John graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1981. He is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist and has more than 30 years’ experience trying cases. John has served as President of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association and Chair of the Council of State Presidents of the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America). John has also served on the boards of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, Lawyers...

Attorney R.Garth Best is a native of Cleveland, TN where he graduated from Bradley Central High School in 1998. He is an alumni from the prestigious Virginia Military Institute (Class of 2003). Upon graduation from VMI he received a degree in International Studies (B.A.) with a concentration in Middle Eastern Studies, as well as minors in Arabic and Business. During his studies at VMI, Mr. Best had the opportunity to study abroad in both Morocco and Egypt. His studies abroad concentrated on Arabic and Political Science while studying at the American University of Cairo. Upon graduation, Mr. Best came...

Amanda manages a boutique firm which serves clients in Tennessee and Georgia. Amanda focuses primarily on business and estates matters including: contracts, trademarks, business formation, wills & trusts, powers of attorney, and probate.

Mr. Higgins is a Nashville native. He attended the University of Tennessee where he graduated with honors and returned to home to work with a large insurance defense law firm. About 17 years ago Mr. Higgins left the defense practice and created a firm that only represents injured victims and their families. To better serve his clients the firm is broken down into specific litigation groups, such as the nursing home neglect division and serious injury division.

Mr. Higgins is a member of the million dollar advocates forum, recognized by Best Lawyers and is a board...

Laura Baker is a shareholder at The Law Offices of John Day, P.C., where she represents clients in personal injury, wrongful death, and tort litigation cases. Laura's reputation and experience have earned her several accolades. Most recently, Laura was awarded the "Rising Star Award" by the Lawyers' Association for Women in 2016. She was also recognized as an Athena Young Professional Award Nominee in 2016. In 2015, Laura was a winner of the Nashville Business Journal's “40 Under 40” award. Laura has been recognized as one of the “Best of the Bar” by the Nashville Business Journal in 2015 and...

Martin L. Pierce is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, and received his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Tennessee Technological University in 1978. He received that institution's Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in 1988. Martin received his law degree, with high honors, from the University of Memphis in 1981, where he was a published member of the University of Memphis Law Review. He is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Georgia, as well as before the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Martin works primarily in the areas of: (1) Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Elder Law,...

Brandon Bass is a shareholder at The Law Offices of John Day, P.C., located in Nashville, Tennessee, where he’s been practicing law since he graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2002. Brandon is active in several legal organizations, including: the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association Executive Committee, Board of Governors, Amicus Curiae Committee Chair, and Mentor; the American Association for Justice on their New Lawyers Division Board of Governors; the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law; and the Nashville Bar Foundation as a Fellow and Mentor.

Brandon has received many accolades throughout his career. He has been named in...

Mary Beth Hagan practices law primarily in the field of construction law. She represents persons in a variety of legal disputes both in residential and commercial construction. Ms. Hagan has represented contractors, subcontractors, owners, architects, and homeowners throughout her career. Ms. Hagan assists contractors and subcontractors with their daily legal matters, as well as the disputes that need to be heard by the court or arbitrator.

Layne Gillespie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina in 2002 and a Juris Doctor from the Appalachian School of Law in 2007. Layne began her legal career in Virginia as an intern for the Honorable Michael L. Moore, Circuit Court Judge for the 29th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. After her internship, Layne worked at ChildLaw Services, Inc., a non-profit organization devoted to the representation of abused and neglected children. Upon relocating to Chattanooga in 2008, Layne joined Clark & Washington, LLC as an associate attorney where she practiced bankruptcy...

After completing a six-year tour of duty as a Navy Corpsman (medic) assigned to a Marine Corps infantry battalion, Jason went to nursing school. He then enjoyed a 12-year career as a Registered Nurse (RN), where he worked in many different areas including emergency departments, intensive care units, renal dialysis centers, and post-anesthesia care units. He finished his nursing career serving as a charge nurse on a spinal cord injury unit. While working in healthcare, Jason witnessed first-hand the many ways in which negligence can lead to serious, sometimes fatal injuries. Unfortunately, the negligence of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers...

Shannon received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, where she majored in business and specialized in communication studies. This specialization in communication studies laid the groundwork for her to effectively advocate on behalf of her clients. After completing her undergraduate degree, Shannon earned a scholarship to attend Florida State University College of Law, a Top 50 law school in the country. There, she furthered her trial advocacy skills as a member of its prestigious mock trial team. All the while, she received recognition for making the Dean’s List. Shannon began her legal career in Central Florida in 2012. Her...

Matt grew up in Goodlettsville the son of a lawyer and grandson of a school principal who then re-invented herself as a lawyer in retirement, so it was pretty inevitable that Matt would also end up a lawyer. Predictably enough, he also has a younger brother who is ALSO a lawyer. Matt graduated from Tennessee Tech cum laude with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a minor in math. After working as an engineer with a global HVAC company, Matt realized engineering wasn’t his passion. He then went on to graduate magna cum laude from the University of...

Michael started working on construction sites with his dad at a very young age. In 1986 he worked as a laborer then moved up to carpenter building Hamilton Place mall in Chattanooga. In 1989 he obtained an Associate Degree in Construction Engineering then went to work as a commercial Superintendent for a large national General Contractor. In 1993, he became a business owner of a commercial general contracting firm that grew to building in 13 states. He was the license holder for the firm and built over 350 projects including industrial, retail, churches, and hospitality. In 2010 he started a residential and...

Jeffrey W. Rufolo grew up in New Jersey and originally came to Chattanooga in 1983 to attend the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on a wrestling scholarship. He liked the area so much he decided to stay. Since joining Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers, Mr. Rufolo has successfully represented those who have been injured on the job, or injured in car accidents, fall down cases, or other premises liability type cases due to the negligence of others. Recently, Mr. Rufolo successfully overturned an unfavorable decision from the trial court in a wrongful death lawsuit brought against Hamilton County, Tennessee, in which a...

Rodney M. “Rod” Scott is an attorney currently engaged in the general practice of law, focusing on estate planning and elder law. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Accounting from West Virginia University in 1979, and his law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1982. Originally admitted to practice in the states of Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, he has happily chosen Tennessee as his home and the location of his practice. In his 34+ years of experience as an attorney, he has seen the impact of pre-planning and crisis estate planning upon individuals, their...

Attorney Chase Walker is a young attorney full of energy and a desire to help others. Over the years, Chase has seen numerous legal issues arise with various friends and family members and often heard the same two complaints: I can't afford an attorney, and I don't feel like my interests are being fairly represented. Too often, attorneys claim to be client-centered, while simultaneously trying to figure out how they can resolve as many cases as quickly as possible, for the maximum profit, and with the least amount of time and effort possible. After taking the bar exam, Chase put...

Nick has practiced law since 2012. His main practice areas include automobile liability, business and commercial litigation, family law, construction litigation, and premises liability, among other general civil litigation matter.

Michelle Blaylock-Howser has been involved in the judicial system for over 12 years. She began her legal career with the law firm of Agee, Allen, Godwin, Morris and Laurenzi where she was paralegal to partner Lynn Agee and Susan Bradley. In 1998, she became employed as paralegal with the law office of Wilson and Bradley in the area of employment and personal injury law. In 1999, She accepted employment as a Judicial Assistant for the State of Tennessee under the Honorable Judge Don R. Ash and Honorable Judge J. Mark Rogers for 8 years. She worked full-time...

Litchford is a founding member of Litchford, Pearce & Associates, PLLC. Litchford is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Georgia and concentrates his practice in government law, commercial litigation, personal injury, business transactions, and criminal defense. In 2016, Litchford was named a “2016 Rising Star” by Super Lawyers of Thomson Reuters.

Litchford has extensive trial experience in representing clients in a variety of areas, including governmental regulations, personal injury, criminal defense, federal and state constitutional law, real property disputes, and public records and annexation actions. Litchford also serves as general representation counsel to various companies involved in the following markets:...

Focused on building practical skills to assist his future career, C.J. spent the majority of his law school career working in litigation. C.J. gained experience as a law clerk working for a prominent family law firm in Memphis. Through this law firm, he was able to learn through court room trials, hearings, and deposition observations. He was also able to work on high profile cases such as one involving the legitimacy of marriages conducted by ministers who were ordained through online churches. On top of being a law clerk, C.J. served as a student attorney at the same time in the...

Jonaka grew up knowing she wanted a career of service to others. Inspired by that motivation, she loves the satisfaction she hears from clients when her conversation and work has made a difference in their day, especially those who are experiencing a very dark time in their lives. Jonaka White Hall focuses her practice on a variety of types of personal injury cases. Originally from Cromwell, Kentucky, Jonaka earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from Western Kentucky University. Following her undergraduate career, Jonaka earned her Juris Doctor from Salmon P. Chase College of Law. Prior to joining...

Justin completed his undergraduate education at the University of Mississippi, where he ended up graduating with honors and earning a Bachelor of Science Degree. After undergrad, he decided to further his education at Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where he also graduated with honors and earned his Juris Doctorate. During his career at Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School he received several awards, including: the Criminal Law Best Essay/Book Award Recipient, Civil Procedure Best Essay/Book Award Recipient, Taxation Best Essay/Book Award Recipient, Pre-Trial Skills Book Award Recipient and Trial Skills Book Award Recipient. Each of...

Thomas began practicing law in 2003 at the firm of Boston, Holt, Sockwell, and Durham in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee focusing on domestic and civil work such as divorce, child custody and personal injury. He then had the opportunity to begin his extensive criminal law background in 2005 with his move to Murfreesboro to the 16th Judicial District District Attorneys Office. As a former Assistant District Attorney General in Murfreesboro, Smryna, LaVergne and all Rutherford County and Cannon County, Thomas prosecuted cases which ranged from as simple as public intoxication to as complicated as first degree murder and has been fortunate to...

Having been born and raised in Athens, Tennessee, Josh’s small-town conservative values have been motivation in achieving his goals of being an attorney and being a zealous advocate for individual’s rights. Josh attended McMinn County High School where he played football and baseball and graduated in 1990. In 1995, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Middle Tennessee State University. While attending college, he served as President of the MTSU chapter of Sigma Chi and is still an active member of the organization’s alumni association. After graduation, Josh attended Nashville School of Law while working full-time for the...

Joy Day is one of only fourteen female lawyers in the State of Tennessee who is certified as a civil trial specialist by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification and serves as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator. With more than 150 days of trial to her credit, Joy has significant trial experience in high-exposure, complex cases and is more than comfortable in the courtroom.

Joy has a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating, the highest rating possible, since 2004, and she has been named a Mid-South Super Lawyer every year since 2009. Joy is licensed in state...

Zach is a seasoned attorney dedicated to serving the needs of clients in the real estate development, design, and construction industry as well as companies doing business with government entities. He is admitted to practice law in Tennessee, Kentucky, and before the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Zach helps clients avoid disputes by advising them on contracts and risk management. He has experience in traditional design-bid-build projects, as well as more specialized contract structures like design-build, P3, and IPD. Zach has worked on projects ranging from roads and pipelines to retail, office, industrial, and residential developments. He...

I represent families and individuals seeking legal status or citizenship in the United States, entrepreneurs starting or purchasing businesses, and businesses hiring or transferring foreign workers. Our cases include adjustment of status (green cards), citizenship, fiancee visas (K1), business visas (E, L, H-1B, O-1), and people with extraordinary ability (EB-2 with National Interest Waiver).

I am a Tennessee-licensed attorney and my practice focuses exclusively on assisting my clients with the acquisition, maintenance and enforcement of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

One of my primary roles is to identify potentially patentable inventions and the scope of protection available for those inventions. In this role, I regularly prepare, file and prosecute U.S. patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and also work with attorneys around the world in order to obtain foreign patent protection.

I also assist clients in identifying competing technologies that might limit the scope of their patent protection or...

My legal career has focused on protecting the rights of individuals against big corporations. My main work in this regard is in three areas: (1) pursuing justice for victims of dangerous corporate products (mainly mesothelioma / asbestos victims); (2) representing labor unions; & (3) advocating for employee's rights.

John David Drake is an experienced trial attorney. John is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Law School. He served 5 years in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. There he gained significant general legal and trial practice. Since 1992 he has provided litigation services to the people of Murfreesboro, Rutherford and surrounding counties. His areas of practice include: DUI, Criminal Law, Divorce and Child Custody, Workers' Compensation and Personal Injury.

Practicing in the Chattanooga area since 2010, David is fluent in Criminal, Family, and Bankruptcy law. He also speaks some Russian and French. Armed with a Master's degree in Economics, he can bring the right financial perspectives to legal issues. David graduated from the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences in 1993 and has since spent time living in Annapolis, Santa Fe, Washington, New York, Knoxville, Moscow, and Kyiv.

Wayne grew up around Law Enforcement and Education. Wayne spent his formative years being active in the outdoors and sports. Wayne spent 12+ years in private sector investigations and holds advanced interview and interrogation techniques certifications.

Scott grew up on a family farm just outside of Sparta, Kentucky. Since 1995, Scott has successfully represented injured clients in matters involving wrongful death, brain injury, dismemberment and disfigurement. Scott has successfully represented injured clients in civil actions against corporate giants such as Ford Motor Company, Firestone Tire, Kubota Tractor and Rifle Coal Company. Scott attended high school in Owen County, Kentucky. Following high school, he pursued his undergraduate degree at the University of Kentucky and graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of the Arts in English. In his pursuit to follow his dreams, Scott received...

Graduated Vanderbilt University in 2002 Graduated from University of TN College of Law in 2005 Former Law Clerk to the Honorable Joseph Tipton on TN Court of Criminal Appeals Worked with Summer, Rufolo & Rodgers (formerly known as Summers & Wyatt) in Chattanooga since 2006 Specializes in appellate work and criminal defense, including state and federal cases.