Palmer Lawyers

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...

For caring counsel and strong representation on a wide range of legal issues, many in the Cleveland-Chattanooga region of Tennessee turn to the attorneys and staff of William J. Brown & Associates. From divorce to personal injury, criminal defense to a contract dispute, you can depend on an honest assessment of your case. When we represent you in negotiations or litigation, you will benefit from decades of experience and a passion for service to our valued clients.

I am an attorney based in Crossville, TN. My practice is focused on business and construction related clients and their personal and professional legal needs. Clients include homeowners, builders, sub-contractors, material supplier and many others connected with construction and general business activity. I am a former licensed general contractor in Tennessee. Over approximately 17 years, I built over 200 residential projects and developed three sub-divisions. DISCLAIMER: R. Jack Atkins is not certified as a specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization in the areas of practice listed on this website.

Jerry H. Summers is a lifelong resident of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee. Following his graduation from law school, he initially worked for two years as a prosecutor in the Hamilton County District Attorney's Office. Entering private practice in 1969, he became the founding member of what is now Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers. An experienced trial lawyer, Mr. Summers is one of a small number of attorneys who has been included in every yearly volume of "Best Lawyers in America" in both personal injury and criminal law. He is also only one of approximately five attorneys in the State of...

Mr. MacNeill graduated with honors from Nashville School of Law.

I have practiced law for twenty years. I learned the Court system under the guidance of my father who practiced law for over forty years. I have represented persons accused of offenses as minor as traffic citations and as serious as homicide. I have tried countless jury trials in both State and Federal Court and take pride in the knowledge that when discussing matters with prosecutors they have no doubt that if they are unreasonable I will try your case.

I am also very experienced in probating estates. I understand that not only is a...

I have been practicing criminal law for over 26 years in federal and state courts. I am licensed to practice in the states of Tennessee and Georgia, however, I have appeared or consulted in criminal cases in many other states across the United States. I have tried well over 150 jury trials, including approximately 20 murder and/or death penalty cases. I have also been successful in appellate litigation, and have argued cases before federal court of appeals and state supreme courts. In 2011, I successfully argued a constitutional speedy trial violation before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which resulted...

Daniel Barnes graduated cum laude with a degree in English from Sewanee: The University of the South in 2009. He attended law school at the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of Moot court board and the black law students association. He also received the "Raptor Award" in first semester torts, and received an award for the highest grade in Criminal Seminar. He graduated and was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 2012 and takes cases in the fields of criminal law, immigration, family law, and wills and estates.

Wagner & Wagner is one of the longest-established law firms in Chattanooga. With more than seven decades of proven legal experience, our law practice has steadily grown through repeat business, valuable referrals and a tradition of client satisfaction.

John was born and raised in Chattanooga. He was active in the Boy Scouts growing up and earned his Eagle Scout Award. In law school, John earned the Book Award in his estate planning class for the highest grade. Prior to joining his father's law practice in 2002, he worked for two years with UBS Trust Company (formerly Bradford Trust Company). John speaks on the areas of Chattanooga estate planning and probate to other attorneys and professionals, as well as the public. In the past, John served on local boards such as the Orange Grove Center, the Siskin...

Randall Glyn Kirby was born and raised in Hartsville, Tennessee, graduating from Trousdale County High. He graduated magna cum laude from Tennessee Tech and earned his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Belmont University College of Law. Kirby’s practice includes: family law, divorce, juvenile law, state criminal defense, estates, probate, bankruptcy and real property. In his spare time, Randall enjoys watching football, spending time with family, listening to music, watching movies and playing video games.

Patrick A. Cruise is licensed in Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisiana. Patrick has handled over one thousand cases, including jury trials in Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisiana. He has obtained millions of dollars in compensation for his clients, including numerous six and seven figure settlements, judgements, and verdicts. Patrick focuses primarily on serious injuries involving commercial motor vehicle wrecks, and is Board Certified in Truck Wreck Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

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...

Trial Attorney

I have worked extensively in education law, juvenile law, and family law.

Annette Kelley uses the past experience she had as an insurance defense lawyer for over a decade to help secure just compensation for her clients in cases involving car wrecks, truck wrecks, workers compensation, premises liability and other serious personal injury cases throughout Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.

Estes has been practicing law since 1974. He started in Memphis, TN where he worked for the best criminal and personal injury lawyers in that City. He moved to Chattanooga in 1976 where he again worked under the tutelage of one of Chattanooga's premier criminal attorneys. In 1999 he joined ERMC and eventually became the Chief Legal Officer and Sr. Vice-President of that company. In that capacity he oversaw civil personal injury litigation in over 40 states and supervised up to 100 outside top-notch personal injury lawyers around the country, attending numerous trials and mediations regarding...

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...

Zack England, the founder of England Injury Law, is a native of the Chattanooga area who has dedicated his life to serving the community he holds dear. His journey into the legal field began with a strong academic foundation, earning a Bachelor’s in English Language and Literature from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. After completing his undergraduate studies, Zack pursued his legal education at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. His decision to become an attorney was deeply rooted in his desire to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives and...

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...

Ben McGowan became a member of the firm, then known as Summers & Wyatt, PC, in 2012, following six years of successful private practice and Of Counsel association with Cavett & Abbott, PLLC. A native of New York City, Ben first moved to southeast Tennessee to attend the University of the South where he served as a University Proctor, fraternity president, and student Chief of the University fire department. After graduating in 1994, Ben lived abroad briefly before returning to the United States and in 1998 attending law school in Boston at Northeastern University. After graduation, he served as a Law...

I help you build things— patent applications, expert reports, amicus briefs, opinions on patentability, freedom to operate, due diligence, and state-of-the-art. The things I help you build assist you build your business—intellectual property to keep others from using your things without your permission, and opinions to help keep you from using other people's stuff without their permission. I provide answers, specifically to questions that need an understanding of chemistry and patent law. I have a passion and background in chemistry. I love patents, especially useful ones. Everything is an opportunity to learn, collaborate, and provide value. I do all three...

Herbert Thornbury, Esquire and his staff work with clients who have personal injury claims including social security, workers’ compensation and accident injuries in Tennessee.