Knoxville, TN Lawyers

Criminal Defense Law

109 S. Northshore Dr., Suite 310, Knoxville, TN 37919

Brandon Fersten is a criminal, DUI and juvenile defense attorney in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the owner of Barnes & Fersten, PLLC. His work takes him into general sessions, criminal and juvenile courts, with representation spanning negotiations, hearings, bench trials and jury trials. His firm biography identifies jury acquittals in two specific matters: a vehicular homicide by intoxication case in Sevier County and a DUI case in Knox County. It also reports a juvenile transfer hearing in which the state’s request to have the juvenile tried as an adult was denied. His National College for DUI Defense profile describes a separate Criminal Court appeal that resulted in reversal of a trial court ruling. Fersten’s legal education was at the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude with a concentration in Advocacy & Dispute Resolution. He received CALI Excellence for the Future awards in Advanced Criminal Law, Negotiation and Advocacy Clinic. In 2020, he received the Jerry P. Black Jr. Student Clinic Attorney Award. Before law school, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida. His subsequent training includes completion of the Tennessee Criminal Defense Trial College. Fersten serves as Tennessee’s state delegate for the National College for DUI Defense. His firm also lists memberships in the Knoxville Bar Association, the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Criminal Defense Law

550 West Main St, Suite 340, Knoxville, TN 37902

Daniel Morrell was born and raised in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Mr. Morrell earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from East Tennessee State University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Tennessee College of Law. During his time at the University of Tennessee College of Law, Mr. Morrell concentrated in client advocacy and was the recipient of the Warren Wesley Kennerly Scholarship for Achievement in Legal Ethics and the Charles H. Miller Excellence in Civil Advocacy Award. While studying the practice of law, Mr. Morrell also served as a clerk for the Honorable Clifford T. Shirley and the Honorable H. Bruce Guyton in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. After receiving his Juris Doctorate, he operated a general practice concentrating in criminal defense. His practice covered a wide variety of criminal defense cases, from misdemeanors to murder. Mr. Morrell is an experienced trial attorney and is committed to serving his clients and building enduring relationships. At Garza Law, his practice includes DUI defense and other criminal defense matters.

Civil Litigation

920 Volunteer Landing Ln, Ste 200, Knoxville, TN 37915

First licensed in 1999, Mr. Brown’s background is in ethics and complex civil litigation at the trial and appellate level. He is licensed in nine states (six by exam) and many federal jurisdictions, has represented clients in court in approximately 25 different states, and has extensive experience litigating a broad array of subject matters, including healthcare, construction, environmental, real estate, intellectual property, professional malpractice, and products liability litigation. He began his career in Boston and came to Lowe Yeager & Brown PLLC after practicing for several years in a large Washington, DC, law firm. He is listed by the Tennessee Supreme Court as a Rule 31 civil mediator and attorney mentor, and has testified as an expert witness on subjects related to professional ethics, the Rules of Professional Responsibility, and the standard of care applicable to attorneys practicing in litigation. Based on this broad background, Mr. Brown represents clients in select, complex litigation matters; advises and represents professionals, executives, and public officials regarding ethical, licensing, and professional liability issues; and advises corporate clients regarding conflict avoidance and resolution, often in the healthcare, environmental, and real estate development markets. Mr. Brown holds commercial single-engine and multi-engine pilot licenses that he uses to work from both of the firm’s offices in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Washington, DC, and to address client needs throughout the Southeast economically and efficiently.

Personal Injury Law

550 W Main St ste 340, Knoxville, TN 37902, USA

Mr. Garza is a native of East Tennessee. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. He obtained his Masters of Science from the University of Tennessee and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Marcos M. Garza of the Garza Law Firm, PLLC is best known for his defense of those accused of DUI, criminal charges and for his representation of individuals who have suffered serious personal injury. In 2010 through 2014, Marcos Garza was one of only four lawyers in the states of Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi, under the age of 40 to be selected as a “Mid-South Super Lawyer Rising-Star,” in the area of DUI/DWI Defense, a distinction given to the top 2.5% of all lawyers under the age of 40 or in the first 10 years of practice. Then, from 2017 through 2019, Marcos Garza has been designated a Super Lawyer in “DUI-DWI Defense“. Mr. Garza has consistently been recognized in CityView, Newsweek, Forbes and Time magazines for his accomplishments as an outstanding attorney. Mr. Garza has also been recognized as one of the top 40 trial lawyers under 40 years of age in the state of Tennessee, as selected by the National Trial Lawyers Association, and has also been selected as one of their top 100 Trial Lawyers in America as recently as 2019. He has consistently been rated AV Preeminent, the highest distinction given by the distinguished Martindale attorney rating system. Mr. Garza lectures both in the state of Tennessee and nationally in the areas of Criminal Defense, DUI and trial skills. Mr. Garza has literally attended hundreds of hours of legal and scientific education related to the defense of the citizen accused and prides himself in staying on the cutting edge of trial techniques and the underlying law and science that is necessary to effectively defend those accused of crime or those who have suffered serious personal injury. Mr. Garza is trained in the science and techniques of Gas Chromatography (the method used to test drugs and alcohol in the blood), the EC/IR II breath testing device and is both a student and Instructor of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) courses. Mr. Garza is also a graduate of the prestigious National Criminal Defense College (NCDC) in Macon, Georgia and a graduate of the well-respected Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College® in Dubois, Wyoming, an intensive 24-day trial skills college. After a tour as a Judge Advocate and Captain in the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Garza returned to practice law in his home of East Tennessee. He routinely travels across East Tennessee handling criminal and personal injury cases for a relatively small number of clients. Marcos Garza is committed to handling fewer cases in the areas of Criminal, DUI and Personal Injury law in order to achieve the best results possible. This system enables Mr. Garza to get to know his clients personally and thoroughly, and he believes this not only produces better results but is also a more rewarding way of practicing law. He is available during the week and on weekends for free consultations. Mr. Garza is a husband and father of four young children and enjoys running and charcoal grilling on the weekends. Read legal reviews on Marcos Garza.

Family and Divorce Law

9225 Westland drive, Suite 102, Knoxville, TN 37922

Real Estate Law

265 Brookview Centre Way suite 604, Knoxville, TN 37919, USA

Steffanie M. Speck graduated with Honors from Maryville College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Organizational Management (2000). She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Tennessee College of Law with a concentration in Business Transactions (2003). Ms. Speck established the Title Law Program at the University of Tennessee College of Law and taught as an adjunct professor for six years while also practicing law. Ms. Speck focuses her practice in the areas of commercial finance, real estate, escrow closings, and title insurance. Whether it is a single property or a complex, multi-site project, Ms. Speck has experience in applying creative and workable solutions to smoothly close transactions. Ms. Speck is adept in the representation of both regional and national lenders, borrowers, and developers. Ms. Speck handles local and national projects and often serves as lead counsel on portfolio purchase and sale transactions. Her clients include numerous banks, commercial real estate development firms, builders, private investors, and other lending institutions. Ms. Speck’s practice also includes commercial contract negotiations, preparation of legal opinions, and general corporate matters. Ms. Speck is a Licensed Title Insurance Producer and has served on the Legislative Committee of the Tennessee Land Title Association. She is a Title Insurance Agent for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company and Fidelity National Title Insurance Company. Other appointments include her maintaining active membership in the Knoxville Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Land Title Association, and the American Land Title Association.

Personal Injury Law

706 Walnut Street, Suite 700, Knoxville, TN 37902

Timothy G. Elrod is the founder and managing attorney of OEB Law, PLLC, in Knoxville, Tennessee. His individual firm biography lists personal injury, slip-and-fall matters and premises liability among his practice areas. It also identifies bankruptcy, DUI defense and family law as parts of his practice. Elrod’s educational background includes Tusculum College and Oklahoma City University School of Law. His profile lists Tennessee state courts and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee under its courts section. Outside his legal work, the firm describes his involvement with high school football throughout East Tennessee and identifies him as an Alabama football fan. It also notes that he lives in Anderson County with his wife, two daughters and son. OEB Law describes its broader work as focused on personal injury and criminal defense. The firm’s injury practice includes car, motorcycle and truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, dog bites, workplace injuries, product-related injuries and wrongful death. Its criminal defense services include DUI cases and charges involving property, drug and violent crimes. These are firm-wide services, distinct from the practice areas listed in Elrod’s individual biography. For personal injury matters, OEB Law offers an initial consultation without charge and says its attorneys handle lawsuits, settlement negotiations and insurance claims. The firm lists its Knoxville office at 625 Market Street, on the third floor.