Thomas A. Bickers graduated with honors in 1984 from Middle Tennessee State University. He graduated with high honors from The University of Tennessee College Of Law in 1987. Following law school, he served as law clerk to the Honorable H. Ted Milburn of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. In 1993, Tom was appointed by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee to serve as a member of the advisory group tasked with revising the Court’s l...

John W. Elder received his undergraduate degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 2000. He received his law degree, with high honors, from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2003 and joined Paine Bickers in August of the same year. Since joining the firm, he has represented numerous individuals and entities on local, regional and national levels in all types of complex civil litigation. John is a 2007 graduate of IADC Trial Academy and a 2010 graduate of the Tennessee Bar A...

Michael J. King currently serves as managing partner for the firm. He graduated from Syracuse University with a B.A. in mathematics and political science. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, with a deferred service commitment to attend law school. Mike obtained his law degree from The University of Tennessee College of Law in 1992. He then served for four years in the United States Air Force as a Judge Advocate. He is licensed in Tennessee ...

Taylor A. Williams received his undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Tennessee, graduating with honors. He received his law degree from The University of Tennessee College of Law in 2009, graduating with high honors. In law school, Taylor’s case commentary was published in school’s business law journal. Since joining the firm, Taylor has over ten years of complex litigation practice, focusing on commercial disputes and defense of products liability actions in ...

Kendell Garrett Vonckx is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Kendell Garrett, who practices law in Knoxville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kendell Garrett is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.