Frederick L. "Rick" Hitchcock

Merrill Nelson advises clients on a wide variety of corporate law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital financing and general corporate contracting. Merrill has advised purchasers and sellers in business transactions in the manufacturing, healthcare, video production and industrial supply industries, among others. He has also counseled both founders and investors in negotiating private equity investments for startup and emerging companies. Additionall...

Scott Evan Simmons focuses his practice on employment litigation and preventative counseling in the firm's Labor & Employment practice. Mr. Simmons regularly counsels clients on a wide range of employment-related topics, including wage-and-hour compliance, hiring, termination and creation and modification of general personnel policies. He also has significant experience defending a wide variety of employment-related lawsuits in front of a variety of employment-related forums, including st...

Mr. Godbold is a Chattanooga native and Baylor School alumnus. He is a proud parent of twin boys. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee where he graduated with high honors and was recognized as an “Unsung Hero” for exceptional contributions to campus life by the Dean of Students. While in law school at the University of Memphis, Mr. Godbold was elected as a Bar Governor, was the Mock Trial Champion, and received the Dean’s Service Award. Mr. God...

Mike Richardson is a successful and highly experienced trial lawyer that has been obtaining judgments and favorable settlements for his clients for his entire 36 year career. He specializes in cases involving serious injuries, professional negligence claims, busines dispurtes and trust and estate litigation involving breaches of fiduciary duties. He has been recognized as one of the leading trial lawyers in Tennessee, having won a number of landmark decisions and cases the changed the law in ...

Ward Nelson has over 30 years of experience in the areas of corporate, healthcare and transportation law, primarily for merger and acquisition and private equity transactions. His background as a Certified Public Accountant has proved invaluable in structuring and evaluating financial aspects of business transactions (buy side and sell side) in various industries including floor covering and logistics. He also represents healthcare clients with transactional and contract matters. Ward was pre...

Chris Crevasse focuses his practice on employee benefits, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and other aspects of employment law, including immigration law. He assists his clients with the design, drafting, and updating of retirement plans and other employee benefit plans; with ERISA and federal tax compliance; with benefit plan administration and audits, including audits by the IRS and DOL; and with resolving employee benefits issues through the IRS and DOL correction programs. He also counsels ...

Doug Johnson concentrates his practice on trademarks, technology and patents and on intellectual property litigation. He negotiates software licensing and technology agreements for both technology companies and end users. Mr. Johnson also coordinates trademark prosecution and administration, patent prosecution and administration, patent portfolio strategies, and intellectual property litigation for companies with international brands primarily in the food, sports, carpet and consumer products...

W. Randall Wilson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. W. Randall, who practices law in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which W. Randall is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Zachary H. Greene is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Zachary H., who practices law in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Zachary H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Allen McCallie, Chair of the firm's Exempt Organizations Group, concentrates his practice on tax-exempt charitable organizations, conservation law, public entity law, and public/private nonprofit development ventures. For more than 30 years, Allen has enjoyed working on public/private partnerships and ventures which have helped shape the renaissance of Chattanooga into one of the most vibrant cities in the South, through projects such as the Tennessee Aquarium, Tennessee RiverPark, Miller Pla...