Thomas W. Shumate IV

Erika Barnes is a member of the firm's Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy Service Group and the Business Litigation Service Group. Erika is certified as a specialist in Business Bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification. Erika represents creditors and franchisors in bankruptcy cases nationwide. She also has experience representing creditors' committees and Chapter 11 trustees. Erika handles real estate curative litigation and complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal co...

Paul Savage Davidson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions and Litigation - Securities. Paul Savage, who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Paul Savage is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and...

George is experienced in corporate and transactional matters with a focus on emerging technology and healthcare companies, as well as the healthcare practice industries. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Ignacio De La Huerta is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Ignacio, who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ignacio is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

J. Douglas Sloan III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. J. Douglas, who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J. Douglas is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill Neely practices primarily in the areas of partnership and corporate taxation, transactional tax planning, and executive compensation. He regularly provides advice on the structure and implementation of taxable and nontaxable acquisitions and has assisted in the formation and operation of numerous venture capital, real estate and hedge funds. He also routinely consults with companies on their executive compensation plans. From 2007 through 2022, Bill served as general counsel of Health Se...

J. Cole Dowsley, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Construction Law. J. Cole, who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J. Cole is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John Myers' practice focuses on a wide variety of commercial finance, corporate and commercial law matters, with an emphasis on representing institutional lenders, investors and businesses in commercial lending (including real estate lending) transactions and creditors' rights and insolvency matters; business acquisitions and dispositions and debt/equity investments; and general contracting and commercial law matters. John has significant experience with the Uniform Commercial Code, including...

Margaret L. Behm has earned the reputation as the go-to person in 45 years of representing clients and forging coalitions for change. After beginning her legal career in 1976 at Legal Services if Middle Tennessee, Inc., Behm and Marietta Shipley in 1980 founded Shipley and Behm, the city's first all-woman law firm. “Back then, women just weren’t taken seriously as business owners or lawyers,” Behm says. “I wanted to run my own business and demonstrate that women could ...

Mike Brent's practice focuses primarily on business law, where he represents clients in a wide range of transactional, regulatory and operational matters. Although his practice includes clients in a variety of industries, he places an emphasis on the representation of health care providers (both for-profit and not-for-profit) and investors, especially those involved in the long term care and senior housing industries, as well as lenders to the health care community. He has represented numerou...