Firm History

The McMahan Law Firm was formed in 1992. Today, the firm, headed by John D. McMahan, a civil trial and medical malpractice specialist, a member of the National Board of Trial Advocacy and a Diplomate in the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, has lawyers licensed to practice law in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama. With a growing regional trial practice, the McMahan Law Firm handles personal injury cases involving motor vehicle accidents, workers’ compensation cases, Social Security Disability, drug and product liability cases and premises liability cases. We are a trial firm representing people and dedicated to securing fair, just and reasonable compensation for our clients from negligent defendants and their insurance carriers.

For the last four years, the McMahan Law Firm has settled and tried cases in the Southeast totaling in excess of $9 million dollars. John D. McMahan, G. Brent Burks, Bart S. Solomon, James R. Kennamer,  and Chris Gentry are trial lawyers with over 80 years of combined litigation experience. These trial lawyers are supported by a staff of legal assistants and case managers who specialize in various areas of personal injury law. One workers’ compensation specialist in 1999 settled over 60 Tennessee workers’ compensation cases resulting in over $1 million dollars in workers' compensation benefits flowing into the hands of injured workers. We are the trial lawyers for the people, and we do not and shall not represent corporations or insurance companies.

In October of 1992, John D. McMahan, a 1973 graduate of Vanderbilt University, with a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law, left a large law firm and began his own firm. For 15 years at this other law firm, John McMahan was trial counsel for a number of major insurance carries, including Allstate, Universal, Royal and Liberty Mutual. During these years, he tried an average of 20 cases annually in the defense of insurance companies and insurance companies’ insureds in Hamilton and surrounding counties in Southeast Tennessee.

In 1992, recognizing that the insurance industry no longer appreciated the value of quality trial counsel, Mr. McMahan withdrew from the Leitner partnership and began his work as plaintiffs' counsel as an associate with the law firm of Clements & Schulman. In 1993, Mr. McMahan became a partner in the firm of Clements, Schulman & McMahan, and then in 1995, Mr. McMahan formed his own plaintiffs' firm and initiated procedures to develop a productive and growing personal injury law firm.

Since receiving his law license in 1976, Mr. McMahan has specialized in trial practice. In 1994 he became a member of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, and he was certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. Mr. McMahan was the first Tennessee certified civil trial specialist practicing in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has co-authored "Trial Advocacy in Tennessee," and he is a frequent lecturer on trial advocacy for the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association and for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

Please contact us if you have any questions about a potential claim.  Even if the matter does not fall under the purview of our practice, we will do our best to assist or refer you to appropriate legal counsel.

Former client testimonials.