GARZA LAW FIRM - Key Persons
Investigator Adam Woody was born in Rogersville, TN and raised in Rockwood, TN. He was in the Tennessee Army National Guard and served time in Iraq. He also has twenty years law enforcement experience with the Oak Ridge Police Department and Tennessee Highway Patrol. He has a Master of Professional Studies from the Tennessee Technological University in Public Safety and a Bachelor of Science from Bethal University in Criminal Justice. He attended the Northwestern School of Staff and Command, Tennessee Governors Leadership Program, and specializes in crash reconstruction. In his spare time, Adam loves spending time with his family and flying general aviation aircraft.
Andrew Varney was born and raised in Harlan, Kentucky. Mr. Varney moved with his family to Morristown, Tennessee and graduated from Morristown-Hamblen West High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science with a concentration in Law & Courts from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville. After his undergraduate degree, Mr. Varney attended Lincoln Memorial University, Duncan School of Law in which he graduated magna cum laude in 2022. He was the recipient of multiple CALI Excellence for the Future Awards during his time in law school.
Mr. Varney joined the Garza Law Firm in the summer of 2021 as a law clerk and has been with the firm ever since. At Garza Law, Mr. Varney has spent extensive time working on a wide variety of criminal defense cases. Upon passing the Tennessee bar in 2022, Mr. Varney has concentrated his practice in the area of criminal defense.
In his spare time, Mr. Varney enjoys hanging out with his family, watching Tennessee Volunteers sporting events, hiking throughout East Tennessee, and playing golf.
Education
University of Tennessee - Knoxville, B.A., Political Science, 2019
Lincoln Memorial University, Duncan School of Law, J.D., 2022
April Violet serves as the firms Motorcycle Advocate. She's an avid rider and is deep-rooted in the local motorcycle community. Her time spent at the Harley-Davidson dealership in Knoxville allowed her to develop long-lasting relationships within the community. April, aka Heelz on Wheelz, is not only an advocate for ALL motorcyclists in Tennessee, but also passionate about promoting safety amongst fellow riders. She works diligently to bring the riding community together through benefit rides, fundraisers, bike nights, and themed events. When April is not busy with work or doing the Ride Reports on WIMZ, you'll find her riding her BMW R-NineT, out enjoying local live music, or spending quality time with her three grandchildren.
Brady D. Smith was born in Reston, Virginia and raised in Mount Airy, Maryland where he graduated from Mount Airy Christian Academy. Upon receiving a cross country scholarship, he attended Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a concentration on Law. Not wanting to be far from his future wife, he attended Lincoln Memorial Duncan School of Law during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and graduated in 2023.
Mr. Smith joined the Garza Law Firm in the summer of 2022 as an extern and has been with the firm ever since. At Garza Law, he has worked on a wide variety of criminal cases and has spent most of his concentration on criminal law with an eye towards estate planning.
In his spare time, Mr. Smith enjoys cross country running, traveling to new places, and watching college football.
Mr. Smith has also won a variety of awards ranging from a Governor's Citation from the State of Maryland for reaching the rank of Eagle Scout in 2016, to the most outstanding underclassman award in Political Science in 2018, to a plaque for an 8 th place finish from the Knoxville Covenant Marathon 5k race in 2023.
Education
Brayn College, B.S., Political Science, 2020
Lincoln Memorial University - Duncan School of Law, J.D., 2023
Job Titles:
- Professional Legal Administrator
Commander Breckenridge Morgan is a retired Surface Warfare and Human Resources Officer and Commanding Officer in the Navy. His tours as Commanding Officer include the Military Entrance Processing Station Knoxville and Navy Recruiting District Atlanta.
An adept administrator, Cmdr Morgan joined the team in 2021 and is an advocate for Garza Law clients in providing exceptional client support. A native of Knoxville, he can be found cheering on the Volunteers throughout the year or poolside as a USA Swimming Referee, Starter, or other official positions supporting all levels of swimming.
Job Titles:
- Attorney at Law
- Member of the Tennessee
- Personal Injury
Brent was born in Knoxville and graduated from Memphis University School and the University of Memphis. He attended the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in Memphis and graduated in 2005 with honors. While in law school, he was a Herff Scholar and served on law review.
Brent started practicing in Knoxville after graduation, primarily in the field of civil insurance defense. He worked in-house for Chubb insurance in Connecticut for several years before returning back to Tennessee. He practiced primarily insurance defense in Nashville until 2020.
In 2020, Brent and his wife moved back to their hometown, and he switched sides to serve plaintiffs in this state. He is passionate about representing individuals as they navigate the complex world of insurance coverage. Brent is uniquely qualified to assist plaintiffs in this area, as he worked on the "inside" of the insurance complex for years.
Brent is a member of the Tennessee bar and all federal courts in Tennessee. He is also a member of the Knoxville Bar Association and the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association. He specializes in representing plaintiffs in vehicle accidents, premises liability cases, and worker's compensation.
Brent lives with his wife Amanda in an old farmhouse in South Knoxville. They have two sons, Jack and Woodson. They enjoy adopting "brown dogs" from Young Williams Animal Center, hiking in the Smokies, and cheering on the Vols.
Education
University of Memphis, B.A., Literature
University of Memphis, J.D.
Chad Harrison, a Tennessee native with roots in Gallatin, moved to Knoxville in 2002. He, his wife, and three kids love exploring the Great Smoky Mountains, indulging in activities like hiking, hunting and fishing. Despite his educational background in industrial engineering, Chad's extensive experience in applied behavior science and psychometrics forms the foundation of his HR career. With over 20 years experience, he has developed leaders and provided executive coaching in 10 countries. As Head of People at Garza Law, Chad focuses on talent management strategies, leveraging his insights into both people and processes gained through a career spanning Fortune 500 companies in the retail, travel, finance, and technology industries.
Dan Woodard grew up in Middle-Tennessee in the town of Lebanon. He enlisted in the US Air Force after graduating from high school and served a four-year enlistment earning promotion to the rank of Sergeant. After completing his Air Force enlistment, Dan was accepted into the highly competitive Warrant Officer Flight Training Program of the US Army. He completed helicopter flight training at Fort Rucker, AL and went on to serve as a helicopter instructor pilot in multiple Army Aviation units, advancing to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 before his retirement from active duty in 2009. After retirement, Dan continued to serve the United States as a contract helicopter pilot for the US Department of State, on aviation support contracts in Iraq and Pakistan.
Dan's military honors include: Air Force and Army Commendation Medals (multiple), US Army Meritorious Service Medal (multiple), National Defense Service Medal, Unit Meritorious Commendation Medal; Unit Humanitarian Service Medal, as well as Air Force and Army Good Conduct Medals (multiple).
Following his civilian service overseas, Dan settled in Knoxville, where he flew as an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) helicopter pilot for the University of Tennessee Medical Center's Lifestar program, before attending law school, where he graduated with honors.
Education
Troy University, Alabama, B.S., Business Administration and Management, 1996
Lincoln Memorial University, Duncan School of Law, J.D., 2021
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.
Education
East Tennessee State University, B.S., Biology
University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D.
Lieutenant Colonel Dave Beck (retired), a former pilot, battalion commander, judge advocate and military judge in the Marine Corps, has also successfully represented numerous military officers and Staff NCOs from all branches of the service in criminal cases and before administrative boards. His military clients have included pilots, lawyers, judges, infantry and artillery officers, doctors and chaplains. Lieutenant Colonel Beck has, throughout his Marine Corps career and civilian practice, been involved in several of the most significant cases in U.S. military history. In 1998, he had all manslaughter charges dismissed against his client, one the crew members of the Marine Corps jet, which struck a ski gondola cable in northern Italy resulting in the tragic loss to twenty people from five different countries. That case received months of intensive, widespread publicity, both in the United States and throughout the world. In 2005, Lieutenant Colonel Beck had all criminal charges dismissed against his client, one of the two Air Force F-16 pilots who were charged in a case involving international media scrutiny, commonly referred to as the "Canadian Friendly Fire Case", which involved the accidental killing and injuring of several Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
While on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, then Major Beck was selected in 1987 as chief trial counsel for the National Security Task Force, where he successfully prosecuted the first espionage trial in Marine Corps history, U.S. v. Lonetree, which is the subject of Rodney Barker's critically acclaimed book Dancing With The Devil. That case required the coordination of investigations, witness interviews, and extensive pre-trial procedures in several countries around the world, including the coordination of witnesses from the CIA, NSA, NIS, FBI and State Department in Moscow, Vienna, London, and various cities throughout the United States.
Since his return to Knoxville, Lieutenant Colonel Beck has appeared on numerous local, national and international radio and television programs including: ABC's Prime Time Live with Sam Donaldson on two occasions; Eye to Eye with Connie Chung; American Justice; the Oliver North radio show; The Today Show with Matt Lauer; Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson on two occasions; Nightline with Ted Koppel; CNN American Morning with Paula Zahn; ABC 20/20; CNN International, both radio and television; G. Gordon Liddy National Radio Show; The CBS Early Show with Harry Smith; Fox News Network; Geraldo Live; Court TV with Catherine Crier; the Hallerin Hilton Hill Radio Show in Knoxville on several occasions; and several local, British and Canadian television and radio programs. He has been a frequent speaker on topics related to his areas of practice, as well as to civic groups, athletic teams and other organizations on current events and motivational topics.
Lieutenant Colonel Beck earned his B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee in 1971. In 1979, he earned his J.D. degree from the University of Tennessee Law School while attending school as a U.S. Marine Corps Captain on an U.S. Marine Corps Scholarship Program. While in Law School, he was selected for membership in the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.
His military honors include: Rifle Expert (2nd award); Pistol Expert (5th award); National Defense Service Medal w/ star; Sea Service Deployment Ribbons w/ 2 stars(3 awards); Letters of Appreciation (2); Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal; Navy Commendation Medal; Meritorious Service Medal w/2 stars (3 awards); Southwest Asia, Defense Medal; Desert Storm Service Medal.
Education
University of Tennessee, B.S., Business Administration and Management, 1971
University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 1979
Haley Henry was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. She earned her bachelor's degree in Legal Studies from the University of Tennessee and her Juris Doctorate from Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law. While in school she worked as a paralegal where she gained invaluable experience helping claimants in their pursuit of social security disability benefits.
In 2014 Mrs. Henry passed the Tennessee bar and was admitted to practice. Her primary area of focus is Social Security Disability, as well as Personal Injury. As a Knoxville native, she finds the opportunity to assist the underserved population of East Tennessee to be very gratifying. Mrs. Henry has successfully represented hundreds of claimants at all levels of the appeals process, including the administrative hearing level, Appeals Council, and federal court. In 2020, she was named a "Top Attorney" in Knoxville, TN by CityView magazine.
When not working, Mrs. Henry enjoys cooking, volleyball, supporting UT athletics, traveling, and spoiling her dogs.
Education
University of Tennessee, B.S., Legal Studies, 2010
Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law, J.D., 2014
Job Titles:
- Attorney at Law
- Personal Injury
Jason Legg joined the team at Garza Law in 2023. Cityview Magazine recognized Jason as a "Top Attorney" in Knoxville in seven practice areas for 2020, including Civil Litigation, Personal Injury (automobile and motorcycle accidents), Product Liability, Workers' Compensation, and Wrongful Death. He was also recognized in the practice area of Personal Injury in the 2015, 2016 and 2018 editions.
Jason graduated from Mississippi College of Law with his Juris Doctor in 1997. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a B.A. in Political Science. While there, he was the recipient of the Inklebarger Scholarship Award and a member of the Political Science Honors Program. He and his wife reside in Knoxville are the parents of triplets.
Education
University of Tennessee, B.A., Political Science, 1996
Mississippi College of Law, J.D., 1997
Job Titles:
- Student Clinic Attorney Award / the University of Tennessee Legal Clinic Distinguished Clinic Student Award
Jesse James Campbell was born and raised in Johnson City, TN. Jesse attended East Tennessee State University and later Tusculum University where he received his B.S. in Business Administration. After his undergraduate studies he went to Appalachian School of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate. He started volunteering for the Free Legal Advice Clinic at Good Samaritan Ministries in Johnson City while still attending law school.
Jesse has practiced civil litigation, bankruptcy, employment, and personal injury law throughout the East Tennessee region.
Jesse served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 2002 until 2011 when he was honorably discharged following deployments to Bosnia, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa.
In his spare time, he plays golf, spends time with his son, reads, watches sports, and cheers on the Vols.
Education
University of Tusculum, B.S. Business Administration, 2013
Appalachian School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 2017
Joseph Della-Rodolfa grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. Joe played soccer and basketball in high...
Lyndsay Southern is a native of Campbell County, TN. She's always had a strong desire to work with the public in the legal field. Lyndsay began her legal career in the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in Campbell County where she worked for over 16 years before joining Garza Law. She is now operating the new Jacksboro, TN office as a legal assistant for the Garza Law criminal defense team. Lyndsay helps prepare attorneys for court while ensuring that every client's needs are being met
Lyndsay is married with one young son. She loves traveling to new places and making memories with her family. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her son, shopping, running, being outdoors, and hiking in East Tennessee. She can also be found at community events in Campbell County and surrounding areas.
Hallie Dyer grew up in McMinnville, Tennessee and attended The Webb School in Bell Buckle. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Birmingham Southern College in Studio Art with a Painting Concentration and her Juris Doctorate from The University of Tennessee College of Law. Between her time in undergrad and law school Ms. Dyer was a Peace Corps volunteer in the West Indies, a secondary school instructor in Copán Ruinas, Honduras, and paralegal to the late Daniel D. Warlick in Nashville, Tennessee. During her time in law school she was inducted into the Order of the Barristers, received CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Legal Process and Domestic Violence Legal Clinic, and won Best Oralist and second-best brief in UT Law's Advocacy Idol Competition. In her spare time Ms. Dyer enjoys traveling, playing music, and spending time with her nephews.
Education
Birmingham Southern College, B.A., Studio Art with a Painting Concentration, 2008
University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 2018
Mallory Garrison is originally from Conway, AR and moved to Johnson City, TN at a young age. She has been in Knoxville since 2020 and loves working for the people of East Tennessee. Mallory started her paralegal career working with Tony Seaton before moving to the Garza Law Firm. She is now the Civil Operations Manager who oversees the firm's civil division. Mallory has done mission work in Haiti and El Salvador and enjoys volunteering at Garza Law-sponsored motorcycle events. She enjoys spending time with friends and family as well as taking care of her dog, Payton. She also loves trying new restaurants in Knoxville and around the world!
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.
Education
Vanderbilt University, B.S., Psychology, 1996
University of Tennessee, Master of Science in Social Work, 1998
University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 2001
Michael Clement is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee. He attended Holston High School and then went on to the University of Tennessee and earned his bachelor's degree in political science. After his undergrad he headed to Memphis State Law School to get his Juris Doctorate.
Upon passing the bar in 1986, Mr. Clement returned to East Tennessee and opened his law practice Harber and Clement in Clinton, Tennessee which later became J. Michael Clement, PLLC and was open for 28 years. Mr. Clement also ran a title company for 13 years, was City Attorney for the City of Clinton, and was a special juvenile court and general sessions judge in Anderson County.
He has been the President of the Anderson County Bar Association as well as the Adult Literacy Program for the county.
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, playing golf, deer hunting and fishing as well as sport shooting and reloading ammunition.
Education
University of Tennessee, B.S., Political Science, 1981
Memphis State University, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 1986
Job Titles:
- Attorney at Law
- Personal Injury
Philip La Nasa was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana and graduated from Jesuit High School and the University of Mississippi. After Ole Miss, Mr. La Nasa attended Loyola University in New Orleans and earned both his MBA and JD degrees in 1995. While in law school, Mr. La Nasa served as a law clerk for the New Orleans Sewage and Water Board, the local water utility that had an in-house legal department handling a variety of legal issues including general liability, employment, environmental, civil service, and contract matters. Mr. La Nasa went on to serve as a Judicial Law Clerk for two Orleans Parish civil trial court Judges. Following his judicial clerkships, he worked as an associate attorney for a mid-size law firm handling civil cases in a variety of practice areas. In 1998, Mr. La Nasa started a small law firm with his father (a New Orleans lawyer since 1959) and a law school classmate, and maintained a successful and growing law firm until Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005.
While Mr. La Nasa practiced law in New Orleans, he was active with the New Orleans Bar Association. After serving as the Chairperson for several of the Young Lawyers Section Committees, he was elected Chairman of the Young Lawyer's Section for the Association. Mr. La Nasa was then elected to be a Member of the Board of Directors for the New Orleans Bar Association and served in that capacity for three years. Additionally, he served a three-year term as Hearing Committee Member for the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board. Mr. La Nasa maintains his Louisiana law license; is licensed to appear before all of the Louisiana state and federal courts; and is a member of the Louisiana and New Orleans Bar Associations.
In August 2007, Philip and his family moved to Tennessee. He and his wife live in Knoxville with their three children. Since he began practicing law in Tennessee, Mr. La Nasa has appeared in Courts in 62 of Tennessee's 95 counties and is a member of the Tennessee State Bar Association, Knoxville Bar Association, and Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association. In 2023, Philip was recognized by the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. In his free time, Philip enjoys working with and volunteering for the Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House of Knoxville, and the Bridge Ministry (feeding the homeless) for the local chapter of the Knights of CoIumbus.
Education
University of Mississippi, Bachelor of Public Administration, 1991
Loyola University College of Business, M.B.A., 1995
Loyola University College of Law, J.D., 1995
Job Titles:
- School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1991
Job Titles:
- Attorney at Law
- Personal Injury
Thomas Smith was born and raised in Knoxville, TN. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee, Thomas earned his law degree at the University of Tennessee College of Law where he graduated with a concentration in advocacy and dispute resolution in 2016. While in law school, he was a member of the Tennessee Law Review from 2014-2016.
Thomas received the Cunningham First-Year Best Brief Award, the University of Tennessee Legal Clinic Distinguished Clinic Student Award, and the Jerry P. Black, Jr. Student Clinic Attorney Award. Prior to joining the Garza Law Firm, Thomas worked in the Tennessee General Assembly's Office of Legal Services during the 2017 session as well as for the Law Offices of Tony Seaton & Associates before merging with the Garza Law Firm in 2022.
Education
University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.A., Political Science, 2013
University of Tennessee School of Law, J.D., 2016
Timothy L. Baldridge was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grew up in Shreveport and Memphis, Tennessee. He went to undergraduate school at Memphis State University (now University of Memphis), where he earned his bachelor's degree in business. While in school he worked for Federal Express, and he played football for the Tigers under then Head Coach Rex Dockery.
In 1987 Mr. Baldridge moved to Lansing, Michigan, and attended Thomas M. Cooley School of Law. While in school Mr. Baldridge was part of an elder law clinic that allowed him to practice before several courts in Michigan. Following graduation, Mr. Baldridge passed the Michigan bar and was admitted to practice. He clerked one year for the Eaton County Circuit Court, and then opened a general practice.
In 1993 Mr. Baldridge passed the Tennessee bar, and was admitted to practice in Tennessee. He moved to East Tennessee in 1994, and he has concentrated his practice in the areas of personal injury, workers' compensation, social security disability, and criminal law.
Mr. Baldridge has successfully represented clients throughout East Tennessee for over twenty years. He began handling social security disability cases in 2007, where he has had great success at the administrative hearing level, Appeals Council and in federal court.
When not working you'll find Mr. Baldridge at a ballpark near you. He has been a youth coach for over 20 years in baseball, basketball, football, and softball. He is currently coaching travel softball for the Knoxville Explosion Organization.
Education
Memphis State University (University of Memphis), B.S., Business Administration, 1987
Thomas M. Cooley School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1991
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Personal Injury
Tony Seaton is a trial attorney from Johnson City, TN. He graduated from ETSU and the University of Memphis School of Law. He has been primarily focused on personal injury practice for the past 43 years. Tony currently serves as the Administrator of the Keenan Trial Institute, a trial training program for some of the top trial attorneys in the country. He formerly served on the Access to Justice Committee appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court for eight years. During that time Tony traveled throughout the State of Tennessee encouraging lawyers to start free legal advice clinics in all of the judicial districts of the state. Last year Tony presided as the President of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association. He is currently married to Elizabeth Patterson and they share 5 children.
Education
East Tennessee State University
University of Memphis School of Law
Vanessa Coates is from Sunnyvale, CA and went to college at Cal State Fresno, where she earned her B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism. After college she worked throughout California in advertising before moving to Las Vegas, NV, where Vanessa worked in marketing for casinos. In 2019 Vanessa moved to Knoxville to continue working in advertising, but soon joined the Garza Law Firm team in the intake department. She loves cooking, traveling, spending time with family, friends and especially her cat Winston. She enjoys exploring the beauty of East Tennessee and finding all the hidden gems in the South… including the best barbecue.
Investigator William "Bill" Muhlfeld is a U.S. Navy Veteran, Firefighter, EMT-A, Emergency Manager/Public Safety Director and Criminal Investigator with a combined 38 years of public safety experience. Bill has protected communities from NAS Keflavik Iceland, Orlando, FL and Knoxville, TN.
Bill joined the Garza Law Firm in 2015 and investigates all aspects of our clients' cases. On his off-time, Bill is a recognized Formula 1 i-Race Car Driver/Streamer and avid fisherman.