Areas of Practice

If you have been injured or a loved one was killed as the result of another person's actions, you may have the right to compensation. Whether the injury or death was intended or the result of negligence, you and your loved ones have a right to safety, and if that right has been violated you deserve compensation for physical, monetary, and even emotional losses.

We have helped clients who have been involved in car accidents and truck accidents achieve the justice they deserve and gain compensation for damages, medical bills, and more. If you were hurt in a work injury, we also handle workers’ compensation cases. You deserve to be safe at all times on the job, so we will help you make sure your lost wages, medical bills, and other losses are covered.

If you have been involved in a trucking accident, it is important to work with an experienced legal team to represent your best interests. Trucking accident cases can result in both economic (loss wages, medical bills, lost incomes, damage to your property) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering).

If you or a loved one have been injured in a trucking accident you may have a right to compensation through the filing of a personal injury claim against the truck driver, and other parties, such as the trucking company that employs the driver. The trucking industry is heavily regulated by the federal government and interestate accidents can be extremely complicated.

Our firm knows how to successfully navigate the complexities of interstate and trucking accident cases. We will fight for your right to compensation and the relief you deserve.

An auto accident can cause life-changing injuries and affect every area of your life. From physical injuries or financial stress, the aftermath of a serious car accident often goes beyond filing insurance claims and exchanging information. If you were injured due to another’s negligence behind the wheel, you have the right to take legal action.

Collins Shipley, PLLC has extensive experience representing clients pursuing compensation due to auto accident cases. We are committed to helping you gain the relief you deserve for the physical, monetary, and emotional losses you have suffered.

If you have been charged with a federal crime, you need to get legal representation right away. A federal conviction is much more severe than other types of crimes. The government will have unlimited resources to use in preparing their case against you. Collins Shipley, PLLC is knowledgeable in how the system works and will provide you with the legal representation you need, helping you understand your rights through your case. We are located just a few blocks away from the federal courthouse and have assisted clients in cases involving drug conspiracies, felonies, firearms, and money laundering.

Tennessee criminal law has specific provisions for violent crimes such as homicide, robbery, assault and battery, and sexual assault. If you have been accused of a crime, you need an attorney on your side who deeply understands Tennessee laws and how our state system works. At Collins Shipley, PLLC, we can create a defense that is tailored to you and the details of your case. We understand that your quality of life and your rights are at stake.

Our legal team has handled many criminal cases, including thefts, DUIs, and drug charges. We focus on keeping our clients out of jail. Facing criminal charges is no joke; when you're under investigation, you need a lawyer to look out for you and protect your rights. We will make sure you get the best possible defense for your case.

Family law touches on some of the most sensitive legal issues. We understand the complexities that come with all types of domestic matters, including paternity, adoptions, and divorces. Whether it’s a simple uncontested divorce or a complex contested divorce trial, our attorneys are here to fight for your best interests. We also help you handle all of the negotiations that follow a divorce, including child custody, child support, alimony, division of property, and more. Let us help you ensure you can maintain your quality of life post-divorce and make this difficult time easier for you.

Our attorneys understand how important it is for you to remain a major influence in your child’s life. Child custody is often a very sensitive and emotionally charged issue. We take into consideration all of the necessary factors, including family dynamics, habits, and past behaviors, in order to create a child custody plan. We have extensive experience handling complex custody matters. If you are undergoing a divorce, you need an attorney on your side as soon as possible for the initial determination of a temporary custody arrangement. Our goal is to create an arrangement that is in the best interests of the child and that will be approved by court.

If you are undergoing a divorce, child custody is an essential negotiation to ensure that both parents and the child or children are able to maintain their quality of life. The non-primary residential parent, by law, is obligated to pay child support to the residential parent. The Child Support Standards Act controls the amount to be paid. Payments are based on the person's gross income as well as the amount of time each parent has with the child. The calculation and negotiation are important for ensuring the child support plan is appropriate for all parties involved. Our experienced attorneys can protect your best interests during child support negotiations, whether you are the parent paying child support or receiving it.

Dependency and neglect cases are complex, emotionally charged, and intense. Whether you are a family member seeking custody of a child in dependent-neglect matters, or you are the parent accused of neglect, our attorneys are highly experienced in handling these cases. We work with compassion to examine all facets of the case and to ensure that the best interests of the children and our clients are protected.

When an adult is unable to take care of his or herself, whether it’s due to a disability, an injury, or a psychological disorder, a conservatorship can be created to protect the person’s finances. The conservatorship is a legal arrangement in which a capable adult is put in charge of the person’s finances to organize them and ensure they are properly taken care of. We can help you determine a suitable conservator who will work in the best interests of the person in need.

A Special Needs Trust protects someone with special needs, as it is designed to pay for services, resources, or other things that will help them live a higher quality of life. This trust is generally created either by the parents, grandparents, or the guardian of the person with special needs. Our attorneys can help ensure that your Special Needs Trust is correctly drafted and will truly benefit your family member with special needs.

Whether you’re a property owner or manager, a lender, or a developer, our attorneys at Collins Shipley, PLLC are highly experienced in handling residential and commercial property management issues. We can help with drafting and enforcing lease contracts, evictions, garnishments, collections, and other matters.

Agreements created between landlords and tenants need to be strictly adhered to for a successful renting or leasing experience. Our attorneys work with both tenants and landlords in residential, private, and commercial properties. Our services include drafting and enforcing leases, creating service agreements, and other services to prevent disagreements between landlords and tenants. We are knowledgeable in areas of damages, collections, evictions, and more. If you have a problematic tenant or your landlord isn’t respecting your rights, we can help.

It is never too early to begin drafting a last Will and testament. This document lays out your wishes for how you want your assets to be distributed after your death, as well as appoints guardians for minor children. You will also need to nominate an executor whom you can trust to properly divide your assets according to your Will.

If you don’t create a Will or trust, your assets are distributed according to Tennessee laws. If you have specific wishes for how you want your property divided, a Will or trust is essential. Our attorneys can help you draft and update your Will as needed to ensure it will succeed in probate.

Our civil litigation services are designed to help clients receive money or other fair compensation in their case. We always work for the best interests of our clients and help them to seek justice. Our team is highly experienced in providing civil litigation in a variety of areas, including: