Who Are The Insiders?

Chattanooga Personal Injury Lawyers

The Insiders here at The McMahan Law Firm have settled auto accident, tractor-trailer accident, motorcycle accident, workers’ compensation, drug injury, slip-and-fall and Social Security disability cases throughout the southeastern United States.

Among us, we share more than 80 years of legal expertise, and we have won more than $20 million for our clients.

Attorney G. Brent Burks

• Juris Doctor, 1994, University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, TN
• Bachelor of Science, Political Science,1991, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN
• Licensed Attorney in the State of Tennessee since 1994
• Joined The McMahan Law Firm in 1997
• Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy & Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization since 2001
• Top 100 Trial Lawyers – National Trial Lawyers, 2012
• Member, Tennessee Association of Justice Circle of Advocates
• Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Brent specializes in auto accident and workers’ compensation cases.

Attorney James “Jay” Kennamer

• Master of Laws, Taxation, 1993, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
• Juris Doctor, 1992, Samford University Cumberland School of Law, Birmingham, AL
• Bachelor of Science, 1989, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Licensed Attorney in the State of Tennessee since 1993
• Admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1992
• Admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2004
• Admitted to United States District Court of the Eastern District of Tennessee
• Admitted to United States District Court of the Middle District of Alabama
• Admitted to United States District Court of the Northern District of Alabama
• Admitted to United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• Joined The McMahan Law Firm in 2000
• Certified Trial Specialist
•  Top 100 Trial Lawyers – National Trial Lawyers, 2011
• Member, Tennessee Association of Justice Circle of Advocates
• Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum 

Jay specializes in auto accident, tractor-trailer accident, workers’ compensation, Social Security, product liability, torts and class action cases. He also lectures on the topics of personal injury, subrogation and workers’ compensation. He earned the respected Peer Review rating by Martindale-Hubbell, A High Peer Review Rating is earned through a strenuous process that is managed and monitored by the world’s most trusted legal resource, Martindale-Hubbell.

Attorney John D. McMahan (Retired), Firm Consultant

• Juris Doctor, 1975, University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, TN
• Bachelors of Arts, Economics, 1973, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
• Admitted to the Tennessee Bar Association in 1976
• Founded The McMahan Law Firm in 1995
• Firm Consultant since 2011
• Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy & Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization since 1994
• Diplomate, American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, 1999
• AV® Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell

Mr. McMahan became a consultant to the firm in 2011. During his tenure as founder and lead attorney at The McMahan Law Firm, he specialized in civil trials and medical malpractice. He was the first Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist who practiced in Chattanooga, TN. He also earned the respected AV® rating by Martindale-Hubbell, meaning his peers recognized of his high level of ethical standards and professional abilities. It is the highest rating an attorney can achieve.

Attorney Chris Gentry

Chris Gentry was raised just outside Chattanooga in Soddy Daisy, TN where he graduated from The McCallie School.  He then attended the University of Tennessee and obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, minoring in Business Administration.  Mr. Gentry briefly left the area to attend Michigan State University College of Law, from which he obtained his Juris Doctor in 2005.

In 2006, Chris returned to his roots and began practicing law at The McMahan Law Firm.  He is licensed to practice law in both Tennessee and Georgia, and is admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.  He is also a member of the Chattanooga Bar Association, Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, and National Organization for Social Security Claimant’s Representatives.

Chris specializes in civil litigation, including motor vehicle accidents, worker’s compensation and premises liability.  However, in the past few years, he has handled the majority of The McMahan Law Firm’s Social Security Disability Insurance cases.  He represents claimants in hundreds of disability hearings a year in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.  Within a single calendar year, Chris’ work results in disabled persons receiving millions of dollars in benefits.

Attorney Lew Belvin

Lew Belvin grew up just outside Austin, Texas. He graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, with a minor in Political Science. He attended Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where he served as Research Editor of the Cumberland Law Review and was a teaching assistant in the school’s legal research and writing program. Lew obtained his Juris Doctor from Cumberland in 2009, graduating in the top 9% of his class.

Lew joined the McMahan Law Firm in 2011. He currently practices civil litigation, including motor vehicle collisions, workers’ compensation, and premises liability law. Lew is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Georgia; he is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association.