Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts
Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts


Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense

800 South Gay Street, Suite 2500, Knoxville, Tennessee 37929

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 629, Knoxville, TN 37901-0629

Established: 1948

Practice Areas

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Civil Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Business Law
  • Construction Law
  • Contracts
  • Corporate Law
  • Labor and Employment
  • Environmental Law
  • Insurance Defense
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Product Liability
  • Personal Injury
  • Property
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Estate Planning
  • Trusts
  • Tax Litigation
  • Immigration Law
  • Sports Law
  • Zoning
  • Intellectual Property
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Government Contracts
  • Commercial and Business Transactions
  • Estate Planning and Administration
  • Healthcare Regulation
  • Municipal and Local Government
  • Public Policy
  • Trust and Fiduciary
  • Taxation

About Us

Established in 1948, Kramer Rayson LLP has built a reputation as one of Tennessee's leading law firms. We have been involved in some of the state's most significant legal decisions, and our firm has earned the respect of many in the legal community. Our firm was named one of the "Best Law Firms" by U.S. News & World Report, and many of our attorneys are included in the list of Best Lawyers in America.

Kramer Rayson LLP has twenty-seven lawyers who are graduates of law schools around the country, including the University of Tennessee, the University of Memphis, Vanderbilt University, the University of Arkansas, Seattle University, Southern Methodist University and the College of William and Mary.

The firm encourages its members to become involved in activities outside the practice of law. The attorneys have served on many local boards, including such institutions as the Knoxville Museum of Art and the University of Tennessee. In addition, firm members are actively involved in state and local bar associations and otherwise participate in numerous charitable and educational entities and activities.

Additional Locations

  • Oak Ridge, Tennessee
  • 105 Donner Drive, Suite A
  • Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
    • Telephone: 865-220-5134
    • Fax: 865-220-5132

Client Information

Insurance Clients

Personnel Information

Members of the Firm


John T. Johnson, Jr.

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Litigation
  • Insurance Defense
  • Product Liability
  • Personal Injury
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1974
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 1974
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky, 1978
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1978
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2007-2025 Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year 2019 Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2024 Civil Litigation: Defense; City View-2024 Top Attorney for Insurance Law Golden Gavel Award, Personal Injury-Auto Accident-Defense Golden Gavel, Product Liability - Defense, Wrongful Death-Defense Golden Gavel Award

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • Fellow, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Foundations
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
Education:
  • Tennessee Technological University, B.S. (with distinction), 1971
  • The University of Tennessee, J.D., 1973

Born: 1949

Warren L. Gooch

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Health
  • Administrative Law
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1977
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 1978
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" Administrative/Regulatory Law 2020; Best Lawyers in America 2007-2025 Administrative/Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice and Health Care Law; CityView Top Attorneys 2024, Health Care Law

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee, Anderson County and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • Tennessee Hospital Association
  • Fellow, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Foundations
  • American Health Lawyers Association
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee, B.A. (with high honors), 1974
  • The University of Tennessee, J.D., 1977

Born: 1952

Edward G. Phillips

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Labor and Employment
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1978
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 1978
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1980
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2016
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2018
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2003-2025 Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment; Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" 2025 Labor Law - Management; Mid South Super Lawyers 2024, Employment Litigation Defense; CityView Top Attorneys 2024, Labor & Employment Law-Employer

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • Fellow, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Foundations
Education:
  • East Tennessee State University, B.S. (with honors), 1975
  • The University of Tennessee, J.D. (with honors), 1978

Born: 1953

Thomas M. Hale

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Corporate Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Employment Law
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1980
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 1980
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1981
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2008-2025 Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, Litigation - Municipal, Litigation - Real Estate; Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" 2022 Corporate Law; Mid-South Super Lawyers 2024 - Business-Corporate; CityView Top Attorney 2024, Business Litigation, Corporate Law

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • Fellow, Tennessee Bar Foundation
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.A., 1976
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, M.B.A., 1980
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, J.D., 1980

Born: 1954

Beecher A. Bartlett, Jr.

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Litigation
  • Insurance Defense
  • Labor and Employment
  • Personal Injury
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1983
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Middle Districts of Tennessee, 1983
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America, "Lawyer of the Year" 2025 Insurance Law; Best Lawyers in America 2011-2025 Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs; CityView Top Attorneys 2024 Civil Litigation, Federal Court Practice, Insurance Law, Labor & Employment Law - Employee, Personal Injury - Auto Accident - Plaintiff, Wrongful Death - Defense, Wrongful Death - Plaintiff

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee, Anderson County and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • Fellow, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Foundations
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.A. (with honors), 1979
  • Memphis State University, J.D., 1982

Born: 1957

John C. Burgin, Jr.

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Employment Law
  • Employee Benefits
  • Government Contracts
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1989
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Middle Districts of Tennessee
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth and Ninth Circuits
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • Tennessee Supreme Court
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2018-2025 Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management; CityView Top Attorneys 2024 Employee Benefits/ERISA-Defense, Appointed to Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization, 2006-2012

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
Education:
  • Northeast Louisiana University, B.M., 1981
  • Northeast Louisiana University, M.M., 1983
  • The University of Tennessee, J.D., 1989
Clerkship:
Law Clerk, Honorable Gary R. Wade, 1989-1990

Born: 1959

John E. Winters

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Labor and Employment
  • Civil Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1993
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2011-2025 Employment Law - Management, Insurance Law, Labor Law - Management, Litigation Labor and Employment; Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" 2022 Litigation - Labor and Employment; Mid-South Super Lawyers 2024 Civil Litigation - Defense; CityView Top Attorneys 2024: Business Litigation, Labor & Employment Law - Employer; University of Memphis Law Alumni Board

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee, Anderson County and Knoxville Bar Associations
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.A. (with honors), 1990
  • University of Memphis Law School, J.D. (with honors), 1993

Born: 1968

Robert L. Bowman

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Labor and Employment
  • Civil Litigation
  • Local Government Defense
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1995
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1996
Additional Biographical Details:

Greater Knoxville Business Journal "Top 40 Under 40" Business Leaders in East Tennessee; Best Lawyers in America 2019-2025: Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Land Use and Zoning Law; Mid-South Super Lawyer 2024: Employment & Labor; CityView Top Attorneys 2024: Appellate Practice, Class Action- Plaintiff, Class Action - Defense, Constitutional Law/Civil Rights, Federal Court Practice, Labor & Employment Law - Employer

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville (Fellow) Bar Associations
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.S. (with honors), 1991
  • The University of Tennessee, J.D. (cum laude), 1995

Born: 1969

Shannon D. Coleman Egle

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Health Care
  • Business Law
  • Real Estate
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1999
  • Georgia, 2009
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 2000
  • U.S. Tax Court
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2022-2025: Health Care Law; CityView Top Attorneys 2024: Health Care Law, Income Tax/IRS Resolutions, Taxation

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • American Health Lawyers Association
  • American Inns of Court
Education:
  • Lincoln Memorial University, B.A. (summa cum laude), 1996
  • The University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 1999

Born: 1975

Kate E. Tucker

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Immigration Law
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 2002
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers In America 2020-2025, Employment Law - Management, Immigration Law; CityView Top Attorneys 2024: Immigration and Naturalization Golden Gavel Award

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.A. (cum laude), 1997
  • William & Mary School of Law, J.D., 2001

Born: 1975

Betsy J. Beck

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Labor and Employment
  • Civil Litigation
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 2003
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 2004
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2018-2025, Employment Law - Management; CityView Top Attorneys 2024: Labor & Employment Law - Employer

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.S. (cum laude), 2000
  • The University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2003

Born: 1978

William J. Carver

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Creditor Rights
  • Litigation
  • Local Government Defense
  • Bankruptcy
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 2003
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Middle Districts of Tennessee
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
Additional Biographical Details:

Univ. of Tennessee College of Law Board of Alumni Advisors; Member of the Board of Directors for the TN Education Lottery; Board Member for the TN Chamber of Commerce; Best Lawyers in America 2021-2025 - Litigation Insurance; CityView Top Attorney 2024: Aviation/Admiralty, Entertainment & Sports, Personal Injury - Auto Accident - Defense

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.A. (magna cum laude), 2000
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, J.D., 2003
Honors:
2010 Legal Aid Pro Bono Partner Award; Univ. of Tennessee Knoxville Chancellor Scholars

Born: 1977

George R. Arrants, Jr.

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Corporate Law
  • Labor and Employment
  • Transactional Law
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1987
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 1989
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1991
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2019-2025, Employment Law - Management, Corporate Law; CityView Top Attorneys 2024: Business/Commercial Law, Corporate Law

Memberships:
  • Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • American Inns of Court
Education:
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1984
  • The University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D. (with honors), 1987
Clerkship:
Judicial Clerkship, Honorable R. Allen Edgar, U.S. District, Eastern District of Tennessee, 1987

Born: 1962

Brandon L. Morrow

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Litigation
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 2012
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee, 2013
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 2013
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch 2021-2025: Labor and Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment; Mid-South Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2024: Employment Litigation Defense; CityView Top Attorneys 2024:Labor & Employment Law - Employer, Labor & Employment Law - Employee, Constitutional Law/Civil Rights

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • American Inns of Court
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.A., 2008
  • The University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 2012

Born: 1986

Bryce E. Fitzgerald

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Health Care
  • Civil Litigation
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 2014
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 2015
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee, 2017
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 2017
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in American: Ones to Watch 2025: Health Care Law, Labor and Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment; Mid-South Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2018-2024; Employment & Labor

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
  • American Inns of Court
Education:
  • The University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.A. (summa cum laude), 2011
  • Washington and Lee University, J.D. (cum laude), 2014

Nathaniel D. Moore

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Insurance Defense
  • Civil Litigation
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 2012
  • Virginia, 2013
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, 2014
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Sixth Circuits, 2014
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Middle Districts of Tennessee, 2017
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee, 2018
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in American: Ones to Watch 2025 - Labor and Employment Law - Management, Insurance Law

Memberships:
  • American, Virginia, Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations
Education:
  • Harding University, B.S., 2009
  • The University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 2012

Born: 1986

Managing Partner


Jackson G. Kramer

Knoxville, TN

Practice Areas
  • Corporate Law
  • Real Estate
  • Tax Litigation
  • Estate Planning
Admitted
  • Tennessee, 1983
Additional Biographical Details:

Best Lawyers in America 2012-2023: Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates; Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" 2020 Litigation - Trusts and Estates; CityView Top Attorneys 2022, Estate Planning/Trusts, Wills/Probate

Memberships:
  • American, Tennessee, Anderson County and Knoxville Bar Associations
Education:
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1980
  • Southern Methodist University, J.D., 1983

Born: 1957

Associate Attorneys


  • Erica D. Green
  • Andrew M. Hale
  • James T. Snodgrass
  • Katherine R. Overton
  • Natalie R. Miramontes-Tankersley
  • Hilary L. Magacs

Of Counsel


  • Wayne R. Kramer
  • Steven E. Kramer

Special Counsel


  • Jonathan S. Taylor

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