“A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants but is miles ahead in results,” mused American author and poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Here, attorneys with the Chattanooga Bar Association give some well-deserved pats on the back to the hardworking souls that keep the legal world turning in Chattanooga – their paralegals.
Peggy Bates
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Peggy Bates for nearly 15 years, and her dedication and work ethic are unparalleled. Peggy is often the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave, ensuring that every task is completed with precision and care. Her relationships with our clients are exceptional, and her preparation for trial is unsurpassed. On the rare occasion she takes a vacation, it feels like I might as well close down my practice, as I’m lost without her. Peggy’s commitment and contributions make her an invaluable member of our team, and we’re grateful for all she does to support our clients and our firm.”
– Hal North, Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel
Brenda Binder
“Brenda Binder has been an indispensable part of our corporate group for five years, managing entity formations, filings, conversions, dissolutions and organizational records for hundreds of clients. In many ways, she’s the backbone of our team. When a client approached us on Dec. 27, 2023, with a request to prepare a merger agreement, certificates of merger and various consents – and submit the filings to the Tennessee Secretary of State by 10 a.m. the next day to meet year-end deadlines – Brenda got it done. Her quiet competence, dedication and professional attitude speak volumes. We’re fortunate to have Brenda on our team, and we deeply appreciate the value and commitment she brings to Chambliss every day.”
– Laura McKinney, Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel
Kimberly Graves
“The title ‘paralegal’ hardly captures the scope of Kimberly Graves’ role in our real estate group. Since joining Chambliss three years ago, Kimberly has been an invaluable addition, significantly increasing our team’s productivity. Her extensive knowledge of title and survey review, combined with her ability to organize and track deal timelines, facilitate closings and ensure smooth operations, makes her a cornerstone of our success. Managing the demands of multiple attorney teams – with conflicting deadlines and a diverse range of clients – requires skill, and Kimberly handles it all with grace, competence and professionalism. Our section would not perform at the same level without her contributions, and we’re fortunate to have her on our team.”
– Kirby Yost, Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel
Becky Stone
“Becky Stone has been with Chambliss for over 20 years, beginning as a legal assistant. Her steady, reliable and team-oriented approach quickly earned her a transition to a paralegal position, where she’s continued to thrive and grow. Becky is the go-to paralegal for multiple practice groups, always willing to step in and assist whenever needed. Her dedication and adaptability make her a valuable resource, not only to the real estate practice group but to the firm as a whole. We’re grateful for Becky’s two decades of service and the positive impact she’s had on Chambliss.”
– Kirby Yost, Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel
Kim Keylon
“Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon would like to praise Kim Keylon. Kim joined our firm as a paralegal on Feb. 1, 1980. (We undoubtedly violated a child labor law when we hired her.) She’s renowned for her lightning-fast fingers and willing spirit. She’s trained countless lawyers and we couldn’t operate without her. She’s the first person to tell a lawyer if he or she is in the Herald – and it’s about time she got her turn!”
– Lee Ann Adams, Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon
Kendall Graham
“Our phenomenal paralegal, Kendall Graham, has held us all together for the last 3.5 years. Though her official title reads ‘paralegal,’ Kendall’s contributions extend beyond the confines of any job description. She navigates her responsibilities with unparalleled grace and efficiency. Kendall recently worked on a case where she was the front-line contact for our client in preparing exhibits and navigating the logistics of trial for the client and attorney staff. That client, and numerous others, have expressed how much Kendall’s contributions to their case meant to them. This is our heartfelt thank you to Kendall for her extraordinary work. She reminds us daily of the importance of going above and beyond, and she’s a shining example of the dedication that makes our firm what it is. Thank you, Kendall. You are truly one of a kind, and we’re beyond fortunate to have you on our team.”
– Spurgin & Mattingly
Sharon King
“When our typist quit 21 years ago, our little firm consisted of three lawyers and a receptionist. We needed a paralegal – badly – but since we had no clue for how to find one, I called a temp agency. Little did we know we won the lottery when we acquired Sharon King. Sharon came in and immediately made an impact; her willingness to learn, friendly personality and work ethic were a breath of fresh air. At the end of her first day, she came into my dad’s office and then mine and asked if we needed anything before she left. Dad was flabbergasted, as no one had done that before. Since that day, Sharon has been the glue that’s held our firm together; she does the dictation, the billing, answers the phone, and is a warm and calming influence on clients. In fact, her friendliness on the phone and the positive first impression she makes has led many folks to engage our firm. When my father passed away a few years ago and it was just Sharon and me, she took the brunt of the extra work without batting an eye. Sharon has helped me immensely since I became the sole owner of this firm and served as my security blanket ever since my dad has no longer here to fill that role.”
– John Buhrman, Buhrman Law Firm
Jennifer Roden
“Since May 2006, Jennifer Roden has been my right arm as my paralegal. Prior to founding my own firm in May 2019, she worked for me at a relatively large firm, helping me to handle all of the issues that arose during those years and enabling me to be a productive and profitable member of that firm. Jennifer was also a great professional partner as she helped me transition to my new law firm. In managing the development of my new firm and my volunteer work outside the practice of Harwell & Hurst, she’s been a wonderful rock who never seems to become flustered or overwhelmed, is always pleasant and is supremely organized. My life would be far less rich, enjoyable and productive without her. Thank you, Jennifer.”
– Marc Harwell, Harwell & Hurst
Gina Gramont
“Gina Gramont has been with our firm for over 26 years. She’s an expert in reviewing title commitments, surveys, deeds, easements, restrictive covenants, preparing a multitude of real estate related documents and handling complex commercial real estate closings. Gina is an amazing issue spotter and her attention to detail is unparalleled in our firm. Working with various teams of attorneys, she’s assisted in real estate closings valued in the billions of dollars. Gina is also very much a team player, is always available to anyone on our team and is both well-liked and respected by the attorneys and other paralegals at Miller & Martin. She’s an absolute joy to work with! Kudos to Gina and all she does for our team.”
– Evan Allison, Miller & Martin
Linda Jones
“Linda Jones has been a paralegal since I graduated from high school in 1987. Her employer at the time, the late Mitchell Byrd, sent her to a paralegal training school in Memphis. I’ve been practicing law for 30 years, and while I’ve worked with some excellent legal secretaries and paralegals, Linda embodies the best of those jobs as well as office manager. Sadly, she wants to retire one day. I told her I thought she should teach a class on how to be the best paralegal, Maybe the big law firms could hire her and pay her a huge amount of money.”
– Mary Sullivan Moore, Legal Peace
Jennifer Doherty and Julie Harrison
“I primarily use two paralegals Jennifer Doherty and Julie Harrison. Jennifer is the paralegal for my general insurance defense work and Julie is the paralegal for my health care liability work. I’m so grateful for both of them! Jennifer was invaluable when I tried a wrongful death case in August. She was very organized and anticipated everything I needed. We couldn’t have tried the case without her. Julie is essential to my health care liability practice. She does an amazing job collecting and organizing the medical records. She’s always one step ahead of me, making my life and my practice much easier. I could not have a successful practice without them both. They have both been with SMRW since 2018, and I am so lucky to get to work with them! They’re truly a gift to my practice.”
– Cara Weiner, Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams