Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Margaret Held has known she wanted to be a lawyer since she was 8 years old, hearing the stories of her grandfather's practice in Knoxville. "When you decide to become a lawyer when you are a kid, it's because you want to stick up for the little guy and take down the bully."

As a new attorney, that attitude landed Ms. Held a prestigious Equal Justice Fellowship, awarded by the National Association for Public Interest Law to honor lawyers who make unique contributions in public law. The Fellowship allowed Ms. Held to represent entrepreneurs and non-profit rganizations to create and retain jobs in poor neighborhoods. "These folks could not afford corporate counsel," says Ms. Held. "It was great to be a new attorney, working up the legal documents to start a bank, suing the government over its use of economic incentives, and representing welfare moms to start businesses ranging from child-cares to ice cream parlors."

After the fellowship ended, Ms. Held continued her mission by founding Held Law Firm. "The Firm exists to support lawyers who have enough little kid in them to love the fight - who wake up each morning excited to take on the big boys, and who haven't become cynical about ideals like justice and fair play."

Ms. Held represented India Tracy in her lawsuit against the Union County school system for religious discrimination. She represented Citizens for Police Review in its battle for increased accountability within KPD. She helped the Tennessee Industrial Renewal Network to fight for a living wage for Knoxville workers. She obtained a record-breaking settlement for a Department of Energy whistleblower who reported safety violations in Oak Ridge. She represented KnoxRecall in its drive for increased accountability from Knoxville city lawmakers, and Knox County over abuses within the juvenile detention facility. "I suppose that these sorts of lawsuits haven't made me many friends in certain circles," laughs Ms. Held. "But they weren't who I went to law school for anyway."


"But seriously," she continues, "As fun as those cases are, the issues that matter most to real people are much more personal. Law, for regular people, is about your kids, your job, your business, your neighborhood. That's why we specialize in family law, employment law, and non-profit law." "My best hope is that we will take the mystery out of the legal process for my clients - that they will know how the legal system works, feel like they got sound advice and a good outcome, and know that, win or lose, we fought the good fight for them. Big cases are great, but there's nothing more satisfying for me than to represent an honest, hard-working person well."

Our firm's practice is focused upon the effective representation of clients facing criminal charges in both the Tennessee and Federal Court systems. Ms. Sheldon, who herself was previoulsy a State Prosecutor, has handled numerous misdemeanor and felony cases including pleas and jury trials. Additionally, due to extensive training, she is now Death Penalty qualified in the state of Tennessee. Other firm areas of practice involve Family Law, Bankruptcy and Social Security Disability. We welcome you to contact our office for a free consultation to properly evaluate your case. Allow us the opportunity to represent your legal needs during this trying time.

Mr. Burton is originally from Tennessee. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Burton served as a police officer with the City of Sevierville before becoming a Federal Agent for the Social Security Administration. While working as a Federal Agent, Mr. Burton completed law school at the Nashville School of Law.

After returning to East Tennessee, Mr. Burton began his own practice focusing on the representation of disabled individuals and criminal defendants on both the state and federal level. Mr. Burton’s experience as a Federal Agent with the Social Security Administration distinguishes Mr. Burton from other attorneys in his representation of disabled individuals. Mr. Burton is also uniquely qualified in his representation of criminal defendants due to his training and service as a police officer.

In addition to his practice, Mr. Burton serves as an adjunct professor with South College in Knoxville, Tennessee where he teaches Constitutional Law and Evidence. Prior courses taught by Mr. Burton include Legal Studies and Criminal Justice as well as Cyberlaw. Mr. Burton is also a member of the Sevier County Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer’s, National Association of Social Security Claimants Representatives, and Tennessee Association of Justice.

I represent clients in family law, personal injury, criminal defense, and probate. I focus on my clients' individual needs. I always keep my clients informed about the status of their case and current legal issues that will effect them. I am readily available to answer questions and discuss all topics of law.

Mr. Wright was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He attended Middle Tennessee State University (B.S., summa cum laude, 1977); the University of Tennessee (J.D., 1980) Order of the Coif, Law Review. He was admitted to the Tennessee, Sixth Circuit and Fourth Circuit Bar in 1981. Author credits include: Tennessee Current Legal Summaries. Co-Author: Avoiding Environmental Liability in Tennessee; Hazardous Waste in Tennessee; Distinguished Alumni Speaker - University of Tennessee College of Law 2008. He has been on the Executive Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association Section on Environmental Law since the founding of the section and is a past Chair of the Section. He is also the Co-Chair of the Knoxville Bar Association Environmental Law Section, the Past President of the Knoxville Legal Aid Society (three terms), and is a past Director of Knoxville Montessori School. Notable cases include: Joe Chadwell v. Knox County, Tenn. Sup. Ct. (Environmental Law); Davis v. Indian Mountain Clinic, Tenn. Ct. App. (Medical Malpractice); Deaton v. Sensaboy, Tenn. Ct. App. (Civil Rights and Medical Malpractice); Anthony v. Felknor and Cunningham, Tenn. Ct. App. (Legal Malpractice); Cincinnati Insurance Co. v. Fred S. Post, Tenn. Sup. Ct. (Insurance Law); Campbell County v. Brownlee-Kesterson, Inc., Tenn. Ct. App. (Product Liability); Jefferson County v. Celotex, Tenn. Ct. App. (Product Liability); Lockett v. Blalock Construction.

Areas of Practice:

Corporate and Banking
Environmental Law & Toxic Torts
Products Liability
Lender Liability
Personal Injury
Medical Malpractice & Medical Devices
Bar Admissions:
Tennessee, 1981
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee, 1982
U.S. Federal Courts, 1981
U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 2002
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1981
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court, 2004
Education:
University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1980
J.D.
Honors: Order of the Coif
Law Review: University of Tennessee Law Review


Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 1977
B.S.
Honors: Summa Cum Laude


Published Works:
Tennessee: Current Legal Summaries


Avoiding Environmental Liability in Tennesse; Hazardous Waste in Tennessee (Co-Author)


Representative Cases:
Cincinnati Ins. Co. v. Fred S. Post (Tenn. Sup. Ct. (Insurance Law))
K.M.C. Co., Inc. v. Irving Trust Co., 757 F.2d 752 (C.A.6 (Tenn.) 1985)
Anthony v. Felknor & Cunningham (Tenn. Ct. App. (Legal Malpractice))
Joe Chadwell v. Knox County (Tenn. Sup. Ct. (Environmental Law))
Davis v. Indian Mountain Clinic (Tenn. Ct. App. (Medical Malpractice))
Deaton v. Sensaboy (Tenn. Ct. App. (Civil Rights and Medical Malpractice))
Campbell County v. Brownlee-Kesterson, Inc. (Tenn. Ct. App. (Product Liability)
Jefferson County v. Celotex (Tenn. Ct. App.(Product Liability))
Lockett V. Blalock Construction (Tenn. Ct. App - Disc Costs/Prejudg. Intrst (Construction Law-Blasting))
Wilson v. McCann Steel Corp. ((Corporation Law))
Ward v. Bush Construction ((Tenn. Ct. App. (Construction; Tennessee One-Call))
Representative Clients:
CNA
Pepsi Bottling Group
Frito-Lay, Inc.
Sedgwick CMS
Wampler's Farm Sausage, Incorporated
Family Brands International
Shaner Group
References:
Wamplers Farm Sausage
Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc.
Frito Lay, Inc.
Professional Associations and Memberships:
Tennessee Bar Association, Section on Environmental Law, 2003 - 2004
Member, Past Chair, Executive Committee


Knoxville Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
Co-Chair


Knoxville Legal Aid Society
Past President (Three Terms)


Fraternities/Sororities:
Phi Delta Phi
Birth Information:
Murfreesboro, Tennessee