Robert Brandt Nashville Trauger & Tuke Former Nashville chancery court judge. Went into private practice after 20 years on bench presiding over business disputes and state government cases. Clients include General Motors, HCA, Coca-Cola, Shoney's and Xerox.

Mike CodyMemphis Burch, Porter & Johnson Former Tennessee attorney general and former U.S. District Attorney for Western District of Tennessee. Highly knowledgeable mediator who focuses on commercial cases nationwide.

Rick MarcusChattanooga Franklin, Cooper & Marcus Focuses on personal injury disputes as well as construction matters, both commercial and residential. Handles lion's share of mediation work at Chattanooga's Arbitration and Mediation Services.

Jef FeibelmanMemphis Burch, Porter & Johnson Represents judges. Has litigated substantial claims involving fraud, breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of non-compete and confidentiality agreements, as well as business dissolution and valuation controversies. In 2006, garnered the Lawyer's Lawyer Award from the Memphis Bar Association.

Robert D. Van de VuurstJohnson City Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz Focuses on aviation law but is also well-versed in mergers and acquisitions. Sometimes called upon in securities matters. Shareholder in the Johnson City/Tri-Cities office. Adjunct professor at both Milligan College and East Tennessee State University.

Julian BibbNashville Stites & Harbison A force in the banking industry. Led a team of lawyers for the planning and zoning for Westhaven, Tenn.'s largest mixed-use development. Assistant to the Tennessee Bar Examiners.

Steven J. EisenNashville Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz His largest-in-state banking practice includes more than 100 banks in Tennessee and surrounding states. Last year represented Green Bancshares in acquisition of Civitas BankGroup. Works with the Tennessee Bankers Association and the Tennessee Consumer Finance Association on predatory lending and subprime loan matters.

Bob ThompsonNashville Bass, Berry & Sims Excellent as principal corporate and securities counsel for public companies on banking, thrift and small business lending. Represented Pinnacle Financial Partners in acquisition of Mid-America Bancshares and securing $75 million in expansion funds for Avenue Financial Holdings.

Bruce BaileyChattanooga Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel Top-flight bankruptcy practitioner. Focuses on bankruptcy and creditors' rights, as well as communications and media law.

Thomas H. DickensonJohnson City Hodges, Doughty & Carson Former assistant examiner, Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. Maintains extensive practice in bankruptcy and commercial law, focusing on creditors' rights and transactional matters. Also handles leases and land acquisition for commercial development. Spent 15 years as a panel trustee for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Craig GabbertNashville Harwell, Howard, Hyne, Gabbert & Manner Represented GP Medical Ventures and its affiliate, Physicians Medical Center, in acquisition of Carraway Methodist Medical Center in a Section 363 bankruptcy auction sale. Often represents debtors in largest local Chapter 11 cases. Among clients are Xantus Healthplan, Regal Cinemas and Nu-Kote Holdings.

Robert GoodrichNashville Stites & Harbison Known for helping revise the Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure in the Middle District of Tennessee. Has represented creditors, creditors' committees and landlords in bankruptcy and insolvency matters for more than 20 years. Master of complex transactions.

Henry E. Hildebrand IIINashville Lassiter, Tidwell, Davis, Keller & Hogan Nationally known Chapter 13 trustee. Certified consumer bankruptcy specialist by Tennessee Commission on CLE specialization, and fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.

Paul JenningsNashville Bass, Berry & Sims Represented the Chapter 11 trustee of Total Fitness, a chain of high-end fitness clubs. Handled all bankruptcy matters for Prime Trust Bank in its secured financings, including adequate protection issues, stay relief, claim allowance and plan confirmation. Past clients include Murray Inc. and James River Coal Co.

Jim KelleyNashville Neal & Harwell Usually represents creditors. Bank of America is biggest client. Represented Grillco in effort to buy insolvent Off The Grill restaurant chain, which filed for Chapter 11 in 2004, played active role in American HomePatient's bankruptcy.

Bill NortonNashville Boult, Cummings, Conners & Berry Spent most of 2007 as a Chapter 7 trustee overseeing liquidation of Stanley Jones Corp., one of the largest mechanical contractors in the state. Also represented petitioning creditors against Robert McLean, who had collected over $50 million for a Ponzi scheme. Author, Norton Bankruptcy Law & Practice (12 vol. treatise) and Norton Creditors' Rights Handbook.

Shelley RuckerChattanooga Miller & Martin Almost exclusively appears on the creditors' side in high-profile bankruptcies. Has done work for unsecured creditor committees, lessors and property managers. Represented Calabrian Corp. in litigation with debtors Republic Financial Corp. and Noxso Corp.

T. Maxfield BahnerChattanooga Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel Going strong at age 72. Past president, Chattanooga Bar Association. Past governor, American Bar Association, where he led the Tennessee delegation for nine years. Chaired the Tennessee Supreme Court's Advisory Commission on the Rules of Civil Procedure, helping the court adopt the Tennessee Rules of Evidence.

H. Lee BarfieldNashville Bass, Berry & Sims Won numerous malpractice cases for HCA and others over the years. Highly effective in business disputes, insurance litigation and class actions, commercial law issues, banking and constitutional law matters. Represents Brentwood Academy against TSSAA along with Vanderbilt's Jim Blumstein. (See cover story, pg. 24.)

Thomas CatesMemphis Burch, Porter & Johnson City attorney for Germantown and Collierville since early 1990s, but is often retained in commercial litigation and transactional matters. One longtime client is Drexel Chemical Co. Others include Crescent Center in Memphis, which he helped with a $60 million sale.

Alan D. JohnsonNashville Willis & Knight Groomed by Al Knight to carry increasingly heavier workload in representing The Tennessean. Often handles commercial law, constitutional, slander and defamation matters. Point man on Tennessean v. arena operators Powers Management.

James KirbyMemphis Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh Expert in business and commercial litigation, civil litigation, construction law and legal malpractice defense. Defended professional liability cases, both medical and legal. Often represents companies in fraudulent workers' comp cases. Also does risk management counseling.

Bob PattersonNashville Boult, Cummings, Conners & Berry Extensive jury experience trying cases ranging from "slip and fall" to products liability and allegations of breach of fiduciary duties by investment partners. Well-versed in corporate risk management. Often retained in "corporate divorce" cases.

Lucian PeraMemphis Adams and Reese Expert on ethics and conflicts of interest; often counsels lawyers and law firms. Focuses on commercial, health care, media, intellectual property and professional malpractice litigation. Editor-in-chief of Tennessee Ethics Handbook, known by just about every lawyer in the state.

Bob WalkerNashville Walker, Tipps & Malone Central to most prominent corporate lawsuits in Nashville over the past three decades. Successfully represented Harding Academy in property dispute with Metro Nashville government, and Nashville Predators against Gaylord Entertainment Co.