J. Michael Haynes
About
J. Michael Haynes (Mike) received his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1973. He served as Assistant Law Director for Knox County from 1976 to 1978 and as Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee from 1978 to 1986. He has practiced law with the firm since 1986, and his practice is primarily in the areas of workers’ compensation, product liability, public utilities, government tort and general accident litigation. Mike served as President of the Knoxville Bar Association (2004) and as an elected Alderman and Vice-Mayor for the Town of Farragut, Tennessee. Mike is a longtime Boy Scout leader, a charter member of the Farragut High School Education Foundation, and currently a Board Member of 91.9 Inc., our local National Public Radio Station (WOUT). He also especially enjoys local and Civil War history research and activities.
Areas of Practice
Litigation Percentage
- 75% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Tennessee, 1974
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
Education
- University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee J.D. – 1973
- University of Tennessee B.S.
Representative Clients
- Knoxville Utilities Board
- Vulcan
- Guide One Insurance Company
- O’Charley’s Inc.
- FedEx Custom Critical, Inc.
- Federated Mutual Insurance Company
Honors and Awards
- Served on Board of Governors of Knoxville Bar Association twice
- Former Alderman/Vice-Mayor for Town of Farragut, TN
- Leadership Knoxville – Class of 2002
- Knox County Sheriff’s Citizen Academy (2001)
- Knoxville Ronald McDonald House, former president and charter board member
- Farragut High Band Boosters Club, Co-chairman
- Farragut High School Education Foundation, Charter Member
- Knoxville Bar Association, President
- Knoxville Bar Foundation, 2004 – 2011
- Tennessee Bar Foundation, 2004 – 2011
- Best Lawyers in America 2013 – Litigation – Environmental & Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- American Lawyer Media – Top Rated Lawyer in Insurance Law & Mass Torts
- Cityview 2013 Top Knoxville Attorney – Administrative Law; Environmental Law; Personal Injury-Motorcycle Accident-Defense; Product Liability-Defense; Workers’ Compensation-Defense; Workers’ Compensation-Plaintiff
- Best Lawyers in America 2014 – Litigation-Environmental, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, Workers’ Compensation Law-Employers
- Cityview 2014 Top Knoxville Attorney – Workers’ Compensation – Defense, Administrative Law
- Best Lawyers in America 2015 – Litigation-Environmental, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, Workers’ Compensation Law-Employers
- Cityview 2015 Top Knoxville Attorney – Personal Injury – Motorcycle Accident – Defense, Personal Injury – Auto Accident – Defense, Administrative Law
- Best Lawyers in America 2016 – Litigation-Environmental, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, Workers’ Compensation Law-Employers. Listed as Best Lawyer since 2013.
- Cityview 2016 Top Knoxville Attorney – Worker’s Compensation – Defense, Personal Injury – Motorcycle Accident – Defense, Environmental Law, Administrative Law
- Cityview 2018 Top Knoxville Attorney – Environmental
- Best Lawyers in America 2017 – Workers’ Compensation Law-Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, Litigation-Environmental
- Best Lawyers in America 2018 – Litigation-Environmental, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, Workers’ Compensation-Employers
- Best Lawyers in America 2018, Lawyer of the Year – Litigation-Environmental
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Defense Research Institute
- Knoxville Bar Association, (President 2004)
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Fellow, Knoxville Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Tennessee Bar Foundation
Past Employment Positions
- Eastern District of Tennessee, Assistant United States Attorney, 1978 – 1986
- Cheek, Taylor & Groover, Associate, 1974 – 1978
- Knox County Law Director, Assistant (Part-time), 1976 – 1978
Fraternities/Sororities
- Phi Sigma Kappa
- Phi Alpha Delta
