Jay Nelson Chamness

I have been practicing law in the middle Tennessee area for 25 years. The focus of my practice is civil litigation, dispute avoidance and alternative dispute resolution. I have represented a wide array of clients, including both plaintiffs and defendants, in both state and federal court. I have zealously represented clients in the areas of medical malpractice, personal injury, business and commercial litigation and other complex litigation cases. I have represented numerous clients in jury trials throughout middle Tennessee. I’m admitted to practice in Tennessee state courts, as well as the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

I received my law degree from St. Louis University School of Law, where I graduated cum laude and was elected to Order of the Woolsack for academic excellence. During law school, I served as a staff writer for the St. Louis University Law Journal and a legal intern for Judge Theodore McMillian of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. I obtained my undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a secondary major in Russian.

I am married to my wonderful wife of 29 years and have two boys, with whom I enjoy spending much of my time. I love to sail and on weekends can be found on my sailboat on Percy Priest Lake. I am active in the community and currently serve as the President of Tennessee History for Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of public school children in Tennessee history and civics. I am also is a Major in the Tennessee State Guard, where I serve as Inspector General.