Robertson, Williams, Ingram, Faulkner & Overbey was founded in 1982 by Claude K. Robertson, J. Edward Ingram, Norman H. Williams, Shannon D. Faulkner, III, and J. Douglas Overbey. Even then, it was important to the founders of the new firm that its attorneys play a supporting role in the community outside the courtroom. Claude Robertson, the senior founding member of the firm, served on the Board of Directors of United Way, Knoxville; Travelers Aid Society; and Presbyterian Homes of Tennessee, Inc. (of which he was Chairman of the Board). Doug Overbey, also a founding member, began serving on the Blount County Commission in 1982 and served as a commissioner for eight years before joining the Tennessee General Assembly. He has also served as Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee and on numerous community boards and committees.
Throughout the years, Owings, Wilson & Coleman has provided a wide variety of legal services ranging from major civil litigation involving complex antitrust issues to serving as bond counsel, issuer's counsel, and underwriter's counsel in more than $7.7 billion of tax-exempt financings. Founding partner Eddie Ingram served as Bond Counsel to dozens of cities and counties throughout Tennessee. He provided legal services for such notable projects as Thompson-Boling Arena, the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Tennessee Smokies Baseball Stadium in Sevier County.
Today, Owings, Wilson & Coleman is a vibrant and growing firm, still located in downtown Knoxville, with a history of over 30 years of providing superior service to the east Tennessee community and beyond. The firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale Hubbell and has received other honors such as Pro Bono Firm of the Year. Attorneys within Owings, Wilson & Coleman serve on volunteer boards and participate with organizations such as Mobile Meals, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, A Secret Safe Place for Newborns, the Knoxville Symphony League, Kiwanis, and United Way. The firm now has partners, Shelly Wilson, Managing Partner; John Owings; and Stephanie Coleman; a total of 8 attorneys, and continues to service both its clients and its communities with distinction.
