Mr. Richard Roy Pettit | Attorney

• Member | Tennessee Bar Association
• Member | Alabama Bar Association
• Member | Chattanooga Bar Association
• Certified Christian Conciliator
• Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator
• Federal Mediator and Arbitrator
• Christian Legal Society
• Advocates International

• National Christian Legal Society Peacemaker of the Year
  2001
• Advocates International Conference Plenary, Croatia
• Tennessee Supreme Court Pro Bono Publico Award

After 25 years of practice, I have developed a good sense of how to navigate the "big picture" issues as a way to grenuinely help my clients in the way that will make the most lasting difference. I was appointed to serve the Court in a case involving a dad who was facing some aging and transition issues that made it impossible for him to manage his finances or keep track of things. His cognitive challenges were becoming progressively worse, and he had a new "girlfriend" that the family didn't know, and for whom they had concerns that it would be easy for the dad to be taken advantage of. I took charge of the investigation, discovered an additional $300,000 bank account that the family didn't know about, and negotiated an arrangement for the father to be protected financially while improving his relationship with his children. The transitions of age often put families at odds or create conflicts that can tear the family apart for a generation, so it is important to serve the needs of the presenting conflicts in such a way as to preserve or even improve the lives of the family as much as possible. Having a true sense of family and relationships is at the core of my practice.

I built a practice by serving my clients as individuals who need a wise counselor and champion. Some legal issues may appear to be similar, but every case presents a unique opportunity to serve one person, one family, one client whose needs may go much deeper than the conflict or legal need that brought them to me. My clients get me--all of me, and that's the way I think legal representation ought to be done.

Clients should look for an attorney who is knowledgeble enough to indentify and prepare for the issues to be resolved, wise enough to actually know what the needs of the client are, and wise enough to help the client in the context where they are. My goal is to be as useful and effective as possible, and then to become as useless as possible as quickly as possible (because there need has been solved).

Local knowledge is how you get things done. To know the other attorneys in the bar, the judges and local practice rules saves a lot of time and guesswork, but to know the court staff, clerks, and preferences of the judges in the courtroom can make the difference for any client's case.

A good phone initial consultation gives me enough information to provide a sense of what the client needs, and a plan for options going forward, whether the client engages my services, or would be better served by someone else. I treat a client the way I would like to be treated if I had the same situation to work through. I am very good at what I do, but if there is someone that I know would be better, I let the client know.

I have been told that I am a cross between Andy Griffith and Clint Eastwood. I am easy to get along with, and cagey enough to figure out the best ways to resolve issues, but I can be as tough as I need to be when I need to be.

I am loving life with my wife, four children, and my grandson. I have always put the opportunity to be a good dad in front of financial gain, and have had adventures with my children that have included 16 countries and four continents.

I have been strongly involved in my church and faith community for many years. I am an elder in my church, and have done a lot of work helping families and individuals to work through or resolve issues in a way that is consistent with their faith.