Long, Ragsdale & Waters, P.C.

03/28/2025

Congratulations to Alexander Waters in representing entities owned by entrepreneurs Austin Williams and Jay Benson in the successful acquisition of all residential units within The Emporium condominium project in Downtown Knoxville. Additionally, Ryan McNally with Appalachian Title Company, LLC handled title and closing work for the transaction, and Oliver Adams assisted with the financing portion. For more information on the sale, Inside of Knoxville ran a story on the transaction:

Your Urban Connection

02/03/2025

LRW is thrilled to welcome Leah W. McClanahan as a new attorney with the firm.

Leah joins LRW after serving nearly a decade as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In such role, Leah defended the United States in civil suits, including litigating 250 cases in the District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and many more in Chancery and Circuit Courts throughout East Tennessee as well as briefing multiple cases to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Leah focuses her practice on defending clients in federal court, including cases involving commercial litigation, employment discrimination, bankruptcy (creditor), and healthcare litigation.

For more information on Leah, please visit our website:

Leah W. McClanahan focuses her practice on defending clients in federal court. Having served nearly a decade as an Assistant United States Attorney defending the United States in civil suits, she has litigated 250 cases in the District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and many more in Cha...

09/03/2024

Thirteen individual LRW attorneys were named "Best Lawyer" for 2025 and two LRW attorneys were recognized as "Best Lawyers - Ones to Watch" for 2025 by Best Lawyers, which compiles lists of outstanding lawyers by conducting exhaustive peer review surveys in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers.

The full list of recognized attorneys and their award categories can be found on our website:

07/22/2024

Ten LRW Attorneys were voted by their peers as "Top Attorneys" for 2024 per CityView Magazine. LRW Attorneys received recognition in nineteen (19) different categories, with three (3) LRW attorneys receiving the "Golden Gavel" designation for the highest votes in Banking Law (Oliver Adams), Securities - Defense (Lee Popkin), and Securities - Plaintiff (Kyle Baisley).

A full list of LRW "Top Attorneys" and their designations are listed below:

1. David W. Long: Banking Law; Contract Law; Real Estate Finance and Development; Securities – Defense

2. Dennis B. Ragsdale: Banking Law; Business/Commercial Law; Real Estate Finance and Development

3. Garrett P. Swartwood: Appellate Practice; Bankruptcy-Creditor; Collections/Foreclosures; Construction Law; Securities – Defense; Securities – Plaintiff

4. Lee A. Popkin: Aviation/Admiralty; Entertainment/Sports; Securities – Defense (Golden Gavel); Securities – Plaintiff; Taxation; Wills/Probate

5. W. Michael Baisley: Aviation/Admiralty; Banking Law; Corporate Law; Securities – Defense; Securities – Plaintiff

6. Taylor D. Forrester: Administrative Law; Banking Law

7. Kyle A. Baisley: Aviation/Admiralty; Banking Law; Bankruptcy – Creditor; Securities – Defense; Securities – Plaintiff (Golden Gavel)

8. Oliver D. Adams: Banking Law (Golden Gavel); Bankruptcy – Creditor; Business/Commercial Law; Contract Law; Collections/Foreclosures; Real Estate Finance and Development

9. William D. Edwards: Aviation/Admiralty; Entertainment/Sports; Estate Planning/Trusts; Taxation; Wills/Probate

10. Katherine Sanford Goodner: Adoption; Income Tax/IRS Resolutions

05/28/2024

LRW Shareholder and Founder David W. Long was recently honored as a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation, an association of 811 attorneys across the state of Tennessee which recognizes attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the community and the profession and which has awarded grants in excess of $27,000,000 to law-related, public interest projects throughout Tennessee. David joins 28 other attorneys and judges inducted as “Fellows” in the 2023 class.

Photo Credit: Tennessee Bar Foundation, https://www.tnbarfoundation.org/

01/23/2024

Multiple LRW Attorneys received recognition from Super Lawyers for 2023, including Alexander O. Waters (Mid-South Rising Star – Real Estate), W. Michael Baisley (Super Lawyer – Business Corporate), John B. Waters III (Super Lawyer – Real Estate).

Notably, John Waters and Alexander Waters were the only two attorneys in the Knoxville, Tennessee area to receive Super Lawyer and Rising Star recognition in the "Real Estate" category in 2023.

Multiple LRW Attorneys received recognition from Super Lawyers for 2023, including Alexander O. Waters (Mid-South Rising Star – Real Estate), W. Michael Baisley (Super Lawyer – Business Corporate), John B. Waters III (Super Lawyer – Real Estate). Notably, John Waters and Alexander Waters were ...

01/22/2024

Long, Ragsdale & Waters, P.C. was named “Best Law Firm” in six categories by peer-reviewed Best Lawyers for 2024, including (1) Banking and Finance Law; (2) Commercial Finance Law, (3) Litigation – Construction, (4) Litigation – Real Estate; (5) Real Estate Law; and (6) Trusts and Estates Law.

Long, Ragsdale & Waters, P.C. recently was named “Best Law Firm” in six categories by peer-reviewed Best Lawyers for 2024, including (1) Banking and Finance Law; (2) Commercial Finance Law, (3) Litigation – Construction, (4) Litigation – Real Estate; (5) Real Estate Law; and (6) Trusts and E...

01/09/2024

On January 1st, LRW Shareholder Garrett Swartwood began serving as co-President as the Knoxville Chapter of the Federalist Society. Garrett has participated in FedSoc over the years, recently helping to coordinate FedSoc events, including an upcoming event to host U.S. Senator and Attorney General Jeff Sessions on March 5, 2024.

On January 1st, LRW Shareholder Garrett Swartwood began serving as co-President as the Knoxville Chapter of the Federalist Society. Garrett has participated in FedSoc over the years, recently helping to coordinate FedSoc events, including an upcoming event to host U.S. Senator and Attorney General J...

12/04/2023

Lee Popkin, an LRW shareholder, represented Axle Logistics, LLC in connection with its Phase II headquarters expansion, which includes an 85,000 square foot construction project. For more information on the project, see below for a link to the press release from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development: https://www.knoxvillechamber.com/state-of-tennessee-knoxville-chamber-announce-axle-logistics-llc-to-expand-logistics-operations-at-knoxville-headquarters/ Well done, Lee!

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and Axle Logistics, LLC officials announced today the company will invest $37.9 million [...]Read More...

07/20/2023

Ten LRW Attorneys were voted by their peers as "Top Attorneys" for 2023 per CityView Magazine. LRW Attorneys received recognition in eighteen different categories, with Oliver Adams receiving "Top Attorney" designations in eight different voting categories and LRW Attorneys receiving five of six awards in the "Securities - Defense" category.

A full list of LRW "Top Attorneys" and their designations are listed below:

David W. Long: Real Estate Finance and Development; Securities - Defense

Dennis B. Ragsdale: Banking; Business/Commercial Law; Real Estate Finance and Development

Garrett P. Swartwood: Collections/Foreclosures; Construction Law; Securities - Defense; Securities - Plaintiff

Lee A. Popkin: Aviation/Admiralty; Entertainment/Sports Law; Estate Planning/Trusts; Securities - Defense; Securities - Plaintiff; Taxation; Wills/Probate

W. Michael Baisley: Aviation/Admiralty; Business Litigation; Contract Law; Securities - Defense; Securities - Plaintiff

Taylor D. Forrester: Administrative Law

Kyle A. Baisley: Aviation/Admiralty; Contract Law; Securities - Defense; Securities - Plaintiff

Oliver D. Adams: Banking; Bankruptcy - Creditor; Business Litigation; Business/Commercial Law; Contract Law; Collections/Foreclosures; Contracts; Real Estate Finance and Development

William D. Edwards: Aviation/Admiralty; Entertainment/Sports Law; Estate Planning/Trusts; Taxation; Wills/Probate

Katherine Sanford Goodner: Adoption; Income Tax/IRS Resolutions

04/17/2023

LRW shareholder Mike Baisley has completed the Rule 31 civil mediation training program at the Institute for Conflict Management, a nationally recognized program conducted by the Lipscomb University College of Leadership & Public Service. Pending final approval of his application, Mike will become listed as a Rule 31 Civil Mediator by the Tennessee Supreme Court Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Commission. Drawing on his 18 years of experience as a business lawyer and litigator, Mike will focus his mediation practice in the areas of business and contract disputes, particularly including disputes between business partners and LLC members.

LRW shareholder Mike Baisley has completed the Rule 31 civil mediation training program at the Institute for Conflict Management, a nationally recognized program conducted by the Lipscomb University College of Leadership & Public Service. Pending final approval of his application, Mike will become l...

03/16/2023

David W. Long, Dennis B. Ragsdale and John B. Waters III, the founding partners of LRW, were recently honored at the 17th Annual Commercial Real Estate Industry Awards benefitting East Tennessee Children's Hospital. Each year, the sold-out awards ceremony recognizes one company, individual or group of partners within the real estate field (including attorneys, developers, lenders, architects, contractors, brokers and other real estate professionals) for their leadership, impact, and service to the community and real estate industry. While Long, Ragsdale and Waters are thrilled to join distinguished past winners of the award, many of which are the firm's ongoing clients and partners on various transactions, they are especially proud to support ETCH and the tremendous work it does for East Tennessee and its families.

David W. Long, Dennis B. Ragsdale and John B. Waters III, the founding partners of LRW, were recently honored at the 17th Annual Commercial Real Estate Industry Awards benefitting East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Each year, the sold-out awards ceremony recognizes one company, individual or grou...