Mr. Kent Thomas Jones

A graduate from the George Washington University Law School (GW), Kent T. Jones is the Owner and Managing Partner of Jones & Associates PC. Kent's undergraduate work at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville was in English and Honors Political Science. At GW, Kent placed first as an oralist in the Mid-Atlantic Regionals of the Phillip Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and was appointed to be a Member of the GW Moot Court Board. Additionally, he served as President of the GW International Law Society, sponsoring speaker panels on international trade law, international criminal law, international human rights law and other areas, including, but not limited to sponsorship of an International Law Weekend with the Georgetown University Law School with a speaker from the U.S. Department of Commerce. After clerking for a prominent federal securities law firm and international trade law firm, both in Washington, DC, he secured an in-house position with a corporation in Chattanooga, Tennessee, producing contracts for Fortune 500 companies. During the next 13 years, Kent did predominantly insurance and workers' compensation defense work for a regional law firm, where he was a Senior Partner, with the execption of one and one half years with a plaintiff's employment discrimination law firm in Chattanooga. He formed Jones & Associates PC in April of 2012, and the core areas of practice developed into insurance law, divorce, criminal defense and personal injury, as well as other assorted assignments involving real estate, commercial creditors bankruptcy, wills, conservatorships, guardian ad litem work and workers' compensation. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees for a local, private Episcopal School and has participated in volunteer activities in the Hamilton County community, mostly involving health and children.

The George Washington University Law School

J.D. (1991) | Law and International Law

1988 - 1991

Honors: Member, Moot Court Board

Activities: President of the International Law Society

University of Tennessee - Knoxville

B.A. | English and Honors Political Science

1984 - 1988

Honors: B.A. with Honors

Owner and Managing Partner

Jones & Associates, PC

2012 - Current

Associate, Member, Senior Member

Allen, Kopet & Associates, PLLC

1999 - 2012

In-house Counsel and Corporate Trainer

Harrison Direct, Inc.

1991 - 1999

International Trade Law Clerk

Graham & James

1989 - 1991

Conducted research and drafted memoranda on international trade law.

Federal Securities Law Clerk

Routier, Mackey & Johnson, PC

1988 - 1989

Divorce in Tennessee - Part 1

Youtube

January, 2019

Divorce in Tennessee - Part 2

Youtube

January, 2019

Divorce in Tennessee - Part 3

Youtube

January, 2019

Where do I begin? I just suffered a personal injury in the State of Tennessee.

Self-published

June 15, 2015

Handling the Workers' Compensation Case From Start to Finish, NBI / National Business Institute, Chattanooga, Tennessee

July 26, 2018

NBI

I spoke on both Medical Issues During the Claim and Recovery from Third Parties

Licensed to Practice Law in Tennessee

Tennessee Supreme Court

Admitted to Practice Before the United States Dist. Ct. for the Eastern Dist. of Tenn.

United States District Court

Admitted to Practice Before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

Licensed Life, Accident and Health Insurance Provider

State of Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance

Admitted

AM Best Top Rated Insurance Attorneys

2014

Based on client feedback.

First place oralist, second place overall, Jessup Moot Court Comp.

George Washington University Law School

1991

Moot Court Board Member

George Washington University Law School

1991

Cleveland, Tennessee Bar Association  # 20158

Member

2014 - Current

Activities: Attend regular informational meetings.

AM Best Top Rated Insurance Attorneys

Member

2014 - Current

UTK Alumni Association

Member

2012 - Current

George Washington University Alumni Association

Member

2012 - Current

St. Peter's Episcopal School Board

Member at Large

2006 - 2010

Tennessee

Since 1999

6th Circuit

Since 2003

Federal Circuit

Since 2000

• Free Consultation
  For billable cases, the first consultation is free.
• Contingent Fees
  For workers' compensation plaintiff's cases, the fee is 20% of the total indemnity award. For other liability cases, it is 33 1/3 % or 40% if it goes to appeal.
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  I graduated from the George Washington University National Law School, where I was a Member of the Moot Court Board.

Q. I didn't get promoted despite fulfilling conditions and no vehicle.

June 7, 2025

A: Generally speaking, the State of Tennessee is an Employment at Will State, which means that an employer can terminate you or fail to promote you for virtually any reason, so long as it is not illegal. Some examples of illegal activity are discriminating against you due to your race, age, violations of the Family Medical Leave provisions, and so on. I believe that the important consideration in your case is whether you had a contract or some type of document evidencing the promotion and under what conditions that it would take effect. Look to see if there are requirements to have a vehicle. If you don't have any paperwork, it may be valid for them to have a manager with reliable transportation. I would call a firm that only handles employment matteers and see if there is some loophole. ... Read More

Q. How to divide joint property in divorce after 25 years in Tennessee?

June 6, 2025

A: Generally speaking, in the State of Tennessee, marital property is divided, but separate property is not. All of the property is identified, classified and valued. Tennessee is an “equitable distribution” state, which means that once the property is classified as marital or separate, the trial court has to divide it equitably. T.C.A. Section 36-4-121(c). However, marital property is not always divided 50/50. Instead, it is divided “equitably.”

In certain circumstances, an entire asset could be given to one spouse. However, with a close range of money, I don’t think that this would occur.

“Separate Property” is all real and personal property owned before marriage, gifts and inheritances.

With regard to “marital property,” the courts look at:

The duration of the marriage;

The age, physical and mental health, vocation skills, employability, earning capacity, estate, financial liabilities and financial needs of each of the parties;

The tangible or intangible contribution by one party to the education, training or increased earning capacity of the other party;

The relative ability of each party for future acquisitions of capital assets and income;

The contribution of each party to the acquisition, preservation, appreciation, depreciation or dissipation of the marital or separate property, including the contribution of a party to the marriage as homemaker, wage earner or parent, with the contribution of a party as homemaker or wage earner to be given the same weight if each party has fulfilled its role (who contributed more or performed the marital role more);

The value of the separate property of each party;

The estate of each party at the time of marriage;

The economic circumstances of each party at the time the division of property is to become effective;

The tax consequences to each party; costs associated with the reasonably foreseeable sale of the asset, and other reasonably foreseeable expenses associated with the asset;

The amount of social security benefits available to each spouse; and

Such other factors as are necessary to consider the equities between the parties.

In spite of the “general” statement mentioned above, courts do consider separate property. If one spouse has more “separate” property, then the other spouse will usually be given more “marital” property.

The appreciation of “separate” property during the marriage can become “marital” property. The test is whether the non-owning spouse proves that both spouses substantially contributed to its preservation and appreciation.

Also, if separate property is inextricably mingled with marital property or separate property of the other spouse, then the courts look at it as a “gift” to the marital property, which, as stated above, is divided.

There is also a concept of “transmutation.” This is when there is evidence of an intention that the separate property be marital. ... Read More

Q. Facing assault charges despite self-defense and misleading police report.

June 5, 2025

A: There are many variables in your case that could make it either difficult or easy. On your side, you do have the fact that you were stricken by the bar. It does not help that the police report did not include that. You will have to get that in with witness testimony and certified records. Are there any medical providers that you could subpoena? I'm not sure what stage you are in within the case. If you have not had a preliminary hearing, then you may go through that. The standard is probable cause, which is not difficult for the District attorney to make. The police officer's impression as to who was the aggressor will be critical, even if he/sh was not there when it happened. Through good cross examination, you may be able to get the police officer to say things that you want him/her to say. Assuming you lost or lose the preliminary hearing the case will be bound over to the grand jury. In addition, Usually, if you don't have a criminal history, you can try to get either judicial or pretrial diversion; however,it on't work here, because this is a violent crime. As the case proceed, the standard becomes beyond a reasonable doubt, which is much harder for the district attorney to make. At this point, I would make sure that you have the attorney that you want and start working on as much witness testimony as you can get. They can testify to the incident, your credibility, life long history with no violence, etc. Good luck. ... Read More