John J. Britton

Knoxville Office
One Centre Square, Fifth Floor
620 Market Street
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902
Telephone (865) 546-4646
FAX (865) 523-6529

jbritton@lewisking.com

Education
University of Tennessee, B.A., with high honors, 1979; J.D. 1982

Bar Admission
1982 Tennessee

Practice Areas
Litigation
Employment

John J. Britton is a trial lawyer engaged in a defense litigation practice primarily in the areas of personal injury, workers' compensation and employment law.   He also defends attorneys accused of legal malpractice.  He also represents businesses and individual landowners in eminent domain proceedings.

Mr. Britton began his legal career with the State Attorney General's Office where he served as an Assistant Attorney General for several years. He represented the State in eminent domain lawsuits, which are tried before a jury, in virtually every county in East Tennessee.   He then transferred to the Nashville office where he was the State's lead lawyer in the acquisition of the right-of-way for the Saturn Parkway. During his tenure with the Nashville office, Mr. Britton represented the State in virtually every county in Middle Tennessee.

In 1990, he entered private practice with a law firm in Nashville where his practice centered around the defense of professional malpractice claims. He also represented several cities and counties in Middle Tennessee in claims brought under the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act and in civil rights cases alleging excessive force and unlawful search and seizure.   He also began utilizing the experience he had obtained while working for the Attorney General’s Office to represent landowners in eminent domain proceedings.

Representative Experience:

• Successfully defended hundreds of individuals and businesses in personal injury, property damage and wrongful death cases.

• Successfully defended hundreds of individuals and businesses in personal injury, property damage and wrongful death cases.

• Successfully represented a number of landowners in eminent domain proceedings.

• Negotiated a six-figure settlement for a golf course in an inverse condemnation matter involving destruction of landscaping.

• Obtained summary judgment for a national insurance company in a fire insurance case based on misrepresentation in the application.

• Obtained summary judgment for a funeral home defendant in one of the crematory cases based upon the plaintiff’s lack of standing to sue.

• Received a jury verdict while working for the State on the amount of the State’s deposit in an eminent domain lawsuit where the landowner was seeking damages in excess of $1million.

• Also while working for the State, served as legal counsel in the acquisition of the right-of-way for the Saturn Parkway in Middle, Tennessee.

• Negotiated a settlement in an eminent domain lawsuit in which he represented the landowners which more than doubled the amount the State had originally offered for the property.

• Performed numerous Examinations Under Oath for insurance companies in fire, burglary and theft cases.

• Prepared coverage opinions for several national insurance companies.

• Obtained summary judgment for a fellow attorney accused of legal malpractice.

• Taught seminars in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis on Eminent Domain in Tennessee for Lorman Education Services.

In 1994, Mr. Britton returned to his hometown of Knoxville and joined this firm.  Since his return, he has remained active in the community.  He has served on the Reunion Committee for his class at Bearden High School.  He is also an active member of the graduate chapter of his college fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta.  He is presently serving on the Steering Committee of the fraternity’s capital contribution campaign.

Mr. Britton is a frequent speaker at Continuing Legal Education programs for lawyers and paralegals, as well as for clients and industry groups.  Recently, he has prepared and taught seminars across the State on eminent domain issues.

Mr. Britton is a member of the Knoxville, Tennessee and American Bar Associations. He received his B.A. in 1979, with high honors, and his J.D. in 1982, both from the University of Tennessee.

Mr. Britton is listed in the Eminent Domain and Condemnation section of the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers In America ®.