Baker Donelson Announces Newly Elected Shareholders In Chattanooga

  • Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Baker Donelson has elected 15 new shareholders across the firm, including three attorneys in its Chattanooga office: John P. McGehee, Mary O'Kelley and Adam Sanders.

Mr. McGehee is a member of Baker Donelson's Financial Services Transactions Practice Group and Long Term Care Team. His practice is focused on representing lenders and borrowers in HUD-insured loan transactions for multifamily and senior housing facilities and the related asset management and servicing work. Mr. McGehee also has experience in the corporate arena, representing clients in business organization and commercial contracts, and preparing and negotiating commercial finance and corporate legal opinions. A graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, he is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and the American Health Law Association. In 2011, he was recognized by the Firm with its Chattanooga Office Pro Bono Award.

Also a member of the firm's Financial Services Transactions Practice Group and Long Term Care Team, Ms. O'Kelley focuses her practice on commercial real estate and finance, with a particular emphasis on long term care transactions, including financing, leasing, acquisitions and dispositions of long term care and senior housing facilities. In particular, she represents national health care lenders in origination and servicing of balance sheet, bridge-to-agency and mezzanine loans. Ms. O'Kelley also represents owners, operators and developers of health care facilities, as well as investors in other real estate asset classes. She holds both a J.D. and an LL.M. from Cornell University School of Law, as well as a certificate of study from University of Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne, Institute of International and Comparative Law. She is a member of the Tennessee and Georgia Bar Associations and the American Health Law Association.

Mr. Sanders, a member of the Business Litigation Group, primarily focuses on complex condemnation defense. As part of a national eminent domain practice, Mr. Sanders represents investor-owned utility companies facing eminent domain takeover attempts by municipalities in cases all over the country. In addition to eminent domain, Mr. Sanders also represents clients in zoning and land use, construction, patent and trademark infringement, and other complex contract and commercial disputes. His professional honors include being named by Mid-South Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in eminent domain, being a two-time recipient of the Tennessee Supreme Court Attorney for Justice Award and being recognized twice by the Firm with its Chattanooga Office Pro Bono Award. A graduate of Duke University School of Law, he is a member of the Chattanooga and Georgia Bar Associations.

Russell W. Gray, managing shareholder of Baker Donelson's Chattanooga office, said, "John, Mary and Adam have shown themselves to be driven leaders who provide excellent service to clients and who contribute meaningfully to the firm and the Chattanooga community. We're proud to congratulate them as part of this impressive group of attorneys from across the Firm who have been elected as our newest shareholders."

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