Teresa M. Klenk, a native of Ashland City, Tennessee, graduated magna cum laude from Austin Peay State University in 1989 with a degree in Accounting and Business Administration. She attended the University of Tennessee College of Law and graduated with honors in 1998. In 2000, Ms. Klenk attended New York University School of Law and received an advanced LL.M. degree in Taxation. She became a licensed Certified Public Accountant in 1990 (CPA license currently inactive) and worked as a CPA in a public accounting firm (tax and audit) and a controller/accounting manager in the manufacturing industry before going to law school.

Ms. Klenk is an experienced tax and business attorney. She is often a pivotal advisor to high net-worth individuals and companies, helping them with every aspect of their business and wealth strategy. Given her dual credentials as a CPA and tax attorney, she is often called in to handle complex, and often messy, tax matters and audits.

Ms. Klenk regularly assists clients with 1031 like-kind real estate exchanges. She has created a flat-fee service that provides clients with the same expertise of national 1031 exchange companies but with a down-to-earth and high-touch local experience.

Ms. Klenk also regularly helps small and medium-sized businesses with everything from start-up (whether buying a business or starting from scratch) to structuring throughout the life of the business, and then on to succession planning, transfer of the business to the next generation, or sale of the business.

Also, Ms. Klenk assists clients with a wide variety of estate planning services, ranging from simple estate planning services offered at fixed-fee prices to more complex planning services, including trusts, asset protection, lifetime gifting programs, marital planning, and charitable planning.

Steffanie M. Speck graduated with Honors from Maryville College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Organizational Management (2000). She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Tennessee College of Law with a concentration in Business Transactions (2003). Ms. Speck established the Title Law Program at the University of Tennessee College of Law and taught as an adjunct professor for six years while also practicing law.

Ms. Speck focuses her practice in the areas of commercial finance, real estate, escrow closings, and title insurance. Whether it is a single property or a complex, multi-site project, Ms. Speck has experience in applying creative and workable solutions to smoothly close transactions. Ms. Speck is adept in the representation of both regional and national lenders, borrowers, and developers. Ms. Speck handles local and national projects and often serves as lead counsel on portfolio purchase and sale transactions. Her clients include numerous banks, commercial real estate development firms, builders, private investors, and other lending institutions.

Ms. Speck’s practice also includes commercial contract negotiations, preparation of legal opinions, and general corporate matters. Ms. Speck is a Licensed Title Insurance Producer and has served on the Legislative Committee of the Tennessee Land Title Association. She is a Title Insurance Agent for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company and Fidelity National Title Insurance Company. Other appointments include her maintaining active membership in the Knoxville Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Land Title Association, and the American Land Title Association.

Ms. Speck previously served as in-house counsel for two of Knoxville’s top title companies, and was a partner in a respected Knoxville law firm for thirteen years before joining Brock Shipe Klenk PLC. She is also a Rule 31 listed general civil mediator. Ms. Speck serves in Executive Leadership on the Board of Trustees for the Christian Academy of Knoxville (CAK). She represents various non-profits on a pro bono basis and is very active in her faith community.

Ms. Speck loves spending time with her husband, Chad, their three sons, Cole, Cooper, and Callen, and their labradoodle, George Washington. She enjoys attending Cole and Cooper’s theatre productions and Callen’s sporting events. In her spare time, Ms. Speck loves reading, outdoor activities, travel, and spending time in the company of her family and friends.

Mahogany P. Jenkins graduated with distinction from Cornell University in 2001 and attended the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, where she served as a senior editor of the USC Law Review and taught legal writing.

Ms. Jenkins received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from USC in 2004, graduating Order of the Coif. In 2008, Ms. Jenkins received an advanced LL.M. degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University School of Law. Ms. Jenkins previously practiced in leading law firms in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Ms. Jenkins represents banks and businesses of all types in commercial lending transactions, mergers, acquisitions, real estate development, and securities offerings.

Luke D. Durham graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Mr. Durham then attended Charleston School of Law, where he earned several academic awards, including the top grade in Legal Research and Writing. Mr. Durham was the executive articles editor for the Malabu Law Review and served as an adjunct law professor during his 3L year. Mr. Durham was a member and chair of Phi Delta Phi.

Mr. Durham practiced for eight years with a large Knoxville firm, where he was named partner before joining Brock Shipe Klenk in 2021. Mr. Durham represents clients in litigation, focusing on complex business cases involving contracts, real estate, and other business-related matters. He has been lead counsel in hundreds of trials in courts all across the State of Tennessee.

As plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Durham has obtained million-dollar settlements, and as defendant’s counsel, Mr. Durham has successfully defended his clients, prevailing at both the summary judgment and trial levels. Mr. Durham is a skilled appellate attorney who has successfully defended his trial court victories.

Mr. Durham is admitted to practice law in all Tennessee courts, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Durham is an active member of the Knoxville Bar Association (CLE and LRIS Boards) and Tennessee Bar Association.

Mr. Durham also represents and serves as a board member to numerous non-profit organizations.

John Lucas is an honor graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger school, an intense combat leadership course, a former member of the U.S. Army Special Forces and a decorated combat veteran, John brings his military philosophy to his law practice. Specifically, he defines the mission and then accomplishes it. He relies on good judgment, integrity, and his skill in the courtroom to solve his clients’ problems.

John’s legal practice and background includes a wide range of complex commercial litigation including the defense of class action lawsuits, antitrust and unfair competition suits, labor and employment disputes, lender liability claims, product liability suits, disputes over control of businesses, representation of bankruptcy trustees in protracted complex litigation arising out of collapsed Ponzi schemes, and the like.

John spent 31 years in litigation at Hunton & Williams and 5 years at Merchant & Gould, P.C. His practice has spanned a breadth and depth of legal and business issues, from the nuances of Delaware corporate merger law to the complexities of radiation monitoring systems for nuclear power plants. He has tried and argued cases in courts in at least fifteen states, including arguments before the U. S. Supreme Court, the Supreme Courts of Virginia and Tennessee, the U. S. Courts of Appeal for the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 9th Circuits as well as the Tennessee Court of Appeals and numerous state and federal trial courts.

John’s clients have run the gamut and include one of the world’s largest construction companies, a variety of Fortune 50 and Fortune 500 Companies, a former Cabinet officer, a state governor, multiple local governments and officials, utility companies, banks and financial institutions, and a multitude of small businesses and deserving individuals.

Elijah C. Lovingfoss attended the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he graduated first in his class and was named the Outstanding Graduate for the Class of 2019. Eli was also nominated to be a member of the Order of the Coif in recognition of his academic accomplishments. During his time in law school, Eli was the Editor-in-Chief of the Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender & Social Justice. He was also an Article Editor for The Tennessee Law Review, which awarded Eli with the Silver Pen Award for his case note on intellectual disabilities in death penalty proceedings. He also received the James L. Powers III Excellence in Criminal Advocacy Award for his work in the College of Law’s Advocacy Clinic. Eli was also a student member of the Hamilton Burnett Chapter of the American Inns of Court.

Throughout his time in law school, Eli earned numerous awards for his academic work, having the highest grade in Torts I, Evidence, Federal Courts, Advocacy Clinic, Business Associations, Wills & Trusts, Administrative Law, Behavioral Economics, Constitutional Law, Investigatory Criminal Procedure, Secured Transactions, and Civil Pretrial Litigation.

In addition to his academics, Eli was committed to pro bono work, serving on the UT Pro Bono Fundraising Board during his 1L year and spending both his 1L and 2L spring break serving the communities of Cherokee, North Carolina and Gray, Tennessee through the law school’s Alternative Spring Break Program.

Eli, originally from Longview, Washington, obtained his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Economics from the University of Washington in Seattle and is still a die-hard Huskies fan. Prior to moving to Tennessee, Eli spent almost two years working in various positions at Kapstone Paper and Packaging, a box plant in his hometown. While there, Eli sharpened his work ethic, learning how to handle stressful situations and the value of hard work. These lessons are integral to his practice of law, and Eli will always work his hardest to obtain a favorable result for his clients.

At Brock Shipe Klenk, Eli focuses his practice on a variety of transactional matters, including commercial real estate transactions, mergers, acquisitions, and securities offerings. He also handles litigation matters for business clients. Prior to joining Brock Shipe Klenk, Eli’s practice focused primarily on civil litigation involving property and construction disputes. However, he also gained significant experience on commercial real estate transactions.

During his downtime, Eli can be found with his wife Avery, whom he met in law school, playing golf, or hiking in the Smoky Mountains.

W. Edward Shipe attended Vanderbilt University Law School, where he was awarded a Certificate of Law and Business in a joint studies program with the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, and Carson-Newman University, where he was named the Outstanding Graduate in Economics.

Mr. Shipe represents business clients in litigation, focusing on complex cases involving contracts, finance, trade secrets, real estate, enforcement of restrictive covenants, and other subjects. He has been lead trial counsel in cases involving international transactions, cross-country parties, and local businesses in courts in Tennessee and as far as the west coast. Mr. Shipe is also adept at working collaboratively with co-counsel at regional and national law firms.

As plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Shipe has been involved in obtaining multi-million dollar judgments and favorable settlements and, as defendant’s counsel, Mr. Shipe has successfully defended his clients, including by prevailing at summary judgment. Lastly, Mr. Shipe is a skilled appellate attorney who has successfully defended his trial court victories and overturned erroneous trial court decisions.

Mr. Shipe also works with his team on general corporate guidance, real estate development and transactions, and healthcare. This team has represented many clients as an outside general counsel, provided healthcare compliance work including HIPAA and Stark “Anti-Kickback” Law, formed and provided documents for business organization and protection, has closed multi-million dollar real estate transactions, and has expertise in covenants and restrictions, developer’s rights, and HOAs.

Prior to her legal career, Deborah Buchholz served for six years in the United States Air Force, first as a supply management specialist at Yokota AB Japan and then as a financial analyst at McConnell AFB in Kansas. Ms. Buchholz rose rapidly through the ranks. She obtained three separate degrees and excelled in the required professional military education, as demonstrated by the receipt of the John Levito Award, the highest honor presented to a graduate thereof.

Following her honorable discharge in 2002, Deborah Buchholz was granted a full scholarship to and attended Washburn University School of Law. There, Ms. Buchholz received CALI Awards of Excellence for multiple classes recognizing her as the top student and ultimately graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2004.

Ms. Buchholz is now an experienced business attorney with expertise in transactions including business formations, contract negotiations, real estate development transactions, and healthcare-related matters.

Mr. Haskins graduated from the John V. Roach Honors College at Texas Christian University with a degree in political science and was awarded the Dean’s Scholarship to attend and graduate from Vanderbilt University Law School.

He is an associate with the firm’s litigation team and focuses on complex commercial disputes. Mr. Haskins has served as part of the trial team in numerous lawsuits seeking to protect his clients’ contractual rights. Mr. Haskins assisted and has participated in depositions of a diverse group of business leaders, including coal executives in post-acquisition disputes and business owners in officer indemnification disputes. He also contributes routinely to his team’s strategic and effective motion practice with his research, writing, and critical thinking. Additionally, Mr. Haskins has been intimately involved in analysis, planning, and effective organization to achieve the best results for his clients. Mr. Haskins has been integral to the firm’s appellate practice, including assistance in brief writing and preparation for oral argument.

Prior to his work in litigation, he served as staff member for a senate committee in the Tennessee state legislature and as a regulatory analyst for a global financial firm.

Chad A. Speck attended Clemson University (Magna Cum Laude 2001) where he was a two-time team captain of Clemson’s football team. He graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2004.

Mr. Speck focuses his practice in the areas of sports law, contract negotiation, contract drafting, corporate formation, business transactions, intellectual property, labor and employment law. He has worked with some of the top professional athletes, college administrators and brands to negotiate over a billion dollars in contracts, including the largest guaranteed contract in the history of the NFL. Mr. Speck is a Certified Contract Advisor with the NFL Players Association and a Certified NBPA Player Agent.

Mr. Speck serves on the Board of multiple non-profit corporations and is a volunteer football coach at Christian Academy of Knoxville (CAK). Chad loves spending time with his wife Steffanie, their three boys Cole, Cooper, and Callen, and labradoodle George Washington.