Attorney Profiles

Gary began his legal career in 1972 as an associate for Luther, Anderson & Ruth in Chattanooga. He became a partner in that firm and practiced with it and its successors until 1981. He then became a partner in Fleissner & Cooper in Chattanooga and practiced with that firm and its successors until 1998 when he, David Franklin, and Rick Marcus formed Franklin, Cooper & Marcus, PLLC in which he has continued to be a member.

Gary was awarded the Herman Hickman Postgraduate Scholarship for Athletes by the University of Tennessee Athletic Department upon entry into law school. While in law school, he was a member of Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity and held offices as the Clerk and Magister of that fraternity at UT.

Gary is admitted to practice before the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, United States Supreme Court, and he has been licensed to practice law in all Florida State Courts since 1981. He is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, The Florida Bar, and Chattanooga Bar Association for which he served a term as a member of its board of directors and chairman of the continuing legal education committee.

1n 1977, he authored Tennessee Form for Trial Practice, a form book geared to the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure which was published until 2001. In the same year, he wrote Tennessee Law Office Administration. He also wrote Tennessee Forms for Trial-Damages which continues in publication presently as a West product.

Gary has been listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law, and Who's Who in Emerging Leaders.

He is married to Sally, and they reside in Hixson, TN.

Areas of Practice

• Civil Litigation
• Products Liability
• Medical Negligence
• Insurance Defense

Litigation Percentage

• 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Tennessee, 1972
• Florida, 1981
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee, 1972
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1987
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1980

Education

• University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1972
  J.D.
  Honors: Herman Hickman Postgraduate Scholarship
  Honors: Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity
  
  
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1969
  B.S.
  Major: Journalism
  
  

Published Works

• Tennessee Forms for Trial Practice, Harrison Company, 1999
• Tennessee Forms for Trial Practice-Damages, West, 2008

Representative Cases

• Henderson vs. Quest Expeditions, 174 SW3d 730 (TN. Ct. App 2005)
• Broadwell by Broadwell v. Holmes, 871 SW2d 471 (TN. Sup. Ct 1994)

Representative Clients

• Catholic Health Initiatives
• GEICO
• Harford Mutual Insurance Companies
• Union Standard Insurance Group

Honors and Awards

• Who's Who in America, 1982 - Present
• Who's Who in American Law, 1985 - Present

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Chattanooga Bar Association, 1972 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Chattanooga Bar Association, 1984 - 1987
  Board of Governors
  
  
• Tennessee Bar Association, 1972 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Defense Research Institute, 1976 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, 1977 - Present
  Member
  
  
• American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, 1973 - Present
  Member
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Luther, Anderson & Ruth, Chattanooga, Associate, 1972 - 1976
• Luther, Anderson, Cleary & Ruth, Partner, 1976 - 1981
• Fleissner & Cooper, Partner, 1981 - 1982
• Fleissner, Cooper & Marcus, Partner, 1982 - 1998

Languages

• English

Fraternities/Sororities

• Phi Delta Phi

Birth Information

• February 3, 1947, Bristol, Virginia, United States of America