Business & Commercial Law

The Law Offices of Lance B. Mayes provide a wide variety of services to business clients, from assisting in selecting the type of organizational entity under which to operate, preparation of agreements, sale and purchase of businesses, obtaining financing and funding for business operations, and employee relations, to dissolution.

Civil Rights

Civil Rights involves fundamental issues of human rights and freedoms. Attorney Mayes represents clients who believe that they have been the victims of police misconduct, sexual harassment, or discrimination - age, disability and illness, national origin, sex, race, and religion - in employment, public accommodation, education, housing, or voting under federal or state law.

Constitutional Law

The United States Constitution is the cornerstone of the relationship between the Federal and state governments and between individuals and those governments. The Law Offices of Lance B. Mayes have experience in understanding and applying court decisions that interpret the Constitution and its Amendments in areas such as affirmative action and discrimination; freedoms of speech, press, and religion; search and seizure protections; eminent domain, voting rights; prisoners' rights; freedom of information; and grand jury proceedings.

Construction Law

Our construction practice attorneys represent owners, general contractors and subcontractors in the following areas:

• contract document drafting;
• contract negotiation;
• assistance during project with contract compliance
    and scope of work issues;
• assistance in determining construction claims and disputes;
• litigation of construction disputes in court;
• arbitration of construction disputes;
• assistance with competitive bidding disputes;
• prevailing wage issues; and
• mechanics liens.

We have successfully represented clients in both public and private disputes involving every facet of construction law. We have a keen awareness of construction issues and have achieved real results for our clients. We have kept projects moving; we have insured that disputes are contested in favorable forums, and we have consistently obtained exceptional monetary relief while keeping fees at a realistic level.

Our construction lawyers represent contractors and builders, subcontractors, suppliers, and owners in all types of commercial construction disputes. Given our experiences, both as attorneys and before becoming attorneys, we bring an uncommon understanding and perspective to our construction law practice.

Our Tennessee mechanic's lien practice assists contractors and builders, subcontractors, suppliers, and owners in pursuing and defending mechanic's lien claims in all types of commercial construction disputes.

Tennessee's mechanic's lien law provides protection to contractors, subcontractors, materialman, and laborers on construction projects in the event of non-payment. Liens may be placed on property that the lien claimant worked on or supplied materials for. Therefore, the mechanic's lien law permits a contractor to reach beyond its contract, and make a claim against the owner, even without a contract with the owner.

Consequently, an owner (or a general contractor with an indemnification clause in the contract with the owner) may be required to pay for improvements to property twice -- once by contract to those he contracted with, and once by statute to those lower tier subcontractors or materialmen that didn't get paid in the process. Courts do not like to do this (because of the inherent unfairness to the owner or contractor); thus, strict compliance with the mechanic's lien laws is of the utmost importance.

Criminal Law

The Law Offices of Lance B. Mayes have extensive experience defending the rights of people arrested and accused of criminal offenses. Our firm handles all types of criminal cases, including minor infractions and misdemeanors and the most serious felony indictments, such as drug possession, narcotics sales, theft and grand larceny, white collar fraud, embezzlement, sex offenses, arson, and conspiracy.

DUI/DWI

• Questions & Answers about DUI/DWI >

Traffic violations can have serious criminal consequences, particularly when a driver is accused of driving under the influence. A conviction on DUI/DWI charges will result in fines and possibly land you in jail. In addition, your insurance company may increase your rates to an unmanageable level. In defending against an under the influence or impaired driving charge, you have many rights as a criminal defendant, including the right to cross-examine the witnesses against you, even if they are police officers. An experienced attorney can make all the difference in such a difficult case.

Employment Law

Employment law covers a complex network of laws that controls how employers must treat employees, former employees, and applicants for employment. Our firm represents clients in areas such as employment discrimination, affirmative action, sexual harassment, employee benefits, whistleblower litigation, wrongful discharge, employment contracts, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Federal Employer's Liability Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and special laws governing municipal employment.

Estate Planning

Our firm handles a variety of estate planning matters, including planning for the distribution of an individual's property at his or her death according to the person's wishes, and taking into account wills, taxes, insurance, property, and trusts so as to gain the maximum benefit of all laws.

Family Law

Our firm handles a full range of Family Law matters including adoption, divorce, separation, premarital agreements, paternity, custody, visitation, and support.

Insurance Law

Our firm handles insurance regulatory matters and transactions involving insurance and reinsurance companies. We also handle cases where an insurance company has denied a claim, and a client wishes to pursue it against the insurance company.

Lemon Law

Tennessee's "Lemon Law" protects consumers who purchase or lease motor vehicles which turn out to have extensive problems. The law provides specific remedies to help consumers who have leased or purchased a "lemon."

Litigation & Appeals

The Law Offices of Lance B. Mayes represent and advise clients who are or might become involved in a lawsuit or appeal as a result of a dispute, including prevention and settlement, in such areas as personal injury and employment claims, contract disputes, and family law and commercial matters.

Personal Injury

Our firm represents individuals involved in controversies alleging a wrong or damage to another's person, rights, reputation, or property resulting from events or activities such as automobile accidents, defective products, infliction of emotional distress, intentional misconduct, and negligence.

Probate & Estate Administration

Probate is the legal process by which a person's debts are paid and assets are distributed upon her or his death. Estate Administration includes the probate process as well as non-probate transfers of the deceased's assets. Individual state laws direct the probate court how to distribute the deceased's estate. State laws and procedures vary greatly, so, it is important to consult a firm with expertise in this area of the law to ensure that the deceased's assets are distributed correctly.

Products Liability Law

The Law Offices of Lance B. Mayes represent individuals who have been injured as a result of an unsafe product that was designed, manufactured, sold, or furnished by a person or company. Our firm assists the injured in bringing their claims and being fairly compensated for their injuries.

Real Estate Law

Our firm represents both commercial clients and individuals in all proceedings and transactions that deal with real property - land and the structures attached to it - including purchase and sale, construction, mortgages and foreclosures, leases, zoning, title examinations, quiet title actions, closings, and management.

Workers' Compensation Law

The Law Offices of Lance B. Mayes represent employees who are injured on the job in claims for lost wages and medical treatment expenses against private industry, Federal, and state and local government employers and their workers' compensation insurers. We handle issues dealing with defenses, fraud, subrogation, and appeals.