Elissa M. Coombs is an experienced litigation attorney and serves as Litigation Counsel for The Law Office of David E. Gordon & Elissa M. Coombs. Prior to joining Gordon, she worked for 17 years as a defense attorney, primarily handling maritime cases. Elissa’s experience as a defense attorney gives her unique insight into how insurance companies evaluate and defend personal injury cases.
Since 2003, Elissa has also been an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis School of Law. She is currently teaching a course in maritime law to second- and third-year law students.
Elissa is admitted to practice in all Tennessee and Mississippi state courts, numerous United States District Courts, and both the Fifth and Sixth Circuit United States Courts of Appeals. Elissa has also been certified as a Proctor in Admiralty by the Maritime Law Association of the United States.
Elissa and her husband, Glen, live in Holly Springs, Mississippi.
LEGAL EXPERIENCE
The Law Office of David E. Gordon & Elissa M. Coombs
Memphis, TN, 2019 – present
Elissa is a Board-Certified Civil Practice Advocate and is the Litigation Counsel for the Law Office of David E. Gordon & Elissa M. Coombs. She focuses on injury cases and represents people who are injured in car wrecks, motorcycle accidents, truck collisions, slips and falls, wrongful death, dog bites, and more. She handles all litigation cases for the firm, from drafting and filing the complaint through to the conclusion of the case, whether via settlement, trial, or final judgment. She also handles all of the firm’s maritime cases, including injury or death claims brought under the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, and/or the general maritime law.
BRATTON & O’NEAL, P.C.
Memphis, TN, 2002 – 2019
Attorney: Litigation practice with a concentration in maritime defense. Representation of towboat companies and barge owners in civil litigation involving injury or death claims brought under the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, and/or the general maritime law, as well as in cases involving maritime collisions and allisions and Limitation of Liability cases. Other areas of practice:
- General civil litigation, including both plaintiffs’ representation and liability defense
- Insurance coverage opinions
- Mariner representation before the Coast Guard
- Probate administration
- Estate planning
- Family law
Extensive experience in legal research and writing, including:
- Both federal and state court pleadings, motions, and memoranda
- Federal and state court appellate briefs
- Office memoranda
- Will drafting
- Release drafting and review
- Contract negotiation, drafting, and review
- Environmental liability contract drafting and review
Extensive experience in settlement negotiations, both mediated and non-mediated, and Medicare Set-Asides. Extensive experience in all aspects of discovery, including:
- Case investigation
- Client interviews
- Written discovery
- Federal Rule 26 disclosures
- EUOs
- Fact, medical, 30(b)(6), and expert depositions
Courtroom experience, including civil jury trials, summary judgment hearings, miscellaneous motion arguments, probate court appearances, and full preparation for numerous federal maritime trials.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Memphis, TN, 2003 – present
Adjunct Professor, Legal Methods I and II: Instruction in legal research and writing to first-year law students for both objective and persuasive documents and pleadings, including office memoranda, trial court motions and memoranda, and appellate briefs. Additional instruction in oral argument and ethical issues concerning legal research and writing.
Adjunct Professor, Admiralty Law: Instruction to second and third year law students for a river-based maritime practice. This course provides an overview of admiralty and maritime law, including various causes of action that injured maritime workers have under the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, and/or the general maritime law, as well as other maritime issues such as collisions and limitation of liability.
EDUCATION
THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Memphis, TN, Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, May 2002
Honors:
- Graduated in the top ten percent of the class
- Awarded Cecil C. Humphreys Law Fellowship – Graduate Research Assistant to Professor Janet Richards, 2000-01
- Awarded Claude T. Coffman Scholarship, 1999-2000
- Dean’s Award for Best Memorandum, Legal Methods I
- Dean’s Awards for Academic Excellence – Civil Procedure II, Professional Responsibility
Activities:
- University of Memphis Law Review, Articles Editor
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Auburn, AL, Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, March 1999
Major/Minor: Philosophy/Spanish
Honors:
- Awarded a four-year full tuition Presidential Scholarship
- Awarded Howard Hughes Future Life Science Scholar Research Assistantship, 1995-97
- Awarded National Merit Finalist Scholarship
Activities:
- Phi Sigma Tau, Philosophy Honor Society
- Pi Lambda Sigma, Pre-Law Society
- Sigma Kappa Sorority, Officer
- Auburn University Men’s Basketball Recruiting Hostess
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
- Admitted:
- Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals (2009)
- Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (2010)
- Western District of Tennessee (2004)
- Eastern District of Tennessee (2013)
- Middle District of Tennessee (2014)
- Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas (2009)
- Tennessee (2002)
- Mississippi (2020)
- Licensed in Tennessee and Mississippi
- Board-Certified Civil Practice Advocate
- Maritime Law Association of the United States, Proctor in Admiralty
- St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Former Alumnae Board President, Former Board of Trustees Member, Council of Advisors Member
- Master Gardener, University of Tennessee Extension Office (inactive)
- Former TN Achieves Mentor
