Contact Information
1111 N. Northshore Drive, Suite S-700
Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
Phone: 865-584-4040 x203
Fax: 865-584-6084
“I listen to understand the client’s goals, work to resolve the issues and close the matter expeditiously. Clients want results, and my top priority is to help them quickly and effectively.”
Dennis B. Ragsdale concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and real estate development, finance and commercial law. He represents financial institutions, including banks and other lending institutions, as well as developers, entrepreneurs and small businesses. Ragsdale has closed transactions involving commercial real estate in more than 30 states.
Since 1999, Ragsdale has been an adjunct professor for the University of Tennessee College of Law. He and law partner John B. Waters III lead a seminar module designed to teach third-year students the fundamentals of real estate acquisition and development.
Ragsdale is an “AV” rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. Ragsdale has been selected multiple times for Knoxville’s Best Lawyers in the practice areas of project finance and real estate. The prestigious list is generated by the same methodology as The Best Lawyers in America with inclusion done solely by confidential evaluation and votes by peers. Ragsdale also has been recognized as a top lawyer by Business Tennessee. He received the Meritorious Service Award in 2013 from the Tennessee Hospital Association for his decades of work with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and was honored in 2013 with the Robert Webb Service Award, which recognizes an alumni of Webb School for outstanding service and leadership.
A native of Knoxville, Ragsdale graduated from Webb School of Knoxville and he recently completed six years of service on the Board of Trustees for the school, including four years as secretary. He enjoys spending time with his family, especially trips to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for mountain climbing, bicycling, rafting and hiking. Ragsdale enjoys the outdoors and regularly participates in the hiking and bicycling opportunities in East Tennessee. He is also an avid reader of various genres.
Education
B.A., Duke University, 1978, magna cum laude, German
Delta Sigma Phi
J.D., University of Tennessee College of Law, 1980
Order of Coif
Phi Kappa Phi
Admissions
Tennessee, 1981
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee
Memberships
Tennessee Bar Association
Knoxville Bar Association
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, chair emeritus
First Presbyterian Church, Elder and Chair of Finance Committee