About Us
Sam LaPorte is a private practice attorney who has practiced law since 1975 and co-founded and has practiced in our firm since 1997. Sam has experience in several aspects of the law, including criminal, domestic, civil litigation, and bankruptcy but specializes and mainly focuses on banking law. Sam has had a great impact on the Carter County and Elizabethton community, serving as city councilmen from 1997-2004 and Elizabethton City Mayor from 2000-2004, and serving on several non-profit boards. Sam also served as Watauga City Judge from 1984-2000. Sam graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in engineering in 1972 and obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee in 1975.
Richard Norris is a private practice attorney who co-founded and has practiced in our firm since 1997. Richard has experience in several aspects of the law, including criminal, domestic, and civil litigation, but specializes and mainly focuses on real estate law, landlord-tenant law, and probate. Richard spent 6 years in the United States Navy, serving as a nuclear engineer aboard a ballistic missile submarine, the USS John C. Calhoun. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Limestone College in 1994 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Memphis School of Law in 1996. Richard has served as the Watauga City Judge since 2000 and strives to make an impact and difference in the community, serving on several non-profit boards and providing pro-bono legal services. He has experience serving both businesses and individuals with pressing legal needs.
Andrew J. LaPorte is a private practice attorney and is the newest member to our firm, joining us in 2014 when he began practicing law. Andrew has practiced in several areas of the law, including criminal, domestic, and landlord-tenant, but currently focuses on civil disputes and juvenile law. Andrew is striving to make an impact in the community by serving on non-profit boards and providing pro bono legal services. Andrew graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting in 2009 and obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee in 2014.