Our Attorneys

JAMES A. FLEXER

James Flexer graduated from Montgomery Bell Academy in 1974, Rhodes College in 1978, and Tulane School of Law in 1981. In 1981, he started the Law Offices of James A. Flexer and now has eight (8) attorneys and seven (7) paralegals, secretaries, and legal assistants.

Mr. Flexer handles primarily consumer bankruptcy cases. The other attorneys handle bankruptcy, personal injuries, worker's compensation, criminal defense, social security disability, probate matters, and the general practice of law.

Mr. Flexer is a member of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, and the Nashville Bar Association.

He has lectured at the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees and Nashville Bar Association seminars on consumer bankruptcy and regularly addresses legal and civic organizations on consumer bankruptcy.

JEFFREY M. LEVINE

Jeffrey M. Levine graduated from Christian Brothers High School in 1983. He attended and graduated from the University of Alabama in 1988 and subsequently graduated from the Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law at the University of Memphis in 1992. Jeff interned at the Public Defender’s office and participated in a Juvenile Court pilot program which allowed students to defend juveniles in Shelby County’s Juvenile Court system.

Jeff has been an attorney with the Law Offices of James A. Flexer since September of 1992 and has focused his practice around Personal Injury tort claims and Worker's Compensation claims and has tried cases, both jury and non-jury trial, in multiple counties around Middle Tennessee at the Circuit Court level. In 1998 Jeff Levine obtained a judgment for ten million dollars in the 1st Circuit Court for Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. According to the Tennessee Attorneys Memo, this was the largest judgment of record for the State of Tennessee in 1998.

Jeff practices law in all courts of record in Tennessee, and his practice has taken him as far west as Memphis, Tennessee, (where he grew up) and as far east as Roane County, Tennessee. He has handled matters throughout the state. He is licensed to handle matters before all State and Federal Courts throughout Tennessee and has argued in front of the State Supreme Court for Tennessee.

In addition to personal injury claims and Worker’s Compensation claims, Jeff has handled civil cases as Defense counsel and has represented many clients charged with both misdemeanors and felonies in criminal court.

Jeff is a past member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, and the Tennessee Bar Association. He has been a speaker at a legal education seminar put on by the Nashville Bar Association concerning Bankruptcy and its interaction with tort claims.

DANIEL T. CASTAGNA

Dan Castagna was born and raised in Queens, New York, and arrived in Nashville in 1995 to attend Vanderbilt University as an undergraduate. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1999 and received his Bachelor of Arts in psychology. He subsequently attended and graduated Seton Hall University School of Law in 2003. He has been with the Law Offices of James Flexer since he received his license later that year.

Dan Castagna is the senior bankruptcy associate of the firm and handles primarily consumer bankruptcy cases. He handles all aspects of Chapter 7 liquidation and Chapter 13 reorganization bankruptcy cases. He handles the Chapter 13 court docket, Chapter 7 court docket, Chapter 13 meeting of creditors, and Chapter 7 meeting of creditors. Dan is licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. Dan has handled thousands of bankruptcies during the course of his employment with the Law Offices of James A. Flexer. Dan is currently a member of the American Bar Association.

LEWIS A. WILLIAMS

Lewis Williams graduated from Fayette Ware High School in 1998, University of Tennessee at Martin in 2002 and the Cecil C. Humphrey's School of Law at the University of Memphis in 2005. While in Law School, Lewis clerked for the Shelby County Criminal Court Judges, where he did legal research and drafted the Judges orders. Lewis also participated in Mock Trial and Moot Court while at the University of Memphis.

As a Special Hearing Officer for the State of Tennessee, Lewis Williams presided over numerous hearing involving the rights of citizens of Tennessee. It was from this experience that Lewis realized that he wanted to be a Plaintiff's attorney and further help the citizens of this state protect their rights.

Lewis has been an associate of this firm since January 2006 and handles a wide variety of cases including General Law, Criminal Defense, Domestic Relations, Estate Planning, and Personal Injury.

Lewis has handled hundreds of Criminal and Domestic cases, both contested and uncontested.

BRYAN C. PENLAND

Bryan C. Penland graduated in 1998 from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. In 2006, Bryan graduated from Nashville School of Law. Bryan is the Managing attorney of our Columbia, Tennessee, office. Bryan’s practice is concentrated in the areas of Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 consumer bankruptcy, Personal Injury, Worker’s Compensation and Criminal Defense.

Bryan is licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee and has been admitted to practice law in the Middle District of Tennessee. Bryan is currently a member of the American Bar Association.

KEVIN SZATHMARY

Kevin Szathmary graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2002 with a degree in Journalism. Upon graduation from UT, Kevin entered the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, earning his Juris Doctor in 2006.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Kevin helped manage an adult literacy nonprofit organization, and while attending law school, clerked at ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. These experiences gave Kevin a strong concern for the public interest.

Kevin is a managing attorney of the Murfreesboro office, and also maintains an office at the firm’s Nashville location. In addition to handling Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies, Kevin also practices probate and tax law. He has been licensed in the State of Tennessee since 2006.

CHRISTOPHER MCVAY

Christopher McVay graduated from Auburn University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Logistics). Christopher also holds a Master of Business Administration degree, with a double concentration in Finance and Economic Development. In 2006, Christopher graduated from The University of Mississippi School of Law.

Christopher has devoted the majority of his career to being an advocate for underprivileged individuals. He has worked for a number of offices and programs focusing on representation of the indigent, including the Civil Legal Clinic and the Criminal Appellate Clinic at the University of Mississippi.

In addition to maintaining an office in Nashville, Christopher is also a Managing Attorney of our Murfreesboro office. Having been licensed to practice in the State of Tennessee and admitted to practice in the Middle District of Tennessee, Christopher deals primarily with bankruptcy law, consumer advocacy and appellate law.