Shelly Wilson joined the Robertson Overbey firm in June of 1999 as an associate attorney and became a partner in 2000. Shelly served for many years as Managing Partner at the firm under its current name Owings, Wilson & Coleman but, in 2025, Shelly took on the position of Senior Counsel. Shelly’s current practice includes General Litigation, Commercial and Corporate Law, Municipal and Government Law, Family Law, and Criminal Defense. Shelly has a strong background representing homeowners and homeowner associations. Shelly was born in Saginaw, Michigan, and grew up in Orlando, Florida.
Ms. Wilson received her undergraduate degree from Florida Southern College, in Lakeland, Florida, where she graduated cum laude. She earned her law degree from the Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. Before joining the firm in 1999, Shelly worked for over eleven years as an Assistant Public Defender for the State of Florida, defending persons charged with a variety of crimes including capital cases.
While at the firm, a large part of Shelly’s practice has involved the representation of local governmental entities. Currently, she serves as the City Attorney for the City of Blaine. Shelly also prosecutes city court for the City of Alcoa and serves as the advisor to the police departments for the cities of Alcoa and Blaine. Shelly has also defended Knox County and various municipalities throughout the state. Her work for the cities of Alcoa and Blaine, Knox County, and the West Knox Utility District, has included attending and advising at board meetings, civil rights litigation defense, condemnation of property, contract review, revision of policies and procedures and class action litigation defense. She has advised both local governmental entities and private companies on employment law issues including personnel policies and procedures, ADA, FLSA and FMLA.
Shelly has tried over 75 jury trials in her thirty-seven years of practice.
Ms. Wilson has been awarded the Martindale-Hubbell preeminent AV peer rating.
Ms. Wilson is currently admitted to the bar in Tennessee, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Shelly is a member of the Knoxville and Tennessee Bar Associations. She is a fellow of the Tennessee and American Bar Foundations. Shelly served as co-chair on the Knoxville Bar Association’s Committee on Continuing Legal Education for over 10 years and served on the Board of Governors. In 2011, Shelly received the President’s award from the Knoxville Bar Association for her devoted service as co-chair of the CLE Committee. Shelly also has a long history of service to the Tennessee Bar Association, serving as chair of the Local Government Section, on the Board of Governors for 5 years, and as Secretary for the Board. She also served as a member of the Tennessee Bar Association’s House of Delegates for over 10 years, also serving as House Secretary, Vice Speaker and Speaker for the House.
Shelly served as chair of the Knoxville Bar Association’s Ethics Bowl planning sub-committee and facilitated the Ethics Bowl CLE program for over 10 years. In 2018, Shelly hosted and facilitated the Ethics Bowl program at the General Sessions Judicial Conference.