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S. Chase Smith is the managing attorney of Mickles | Smith, a Chattanooga law firm where he maintains a diverse civil practice focusing on commercial litigation, creditor’s rights, business transactions, contract disputes, estate planning and administration, and other civil matters. A lifelong resident of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, Chase has deep roots in Hamilton County and a longstanding commitment to serving the community he has always called home.

Chase graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice before earning his Juris Doctor from Nashville School of Law in 2015. While attending law school at night, Chase worked full-time as a paralegal for attorney Brian P. Mickles, gaining extensive practical experience in civil litigation and creditor representation. He also volunteered as a clerk for former Hamilton County Chancellor Frank Brown in Chancery Court. Following his admission to the Tennessee Bar, Chase continued his career with the firm as an attorney, became a partner in 2018, and assumed leadership of the practice in 2025.

Throughout his career, Chase has represented individuals, businesses, banks, and credit unions in state and federal courts across Tennessee. His practice encompasses matters ranging from contract negotiation and business litigation to asset recovery, estate administration and appellate advocacy. He is admitted to practice before Tennessee state courts, the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Tennessee, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Chase has maintained an active relationship with the Chattanooga Bar Association throughout his legal career. While attending Nashville School of Law, he was a four-time recipient of the Chattanooga Bar Association’s Fellows Scholarship. He has also served as the Civil Liaison for the Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and volunteered with the Hamilton County High School Mock Trial Competition.

Beyond his private practice, Chase is committed to expanding access to justice. Working with Legal Aid of East Tennessee, he helped develop a pro se legal clinic in partnership with the Hamilton County General Sessions Court. He serves as a volunteer mediator through the court’s CIMS program, as appointed counsel for parents facing child-support contempt proceedings in Hamilton County Juvenile Court, and as a special judge in Hamilton County General Sessions Court and Chattanooga City Court.

Chase credits much of his professional development to the mentorship of Brian Mickles and the relationships he has built within the Chattanooga legal community. He considers it a privilege to practice law in the community that raised him and remains committed to serving his clients, supporting his colleagues, and preserving the integrity and traditions of the legal profession. Looking toward the future, Chase aspires to build upon his experience as a special judge by one day serving in a permanent judicial capacity on either the Hamilton County General Sessions Court or the Chattanooga City Court. He hopes to bring the practical experience, compassion, and respect for the law developed throughout his legal career to a judicial role serving the citizens of his hometown and Hamilton County.