About the Firm
About Shipley Law Firm
Shipley Law Firm, PLLC is a Johnson City law firm founded by Corey B. Shipley, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney. We represent people charged with crimes and people hurt by someone else’s negligence across Northeast Tennessee.
Our Story
Corey B. Shipley began his career on the government’s side, prosecuting federal cases as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2017 he moved into private practice, and in 2025 he founded Shipley Law Firm in Johnson City.
The firm grew around a simple idea. People facing criminal charges, and people hurt by someone else’s negligence, are up against an organized team on the other side. They deserve a team of their own that understands how that other side works.
That team now includes Emily M. Swecker, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney who joined the firm in 2026, and investigator Michael Templeton, a retired DEA Special Agent who spent a decade in the DEA’s Johnson City office.
How We Work
A straight assessment
We tell you where you stand, including the parts that are hard to hear, so you can make real decisions.
Evidence first
We look at a case the way a prosecutor or investigator would, starting with how the evidence was gathered and what it actually shows.
Plain language
We explain the process, your options, and the risks in terms you can use, not legal shorthand.
A prompt response
When you reach out, we respond within one business day.
Our Team
Two attorneys who prosecuted cases in state and federal court, and an investigator who spent his career working federal investigations.
Corey B. Shipley
Founding Attorney
Corey served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, where he led the prosecution of hundreds of complex federal cases, including financial fraud and multi-defendant conspiracy trials. He entered private practice in 2017 and founded Shipley Law Firm in 2025. He defends clients facing state and federal charges and represents people injured by others’ negligence.
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Emily M. Swecker
Attorney, Of Counsel
Emily spent thirteen years as a prosecutor, first as a Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney and then as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Greeneville, where she led a multi-agency task force targeting drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies. She has tried roughly 40 jury trials and joined Shipley Law Firm in 2026.
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Michael Templeton
Investigator
A retired DEA Special Agent and licensed Tennessee private investigator, Michael spent 25 years leading complex drug conspiracy, money laundering, and narco-terrorism financing investigations, including a decade in the DEA’s Johnson City office. He supports the firm’s attorneys with investigation. Michael is not an attorney.
View full profileHow We Can Help
Personal Injury
Hurt in a crash or on unsafe property? We help injured people and families across Northeast Tennessee understand their options and preserve the evidence early. Personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee.
Personal injury overviewCriminal Defense
Facing state or federal charges? A former federal prosecutor knows how the government builds a case, from investigation through trial. We defend clients charged with DUI, drug offenses, serious felonies, and federal crimes across Northeast Tennessee.
Criminal defense overviewServing the Tri-Cities and Northeast Tennessee
We are based in Johnson City and represent clients throughout the region. Where a case is filed depends on where it happened and who is involved.
Washington County
Johnson City and Jonesborough
- Our office is at 2903 E Oakland Avenue in Johnson City.
- Circuit court sits in Jonesborough.
- Johnson City Medical Center is the region’s Level I trauma center.
- 3,374 reportable traffic crashes in 2023.
Sullivan County
Kingsport, Bristol, and Blountville
- Circuit court sits in Blountville, Bristol, and Kingsport.
- Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport and Bristol Regional Medical Center are Level III trauma centers.
- I-81 and I-26 meet in Sullivan County.
- 3,736 reportable traffic crashes in 2023.
Carter County
Elizabethton
- Circuit court sits in Elizabethton.
- 1,116 reportable traffic crashes in 2023.
Greene County
Greeneville
- Circuit court sits in Greeneville.
- Federal cases from this region go to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, which holds court in Greeneville.
- 1,535 reportable traffic crashes in 2023.
Unicoi County
Erwin
- Circuit court sits in Erwin.
- I-26 runs through Erwin to the North Carolina line.
- 302 reportable traffic crashes in 2023.
Johnson County
Mountain City
- Circuit court sits in Mountain City.
- Johnson County promotes US-421 through Shady Valley, known as The Snake, as a motorcycle route.
- 359 reportable traffic crashes in 2023.
Source: Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, TITAN, County Rankings and Statistics by Emphasis Area, revised February 12, 2026. Counts are reportable traffic crashes of all vehicle types and exclude parking-lot and private-property crashes. A fatal crash can involve more than one death.
How It Works
- 1Tell us what happened
- 2We review your case, free
- 3You decide how to proceed
Get a Free, Confidential Case Review
Former federal prosecutors. A retired DEA Special Agent on the team.
Takes about a minute. Only your name and phone number are required.
Free, confidential case review. We respond within one business day.
Your information stays with our firm. See our Privacy Policy.
Prefer to Call?
Talk with our team about your situation.
(423) 777-7447 Shipley Law Firm, PLLC2903 E Oakland Avenue
Johnson City, Tennessee 37601
This page is general information, not legal advice. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.
