A native of Springfield, Tennessee, John R. Wilks grew up as the son of country lawyer, the late Larry D. Wilks, former President of the Tennessee Bar Association. John graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee and later earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law.

Prior to joining MHPS, John served as Judicial Law Clerk to the late Honorable Philip E. Smith of the Fourth Circuit Court for Davidson County, Tennessee. Since entering private practice, he has been an active member of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Nashville Bar Association, and the Robertson County Bar Association.

John is a 2018 graduate of the Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum and a 2020 graduate of the Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law program, both designed to develop emerging leaders in the legal community. He is a Fellow of the Nashville Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division.

While serving on the TBA YLD Board, John worked on the Wills for Heroes and Long Range Planning Committees and held the positions of Secretary and Middle Tennessee Governor. Since 2022, he has served on the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law (TBALL) Steering Committee and now serves as its Co-Chair.

John regularly volunteers at high school mock trial tournaments and local legal clinics, and in his free time you’ll find him cheering on his beloved Vols.