About James Cortney Cort
James Cortney Cort Sikes earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2002 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2005. He moved quickly from law school into practice and has spent his career in the Knoxville area. His education laid the groundwork for a steady legal career that spans state and federal work.
He began his legal practice as an associate at Sexton & Wykoff in 2005. The role placed him in day-to-day litigation and client work early on. Over the following decade he advanced to partnership. In 2016 he became a partner at Wykoff & Sikes, PLLC. That progression reflects long-term involvement in the same firm group and a steady professional trajectory.
Sikes holds admissions to practice in Tennessee and in two federal courts: the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Those admissions allow him to handle matters that extend beyond state court. He has maintained active membership in the Knoxville Bar Association since 2005 and served on the association’s Continuing Legal Education Committee in 2011. Colleagues and peers have seen him take part in local bar programming and education initiatives over the years.
Outside of courtroom advocacy, Sikes is listed as a Rule 31 Family Mediator by the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission. That certification identifies him as qualified to mediate family matters under state rules. The mediator listing complements his litigation background and gives clients an alternate path to resolving disputes.
His practice is grounded in the intersections of litigation and dispute resolution. He handles matters that arise in Tennessee courts and in federal appellate venues where he is admitted. He joined the leadership ranks at his firm and now partners in managing client matters and the day-to-day practice. Colleagues describe his career as steady and focused on practical outcomes rather than publicity.
He is a partner at Wykoff & Sikes, PLLC and maintains an active practice that includes family mediation under Tennessee’s Rule 31 and representation in matters filed in state and federal courts.
