About Matthew D.
Matthew D. Ooten began his path to the law after completing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2009. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Lincoln Memorial University’s John J. Duncan, Jr. School of Law in 2013. Those formative years combined classroom study with late-night exam prep and early courtroom observations that shaped his interest in litigation.
After law school, Ooten joined Ogle, Elrod, and Baril in 2013 as a managing lawyer. He moved into a role that required both client-facing work and oversight of case flow. The position exposed him to the daily realities of trial preparation, negotiation, and the administrative demands of running matters for multiple clients.
In 2019 he opened Ooten Law Office. The firm is based in Tennessee and handles matters arising under state law. Opening his own practice gave him direct responsibility for case selection and firm operations. He balanced court appearances with the business side of practice, including staffing, client intake, and strategy development.
Ooten’s professional affiliations include membership in the National College of Drunk Driving Defense, a group he joined in 2019 and remains part of. That membership reflects an interest in the technical and evidentiary issues that often accompany impaired driving cases. He is admitted to practice in Tennessee and handles matters in the state’s courts.
Colleagues describe him as methodical in court work and straightforward with clients. He favors clear explanations over legalese. In the office he focuses on preparing cases for trial while also seeking resolution when an outcome serves the client’s interests. Outside of court, he keeps up with continuing legal education and developments in criminal procedure and evidence.
Ooten draws on courtroom experience gathered since his earliest post-law school role and continued through management of his own practice. He manages a small team at his firm and aims to keep case handling consistent from intake through disposition. His caseload includes contested hearings as well as negotiated resolutions.
He currently practices in Tennessee and focuses his work on criminal defense, including impaired driving matters and related court proceedings.
