Donna J. Mikel

Donna J. Mikel is an accomplished employment lawyer at Mikel & Hamill PLLC, serving clients throughout East Tennessee. She focuses her practice on employment litigation, workplace rights, and dispute resolution. With decades of legal experience, Donna represents individuals in complex employment matters and provides strong, practical guidance at every stage of the legal process. Her work is known for careful strategy, clear communication, and results-driven advocacy in both litigation and alternative dispute settings.

Donna earned her B.S. in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude, at the college in Great Falls, Montana. Then, she pursued her legal education at the University of Georgia School of Law. She graduated magna cum laude with her J.D. and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. During law school, she also served as an editor of the Georgia Law Report and competed on the National First Amendment Moot Court Team. Her academic background reflects a strong foundation in legal research, writing, and courtroom advocacy.

Donna began her legal career at a respected Chattanooga litigation firm, where she represented businesses and employers in employment and commercial disputes. This early experience gave her in-depth insight into workplace law from the employer perspective. In 2007, she shifted her practice to focus primarily on representing employees, advocating for fair treatment and lawful outcomes in the workplace.

Donna has assisted clients with employment contracts, non-compete issues, terminations, separation agreements, administrative charges, and court or arbitration proceedings throughout her career. She has first-chaired and co-chaired jury trials in both state and federal courts and has secured significant verdicts for clients in select cases. Her approach combines assertive representation with practical problem-solving.

Donna J. Mikel also maintains an active mediation and arbitration practice. She is a member of the American Arbitration Association Employment Panel and is widely recognized for her professionalism, leadership, and contributions to employment law.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Mikel & Hamill PLLC
• Chair, Tennessee Bar Association, Labor & Employment Council
• Member, American College of Trial Lawyers
• Member, Federal Bar Association, Chattanooga Chapter
• Panel Member, American Arbitration Association Employment Panel
• Member, Tennessee Employment Lawyers Association
• Master Member, The Justices Ray L. Brock Jr. Robert E. Cooper American Inn of Court
• Member, U.S. District Court, Eastern District Tennessee, CJA Panel Selection Committee
• Member, Eastern District of Tennessee, District Civics & Divisional Civics Committees

Licensed State

• Tennessee

Education

• University of Georgia School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Great Falls
  BS in Criminal Justice with Magna Cum Laude

Awards & Badges