About Ogle, Rowell & Associates

Mission Statement

We care deeply about the community we live in and fiercely protect our neighbors and friends when they are going through the most challenging times in their lives.

History of the firm

W. Henry Ogle founded what is known today as Ogle, Rowell & Associates, in Sevierville, TN in 1952. Mr. Ogle continued in private practice for twenty-eight years until his death in 1980.

Mr. Ogle was a well-respected civil and criminal law litigator who was known as a fierce advocate for his clients. He represented both individuals and business entities including the Bank of Sevierville and successfully litigated one of the first product liability cases in the state. Mr. Ogle also served as the Juvenile Court Judge for Sevier County.

Mr. Ogle was respected not only for his top-notch legal abilities, but also because he provided excellent legal services while battling the effects of cerebral palsy, which afflicted him from birth. He never let his disability get in the way of meeting the challenges of practicing law nor meeting the needs of his clients, but instead used his physical challenges as a tool to motivate him to excel. In fact, he even earned his legal degree from the John R. Neal School of Law by taking classes at night while working full time.

Prior to commencing his legal career, Mr. Ogle served as the County Court Clerk for Sevier County, Tennessee, and at the time of his election in 1946, was the youngest County Court Clerk in the State. He was also service-minded, serving as the Secretary for the Sevier County Bar, and as a member of the 1965 Tennessee Constitutional Convention. Additionally, Mr. Ogle taught school in Sevier and Knox counties.

1952

W. Henry Ogle founded the firm as a solo practitioner in 1952.

1979

Henry Ogle’s son and daughter-in law, Rex Henry Ogle and Norma McGee Ogle, joined the practice, and it became a partnership known as Ogle and Ogle.

1980

When W. Henry Ogle passed away, the firm was transferred to his son and daughter-in-law. They continued to operate the partnership under the name of Ogle and Ogle.

1984

Deborah Campbell joined the firm as office manager. She is still with the firm today.

1989

Jeff D. Rader joined the firm.

1990

Rex Henry Ogle, W. Henry Ogle's son, took the bench as a Circuit Court judge for the Fourth Judicial District of Tennessee. Ownership of the firm was then transferred to Norma McGee Ogle, W. Henry Ogle's daughter-in-law.

1996

Cynthia Richardson, now Cynthia Richardson Wyrick, joined the firm as an associate attorney, and in 1997 the firm transitioned to the joint ownership of Norma McGee Ogle and Jeff D. Rader. Once again, the firm changed its name to become Ogle and Rader.

1998

Jeff D. Rader became a General Sessions Court Judge for Sevier County with jurisdiction to hear both Juvenile Court and Probate Court cases.

Norma McGee Ogle was appointed as a judge on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, and James L. Gass joined the firm. Firm ownership was transferred to James L. Gass and Cynthia Richardson Wyrick at that time, and the firm became known as Ogle, Gass & Richardson.

Nathan Rowell

Nathan Rowell is an attorney who has been helping people face difficult legal challenges since 1995.

Nathan is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law. He is a Rule 31 listed mediator, a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Association and the Knoxville Bar Association, a member of the Leadership Sevier Class of 2022, and serves as the City Attorney for Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Nathan believes in serving the community and has been on numerous boards of his church and non-profits throughout East Tennessee.

Austin Watson

Austin Watson is a native Sevier Countian and a graduate of Pi Beta Phi Elementary School and Gatlinburg-Pittman High School. He went on to attend the University of Tennessee, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Political Science in 2020. In 2025, Austin received his Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

During law school, he served as a student-attorney in the Legal Clinic and earned the CALI Award for Excellence in Contract Drafting. While completing his legal education, Austin worked as a law clerk at Ogle, Rowell & Associates, P.C. where he gained experience in family law, civil litigation, probate, and wills and estates.

Austin joined the firm as an Associate after passing the Bar Exam in 2025.