Two of Nashville's most recognizable law firms have gone head to head, as injury attorney Rocky McElhaney filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against well-known attorneys Hughes and Coleman.
McElhaney filed the lawsuit in Wilson County court last week, McElhaney alleges that Hughes and Coleman intentionally deceived potential customers through the purchase of a Google web ad. In the ad, which McElhaney first discovered while searching his name in Google last year, the first result appears to be for Rocky McElhaney law firm. But under the text of the ad, a website URL and phone number were directing people to Hughes and Coleman.
"They designed the ad to trick the customer, (preventing) the potential clients for my firm into thinking they were clicking on me ... this is a deceit of the public as much as it is a violation of my name rights," McElhaney told NewsChannel 5 in an interview.
Because of the questionable nature of the advertisement, a judge in Wilson County issued a restraining order against Hughes and Coleman last week. The ad has since disappeared from the Google search engine but McElhaney is still seeking $2.5 million in damages.
NewsChannel 5 reached out to Hughes and Coleman on Tuesday, a representative said the firm could not comment on pending litigation.
Both law firms are set to appear before a judge in Wilson County next week.
