Nashville’s small and mid-market business community spans healthcare services, music industry ventures, hospitality groups, construction outfits, and technology startups. Enterprises in each of those sectors encounter legal questions tied to entity formation under the Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act (TCA 48-249) or the Tennessee Business Corporation Act (TCA 48-11), drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, working through buy-sell arrangements, structuring partnership agreements under the Tennessee Revised Uniform Partnership Act (TCA 61-1), and resolving commercial disputes. Choosing counsel familiar with both transactional documentation and litigation posture supports clear decision making at each growth stage.
The three firms profiled below maintain active business law practices serving Middle Tennessee. Each holds attorneys with backgrounds in entity selection, M&A documentation, indemnification clauses, representations and warranties drafting, and dispute resolution. Practice descriptions follow guidance under Tennessee Rule of Professional Conduct 7.1 regarding lawyer advertising.
Quick Comparison #
| Firm | Credentials | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Sherrard Roe Voigt and Harbison, PLC | Founded 1981, mid-sized independent firm with roughly 20 attorneys, AICPA-aligned ABA Model Business Corporation Act framing on governance counsel. | Entity formation under TCA 48-249 and TCA 48-11, operating agreements, bylaws, shareholder agreements, mergers and acquisitions, private equity fund formation, venture capital transactions, data security incident response, privacy compliance, securities registration. |
| Riley and Jacobson, PLC | Founded 1995, roughly 18 attorneys with finance, healthcare, and entertainment sector clients, American Arbitration Association and JAMS arbitration experience. | Commercial contract disputes, business torts, trade secret claims, unfair competition matters in Tennessee state and federal courts, antitrust, class action defense, partnership and shareholder disputes, M&A post-closing disputes including indemnification, earnouts, and representations and warranties breaches. |
| Tune, Entrekin and White, P.C. | Founded 1978, 14-attorney practice with Tennessee Secretary of State filing experience, Series LLC drafting under TCA 48-249-309. | Entity selection across corporations, partnerships, and LLCs, formation documents, Series LLC structures, TIST planning, asset purchases, stock purchases, capital raises including convertible notes, SAFE instruments, and priced equity rounds, commercial litigation, homeowners association formation. |
1. Sherrard Roe Voigt and Harbison, PLC #
Founded in 1981 by Thomas Sherrard, John Roe, John Voigt, and William Harbison, Sherrard Roe Voigt and Harbison operates as a mid-sized independent firm with roughly 20 attorneys serving Nashville businesses across multiple sectors. The practice maintains its office at 1600 West End Avenue, Suite 1750, Nashville, TN 37203. The main line is (615) 742-4200.
Business Formation and Governance Counsel #
The corporate practice at Sherrard Roe handles entity formation under Tennessee statutes covering limited liability companies, business corporations, and partnerships. Attorneys draft operating agreements, bylaws, shareholder agreements, and member resolutions consistent with TCA 48-249 and TCA 48-11 requirements. The group counsels boards of directors, officers, and managers on fiduciary duties, governance procedures, and compliance review cycles aligned with ABA Model Business Corporation Act framing.
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Capital Transactions #
Sherrard Roe represents buyers and sellers in transactions of varied sizes, including private and public company deals. Attorneys structure stock purchases, asset purchases, equity financings, and debt financings with attention to tax treatment, indemnification baskets and caps, representations and warranties survival, and post-closing covenants. The private equity team handles fund formation matters and acquisition negotiations alongside venture capital transactions for emerging companies.
Data Security, Privacy, and Securities Counsel #
The office offers counsel on data security incident response, privacy compliance reviews, and securities registration matters. Attorneys assist clients with regulatory filings, disclosure documentation, and breach response planning. The team draws on transactional experience to advise on data processing agreements within larger commercial contracts.
2. Riley and Jacobson, PLC #
Founded in 1995 by Steven Riley, John Jacobson, and partners who departed from a larger Tennessee firm, Riley and Jacobson concentrates on complex business and commercial litigation. The group of roughly 18 attorneys serves clients in finance, healthcare, and entertainment sectors with a Nashville presence. The practice operates from 1906 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203, with a main line at (615) 320-3700.
Commercial Dispute Resolution #
Riley and Jacobson handles commercial contract disputes, business torts, trade secret claims, and unfair competition matters in Tennessee state courts, federal district courts, and appellate tribunals. Litigators prepare clients for arbitration proceedings under American Arbitration Association rules and JAMS rules where contracts call for alternative dispute resolution. The firm covers antitrust matters, class action defense, and partnership and shareholder disputes.
Merger and Acquisition Litigation #
Attorneys at Riley and Jacobson represent parties in post-closing disputes tied to M&A documentation, including indemnification claims, working capital adjustments, earnout disagreements, and representation and warranty breaches. The practice analyzes due diligence checklists, escrow arrangements, and closing documentation when litigation arises after a transaction has closed.
Industry-Specific Commercial Counsel #
The group serves clients in banking and financial services, professional services, construction, real estate development, product manufacturing, and information privacy. Litigators work alongside transactional counsel to defend contract claims, employment claims tied to executive agreements, and bankruptcy adversary proceedings. The team also handles construction defect claims and real estate disputes that touch commercial development projects.
3. Tune, Entrekin and White, P.C. #
Founded in 1978 by John Tune, Ervin Entrekin, and Thomas White, Tune, Entrekin and White operates as a 14-attorney practice serving Middle Tennessee businesses. The office is located at Capitol View, 500 11th Avenue North, Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37203. The main number is (615) 244-2770.
Entity Selection and Formation Services #
Tune, Entrekin and White advises business owners on entity selection across corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies. Attorneys draft formation documents, file with the Tennessee Secretary of State, and prepare initial operating agreements, partnership agreements, and corporate bylaws. The group covers Series LLC structures under TCA 48-249-309 for clients requiring segregated liability across business lines, and addresses Tennessee Investment Services Trust (TIST) planning where ownership protection matters intersect with entity structure.
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Capital Raising #
The corporate group handles asset purchases and stock purchases for small to mid-market businesses, including documentation of purchase agreements, escrow arrangements, non-compete covenants, and transition services agreements. Attorneys assist with capital raising rounds, deal structuring, and review of term sheets covering convertible notes, SAFE instruments, and priced equity rounds.
Business Litigation and Association Formation #
The litigation team at Tune, Entrekin and White covers commercial disputes including breach of contract claims, partnership disputes, and shareholder derivative actions. The practice also assists residential and commercial developers with the formation of homeowners associations and mutual benefit associations needed for the management of single-family subdivisions and multi-family communities.
Selection Methodology #
Business counsel in Tennessee works in the Revised Limited Liability Company Act at TCA 48-249, the Business Corporation Act at TCA 48-11, and the contract and UCC code under TCA 47, so the filter for the three firms above started with which transactional practice each partner runs day-to-day. Each attorney holds Tennessee Supreme Court bar admission with the BPR profile reachable for verification, lists Middle District of Tennessee admission for federal commercial litigation where applicable, publishes scope across entity formation and operating agreement drafting, M&A and asset-purchase work, commercial leases under TCA 66-28 and 66-7, employment law touchpoints, and corporate governance counsel rather than a generic “small business” menu, and ties the firm to a Davidson or Williamson County office address matching the BPR register. Out-of-state document-prep services without a Tennessee partner of record were excluded.
How to Select Business Counsel in Nashville #
When evaluating business counsel, owners can consider the following points:
- Entity match: Confirm the attorney handles your entity type, whether LLC under TCA 48-249, corporation under TCA 48-11, or partnership under TCA 61-1.
- Transaction experience: Ask about deal size ranges, sectors served, and familiarity with indemnification structures, representations and warranties drafting, and earnout mechanics.
- Litigation posture: Determine whether the office handles both transactional documentation and commercial litigation, or partners with separate litigation counsel when disputes arise.
- Sector knowledge: Healthcare, music industry, hospitality, technology, and construction each carry sector-specific contract conventions and regulatory overlays.
- Conflict review: Confirm the practice has run conflict checks before sharing confidential business plans, financial information, or transaction documents.
Reference Notes #
- Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act, TCA 48-249
- Tennessee Business Corporation Act, TCA 48-11
- Series LLC provisions, TCA 48-249-309
- Tennessee Revised Uniform Partnership Act, TCA 61-1
- Tennessee Investment Services Trust statute (TIST)
- ABA Model Business Corporation Act
- Tennessee Rule of Professional Conduct 7.1 (communications about a lawyer’s services)
- Due diligence checklists and indemnification standards in private company M&A
- Representations and warranties drafting standards under ABA Private Target Deal Points Studies
Frequently Asked Questions #
Q: How does the firm communicate case status between major events?
A: Ask for the firm’s communication standard: how often the client receives a status update absent major activity, whether updates come by email or phone, and how documents flow to the client (portal, mail, encrypted email). A documented communication standard prevents client confusion during long quiet periods in litigation.
Q: What happens if the matter requires an attorney outside the firm’s practice area?
A: Ask the firm’s policy on referral to outside counsel for specialized issues that arise (tax, immigration, bankruptcy, appellate). Confirm whether referral fees are disclosed and whether the original firm continues as lead counsel or steps aside, so the client understands the structure and cost.
Q: Are any of the three firms paid placements?
A: No. The three profiles above are editorial selections drawn from publicly verifiable sources. No firm sponsored placement.
Q: How are settlement decisions and litigation strategy decisions made?
A: Under the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct, the client makes the decision on settlement and on certain major case-strategy questions, while the lawyer guides tactics within the engagement. Confirm in writing that the firm will present every settlement offer, document client decisions, and seek written authorization for major strategic moves.
Editorial Note #
This guide was published on 2026-05-11 and reflects research current as of that date. Verify licenses, phone numbers, and current business status before engaging any firm.