Family law work in Davidson County moves through the Fourth Circuit Court and General Sessions Court Division IV, where Tennessee divorce grounds set by TCA 36-4-101 and TCA 36-4-102, equitable distribution under TCA 36-4-121, and the Permanent Parenting Plan framework at TCA 36-6-401 shape every divorce, custody dispute, and modification petition. Nashville families looking for counsel often weigh three credentials in particular: Fellowship in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, which requires at least five years of matrimonial practice plus peer vetting and a minimum 75 percent caseload concentration in family law; listing as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Family Law Mediator, which authorizes court-referred mediation under the Alternative Dispute Resolution rules; and collaborative law training through the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals or its Middle Tennessee affiliate. The three Nashville firms below each carry one or more of those credentials and concentrate on domestic relations rather than treating it as a side practice area.
Quick Comparison #
| Firm | Credentials | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| MTR Family Law, PLLC | Tennessee bar admission 1980, AAML Fellow with Past President service, IAFL Past President, NBTA Family Law Trial Specialist board certification. | Divorce and legal separation, contested custody, child support under Tennessee Income Shares Guidelines, parenting plan modification, high-asset property division, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. |
| Miller Upshaw Family Law, PLLC | Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listed Family Law Mediator since 2009 on the lead partner, American Bar Foundation Fellow, more than 50 combined family-only years across three attorneys. | Divorce, contested custody and visitation, child support establishment and modification, division of marital property under TCA 36-4-121, parenting plan modification, dependent and neglect, Rule 31 mediation. |
| Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard, PLLC | Tennessee Certified Rule 31 Family Law Mediator on the family law lead, Super Lawyers or Rising Stars selection across six office attorneys. | Adoption including stepparent adoption under TCA 36-1-117, annulment, custody and relocation under TCA 36-6-108, child support, marital dissolution agreements, high-asset divorce, parenting plan modification, spousal support under TCA 36-5-121. |
1. MTR Family Law, PLLC #
Founded in 1981 by Marlene Eskind Moses, MTR Family Law has worked Davidson County divorce, custody, and complex marital estate dockets for more than four decades, making it one of the longest-running family-only practices in Middle Tennessee. Moses was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1980 after completing her degree at Nashville School of Law, and she carries credentials that few Tennessee family practitioners hold simultaneously: she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a Past President of both the AAML and the International Academy of Family Lawyers, and a Family Law Trial Specialist board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. The practice handles divorce and legal separation, contested and uncontested custody actions, child support calculations under the Tennessee Income Shares Guidelines, modification of parenting plans under TCA 36-6-405, high-asset property division, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Moses has also served on AAML governance committees that shape Fellow vetting standards and has lectured for the Tennessee Bar Association Family Law Section on equitable distribution and parenting plan litigation.
The office operates from 205 23rd Avenue North in the Midtown corridor, a short drive from the Davidson County Courthouse, with complimentary parking behind the building for client meetings. Intake consultations cover the procedural calendar a Davidson County case will follow, including the 60-day waiting period required by TCA 36-4-103 for divorces with no minor children and the 90-day period required where minor children are involved. MTR is reachable at (615) 341-0070 to schedule a consultation.
2. Miller Upshaw Family Law, PLLC #
Miller Upshaw Family Law is a three-attorney boutique built around founding partner Karla C. Miller, who has practiced Tennessee family law for more than 20 years and has been a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listed Family Law Mediator since 2009. The practice’s three lawyers collectively bring more than 50 years of family-only experience to the bar, and in 2024 Miller was elected a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, an honor limited to one third of one percent of attorneys in each state. Partner Rachel Sharp Upshaw earned her JD with distinction from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis, and associate Taylor L. Rippe joined the office in 2022 after serving as Family Law Staff Attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, where she handled protective orders, contested custody hearings, and post-decree modifications for low-income parents across 32 counties.
The practice areas covered include divorce and legal separation, contested custody and visitation, child support establishment and modification, division of marital property and debt under TCA 36-4-121, post-divorce modification of parenting plans, dependent and neglect proceedings, and Rule 31 mediation in cases where the parties have selected MUFL as a neutral. The office sits at 631 Woodland Street in historic Edgefield, within sight of the Davidson County Courthouse, and offers free on-site parking for client meetings. Cases are accepted across Nashville, Franklin, Hendersonville, Brentwood, Murfreesboro, Gallatin, Lebanon, and Mt. Juliet. The team can be reached at (615) 391-4200.
https://www.nashvillefamilylaw.com
3. Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard, PLLC (MHPS Law) #
MHPS Law was launched in July 2013 when Matt Potempa joined with Sean Martin, David Heller, and Jennifer Sheppard to combine their family law, estate planning, and probate practices under one roof, and the family law side of the office is led by name partner Sean Martin, whose practice is limited entirely to domestic relations matters and who is a Certified Rule 31 Family Law Mediator authorized to handle court-referred mediations under Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31. Six MHPS attorneys have been selected to the Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists, and the office’s family law work covers adoption (including stepparent adoption under TCA 36-1-117), annulment, child custody and relocation petitions under TCA 36-6-108, child support, marital dissolution agreements, division of property, high-asset divorce involving closely-held business interests and retirement accounts, legal separation, modification of parenting plans, and spousal support determinations under TCA 36-5-121.
Because the office also houses a wealth preservation and probate group, divorce clients with significant estate planning needs can coordinate the unwinding of joint trusts, the retitling of beneficiary designations, and the revision of pour-over wills without retaining outside counsel. Attorney Emily Kerinuk, who joined the office in 2020, handles family law alongside personal injury matters. MHPS Law is located at 2122 21st Avenue South in the Hillsboro Village corridor, with hours Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The office is reachable at (615) 800-7096.
Selection Methodology #
Verifying a Nashville family law firm starts at the Board of Professional Responsibility online register and the Tennessee Supreme Court bar admission roll, then moves to TCA 36-4 and 36-6 practice familiarity. The three firms above each list a tenured Tennessee-admitted attorney as the named partner, hold Rule 31 Family Mediator listings or Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 General Civil Mediator status where claimed, run Family Law Section TBA participation, work from a Davidson County office address that matches the BPR register, and publish scope detail across divorce, custody and parenting plans under TCA 36-6-404, modification, military family issues under SCRA, and post-judgment contempt rather than a referral-flip intake model. Mass-marketing intake mills routing local calls to out-of-state firms without a Tennessee attorney of record were excluded.
How to Choose Among These Three Nashville Family Law Firms #
Case posture should drive the selection inquiry. A high-asset divorce, complex marital estate, or contested custody trial benefits from the AAML Fellow credential and 45-year practice arc that Marlene Eskind Moses brings to MTR Family Law, which the National Board of Trial Advocacy also recognizes with Family Law Trial Specialist board certification. A modification of parenting plans, post-decree custody adjustment, or a Rule 31 court-referred mediation aligns with Miller Upshaw Family Law, where founding partner Karla Miller has been a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listed Family Law Mediator since 2009 and the three-attorney boutique brings more than 50 combined years of family-only work. A divorce involving estate planning, trust unwinding, or beneficiary-designation cleanup fits MHPS Law, which houses family law and wealth preservation under one roof so clients avoid retaining outside probate counsel. All three offices accept consultations and walk clients through the Tennessee divorce calendar, which includes a 60-day waiting period for divorces with no minor children under TCA 36-4-103 and a 90-day period where minor children are involved.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Q: Who at the firm will be my day-to-day point of contact?
A: Some firms staff a matter with a lead attorney plus associates and paralegals; others keep the named attorney as the primary contact throughout. Ask in writing who will sign correspondence, who returns client calls, the typical response window for messages, and the escalation path if you cannot reach the assigned attorney.
Q: How does the firm handle conflicts of interest before taking the matter?
A: Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct require a conflict check before representation begins. Ask the firm to confirm in writing that a conflict check has been run against all parties and that no current or former representation creates a disqualifying conflict. Disclose all opposing parties, witnesses, and related entities at intake so the check is accurate.
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: What expenses pass through to the client beyond legal fees?
A: Common pass-through expenses include filing fees, deposition court reporter charges, expert witness fees, mediation costs, postage, courier, and copying. Ask for the firm’s written expense policy, any markup over actual cost, billing frequency for expenses, and whether expenses are advanced by the firm or billed as incurred.
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.