Atty. Thomas M. "Tom" Hale

Atty. Thomas M. "Tom" Hale

Thomas M. Hale is an experienced, skilled and effective trial and transactional lawyer who brings a wealth of knowledge to his clients in his practice areas of: Corporate and Transactional Employment and Labor Estate Planning, Administration and Trusts Local Government and Public Utilities Real Estate Professional Liability Litigation Commercial Corporate Municipal Land Use/Zoning He is a solution seeker and problem solver and works hard as an advocate for his clients in an honest, straight-forward and professional manner.

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Profile Summary

About Thomas M. "Tom" Hale at a glance

Thomas M. "Tom" Hale is a business, real estate, zoning, estate litigation, and litigation attorney based in Knoxville, Tennessee, practicing at Kramer Rayson LLP. Admitted to practice in Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association. Educated at The University of Tennessee (MBA, 1980) and The University of Tennessee (J.D., 1980). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Bet-the-Company Litigation (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Corporate Law (2026). Serands clients in Knoxville, TN and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Verified attorney profile · Updated June 2026

About

Thomas M. Hale is an experienced, skilled and effective trial and transactional lawyer who brings a wealth of knowledge to his clients in his practice areas of:

  • Corporate and Transactional
  • Employment and Labor
  • Estate Planning, Administration and Trusts
  • Local Government and Public Utilities
  • Real Estate
  • Professional Liability
  • Litigation
  • Commercial
  • Corporate
  • Municipal
  • Land Use/Zoning

He is a solution seeker and problem solver and works hard as an advocate for his clients in an honest, straight-forward and professional manner. He exercises sound and prudent judgment in advising them of their legal alternatives, and his ability to clearly explain how the facts and the law are likely to converge, and what the most likely outcome would be, is of great benefit to his clients.

Mr. Hale tries all types of civil cases in both the federal and state courts throughout East Tennessee with specific emphasis in the areas of business-related disputes in contract, corporate, employment, as well as real estate and zoning/land use. He provides general commercial advice to local and national businesses.

His broad practice includes:

  • Professional liability (legal malpractice and other professional errors and omissions defense)
  • Contract preparation and review
  • Advice on entity issues (i.e., corporate, partnership, LLC)
  • Real property matters
  • Uniform Commercial Code issues
  • Purchases and sales of business entities
  • Purchases, sales and leases of commercial real property
  • Advice on obtaining and making loans
  • Advice in the formation and governance of legal entities

For his corporate law practice, the prestigious, peer-review publication, Best Lawyers in America selected Mr. Hale for inclusion to its list each and every year since 2008, and also selected him as the "Knoxville Lawyer of the Year" in 2012. He has also been included in this publication each year since 2011 for his litigation-commercial, land use and zoning, municipal and real estate law practices.

Practice Areas Explained

Thomas M. "Tom" Hale's Areas of Practice

Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Thomas M. "Tom" Hale handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.

Business & Corporate Law

Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.

Thomas M. "Tom" Hale is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Tennessee →

Real Estate Law

Real estate attorneys handle home purchases, sales, commercial transactions, title disputes, and landlord-tenant matters.

Thomas M. "Tom" Hale is one of 316,149 real estate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse real estate attorneys in Tennessee →

Land Use & Zoning

Thomas M. "Tom" Hale is one of 40,226 zoning attorneys indexed nationally. Browse zoning attorneys in Tennessee →

Estate & Trust Litigation

Thomas M. "Tom" Hale is one of 20,023 estate litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse estate litigation attorneys in Tennessee →

Civil Litigation

Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.

Thomas M. "Tom" Hale is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Tennessee →

Jurisdictional Context

Why local counsel matters in Tennessee

Practicing law in Tennessee. Legal matters in Tennessee are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Knoxville are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Tennessee state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Tennessee brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Tennessee courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.

Looking for additional Tennessee attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Knoxville or all attorneys in Tennessee.

Frequently Asked

Common questions about Thomas M. "Tom" Hale

Where is Thomas M. "Tom" Hale's law office located?
Thomas M. "Tom" Hale's law practice is located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The firm is Kramer Rayson LLP. You can contact the office directly through this profile page.
What practice areas does Thomas M. "Tom" Hale handle?
Thomas M. "Tom" Hale focuses on business, real estate, zoning, estate litigation, litigation. Each practice area listed reflects experience handling cases of that type in Tennessee.
Where did Thomas M. "Tom" Hale go to law school?
Thomas M. "Tom" Hale earned their education at (MBA, 1980); (J.D., 1980); (BA, 1976).
How can I contact Thomas M. "Tom" Hale for a consultation?
You can contact Thomas M. "Tom" Hale directly through this profile page. Click "Ask the Attorney" to submit a question, or "Schedule a Consultation" to book a meeting. Most claimed-profile attorneys respond within one business day.
What awards or recognition has Thomas M. "Tom" Hale received?
Thomas M. "Tom" Hale's notable recognition includes: Best Lawyers in America — Bet-the-Company Litigation; Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation; Best Lawyers in America — Corporate Law; Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Land Use and Zoning; Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Municipal.

Education

MBA
The University of Tennessee
- 1980
J.D.
The University of Tennessee
- 1980
BA
The University of Tennessee
- 1976

Awards

Best Lawyers in America — Bet-the-Company Litigation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Corporate Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Municipal
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Real Estate
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Awards:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — City View 2009-2015
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Fellow Tennessee Bar Foundation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Fellow Knoxville Bar Foundation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Managing Partner of Kramer Rayson LLP, 2001-2003
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Knoxville Bar Association's Governor's Award
- 2026
Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Real Estate (Knoxville)
- 2024
Lawyer of the Year — Corporate Law (Knoxville)
- 2022
Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Real Estate (Knoxville)
- 2020
Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Real Estate (Knoxville)
- 2018
Lawyer of the Year — Corporate Law (Knoxville)
- 2017
Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Real Estate (Knoxville)
- 2014
Lawyer of the Year — Corporate Law (Knoxville)
- 2013
Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Real Estate (Knoxville)
- 2012
Lawyer of the Year — Corporate Law (Knoxville)
- 2011

Bar Admissions

Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association

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