Divorce & Family Law Attorneys

Top 10 Divorce & Family Law Attorneys in Nashville, TN (2025)

Published Read 6 min read

Contents: 10 sections

The family lawyer to call first depends on the issue you bring: a divorce, custody or a parent’s move, a grandparent’s rights, an adoption, or an order of protection. Ten family law practices serve Nashville from offices in the city and in Brentwood, and some list fathers’ rights and grandparents’ rights, some pair divorce with probate or estate planning, and some offer mediation or collaborative divorce alongside court representation. Start with your issue, then look at how each practice holds its first meeting.

Office addresses and family law services are drawn from each practice’s website as of September 2026. Eight have Nashville offices; Widrig Law and Digby Family Law serve Nashville from Brentwood.

Contested or Uncontested Divorce

Several practices name both kinds of divorce on their websites. Miller Upshaw Family Law says it handles matters “from contested and uncontested divorces, to enforcement and modifications.” The Law Office of Tara Carter lists “Uncontested divorces” and “Contested divorces” among the matters it helps with. Freeman & Fuson offers “Representation for contested and uncontested divorces, including asset division and spousal support.”

If you and your spouse already agree on most terms, say so on the first call, and ask the lawyer how the work and the fee change when the divorce is uncontested.

Mediation and Collaborative Divorce

Some couples want to settle outside a courtroom. These practices name that work:

  • Rogers, Shea & Spanos describes its lawyers as “Rule 31 Listed Mediators and NBTA Board-Certified Specialists.”
  • Digby Family Law lists “Collaborative Divorce” and “Mediation” among its practice areas, and its website lets you schedule a mediation.
  • Freeman & Fuson says its clients benefit from “informed strategy at every stage,” and it names negotiation, mediation, and trial as those stages.

Ask any lawyer who mediates whether they would act as your advocate or as a neutral mediator in your case.

Custody, Fathers, Grandparents, and LGBTQ Families

The issue lists differ most here.

Issue Practices that name it
Child custody Miller Upshaw, Amanda Raye Thornton, Tara Carter, Freeman & Fuson, Frakes, Rogers Shea & Spanos, Stratton, The Cassell Firm, Widrig, Digby
Fathers' rights Amanda Raye Thornton; The Cassell Firm has pages for married and unmarried fathers
Grandparents' rights Amanda Raye Thornton, Tara Carter
Child relocation Amanda Raye Thornton
Dependency and neglect cases involving DCS Amanda Raye Thornton
LGBTQ families Amanda Raye Thornton ("LGBTQ Rights"), Digby ("LGBTQ+ Family Law")
Orders of protection Amanda Raye Thornton, Frakes, Freeman & Fuson
Adoption Amanda Raye Thornton, Tara Carter, Frakes, Stratton, Rogers Shea & Spanos, Widrig, Digby
Probate or estate planning Tara Carter (probate), Digby (estate planning)
Post-divorce enforcement and modification Miller Upshaw, Freeman & Fuson, Digby

How the First Meeting Works

Practices describe their first contact in their own terms:

  • Stratton Family Law: “your first consultation is free and you’re under no obligation to retain our services.”
  • Miller Upshaw Family Law: you can “reserve an in-person or video consultation.”
  • Widrig Law: “Available by Videochat, Phone, or In-Person.”
  • Amanda Raye Thornton: “All Inquiries Responded to Within 24 Hours.”
  • Rogers, Shea & Spanos: “we offer initial consultations to assess your needs.”

Before that meeting, write down the issue, the dates that matter, and what you already agree on with the other parent or spouse. That list keeps a first meeting on the questions only a lawyer can answer.

If You Do Not Know Where to Start

The Nashville Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service lists family law among the areas where it has attorneys available. It refers callers to “a pre-screened attorney who will provide an initial consultation by phone for just $40,” and it advises, “Be sure to ask for a fee agreement in writing if you wish to continue legal services.” Requests go through its online form at NashvilleBar.org/LRISReferralForm, and the association’s main number is 615-242-9272.

Questions for the First Meeting

  1. Has the lawyer handled cases with your issue, such as relocation, grandparents’ rights, or an adoption?
  2. Will the case be handled by that lawyer, or by another member of the firm?
  3. How is the fee charged, and what is the retainer?
  4. Would the lawyer recommend mediation for your situation, and who would the mediator be?
  5. How and how quickly will the office answer your questions while the case is open?

Nashville Offices

Miller Upshaw Family Law, PLLC

Miller Upshaw says it offers “more than 50 years of combined experience devoted to resolving divorce and family law issues,” and it holds consultations in person or by video.

Amanda Raye Thornton, Attorney at Law

Amanda Raye Thornton lists alimony, child support, child custody, dependency and neglect cases involving DCS, divorce, fathers’ rights, grandparents’ rights, LGBTQ rights, orders of protection, and child relocation. The office says it responds to all inquiries within 24 hours.

The Law Office of Tara Carter

The firm describes itself as “a family and probate law firm in Nashville, TN.” Its practice areas include adoptions, alimony, asset division, child custody, child support, grandparent rights, and probate law.

Freeman & Fuson

Freeman & Fuson handles family law matters, including “divorce, custody, orders of protection, post-divorce modifications,” alongside criminal defense and civil disputes. It also lists a satellite office at 305 Church St in Franklin.

Brad H. Frakes, Attorney at Law

Brad Frakes lists “divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, orders of protection and adoption” among his practice areas and says he has been serving families “in Nashville and throughout middle Tennessee since 2012.”

Rogers, Shea & Spanos

Rogers, Shea & Spanos has offices on State Street in Nashville and at 414 Bridge St. in Franklin. The firm describes its attorneys as “Rule 31 Listed Mediators and NBTA Board-Certified Specialists,” and its website includes a page on keeping costs under control.

Stratton Family Law

Stratton Family Law says, “We focus on the practice of family law, including handling divorces, child custody cases, alimony orders, or adoptions.”

The Cassell Firm

The Cassell Firm’s child custody pages address both married and unmarried fathers. The firm also practices criminal defense.

Serving Nashville From Brentwood

Widrig Law PLLC

Widrig Law says it represents people “in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Mt. Juliet, Smyrna, Lebanon, Fairview, Bellevue, Gallatin, Springfield, Clarksville, and throughout Middle Tennessee.” It also has an office in Lebanon and meets clients by video, by phone, or in person.

Digby Family Law

Digby Family Law describes itself as “a boutique firm comprised of four attorneys” and an all-female family law firm serving “clients in Davidson, Williamson, and the surrounding counties.” Its practice areas include collaborative divorce, mediation, adoption, LGBTQ+ family law, and estate planning.

Quick Answers

Do Rogers, Shea & Spanos lawyers mediate?

The firm describes its attorneys as “Rule 31 Listed Mediators and NBTA Board-Certified Specialists.” Digby Family Law also lists mediation and collaborative divorce, and Freeman & Fuson names mediation among the stages it handles.

Does Amanda Raye Thornton handle fathers’ rights cases?

Yes. Amanda Raye Thornton lists fathers’ rights as a practice area. The Cassell Firm also has child custody pages for married and unmarried fathers.

Does Stratton Family Law charge for the first consultation?

No. Stratton Family Law says, “your first consultation is free and you’re under no obligation to retain our services.”

Choosing Where to Call First

Start with your issue, then call two practices that name it. Ask each how the first meeting works, who would handle your case, and how the fee is charged, and ask for the fee terms in writing before you sign.

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