Criminal Defense Attorney

• Job Summary*

An established criminal defense practice is opening its first Tennessee office, and we are hiring the attorney who will run it. This is not a seat in an existing office. You would be the first lawyer on the ground in either Nashville or Chattanooga — carrying the caseload, building the practice’s name in and around Nashville or Chattanooga and growing the office from there. One thing worth saying plainly: you will not be asked to originate your own business. A mature marketing and intake operation generates the cases. This is not a startup — the model is proven across multiple markets, and it is built on keeping attorneys in courtrooms instead of at networking events. You handle the cases. We keep the phone ringing.

• Responsibilities*
• Represent clients in criminal matters at every stage — from first appearance through trial
• Serve as the lead courtroom presence across the Atlanta metro
• Own the office’s outcomes: case results, client experience, and growth
• Help recruit, train, and supervise attorneys and staff as the office scales
• Conduct legal research and draft motions, pleadings, and related filings
• Communicate directly and consistently with clients, courts, and opposing counsel
• Willingness to train intake team on how Tennessee municipalities and higher court levels operate as well as train on the nuances of Tennessee law.
• Qualifications*
• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school
• Active and in good standing with the State Bar of Tennessee
• 3+ years of criminal defense experience, including meaningful time in front of juries
• Comfortable carrying a real caseload in a high-volume environment
• Wants to build a practice and a market, not just clear a docket
• Compensation*
• Performance-based compensation tied to earned fees — uncapped, with no origination requirement
• Expected range of $150,000–$200,000. This is not a salary and is not guaranteed. Compensation is a percentage of fees earned, so what you make depends on what you produce. There is no ceiling.
• Dedicated paralegal support

Job Type: Full-time
Location: Nashville or Chattanooga — 100% onsite
To apply: apply through Indeed.
This is a confidential search. Firm details will be shared with candidates under consideration, and we understand strong applicants are usually already employed.

Pay: $150,000.00 - $200,000.