Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Support
• Child Custody and Visitation
• Adoption
• Paternity
• Guardianship
  Under Tennessee law, a state court may establish a court-supervised guardianship (for a minor) or a conservatorship (for an adult). The guardian or conservator will be given court authority to make decisions for the minor or adult, and to control the finances for that individual. These appointments are strictly controlled by Tennessee law, and the appointed guardian or conservator is held to a high standard in caring for their loved one.
• Spousal Support

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Upon graduating law school, Nikol completed a clerkship for the Honorable Camille R. McMullen of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals in Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to joining Frantz, McConnell & Seymour, LLP in 2022, Nikol practiced at a law firm specializing in class action litigation and consumer protection. At Frantz, McConnell & Seymour, LLP, Nikol’s areas of practice include real estate law, construction law, insurance defense, and appellate litigation.
• Wrongful Death
  We also represent persons and entities who are sued for personal injuries alleged to be the result of negligent operation of vehicles, workplace accidents, defective products, dangerous or defective premises, wrongful death and many other theories of civil tort liability. We defend both self-insured and insured clients. Our attorneys’ extensive experience in defending personal-injury claims allows us to represent our clients in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
• Fraud
• Theft
• Identity Theft
• Arson

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Practicing over 40 years with Frantz, McConnell & Seymour, LLP, Bob is also a member of the Knoxville  and Tennessee  Bar Associations and was named to Best Lawyers®  in the areas of Business Organizations including LLCs and Partnerships as well as Corporate Law since 2015.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  Our clients range from national corporations engaging in complex litigation to local small businesses with real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, business formation and dissolution and virtually any situation that requires the skill and insight of competent and experienced legal counsel. Specifically in regard to small businesses, our attorneys have represented a wide assortment of industries, including...
• Business Formation
• Business Disputes
  Frantz, McConnell & Seymour, LLPFrantz, McConnell & Seymour, LLP offers legal services in virtually every area of civil and business law representing clients throughout East Tennessee. More News read more
• Business Transactions
  She decided to continue her education at the University of Tennessee College of Law, focusing her studies on business transactions, general civil litigation, and real property law. While in law school, she served the Knoxville community through the Domestic Violence Clinic by representing domestic violence victims in the Fourth Circuit Order of Protection Court. She received a CALI Excellence for the Future Award for her work in this clinic.
• Limited Liability Companies
• Construction Contracts
  Our attorneys represent individuals and entities in construction litigation in both state court and federal court and for claims ranging from relatively small sums to multi-million dollar sums. We also represent clients in drafting construction contracts, resolving construction contract issues, filing mechanics’ and material men’s liens, and addressing other construction law matters.
• Trade Secrets
• Intellectual Property
• Small Business Law
  Michael joined Frantz, McConnell & Seymour, LLP, after spending the first five years of his legal practice in Utah and Texas. In Utah, Michael worked primarily in municipal and small business law. He then moved to Houston, Texas, where his practice was focused mostly on personal injury litigation. Seeking to be closer to family members in the Southeast, and prizing the area’s beautiful landscape, Michael and his family decided to make East Tennessee their permanent home.

Employment Law

• Employment Discrimination
  John LawhornJohn M. Lawhorn of Frantz, McConnell & Seymour, LLP practices extensively in the field of Labor and Employment law and regularly advises clients concerning federal and state laws pertaining to employment discrimination, retaliation and harassment, workplace policies, OSHA/TOSHA compliance, wage and hour compliance, labor/management relations, employment contracts and in many other aspects of the […]
• Employment Contract
  John practices primarily in the area of labor and employment law, which includes workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation claims, labor/management relations, employment contracts and advising employers on statutory and regulatory compliance issues under both federal and state law, including OSHA, FMLA, ADA and wage and hour laws. John’s clients include both large and small employers, as well as employees who have disputes and claims against their employers. In addition, John regularly represents clients in other areas such as personal injury, products liability, consumer protection, business litigation and general civil litigation.
• Employment Litigation
  We believe the key to successful representation of employers and insurers in the workers’ compensation arena is establishing relationships with employers and understanding the nature of their businesses. We also counsel extensively with employers and insurers on related and overlapping issues such as compliance with Drug-Free Workplace Program requirements, Family and Medical Leave and Americans with Disabilities Act issues, as well as other “pre-accident” planning to help employers manage workers’ compensation claims more effectively. We stay abreast of current employment issues that can impact a claim and advise our clients accordingly. We also have a strong employment law contingent that specializes in complex issues, offering our client well-rounded representation in the employment arena.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  For four decades Arthur, whose clients lauded his experience as a much appreciated and sought after asset, maintained a diverse and expansive practice. His expertise encompassed the areas of zoning and land use law, administrative law, municipal and government relations, general civil litigation, contracts and real estate law.
• Premises Liability
  Don’s practice focuses on personal injury and government relations, along with general civil litigation, premises liability, products liability, and administrative law.
• Construction Litigation
  With more than 35 years of experience in civil litigation, Reggie’s practice includes construction law and business and commercial litigation. He was named to Best Lawyers® for his practice in the areas of Construction Law, Commercial Litigation and Litigation-Construction and has been awarded by Best Lawyers® the Lawyer of the Year Award in Knoxville for Construction Law and Litigation – Construction.
• Real Estate Transactions
  Our lawyers represent purchasers, sellers and lenders in all aspects of real estate transactions, from negotiations through closings, including document preparation and review of title. We regularly represent property owners, contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers regarding lien-law issues; and we have expertise in the representation of both lenders and borrowers in connection with foreclosures. Additionally, the firm provides representation of landlords and tenants regarding both residential and commercial leases, including communications-tower leases and lease acquisitions.
• Easement
• Land Use and Zoning
  We are a diverse and experienced group of attorneys representing individuals and corporations across a wide range of civil practice areas. Our attorneys regularly appear in federal and state courts across the state, as well as practicing before administrative agencies. We also represent clients before local governments, in matters such as zoning and land use. Our strength is the wide array of expertise that our attorneys have individually. Working as a team, we provide our clients with the highest quality of representation.
• Landlord-Tenant Disputes
  We represent individual and corporate clients in civil litigation in all federal and state courts in East and Middle Tennessee. Our lawyers are regularly involved in jury and non-jury trials, motion practice, injunctions, enforcement of judgments, landlord-tenant, arbitration and mediation of contested civil matters.
• Property Damage
  We have the capability to provide complete service whether the litigation issues involve motor vehicles (motor/common/contract carriers), products liability, premises liability, property damage (e.g., thefts, arson and fraudulent misrepresentation), professional malpractice and workers’ compensation defense.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Debbie focuses her practice in the areas of workers’ compensation, arbitration and mediation for health care, general civil litigation, toxic exposure litigation, products liability, personal injury litigation, privacy, insurance, appellate and mediation. Debbie also is currently expanding her practice to include alternative dispute resolution of health care conflicts.
• Disability Discrimination
  As the Coronavirus continues to spread throughout the United States employers are having to address a number of questions about managing and protecting their workforce. Included on the ever-growing list of items keeping managers up at night are concerns about compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state disability discrimination statutes when […]

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  FMS provides a full range of estate planning services to individuals and families and succession planning for small and midsized businesses.
• Wills
  We will assist fiduciaries with estate tax returns and all court filings for a smooth administration. We also represent you in guardianships for minors and conservatorships for incapacitated adults, and we provide legal representation of fiduciaries and beneficiaries in will contests.
• Trusts
  In addition to planning on the front end, the attorneys in our group provide the following litigation services associated with the protection of you or your loved one’s estate during disability and the administration of wills and trusts following your death...
• Power of Attorney
  Clients often ask me “Why do I need a power of attorney.... I am not sick, and I don’t want anyone to have that kind of control over me or my finances.” A “Power of Attorney” (or POA) is a document in which you appoint a specific person the authority to act on your […]
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  We practice in all facets of creditor’s rights and bankruptcy law, primarily on behalf of creditors. We represent creditors and court-appointed trustees in Chapter 11 reorganization and Chapter 7 liquidation cases. We provide creditor representation in Chapter 13 wage-earner cases as well.
• Foreclosure
• Tax Law
  We have extensive practice effectively representing clients in negotiations at the state, county, and municipal levels of government in Tennessee. We routinely appear before governmental agencies and regulatory boards to assist clients in obtaining rezoning requests, plat and site-plan approvals, variances, consents, licenses, authority, permits, rights and waivers from governmental agencies including the fields of zoning, land use and planning, tax appeals, and environmental law. We have long served as counsel to the Knoxville Transit Authority and to the Knox County Emergency Communications District (E-911). We will represent you before the following...
• Debt Collection