Thomas M. "Tom" Hale

Thomas M. "Tom" Hale


Kramer Rayson LLP

Recognized since 2008

Knoxville, Tennessee

Practice Areas

Bet-the-Company Litigation

Commercial Litigation

Corporate Law

Litigation - Land Use and Zoning

Litigation - Municipal

Litigation - Real Estate

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Litigation - Real Estate
Send Thomas M. "Tom" Hale an email at tomhale@kramer-rayson.com Navigate to map location for Thomas M. "Tom" Hale
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2014 - Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2012 - Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2011 - Corporate Law
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Thomas M. Hale is an experienced, skilled and effective trial and transactional lawyer who brings a wealth of knowledge to his clients. 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 the 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 on business-related disputes in contract, corporate, employment and environmental areas. He provides general commercial advice to local and national businesses.

His broad practice includes: 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 and 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 in 2011 for his litigation-commercial, land use and zoning, municipal and real estate law practices.

Mr. Hale and his partner, Ed Rayson represented a minority shareholders of one of the largest private companies in Tennessee and, by preparing a case showing multiple ways in which the majority shareholder was oppressing the minority, they were able to help their clients secure substantial value for their shares.

In another instance, by being thoughtful and thorough in defending a contractor's claim against his client, he was able to prove that his client had a more substantial claim against the contractor by using the contractor's own testimony. His client had been prepared to pay to settle the case.

Mr. Hale led a team of the firm's layers in the successful representation of a well-known national restaurant chain in the defense of 60 lawsuits resulting from Hepatitis A exposure from consumption of produce supplied by a local supplier of produce and its supply chain.

He recently concluded representation of a national developer in a suit for the reformation of the official plats governing a 200+ lot subdivision involving 300+ named defendants, including lot owners, lenders, utility providers and local governmental entities.

Location
  • 800 South Gay Street, Suite 2500
    P.O. Box 629
    Knoxville, TN 37929
Education
  • The University of Tennessee, J.D., graduated 1980
  • The University of Tennessee, MBA, graduated 1980
  • The University of Tennessee, BA, graduated 1976
Bar Admissions
  • Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association
Affiliations
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee - Former Vice Chancellor
  • Knoxville Bar Assocation - Former President-1997
  • Knoxville Bar Association - Secretary - 1994-1995
  • Knoxville Bar Foundation - Chairman of the Board of Directors
  • Legal Aid of East Tennessee - President
  • Tennessee Bar Association - Member
  • Town of Farragut - Town Attorney

Kramer Rayson LLP
Headquarters: Knoxville, Tennessee

18 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

3 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards

Best Law Firms Badge Visit Website View Firm Profile

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

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Publications

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