Employment Attorneys in Knoxville

June 14, 2026

An employment attorney in Knoxville advises and represents people on either side of the workplace relationship, drawing on a body of law that combines federal statutes with Tennessee state protections. Knoxville is among Tennessee’s largest cities, with a population of roughly 195,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its economy spans the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge research and energy operations nearby, healthcare, manufacturing, and a growing professional sector. That mix generates the discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour, and family and medical leave disputes that employment lawyers in East Tennessee handle, and it supports a small group of firms that concentrate on employee-side workplace litigation.

The core legal framework is federal. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) covering minimum wage and overtime, and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Labor. Tennessee supplements these with the Tennessee Human Rights Act and the Tennessee Public Protection Act, the state whistleblower statute. Tennessee follows the at-will employment doctrine, meaning an employer can generally end the relationship for any reason that is not unlawful, so a large share of employment cases turns on whether a termination crossed into a protected category such as discrimination or retaliation.

The lawyers themselves are regulated apart from the industries their clients work in. Tennessee attorneys are licensed by the Tennessee Supreme Court through the Board of Law Examiners, and discipline is administered by the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). A prospective client in Knoxville can verify an attorney’s license status and any disciplinary history through the BPR at tbpr.org. Many Knoxville employment firms identify specifically as employee-side or plaintiff-side practices, meaning they represent workers rather than companies, and several handle their cases on a contingency basis where the fee comes from any recovery. Clarifying which side a firm represents and how it charges should happen at the outset.

Procedure drives outcomes as much as the underlying facts. Most discrimination and harassment claims require filing a charge with the EEOC or the Tennessee Human Rights Commission before a lawsuit can be filed, and the administrative deadlines are short, generally 180 or 300 days from the adverse action depending on the claim. Wage and overtime claims under the FLSA carry separate limitations periods. Tennessee’s consumer protection framework runs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs, but employment disputes proceed through the EEOC, the Department of Labor, and state and federal courts. Because this article is informational and not legal advice, anyone facing a workplace issue should consult a licensed attorney about the deadlines and facts that apply to their situation.

Top Employment Attorney Providers in Knoxville

1. The Burkhalter Law Firm

Address: 111 South Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: (865) 524-4974
Website: https://www.burkhalterlaw.com
Services: wrongful discharge and termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, labor wage and hour, whistleblower law, workplace retaliation, constructive discharge, hostile work environment
Description: The Burkhalter Law Firm is a Knoxville trial practice that represents employees in workplace disputes, describing itself as a family of experienced trial lawyers. The firm lists attorneys David A. Burkhalter II, Zachary J. Burkhalter, and D. Alexander Burkhalter III, and handles employment matters alongside personal injury work in state and federal court throughout Tennessee. Its employment practice covers wrongful discharge, discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour claims, whistleblower cases, constructive discharge, and hostile work environment claims. The firm offers free case evaluations and works on a contingency arrangement in which no attorney fee is owed unless there is a recovery, an arrangement common among employee-side firms.

2. Law Office of James W. Friauf, PLLC

Address: 9111 Cross Park Drive, Suite D200, Knoxville, TN 37923
Phone: (865) 236-0347
Website: https://www.friauflaw.com
Services: discrimination, harassment including sexual harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour and minimum wage claims, FMLA, retaliation and whistleblower cases, employment contracts and non-compete agreements, workers’ compensation
Description: The Law Office of James W. Friauf, PLLC is a Knoxville firm led by attorney James W. Friauf that represents employees in workplace disputes. The practice covers discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour and minimum wage issues, FMLA, retaliation and whistleblower claims, and employment contract and non-compete matters, along with related civil rights and workers’ compensation work. The firm emphasizes courtroom advocacy on behalf of individual workers and frames its mission around helping everyday people and those who serve them. It serves clients in Knoxville and the surrounding East Tennessee area from its office on Cross Park Drive.

3. East Tennessee Employment Law, PLLC

Address: 520 West Summit Hill Drive, Suite 101, Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: (865) 383-1053
Website: https://etnemploymentlaw.com
Services: age discrimination, disability discrimination, Equal Pay Act claims, FMLA retaliation and interference, overtime pay, pregnancy discrimination, race discrimination, sex and gender discrimination, non-compete agreements, whistleblower protection (Tennessee Public Protection Act and False Claims Act), workplace dispute mediation
Description: East Tennessee Employment Law, PLLC is a boutique Knoxville firm that focuses solely on workplace disputes and advice, representing employees. It was founded in 2024 by attorney Clint Coleman, who joined a Knoxville employment practice in 2021 before opening his own firm and who is admitted in Tennessee, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Coleman is an active member of the Knoxville Bar Association and the Tennessee Employment Lawyers Association. The firm also lists Jesse D. Nelson as of counsel, an attorney who has handled employment matters in state and federal court since opening his own practice in 2011 and who works on select matters and employment dispute mediation. The firm’s practice centers on discrimination, FMLA, overtime, non-compete, and whistleblower claims for workers across East Tennessee.

Frequently Asked Questions About Employment Attorneys in Knoxville

Q: How do I verify a Knoxville employment attorney’s license and standing?

Tennessee attorneys are licensed by the Tennessee Supreme Court through the Board of Law Examiners, and discipline is administered by the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). You can confirm an attorney’s license status, date of admission, and any public disciplinary history through the BPR at tbpr.org. Verifying the license is a basic step before retaining any lawyer in Knoxville.

Q: What does it mean that most Knoxville employment firms are employee-side?

Employee-side, or plaintiff-side, firms represent workers in claims against employers, such as discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and unpaid wages, rather than defending companies. Several Knoxville firms describe themselves this way and handle cases on contingency. If your dispute is with an employer, an employee-side firm’s interests align with yours, but you should still confirm that the firm has no conflict involving your particular employer.

Q: Can my Knoxville employer fire me without giving a reason?

Tennessee is an at-will employment state, so an employer can generally end employment for any reason that is not unlawful, and is not required to give a reason. The limits are the unlawful categories: an employer cannot fire someone because of a protected characteristic such as race, sex, age, disability, religion, or national origin, in retaliation for protected activity, in violation of the Tennessee Public Protection Act, or in breach of a contract. Whether a termination fits one of those exceptions is a fact-specific question for an attorney.

Q: How long do I have to bring a discrimination claim in Knoxville?

Most discrimination and harassment claims require filing a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Tennessee Human Rights Commission before suit, generally within 180 or 300 days of the adverse action depending on the claim and agencies involved. These deadlines are short, and missing one can bar the claim, so consulting an employment attorney soon after an adverse action is important. The exact deadline for any case should be confirmed with a lawyer.

Q: What is the Tennessee Public Protection Act?

The Tennessee Public Protection Act is the state’s whistleblower statute. It generally protects an employee from being discharged solely for refusing to participate in, or for refusing to remain silent about, illegal activities. Whistleblower claims can also arise under federal laws such as the False Claims Act. Because these claims have specific elements and deadlines, an employee who believes they were fired for reporting or refusing illegal conduct should consult an attorney about how the statute applies to their facts.

Q: How do employment attorneys in Knoxville charge for their services?

Fee structures vary with the type of work. Many employee-side firms in Knoxville handle discrimination and wage cases on a contingency basis, meaning the fee is a percentage of any recovery and no fee is owed if there is no recovery, while contract review and advisory work are often billed hourly. Some matters use flat or hybrid fees. Each firm should explain its fees and any costs in writing during the initial consultation so the terms are clear before you proceed.