Updated April 22, 2026
Whether you are signing a vendor deal, hiring a key employee, buying or selling a business, or staring at an agreement someone else wrote, the words in a contract decide what happens if things go sideways. A Memphis contract lawyer makes sure the document protects you before you sign and gives you leverage if the other side breaks it. Below are vetted Memphis-area firms that draft, review, and enforce business contracts, most offering a first consultation at no charge.
A handshake feels faster until a deal falls apart. Most contract problems are not dramatic courtroom fights; they are avoidable messes baked in by vague language, a missing termination clause, or a term that quietly favored the other side. A contract lawyer earns the fee on the front end by catching those problems, and on the back end by enforcing the deal when someone does not hold up their end.
Consider a Memphis contract lawyer if any of these apply:
A few Tennessee rules shape how these matters play out. Most written contracts carry a six-year statute of limitations to sue for breach under Tennessee Code Annotated section 28-3-109, so deadlines matter; a sale of goods under Tennessee's version of the Uniform Commercial Code (section 47-2-725) has a shorter four-year window. Tennessee's statute of frauds (section 29-2-101) requires certain agreements — sales of land, contracts that cannot be performed within a year, and others — to be in writing and signed to be enforceable. Tennessee courts generally enforce a contract's fee-shifting clause, which is why the boilerplate you skim at the end of an agreement can decide who pays the lawyers if a dispute lands in court. A Memphis lawyer who knows these rules drafts around the risks instead of discovering them in litigation.
For drafting and review, the lawyer learns your business goal, flags the risky terms, and either marks up the other side's draft or writes a clean one for you — often a few days of turnaround for a standard agreement. For a dispute, the path runs: a demand or response letter, negotiation, and, if needed, a lawsuit. Business contract cases in the Memphis area are filed in the Shelby County Circuit Court or the Shelby County Chancery Court, which handles many commercial and equitable disputes; federal matters go to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Many contracts also include arbitration or mediation clauses that send the fight out of court entirely. Most disputes settle once each side sees the strength of the paperwork.
Verified across Super Lawyers, Avvo, Justia, and firm records. We do not accept payment for placement. Where a firm's aggregate client rating is not yet compiled, we say so rather than invent one.
A long-established Memphis firm whose attorneys handle business and commercial transactions, contract drafting and disputes, and intellectual property matters, with the litigation muscle to enforce a deal when it breaks. A strong fit for transactional work that may need a courtroom backstop. Ratings not yet aggregated.
A Memphis firm that has counseled area businesses for decades on recapitalizations, reorganizations, stockholder agreements, and the buying and selling of businesses. A fit for established companies and owners who want seasoned corporate counsel for deal documents. Ratings not yet aggregated.
A Memphis firm serving business entities on purchases, employment agreements, and the formation of LLCs and corporations, and litigating business disputes including breach of contract and employment complaints. A good match for small and growing companies that want one firm for both the paperwork and the fight. Ratings not yet aggregated.
A Memphis civil trial firm established in 1972, with attorneys recognized by Super Lawyers, that litigates commercial and contract disputes among its broader trial practice. A reasonable choice when an agreement has already gone wrong and you need experienced courtroom representation. Ratings not yet aggregated.
A full-service Memphis litigation firm whose attorneys are licensed across Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and New York and handle business and contract disputes. A fit for a contract fight that crosses state lines or needs trial-ready counsel. Ratings not yet aggregated.
Memphis business lawyers commonly bill $250 to $450 an hour depending on firm size and seniority. A lot of contract work is flat-fee, though: a single agreement drafted or reviewed often runs $400 to $2,500 depending on complexity, and a set of standard form contracts can be quoted as a package. Enforcement litigation is hourly and depends on how hard the dispute is fought, though many contracts' fee-shifting clauses can put the other side on the hook for your legal fees if you win. Ask whether your matter is flat-fee or hourly, what a review turnaround looks like, and whether the agreement includes a fee-shifting clause.
Match the lawyer to the job. A transaction — drafting, reviewing, or closing a deal — calls for a transactional business attorney like the transactional firms above; a breach you need to enforce calls for someone who litigates. Ask whether they handle contracts like yours regularly, what they would change in your current template, and whether they quote flat fees for drafting. The cheapest review is worthless if it misses the clause that sinks you, so weigh experience over price for anything high-stakes.
Tell us briefly about the agreement or dispute. We route a confidential request to a best-fit Memphis-area business firm in this directory. Getting a contract right before you sign costs far less than fixing it in court.