Legal Director Jobs in Tennessee
Legal Director jobs in Tennessee are concentrated in Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville, where demand runs from in-house corporate counsel roles to senior compliance and regulatory positions across healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing. Major employers with a lasting presence in the state include HCA Healthcare, FedEx, and Eastman Chemical, each maintaining substantial legal departments that hire at the director level. Healthcare law, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance are consistently the most sought-after specialties among Tennessee employers. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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See related jobsThe Director of Legal Real Estate manages and directs all legal matters involving real estate for both existing corporate assets and for the development of new stores.
- Manage the Real Estate Legal Department, including attorneys and professionals on the real estate contracts team, legal property management team, and escrow team.
- Manage the day-to-day activities of the Real Estate Legal Department supporting Store Development in the opening of new retail locations across the United States and Puerto Rico on an annual basis.
- Manage the day-to-day activities of the Property Management Legal Department supporting Property Management, Operations, Asset Management and Maintenance for all United States and Puerto Rico retail locations.
- Represent the Real Estate Legal team at the Legal Leadership and Store Development leadership levels.
- Responsible for meeting Store Development goals/KPIs for contracts including satellite, hub and mega hub store openings, or other metrics as required, to support Company initiatives.
- Participate in the drafting and negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, all types of commercial leases and various related documents related to construction, development, zoning permitting, regulation, environmental, title and use.
- Advise Store Development in the real estate development process and proactively assist in assessing and managing risk.
- Facilitate active and ongoing communication with internal clients regarding the contracting process.
- Attend meetings with Legal Leadership, Store Development, Real Estate Committee, Property Management, etc. as needed to coordinate legal involvement and integration into processes.
- Oversee the work product of the real estate attorneys, escrow specialists and legal property management team and manage the workflow of the Real Estate Legal Department.
- Maintain reporting procedures and look for opportunities to improve processes and procedures in Property Management and Store Development.
- Keep abreast of current developments in Commercial Real Estate Law and assist in revising department policies, procedures, and real estate forms.
- Train, develop, and provide guidance to the real estate attorneys, commercial escrow specialists, and other support staff.
- Supervise outside counsel as needed, including the supervision and disposition of litigation related to real property.
- Coordinate with other directors from Store Development to enhance and facilitate the opening of new stores to help contribute to overall sales objectives.
- Review environmental due diligence to evaluate and manage risks, including attending weekly Environmental Committee Meeting.
- Help support and advise Property Management in the areas of Landlord-Tenant disputes, foreclosures, eminent domain, trespass, environmental issues, and notices of violations.
- Direct supervision of attorney managers on Real Estate Contracts and Property Management Legal teams.
- Work with Construction to resolve issues regarding construction defects, contracts disputes, mechanic and materialman liens, and warranty issues.
- Work with Store Development and Legal internationally to develop and improve processes and procedures, as needed.
- Other related projects and tasks, as may be required, from time to time.
REQUIRED:
- A Doctorate degree (Ph.D., Ed D, JD) in Law is required and active bar in Tennessee, or ability to register for in-house counsel designation with the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners
- 12+ years of experience in real estate development, contract or corporate law
- Competitive pay
- Unrivaled company culture
- Medical, dental and vision plans
- Exclusive discounts and perks, including an AutoZone in-store discount
- 401(k) with company match and Stock Purchase Plan
- AutoZoners Living Well Program for free mental health support
- Opportunities for career growth
- Paid time off
- Life, and short- and long-term disability insurance options
- Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts with wellness rewards
- Tuition reimbursement
The Director of Legal Real Estate manages and directs all legal matters involving real estate for both existing corporate assets and for the development of new stores.
- Manage the Real Estate Legal Department, including attorneys and professionals on the real estate contracts team, legal property management team, and escrow team.
- Manage the day-to-day activities of the Real Estate Legal Department supporting Store Development in the opening of new retail locations across the United States and Puerto Rico on an annual basis.
- Manage the day-to-day activities of the Property Management Legal Department supporting Property Management, Operations, Asset Management and Maintenance for all United States and Puerto Rico retail locations.
- Represent the Real Estate Legal team at the Legal Leadership and Store Development leadership levels.
- Responsible for meeting Store Development goals/KPIs for contracts including satellite, hub and mega hub store openings, or other metrics as required, to support Company initiatives.
- Participate in the drafting and negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, all types of commercial leases and various related documents related to construction, development, zoning permitting, regulation, environmental, title and use.
- Advise Store Development in the real estate development process and proactively assist in assessing and managing risk.
- Facilitate active and ongoing communication with internal clients regarding the contracting process.
- Attend meetings with Legal Leadership, Store Development, Real Estate Committee, Property Management, etc. as needed to coordinate legal involvement and integration into processes.
- Oversee the work product of the real estate attorneys, escrow specialists and legal property management team and manage the workflow of the Real Estate Legal Department.
- Maintain reporting procedures and look for opportunities to improve processes and procedures in Property Management and Store Development.
- Keep abreast of current developments in Commercial Real Estate Law and assist in revising department policies, procedures, and real estate forms.
- Train, develop, and provide guidance to the real estate attorneys, commercial escrow specialists, and other support staff.
- Supervise outside counsel as needed, including the supervision and disposition of litigation related to real property.
- Coordinate with other directors from Store Development to enhance and facilitate the opening of new stores to help contribute to overall sales objectives.
- Review environmental due diligence to evaluate and manage risks, including attending weekly Environmental Committee Meeting.
- Help support and advise Property Management in the areas of Landlord-Tenant disputes, foreclosures, eminent domain, trespass, environmental issues, and notices of violations.
- Direct supervision of attorney managers on Real Estate Contracts and Property Management Legal teams.
- Work with Construction to resolve issues regarding construction defects, contracts disputes, mechanic and materialman liens, and warranty issues.
- Work with Store Development and Legal internationally to develop and improve processes and procedures, as needed.
- Other related projects and tasks, as may be required, from time to time.
REQUIRED:
- A Doctorate degree (Ph.D., Ed D, JD) in Law is required and active bar in Tennessee, or ability to register for in-house counsel designation with the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners
- 12+ years of experience in real estate development, contract or corporate law
- Competitive pay
- Unrivaled company culture
- Medical, dental and vision plans
- Exclusive discounts and perks, including an AutoZone in-store discount
- 401(k) with company match and Stock Purchase Plan
- AutoZoners Living Well Program for free mental health support
- Opportunities for career growth
- Paid time off
- Life, and short- and long-term disability insurance options
- Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts with wellness rewards
- Tuition reimbursement
See All 5 Legal Director Jobs in Tennessee
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Find Legal Director JobsLegal Director Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Legal Director Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in legal director jobs across Tennessee.
- Active Tennessee bar license or admission through Tennessee bar reciprocity required
- Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school required
- Minimum eight to ten years of legal experience with progressive leadership responsibility
- Demonstrated experience managing and mentoring teams of attorneys or legal staff
- Deep knowledge of regulatory compliance, corporate governance, or healthcare law preferred
- Strong record of advising executive leadership and engaging with boards of directors
Legal Director Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a legal director in Tennessee?
Becoming a legal director in Tennessee starts with earning a Juris Doctor and passing the Tennessee bar examination administered by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. Attorneys licensed in other states may seek admission by motion if they meet Tennessee's reciprocity standards. From there, candidates typically build experience as associate general counsel or senior counsel before moving into a director role, with healthcare law, compliance, and corporate governance being the most common specializations among Tennessee employers.
How much do legal directors make in Tennessee?
Legal directors in Tennessee earn a median of about $136,180 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $76,510 for the lowest 10% to over $324,880 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire legal directors in Tennessee?
Employers hiring legal directors in Tennessee right now include Vanderbilt University, AutoZone, and Sunrise Medical, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Tennessee's large healthcare systems, financial services firms, and manufacturing headquarters are among the most consistent sources of legal director openings in the state.
Which Tennessee cities have the most legal director jobs?
Nashville, Memphis, and Mount Juliet are the Tennessee cities with the most legal director openings, driven by Nashville's concentration of major healthcare systems and corporate headquarters, Memphis's logistics and financial services sector anchored by large regional employers, and Knoxville's energy, manufacturing, and university-affiliated institutions that regularly maintain in-house legal departments at the director level.
How can I get hired as a legal director in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is building a foundation as a staff attorney or associate counsel inside a large Tennessee institution, then moving laterally into a senior counsel role before pursuing director-level positions. Healthcare systems across Nashville and Memphis regularly hire new or early-career attorneys into in-house roles within compliance, contracts, and regulatory affairs, which are the divisions most likely to promote from within. Earning your Tennessee bar license early and developing a focused specialty in healthcare law or corporate governance gives candidates a clear edge in this market.
Where can I find and apply to legal director jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to legal director jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the available roles, find positions that match your background and target location, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
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