Margaret Held

Founding attorney Margaret Held decided she wanted to be a lawyer when she was eight, and is the third generation of lawyers in her family practicing in Knoxville. She launched her career through an Equal Justice Fellowship awarded by the National Association for Public Interest Law for her work with low income people starting small businesses in inner city Knoxville; her article about that work was featured in the Harvard Civil Rights Civil Liberties Law Review in 1996.

Margaret is known as a fearless trial attorney. “I’m not a fan of settling cases,” Margaret laughed in a recent interview. “I love telling my client’s story in the courtroom too much, asking hard questions, standing for justice and fair play. I have no patience for people throwing their weight around, taking advantage of people because they think they can get away with it. Someone has to stand for what’s right, and I’m never happier than when that person is me.” Margaret has been nominated by Martindale-Hubbell for 2023 High Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards. 

Margaret leads the firm. She personally takes the complex cases to trial, and she oversees the preparation of all cases through investigation, motion practice and mediation, ensuring that every case served by any Held Law Firm attorney meets the highest standards for quality representation. Margaret also directs the firm’s community-based advocacy projects, lobbying, and political activity. “People complain that the legal system is broken, and in many ways, they are right. As lawyers, we should never get so busy representing individual clients that we fail to address the problems our clients have in common. We should busy ourselves designing policies that improve the lives of the families we represent, and we should constantly work with our colleagues and our elected judges to implement those solutions.”

Margaret inspired the law firm’s mascot, the Flying Pig, with her attitude. It is an attitude that has served her clients well.

“She fixed the mess the other lawyers had made.”

“Ms. Held is a firecracker.”

You can read Margaret’s reviews here.