Domestic Violence Series: What is Battered Woman Syndrome, and how can you help?
Thursday, January 31st, 2019
Battered Woman Syndrome is recognized in the psychological community as a subcategory of post-traumatic stress disorder. Women experiencing this syndrome often show shame, guilt or a false sense of responsibility for the abuse they have endured, in addition to typical PTSD symptoms; so, it is typically treated as a more complex form of PTSD. Women […]
Read More »Domestic Violence Series: Resources for Leaving an Abusive Relationship
Thursday, January 31st, 2019
There are many reasons that someone facing domestic violence may remain in an abusive environment, be it from a romantic partner, close friend or a family member. In fact, people in the midst of an abusive relationship might not even be fully aware that what they are experiencing “qualifies” as domestic violence or abuse. This […]
Read More »Literacy in Juvenile Detention Centers
Tuesday, January 15th, 2019
According to a November 2015 article in The Tennessean, roughly 2,500 children and teenagers from across Tennessee come through Knox County’s juvenile detention center each year. Juvenile inmates are accused of all sorts of crimes, some as serious as murder and others as (relatively) minor as shoplifting. Some of these inmates stay at the center […]
Read More »TN Supreme Court Honors Margaret Held
Sunday, October 21st, 2018
In recognition of Attorney Margaret Held’s exemplary pro bono service in 2017, the Tennessee Supreme Court has honored her with the title of 2018 Attorney for Justice. Last year, Margaret provided more than 50 hours of pro bono service to clients who couldn’t afford the fees associated with legal services. Held Law Firm is committed […]
Read More »Introducing the Advocacy Project
Thursday, May 17th, 2018
Unlike other professions, lawyers are not required to intern prior to taking their first client. We believe that fact is scary. Doctors go through years of residency because to perform surgery without that supervised experience would put patients in danger. Similarly, to entrust someone with zero experience to litigate such important issues as who gets […]
Read More »The Law Firm’s Dream
Monday, February 5th, 2018
When I started Held Law Firm, my dream was to do more than just take individual cases. I wanted to use what I learned from individual cases to design solutions for problems faced by many of my clients, and then advocate, organize, and lobby for those solutions. In those first few years, we were active […]
Read More »Help us Stop the Defunding of the Legal Services Corporation
Friday, April 28th, 2017
When I was in law school, I was poor, and I was a recipient of food stamps and other public benefits. It was a difficult time, and had I not received that help I would never have made it through law school. I knew, from living in a poor neighborhood, how many other moms were […]
Read More »Meet our Community Relations Director
Wednesday, August 31st, 2016
At Held Law Firm, our philosophy of practice emphasizes the relationship between our clients and our attorneys. We believe that great law practice begins with forming great relationships and maintaining those relationships, even after a case has closed. One step we’ve taken toward making our client relationships a bigger priority in the firm is hiring our […]
Read More »Your Attorney and Your Neighbor: Held Law Firm
Friday, August 26th, 2016
I enjoy practicing law from an iconic Victorian house, in a neighborhood. It feels connected, like our office is part of the town. It’s no secret that I started dreaming of becoming a lawyer at a young age. As a child, instead of a lemonade stand, I set up a refrigerator box with a sign […]
Read More »Dignity for Clients, Win or Lose
Monday, August 15th, 2016
Last week, Held Law Firm appeared before the Court of Appeals on a 4-year-long, pro bono case. Although I cannot disclose details, I can say that this case has been a reminder of why I practice family law. This family’s case is complex and unpleasant. What happened to my clients is tragic on so many […]
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