James M. Hivner (Jim) brings more than three decades of legal, judicial, governmental, and business experience to his practice. His career has taken him from private practice in Alabama and Memphis to leadership positions within the Tennessee court system, including service as Chief Administrative Officer of the Shelby County Chancery Court and, most recently, Clerk of the Supreme Court of Tennessee and the Tennessee appellate courts.
Before beginning his career in law, Jim worked as an accountant with NASA, giving him an early foundation in business, finance, and complex financial matters. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with high honors from the University of Tennessee before earning both his J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Alabama School of Law. Before entering the practice of law, he passed the certified public accountant exam. His advanced education in taxation, combined with his business background, has provided a strong foundation for advising clients on sophisticated legal and financial matters.
Jim began his legal career in Alabama, where he maintained a solo practice. He later returned to Memphis and continued his private practice. His twenty years of private-practice experience has included business and corporate matters, taxation, estate planning, probate, and general civil and criminal litigation, giving him a broad perspective on the legal issues faced by individuals, families, and businesses.
Jim subsequently brought his private-practice experience into the public sector, serving as Chief Administrative Officer of the Shelby County Chancery Court. That position provided him with an inside perspective on the administration of justice and the operation of one of Tennessee’s busiest trial courts. His work with the Chancery Court was an important bridge between his years in private practice and his later service with Tennessee’s appellate judiciary.
In 2014, Jim was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. In that role, he also served as Clerk of the Tennessee Court of Appeals and the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. He oversaw the Appellate Court Clerk’s Office and its staff across the state of Tennessee, supporting the work of Tennessee’s appellate courts and helping administer the state’s appellate process. He was subsequently reappointed to the position in 2020.
During his tenure as Appellate Court Clerk, Jim became particularly knowledgeable about Tennessee appellate procedure and the practical workings of appellate litigation. His experience working alongside Tennessee’s appellate courts gives him a distinct understanding of how legal issues are presented, preserved, researched, and ultimately reviewed on appeal.
Jim has also remained active in legal education and professional organizations. Throughout his career, Jim has taught continuing legal education and other seminars on topics including among others estate planning, business formations and Tennessee appellate practice and procedures. He previously served as an adjunct professor of business law at both the University of North Alabama and Faulkner University bringing his practical experience in law and business into the classroom. Jim has also been active in national and local legal and community organizations serving in many leadership and committee roles.
After years of serving the Tennessee judiciary, Jim now returns to private practice, bringing with him a rare combination of perspectives: the experience of a practicing attorney, the business and financial knowledge of a former accountant, the specialized training of an LL.M. in Taxation, the operational perspective of a Chancery Court administrator, and more than a decade of direct experience with Tennessee’s appellate courts.
Jim is admitted to practice in Tennessee and is proud to return to private practice with a career devoted to the law, the courts, legal education, and service to his clients and community.
Jim intends to concentrate his practice in the areas of business transactions, estate planning, trust, probate, taxation, general business law and related litigation.
Jim enjoys spending his free time with his wife, Brenda, their children and extended family, and their beloved dog, Max. A lifelong sports fan, Jim especially enjoys following the sports forays of his alma maters.
