About Holland & Knight LLP · Nashville
Holland & Knight LLP is a global Am Law 50 law firm headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with more than 2,200 attorneys practicing across 30+ U.S. and international offices. Its Nashville office, the firm's largest, was created through the 2023 combination with century-old Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis and today houses roughly 200–230 attorneys focused primarily on healthcare, financial services, real estate, M&A, and corporate matters. The Nashville team relocated in June 2026 to Symphony Place in downtown SoBro, where it occupies seven floors and 145,000 square feet as the building's anchor tenant.
Holland & Knight traces its roots to two Florida practices opened by Peter O. Knight (Tampa, 1889) and Spessard Holland (Bartow, 1919, later a U.S. Senator). The modern firm was formed by the 1968 merger of those practices under managing partner Chesterfield Smith, who built it into a national powerhouse known for its decentralized model. The firm grew through landmark combinations: a 1997 merger with Haight, Gardner, Poor & Havens; a 2021 merger with Dallas-based Thompson & Knight; and most relevant to Nashville, the 2023 merger with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis — a 100+ year-old Tennessee firm that gave Holland & Knight its dominant Nashville presence. The Nashville office, now its largest, serves clients in healthcare (regulatory compliance, M&A, financing, restructuring), banking, REITs, private equity, venture capital, real estate (acquisition, development, leasing, financing), manufacturing, hospitality, technology, and labor & employment. In 2024 the Nashville Business Journal named it one of Nashville's 'Best Places to Work.' In June 2026 the firm relocated to Symphony Place at 150 Third Avenue South, Suite 2800, where it serves as anchor tenant across seven newly renovated, technology-forward floors. Executive Partner Matt Burnstein, formerly managing partner of Waller Lansden, leads the local office, which includes an Office Administrator (Nina Smith) and a Senior Attorney Recruiting Manager (Mindy Arnett).
- In business
- Founded 1968 (Nashville presence established 2023 via merger with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, founded ~1905)
- Owner
- Firm founders: Spessard Holland and Peter O. Knight (1968 merger). Nashville Executive Partner: Matt Burnstein. Firm Chair & CEO: Bob Grammig.
- Serves
- Nashville, Tennessee and statewide; firmwide coverage across the United States and internationally (offices in the U.S., England, Mexico, Colombia, and other locations)
Nashville Office Overview
Holland & Knight's Nashville office is the firm's largest, comprising more than 200 attorneys (the firmwide total is 2,200+). The office serves clients in healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, technology, finance, and private equity, with deep benches in healthcare law (regulatory compliance, M&A, dispositions, refinancing, commercial finance, securities offerings, restructuring, distressed asset transactions), labor and employment, real estate, tax, and intellectual property. The Nashville team also works extensively with banks, commercial finance companies, REITs, private equity funds, and venture capital firms, and includes one of the largest real estate practices in Tennessee. Matt Burnstein serves as Executive Partner, with Nina Smith as Office Administrator and Mindy Arnett as Senior Attorney Recruiting Manager.
History and the Waller Lansden Combination
Holland & Knight was founded in 1968 from the merger of two long-established Florida practices: Holland, Bevis Smith, Kibler & Hall (roots to Spessard Holland's 1919/1929 Bartow practice) and Knight, Jones, Whitaker & Germany (roots to Peter O. Knight's 1889 Tampa practice). Managing partner Chesterfield Smith drove the firm's expansion into Miami, Tallahassee, and beyond, creating a decentralized national model. In 2021 the firm merged with Dallas-based Thompson & Knight; in 2023 it merged with Nashville-based Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis — a century-old Tennessee firm that became the foundation of Holland & Knight's current Nashville presence, then Nashville's second-largest law office. Matt Burnstein, formerly Waller Lansden's managing partner, continued as Nashville Executive Partner after the merger.
- 1968 — Holland & Knight formed in Florida
- 1997 — Merger with Haight, Gardner, Poor & Havens
- 2021 — Merger with Thompson & Knight (Dallas)
- 2023 — Merger with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis (Nashville)
- 2024 — Named one of Nashville's 'Best Places to Work' by the Nashville Business Journal
- June 2026 — Relocation to Symphony Place announced
Symphony Place Relocation (June 2026)
On June 15, 2026, Holland & Knight announced the relocation of its Nashville office to Symphony Place, one of downtown Nashville's premier office towers in the SoBro neighborhood. The firm occupies seven floors and 145,000 square feet as Symphony Place's anchor tenant — about 17% smaller than the prior Nashville City Center space, but redesigned for technology and collaboration. The new office features five floors of attorney workspace plus two dedicated floors of gathering spaces, conference rooms, and visitor offices. Every lawyer has dual 27-inch monitors, and there are roughly 25 fully tech-enabled meeting rooms within 50 feet of any workspace, supporting hybrid in-person and Zoom/Teams collaboration. Renovations included gutting the space to the studs and removing a prior tenant's staircase to open skyline views. Building owner Highwood Properties unveiled an updated lobby and new amenity level in tandem with the move.
- Address: Symphony Place, 150 Third Avenue South, Suite 2800, Nashville, TN 37201
- Square footage: 145,000 sq ft across 7 floors
- Anchor tenant of Symphony Place
- Move-in operational Monday, June 15, 2026
Healthcare Industry Practice
Healthcare is the signature strength of Holland & Knight's Nashville office. Attorneys advise healthcare providers and investors across the full transaction and regulatory life cycle: regulatory compliance and operations, mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, refinancing, commercial finance and securities offerings, corporate restructuring, and distressed asset transactions. The firm's deep healthcare bench in Nashville is a major reason the firm entered the Tennessee market via the Waller Lansden combination and is a key driver of its continued investment there.
Real Estate, Banking, and Financial Services
The Nashville office is home to one of the largest real estate practices in Tennessee, engaged in all aspects of real estate acquisition, development, leasing, financing, and investing. Holland & Knight attorneys in Nashville also work extensively with banks, commercial finance companies, real estate investment trusts (REITs), private equity funds, and venture capital firms, providing financial-services clients with the full capabilities of the national platform.
Office Leadership
- Matt Burnstein — Executive Partner (Nashville); previously managing partner of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis; member of the firm's directors' committee
- Bob Grammig — Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Holland & Knight
- Nina Smith — Office Administrator, Nashville
- Mindy Arnett — Senior Attorney Recruiting Manager, Nashville
Visiting the Nashville Office
Practical visitor information for the Symphony Place office includes directions, parking, nearby hotels, and airport access. Nashville International Airport is 8.7 miles from the office. Underground parking garage entrance is on the left on Union Street between 5th and 6th Avenue. Complimentary parking validation is offered via the Metropolis platform (scan-to-park QR codes in the garage) or by license plate at the 27th-floor reception desk.
- Parking: Underground garage on Union St. between 5th & 6th Ave; complimentary validation via Metropolis QR or license plate
- The Hermitage Hotel — 231 6th Avenue North (1 block)
- Renaissance Nashville — 611 Commerce Street (2 blocks)
- Fairlane Hotel Nashville, by Oliver — 401 Union Street (2 blocks)
- Airport: Nashville International Airport, 8.7 miles
Firmwide Profile
Holland & Knight is one of the largest U.S. law firms, with 2,174 attorneys (2025) and $2.043 billion in revenue (2024). Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the firm operates 30 U.S. and 5 international offices and practices in 250+ areas of law. It is recognized as an Am Law 50 firm.
Recognition and Workplace
- Am Law 50 firm
- 2024 Nashville Business Journal 'Best Places to Work'
- Ranked among the largest U.S. law firms by attorney count and revenue