Publishing Lawyers for Tennessee
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Dean F.
Ferraro Law Firm was founded by Dean C. Ferraro. Dean earned his Bachelor's Degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona ("Cal Poly Pomona") in 1992 and his J.D. Degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law ("Ole Miss") in 1996. He is licensed to practice law in the State Courts of Colorado, Tennessee, and California. Dean is also admitted to practice before the United States District Courts of Colorado (District of Colorado), California (Central District), and Tennessee (Eastern District). Shortly after earning his law license and working for a private law firm, Dean joined the District Attorney's office, where he worked for five successful years as one of the leading prosecuting attorneys in the State of Tennessee. After seven years of practicing law in Tennessee, Dean moved back to his birth state and practiced law in California from 2003-2015. In 2015, Dean moved with his family to Colorado, practicing law in beautiful Castle Rock, where he is recognized as a highly-effective attorney, well-versed in many areas of law. Dean's career has entailed practicing multiple areas of law, including civil litigation with a large law firm, prosecuting criminal cases as an Assistant District Attorney, In-House Counsel for Safeco Insurance, and as the founding member of an online law group that helped thousands of people get affordable legal services. Pursuing his passion for helping others, Dean now utilizes his legal and entrepreneurial experience to help his clients in their personal and business lives. Dean is also a bestselling author of two legal thrillers, Murder in Santa Barbara and Murder in Vail. He currently is working on his next legal thriller, The Grove Conspiracy, set to be published in 2023.
"I would highly recommend Contract Counsel to friends or family. I received bids relatively quickly and was able to find the best fit for my situation."
Robert M.
Robert is a sixth-generation Tennessean and part of a long line of Tennessee attorneys: There has been a Marks attorney in Tennessee since 1856. In 1929, Robert’s great-grandfather established an event venue, Shadowbrook, which Robert has worked at his entire life, including managing for 10 years. He knows what business owners are dealing with—especially venue owners—because he has dealt with it. While Robert loves the hospitality industry, he pursued his passion. In 2016, Robert decided to attend law school and continue managing the business. He thrived. He was a founding member of the Nashville School of Law's Legal Aid Society, received the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Law Student for Justice award, and interned with the Tennessee Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission. Before co-founding Mercury Legal Group, Robert focused on estate planning in solo practice. In this role, he helped clients protect what they had spent a lifetime building. Now he helps his clients build their businesses by providing tailored legal services.
"Robert is so professional and yet friendly! He was very easy to work with. I explained my situation and he has immediate solutions to get everything worked out. I’m su with his work ethic and overall attentiveness to the project. He will be my new lawyer moving on."
Connie C.
Connie Chadwick presently focuses her law practice in Tennessee on flat fee legal services which commonly include family court settlements such as divorces, child support orders, custody agreements; contracts; business formation services; and estate plans. Connie is also a Tennessee licensed residential general contractor with over fifteen years of experience in the construction field. With both legal and construction experience, Connie is a logical choice for contractor disputes. Connie earned her Doctorate of Jurisprudence from The Nashville School of Law after earning her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Lipscomb University. www.conniechadwicklaw.com Connie Chadwick is recognized by peers and was selected to SuperLawyers Rising Stars for 2017 - 2023. This selection is based off of an evaluation of 12 indicators including peer recognition and professional achievement in legal practice. Being selected to Rising Stars is limited to a small number of attorneys in each state. As one of the few attorneys to garner the distinction of Rising Stars, Connie Chadwick has earned the respect of peers as one of the top-rated attorneys in the nation.
"Connie was a pleasure to work with and provided thorough legal advice that I was able to make actionable decisions on. Thank you Connie!!"
William M.
Will focuses his legal practice on business, real estate, entertainment, intellectual property, and certain litigation matters. In addition to his legal expertise, he is a owner of a quickly growing bluegrass record label, and has produced chart topping bluegrass albums. Beyond his professional achievements, he has earned acclaim as a bluegrass musician, producer, and songwriter, having toured extensively across North America with well known bluegrass bands. Will is also involved with volunteering and professional groups focused towards music frowth and education. With a distinctive background as an attorney, musician, real estate investor, and business owner, Will offers clients a unique and relatable perspective few attorneys possess.
"Will did a great job of reviewing our commercial lease and explaining the legal implications in a clear way. We hope to work with him again in the future."
John M.
John has extensive leadership experience in various industries, including hospitality and event-based businesses, then co-founded a successful event bar company in 2016. As co-founder, John routinely negotiated agreements with venues, suppliers, and other external partners, swiftly reaching agreement while protecting the brand and strategic objectives of the company. He leverages his business experience to provide clients with strategic legal counsel and negotiates attractive terms.
October 30, 2023
James S.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-swindle/
John V.
Education: Georgetown Law (83), Yale (75- BA in Economics), Hotchkiss School (1970). Practice areas have included commercial litigation, individual litigation, and securities litigation and arbitration.
Beth M.
Highly skilled attorney with more than 12 years of experience in delivering ongoing support to an international organization, government organizations, law firms, and long-term healthcare facilities. Eager to leverage experience in negotiations, contracts, and strategic planning into a corporate attorney role with room for growth in the organization.
June 12, 2024
Daniel L.
I have 8 years of experience in commercial litigation. Clients have been in industries including chemical, trucking, heavy equipment and materials, industrial supplies, hospitality, and commercial real estate. I am barred in TN, and my NY bar admission is pending.
May 28, 2025
Calleigh G.
Associate attorney
June 3, 2025
Justin T.
Attorney with 20+ years substantive experience in the areas of law including real estate; banking, insurance, and financial institutions; business organizations and corporations; and probate and estate planning.
DC L.
Darren Craig ("DC") Lamb is the Founder and Managing Partner of DCL Legal, AI, & Business Consulting, a Nashville-based law firm serving entrepreneurs, founders, and growing businesses as outside general counsel. Licensed in TN, KY, and IN, Darren previously served as lead associate at Wilson Elser (AmLaw 200), handling all litigation for a Fortune 500 e-commerce company across KY, IN, and TN, and managing complex coverage matters for a leading international insurance market. DCL Legal focuses on business litigation, commercial contracts, corporate governance, AI & technology advisory, and fractional general counsel engagements — delivering executive-level legal guidance without the cost of full-time in-house counsel.
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Browse Lawyers NowPublishing Legal Questions and Answers
Publishing
Book Publishing Agreement
Connecticut
Can I terminate a book agreement if the publisher fails to fulfill their obligations?
I entered into a book agreement with a publisher to publish my manuscript, but they have repeatedly failed to fulfill their obligations, including missed deadlines, poor editing, and inadequate marketing efforts. As a result, I am concerned about the impact on the success of my book and my reputation as an author. I want to know if I have the right to terminate the agreement and seek a new publisher.
Randy M.
Based on what you’ve described and how Connecticut law generally works, it sounds like you probably have a solid basis for ending your publishing agreement. The important thing is understanding how contract law in Connecticut applies to your situation, and then following the right steps to protect your rights as you move forward. Let’s start with the big picture. Under Connecticut law, if a publisher commits a material breach, you have the right to terminate the contract. That means they’ve failed in such a significant way that the whole purpose of the agreement is essentially defeated. In publishing, this might look like missed deadlines over and over, poor editing that damages your reputation, or a total failure to do any of the marketing they promised. When you look at all the problems you’ve mentioned together, it’s likely enough to qualify as material breach. Now, it’s not about one minor slip-up. Courts look at everything in context. One late email won’t cut it, but if there’s a pattern of delays, low-quality work, and no real marketing effort, that adds up to something more serious. That’s when a court is more likely to say the breach is material. Next, you’ll want to take a close look at your contract. Most publishing agreements include a section about termination. Look for phrases like “material breach,” “cure period,” or “reversion of rights.” Many of these clauses will require you to give notice—typically 30 to 60 days—before you can walk away. Some agreements even say that if the publisher misses a key milestone, like a publication deadline, and doesn’t fix it within a set window, you can end things automatically. Also, check what the contract says about advance payments. In most cases, if they breach first, you keep the advance and get your rights back. Just be sure to see if there’s a clause about legal fees, because some contracts say you could owe their attorney’s costs if they challenge your termination and win. The type of publisher matters, too. If you signed with a traditional publisher that paid you an advance and took on the financial risk, courts usually hold them to a higher standard. But if it’s a hybrid or vanity publisher and you paid upfront, it’s more like a service contract. That can change how a judge sees each party’s obligations and how they interpret what “performance” really means in your case. Before you do anything official, put together a timeline that shows missed deadlines, poor communication, weak deliverables, and anything else that supports your case. Save all emails, notes, and written promises. If the editing was sloppy, point to specific examples that show real, objective problems, not just stylistic preferences. Same with marketing. What were you promised, and what did you actually get? All of this documentation will help in two ways. First, it strengthens your legal position. Second, it gives you clear, credible language for your notice letter. Speaking of notice, Connecticut law typically expects you to give the other party a chance to fix things before ending the contract. That means sending a formal letter that spells out what they’ve done wrong, points to the relevant sections of your agreement, and gives them a chance to cure the problems, either within the timeframe listed in the contract or, if there isn’t one, within a “reasonable” period. Be specific. Don’t just say “the editing was bad.” Say something like, “Failure to provide professional editing services under Section X, resulting in multiple grammatical errors and inconsistencies that reduce the manuscript’s professional quality.” Clarity here matters, especially if the situation ends up in dispute. If they don’t fix the issues in time, then you’re in a position to send a formal termination notice. If that happens, your rights usually revert back to you, and you’re free to publish elsewhere. You typically won’t owe back the advance either, assuming the breach was on their side. Just keep an eye out for any non-compete clauses or restrictions that could delay your ability to republish the same work right away. Of course, sometimes you can resolve things without pulling the plug completely. If you think there’s still a chance to salvage the relationship—or if the publisher seems willing to talk—it might be worth having a direct conversation. You could end up with a mutual termination or at least avoid legal headaches. That said, you don’t have to keep tolerating poor performance just to avoid conflict. If they’re harming your book or your reputation, it’s absolutely reasonable to consider legal options. Finally, while you can handle much of this yourself, getting a lawyer involved might be a smart move, especially if the contract has any fee-shifting provisions or vague language. An attorney can help you assess how strong your case is, draft the notice properly, and make sure you don’t accidentally create liability while trying to assert your rights. They can also tell you if you might be entitled to any damages beyond simply walking away, such as lost sales or reputational harm.
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Publishing lawyers by top cities
- Austin Publishing Lawyers
- Boston Publishing Lawyers
- Chicago Publishing Lawyers
- Dallas Publishing Lawyers
- Denver Publishing Lawyers
- Houston Publishing Lawyers
- Los Angeles Publishing Lawyers
- New York Publishing Lawyers
- Phoenix Publishing Lawyers
- San Diego Publishing Lawyers
- Tampa Publishing Lawyers
Publishing lawyers by nearby cities
- Chattanooga Publishing Lawyers
- Clarksville Publishing Lawyers
- Knoxville Publishing Lawyers
- Memphis Publishing Lawyers
- Murfreesboro Publishing Lawyers
- Nashville Publishing Lawyers
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I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.
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