Randall L. Kinnard
Lawyer of the Year
Attorney Randall Kinnard was chosen as “Lawyer of the Year” – Plaintiffs Litigation in Personal Injury in the region by The Best Lawyers in America®. This remarkable award was earned through a comprehensive peer-review survey involving thousands of participants and asking his legal peers, “If you can’t take a case, would you give it to Attorney Kinnard instead?” To other attorneys, this title commands respect; to clients, it gives them hope; and to opposing counsel, it gives them reason to pause.
A Legal Career of Newsworthy Moments
In his 40+ years of practice, Attorney Kinnard has secured many record-setting verdicts for personal injury clients, including a $22 million jury verdict, which was the largest in Tennessee for a single person in that practice area. He also secured a $55 million verdict for sportscaster Erin Andrews in her lawsuit against a hotel for negligence and invasion of privacy. While this case was a landmark win for her, it also shows how even high-profile celebrities trust him with their most sensitive of lawsuits.
He stands out from other lawyers by more than just his case results, though. Attorney Kinnard is certified in Civil Trial Law (since 1995) and Civil Practice Advocacy (since 2012) by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and is Board-Certified as a Medical Malpractice Specialist by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys. Very few practicing attorneys will ever attempt to gain certification in the practice area of medical malpractice, and even fewer will actually earn it, placing Attorney Kinnard in a truly prestigious group of legal experts.
Award-Winning & Nationally Recognized
Attorney Randall Kinnard is the only lawyer in Tennessee who is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invite-only group of the nation’s top 100 plaintiffs’ trial attorneys. He has been named to The Best Lawyers in America® since 1993 and to Mid-South Super Lawyers® every year since 2007. He has also received the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association’s “Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year” award in 2016, among many other professional distinctions.
The Kentucky Court Trial Review praised Attorney Kinnard’s work, having said once on a public social media post:
"Randall Kinnard, a Nashville lawyer, had quite a year. He had three really significant verdicts. This guy is good. I summarize.
- January - Plaintiff told she didn't have breast cancer. She did. Led to 11 week treatment delay. $1.75 million in Murfreesboro
- March - He represented Erin Andrews in her case against Marriott regarding the peephole incident. $55,000,000. Nashville.
- October - Vanderbilt lost a biopsy sample. Plaintiff doesn't (and can't know) if she has cancer. $2,000,000 in Nashville. It was all emotional distress.
If I needed a lawyer in a personal injury case in Tennessee, Kinnard (pictured) would be on my short list. He's like Tyler Thompson. Only from a little further down south."
Notable Recognitions, Honors & Awards
- Selected to The Inner Circle of Advocates
- Named the 2020 recipient of the Pursuit of Justice Awards by the American Bar Association
- Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year, Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association (2016)
- The Best Lawyers in America® - Since 1993
- Best Lawyers® 2025 Product Liability "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
- Best Lawyers® 2025 Personal Injury “Lawyer of the Year” in Nashville
- Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Selected to the Mid-South Super Lawyers® (2007-2023)
- Top 50 Lawyers in Nashville - Super Lawyers® (2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021)
- Top 100 Lawyers in Tennessee - Super Lawyers® (2007-2021)
- Voted "Best of The Bar" by Nashville Business Journal (2019-2022)
- Featured as Master of Trial Advocacy by Lawyers Weekly USA
- Past President of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association
- Top 100 Lawyers in Tennessee, Law and Politics Magazine
- AV Preeminent Rated - Martindale-Hubbell®
Professional Memberships
- Inner Circle of Advocates – The 100 Best Plaintiff Attorneys in the United States
- Fellow International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Member
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Trial Law Institute
- Diversity Law Institute
- Past President of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association
- Past Chairman of Lawyers Involved for Tennessee
- State Delegate to the American Association for Justice
- Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Association
- Fellow of the Nashville Bar Association
- Chairman of the Ethics Committee for the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association
- Past Chairman and Current Member of Legal–Medical Relations Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association
- Ethics Committee Member of the American Association for Justice
- Chair of the Patient Safety Committee of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association
- American Board of Trial Advocates, Member
- Nashville Bar Association, Member
- Tennessee Bar Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- American Association for Justice, Member
- Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- Harry Phillips American Inn of Court
- The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
Military Service & Resolve
Before law school, Mr. Kinnard attended West Point. He served in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which instilled in him the traits needed for success in his legal practice. He was awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Purple Heart, Bronze Star for Valor, and Air Medal for his two tours in Vietnam.
Education
Memphis State University School of Law, Memphis, Tennessee
- Law Review: Memphis State University
United States Military Academy, West Point
- Bachelor of Science
Licenses
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
Featured Articles
- The Warrior Within - Lawyers Weekly USA
- A Conversation With Randall Kinnard - Nashville Business Journal
- The Imperfect Client - Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association Magazine
Community Involvement & Personal Life
In addition to his dedicated support for clients, Randall Kinnard is also driven to give back to his community. He has served as a volunteer for Alive Hospice as a member of its Quality Council. In addition, he was a board member of Centerstone, a non-profit organization that helps more than 40,000 people with mental illnesses.
Mr. Kinnard is on the Board of Directors of Friends of Warner Parks and supports The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. While serving as Chair of Fundraising for Legal Aid, he helped raise $700,000, setting a record for the organization! He has also been a board member of his church and a dedicated Sunday school teacher.
Mr. Kinnard enjoys spending his free time outdoors. He loves running, fishing, golf, and hiking to stay active. He also enjoys reading a good book, especially on the topic of history.