Our attorneys

A two-partner firm. No bait-and-switch.

When you hire Mercer & Cole, you are hiring Eleanor or Daniel, not a junior associate you have never met. Your retainer pays for the experience on the door.

Tennessee Super Lawyers, 2016 to 2026

Best Lawyers in America, Family Law, 2019 to 2026

Nashville Scene, Best Family Law Attorney, 2021 and 2023

AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, highest peer rating

Founding Partner

Eleanor Mercer

80+ contested matters tried to judgment

Eleanor founded Mercer & Cole in 2006 after a decade at one of Nashville's largest firms, where she led the family-law practice group. She made a deliberate choice to go boutique: smaller docket, deeper preparation, more time with each client. She has practiced exclusively in Tennessee family courts for nineteen years and has tried more than 80 contested matters to judgment. She is a Rule 31 listed mediator, a frequent CLE speaker on parenting plans and high-asset divorce, and a member of the Tennessee Bar Association's Family Law Section executive council. She is also a founding board member of the Nashville Legal Aid Family Law Project.

"The cases that settle well are the ones prepared as if they will go to trial. I have never been sorry I over-prepared."

Education

J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School
2004, Order of the Coif
B.A., University of Virginia
2001, Political Science, magna cum laude

Community

Nashville Legal Aid Family Law Project, Founding Board Member
Vanderbilt Law School, Adjunct Lecturer, Family Law seminar
Tennessee Bar Association, CLE speaker, annual family-law conference

J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School
Rule 31 Listed Mediator
TBA Family Law Section Executive Council
AV-Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
Nashville Legal Aid Family Law Project, Founding Board Member
Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)

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Tennessee Super Lawyers, 2020 to 2026

Best Lawyers in America, Family Law, 2022 to 2026

Davidson County Bar Association Pro Bono Award, 2018

Partner

Daniel Cole

120+ trial proceedings as public defender, 60+ family-law hearings since 2014

Daniel joined Mercer & Cole in 2014 after seven years as a Davidson County assistant public defender, where he tried more than 120 bench and jury trials. That background shaped everything about how he practices: he listens before he strategizes, he is completely comfortable in front of a judge, and he does not rattle. He handles the firm's most complex custody litigation, high-conflict parenting disputes, and asset-intensive divorces. He is an AAML Fellow, a Rule 31 listed mediator, and a certified parenting coordinator under Tennessee Code 36-6-423. He co-authored the Tennessee chapter of the BNA Family Law Practice Guide.

"A client who understands their case makes better decisions under pressure. My job is to keep the information moving, not to translate everything into legalese."

Education

J.D., University of Tennessee College of Law
2007, Law Review
B.S., Middle Tennessee State University
2004, Criminal Justice, summa cum laude

Community

Davidson County Bar Association, Family Law Section Chair
Tennessee Legal Community Foundation, volunteer mediator
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, mentor

J.D., University of Tennessee College of Law
AAML Fellow
Rule 31 Listed Mediator
Certified Parenting Coordinator (T.C.A. 36-6-423)
Co-Author, BNA Family Law Practice Guide, Tennessee Chapter
Davidson County Bar Association, Family Law Section Chair

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The team behind the team

The people who keep your case moving.

Our partners are supported by a small, experienced staff who have all spent their careers in family-law practices. When you call, someone who knows your file will answer.

Client Intake Coordinator

Priya Nair

Priya is the first voice you will hear when you call. She manages the conflict check, schedules consultations, and ensures every new client arrives prepared. She has 11 years of legal support experience, all in family law.

Senior Paralegal

Marcus Webb

Marcus handles discovery coordination, document production, and financial tracing analysis on high-asset matters. He is a certified paralegal with a background in forensic accounting support.

Legal Operations Manager

Sarah Kim

Sarah keeps the firm running: billing, compliance, court filings, and deadline tracking. She has managed legal operations for boutique litigation firms for eight years.

Why it matters

What a boutique model actually means for you.

	Larger firms	Mercer & Cole
Who handles your matter	A partner signs the engagement; an associate does the work	A named partner personally handles your case from intake through resolution
How billing is communicated	Monthly invoice with opaque time entries	Monthly statement with plain-English descriptions and a running budget comparison
Communication standard	No stated turnaround; calls returned when available	Every call and email answered within one business day, in writing when appropriate
Mediation credentials	Outside mediator required; another scheduling delay	Both partners hold active Rule 31 mediator listings
Trial readiness	Settlement pushed because trial is expensive for the firm	Every matter prepared for trial; settlement offered only when it is the right outcome

Beyond the office

Invested in Nashville, not just practicing here.

Nashville Legal Aid Family Law Project

Eleanor serves on the founding board of the project, which provides pro bono family-law representation to qualifying low-income clients in Davidson County.

Tennessee Bar CLE Faculty

Both partners present at the Tennessee Bar Association's annual family-law conference. Topics in recent years have included parenting plan drafting, income imputation standards, and UCCJEA interstate custody.

Vanderbilt Law Family Law Seminar

Eleanor teaches as an adjunct lecturer in Vanderbilt Law School's family-law seminar, covering trial practice, negotiation, and ethical obligations in domestic relations matters.

Davidson County Bar Pro Bono

Daniel received the Davidson County Bar Association's Pro Bono Award in 2018 for his continued volunteer work with the Tennessee Legal Community Foundation mediation program.

Ready to meet us?

Start with a 60-minute confidential consultation.

The consultation fee is $200 and is credited in full to your engagement if you retain the firm. Eleanor and Daniel conduct all consultations personally.

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