Litigation - Trusts and Estates Litigation and Controversy - Tax Nonprofit / Charities Law Trusts and Estates
Carolyn S. Wenzel
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Carolyn Wenzel represents companies, tax-exempt organizations, families and individuals in the areas of governance, tax, advocacy, estate and trust administration and estate planning.
She regularly counsels nonprofit entities and tax-exempt organizations, including public charities, private foundations, trade and professional associations, and religious and educational organizations in the areas of formation, investment decision-making, endowment fund establishment and modification, governance and business planning, regulatory compliance, tax-exemption qualification, dispute resolution, mergers and dissolution.
Carolyn advises families and individuals in business succession, tax and estate planning, estate and trust administration, and fiduciary compliance. She drafts wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, and a variety of irrevocable trusts. She regularly handles probate and trust administration, as well as tax strategy and tax minimization techniques for high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and couples.
Her experience includes helping national and Tennessee-based companies with tax planning and problem solving related to Tennessee state and local taxes, including refund claims, voluntary disclosures, audits, administrative conferences and hearings, and judicial appeals. Her representations include controversy work in sales and use tax, business tax, and local property tax for commercial and industrial property owners.
Carolyn is widely recognized by her peers for her contributions to the profession. The Chambers USA High Net Worth Guide has ranked her Band 3 for her work in Private Wealth Law, while Best Lawyers in America® has listed her in the areas of Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Non-Profit/Charities Law; and Trusts and Estates. Best Lawyers in America® has also recognized Carolyn as its “Lawyer of the Year” in Nashville for Non-Profit/Charities Law and for Litigation – Trusts and Estates.
Carolyn is a Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator by the Tennessee Supreme Court.
Overview
- Grand Valley State University, M.S. in Taxation, graduated 2002
- University of Kansas, J.D., M.A. in Philosophy, graduated 1993
- Hollins University, B.A., cum laude, graduated 1989
- Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association, 1994
- Michigan, State Bar of Michigan, 1994
- American Bar Association - Member
- Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville - Board Member (2009 – 2017)
- Calvary Young Children’s School - Board Member (2014 – 2016)
- Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee - Board Member (2026 – present)
- Community of St. Mary - Board Member (2014 – 2024)
- FiftyForward - Board Member (2009 – 2015)
- FiftyForward - Endowment Board Member (2025 – present)
- Immunization Action Coalition (Immunize.org) - Board Member (2021 – 2024)
- International Women’s Forum - Member, Tennessee Chapter
- Leadership Nashville - Member (Class of 2016)
- Mayor’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee - Member (2016 – 2017)
- Nashville Opera - Board Member (2011 – 2017), President (2015 – 2016)
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce - Board Member, General Counsel (2020 – 2021)
- Nashville Bar Association - Member, Estate Planning and Probate Section
- Nashville Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Nashville Electric Service - Member, Electric Power Board (2015 – 2021)
- Nashville Symphony - Board Member (2018 – 2024)
- State Bar of Michigan - Member
- Studio Bank - Founders’ Advisory Board Member (2018 – present)
- Tennessee Bar Association - Member, Estate Planning and Probate and Tax Law Sections
- Tennessee Board of Law Examiners - Member – appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court (2022 – present)
- United Methodist Church - Member, Board of Trustees, Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference (2015 – 2024)
- United Methodist Foundation - Board Member, Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference (2012 – present)
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Tax Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee
- Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association, 1994
- Michigan, State Bar of Michigan, 1994
- American Bar Association - Member
- Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville - Board Member (2009 – 2017)
- Calvary Young Children’s School - Board Member (2014 – 2016)
- Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee - Board Member (2026 – present)
- Community of St. Mary - Board Member (2014 – 2024)
- FiftyForward - Board Member (2009 – 2015)
- FiftyForward - Endowment Board Member (2025 – present)
- Immunization Action Coalition (Immunize.org) - Board Member (2021 – 2024)
- International Women’s Forum - Member, Tennessee Chapter
- Leadership Nashville - Member (Class of 2016)
- Mayor’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee - Member (2016 – 2017)
- Nashville Opera - Board Member (2011 – 2017), President (2015 – 2016)
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce - Board Member, General Counsel (2020 – 2021)
- Nashville Bar Association - Member, Estate Planning and Probate Section
- Nashville Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Nashville Electric Service - Member, Electric Power Board (2015 – 2021)
- Nashville Symphony - Board Member (2018 – 2024)
- State Bar of Michigan - Member
- Studio Bank - Founders’ Advisory Board Member (2018 – present)
- Tennessee Bar Association - Member, Estate Planning and Probate and Tax Law Sections
- Tennessee Board of Law Examiners - Member – appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court (2022 – present)
- United Methodist Church - Member, Board of Trustees, Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference (2015 – 2024)
- United Methodist Foundation - Board Member, Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference (2012 – present)
- Grand Valley State University, M.S. in Taxation, graduated 2002
- University of Kansas, J.D., M.A. in Philosophy, graduated 1993
- Hollins University, B.A., cum laude, graduated 1989
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Tax Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Nashville (2022)
- Nonprofit / Charities Law, Nashville (2019)
- Nonprofit / Charities Law, Nashville (2016)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Litigation - Trusts and Estates
- Litigation and Controversy - Tax
- Nonprofit / Charities Law
- Trusts and Estates
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Tax Law
Awards:
FiftyForward Harriet Foley Leadership Award (2015)
Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
Mid-South Super Lawyers, Tax (2015)
Nashville Business Journal “Best of the Bar” (2014 – 2015, 2018)
Nashville Business Journal “Women of Influence” Awards Finalist (2013)
Tennessee Supreme Court Attorneys for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll (2014 – 2016, 2018 – 2020, 2023
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