Evans Petree PC

38 Best Lawyers awards

Evans Petree PC logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Administrative / Regulatory Law Appellate Practice Commercial Litigation Litigation and Controversy - Tax

Biography

Caren Beth Nichol is a member of Evans Petree’s Property Tax Group where she litigates commercial property tax appeals before state boards of equalization and state courts.

From 2017-2018 she served as President of Evans Petree PC, a full-service law firm founded in 1907 that has grown to include 49 attorneys. Prior to being elected President, Caren served as the firm’s Secretary, as a Director for over 15 years, and as Chair of the Marketing Committee and Litigation Practice Group. When elected President, she became the first female Chief Executive Officer of a major law firm in Memphis. Under her leadership, the firm added numerous attorneys, opened its Oxford location, revamped its marketing, and moved its headquarters.

Caren’s professional recognitions include the Sam A. Myar, Jr. Memorial Award for service to the community and the Bar Association, inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2018 in Commercial Litigation for the sixth year, and recognition by Super Lawyers as one of the top 50 Women Lawyers in the Mid-South. She was also chosen as a finalist in the Memphis Business Journal’s 2016 Best of the Bar Awards and was recently included in the Memphis Business Journal’s Super Women in Business.

Caren has served as a mentor for the Memphis Business Journal Mentoring Monday program, acted as the legal correspondent for Fox 13 News, and was appointed by the Mayor to the Beale Street Tourism Development Authority.

Until recently, Caren was very active with the Children’s Museum of Memphis, serving as a member of the Board of Directors, a Member of the Executive Committee, and as Treasurer. Additionally, Caren was the Project Coordinator for the Facing History project for the Memphis Bar Association, acted as a volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, and served on the Grant Committee for the Memphis Bar Association. Currently, Caren is heavily involved in efforts to renovate the University of Memphis natatorium, helping to raise $10 million of the $13 million needed for the project as well as being instrumental in forming a partnership among the University of Memphis, Memphis Tiger Swimming, Splash Mid-South, YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South and the Rose Foundation to develop an aquatics center to be named for the late Memphis businessman and philanthropist, Mike Rose.

Evans Petree PC

38 Best Lawyers awards

Evans Petree PC logo

Overview

  • Gender: Female

  • The University of Memphis, J.D., graduated 1993
  • The University of Texas, BA, graduated 1989

  • Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association
  • Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association
  • The University of Memphis, J.D., graduated 1993
  • The University of Texas, BA, graduated 1989
  • Gender: Female

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Administrative / Regulatory Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Administrative / Regulatory Law, Memphis (2025)
  • Appellate Practice, Memphis (2023)
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Memphis (2020)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Administrative / Regulatory Law
  • Appellate Practice
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Family Law
Awards:
  • • Received the Sam A. Myar, Jr. Memorial Award in 2006 for outstanding service to the legal profession and the community
  • • American College of Trial Lawyers Medal for Excellence in Advocacy
  • • American Jurisprudence Award for Family Law
  • • Selected for the first Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Class

Case History

Cases
  • REPORTED CASES AND PUBLICATIONS:
Poole v. Union Planters Bank, N.A. No. W2009-01507-COA-R3-CV (Tenn.App. 2010) Jean-Claude Prerot v. Debra Moseman Prerot, 59 F.3d 556 (6th Cir. 1995) Richard E. Jackson and Jacquelyn R. Jackson v. Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, 922 S.W.2d 860 (Tenn. 1996) Michelle Young (Smith) v. Rodney Smith, 939 S.W.2d 576 (Tenn.App. 1996) Lorraine Burton Spiers Marcus v. Trent Wright Marcus, 993 S.W.2d 596 (Tenn. 1999) Marcus v. Marcus, 993 S.W.2d 596 (TN Supreme Court, 1999) Stanley David Kahn v. Randa Lipman Kahn, No. W2003-02611-COA-R3-CV (Tenn.App. 2005) Townsend v. Bingham, No. 02A01-9801-CV-00019 (Tenn.App. 1999) Faughender v. City of North Olmsted: First Amendment Limitations on Patronage Hirings and Firings, 22 Mem.St.U.L.Rev. 867 (Summer 1992) Served as a lobbyist in Nashville for Memphis City Schools

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