Michael Yopp is a partner at Waller Lansden and practices in the areas of state and federal taxation, partnerships, limited liability companies and general business law.
He received Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and History from Murray State University in 1968. He earned a Juris Doctor degree, with distinction, from Emory University in 1975 and a Master of Laws in Taxation from New York University in 1979.
Prior to joining Waller Lansden, Mr. Yopp was a founder and member of the Nashville law firm, Yopp & Sweeney, PLC.
Mr. Yopp frequently speaks at seminars on tax issues and regularly contributes to professional journals on tax matters. He is the chief editor and author of Tennessee Limited Liability Company Forms and Practice Manual, Data Trace Publishing Company. He also has lectured on partnership tax law at Vanderbilt University School of Law and is frequently asked to testify as an expert witness in tax cases. Mr. Yopp is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel.
He is Past Chairman of the Professional Services Committee, American Bar Association; Trustee and Past President of the Tennessee Federal Tax Institute, Inc.; Founding Trustee and Former President of the Paul J. Hartman Memorial State and Local Tax Forum; Past Chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Bar Tax Sections; and a Fellow in the Nashville Bar Foundation. Mr. Yopp is also on the Legislative Drafting Committee for Limited Liability Companies of the Tennessee Bar Association. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward White, Inc.) in every edition since 1995 and Business Tennessee's "Top 101 Lawyers in Tennessee" since 2004 and Top 100 Tennessee Lawyers in Super Lawyer for 2006 and 2007. Mr. Yopp also has been recognized in the Nashville Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar.”
Mr. Yopp is a member of the Nashville, Tennessee (Past Chairman, Tax, Probate and Trust Section) and American Bar Associations.
Education
J.D., with distinction, Emory University, 1975
LL.M., Taxation, New York University, 1979
B.S., Biology and History, Murray State University, 1968
Professional Activities
Member, Nashville, Tennessee and American Bar Associations
Former Chairman, Professional Services Committee, American Bar Association
Member, Legislative Drafting Committee for Limited Liability Companies, Tennessee Bar Association
Former Member, Executive Committee, National Association of State Bar Tax Sections
Fellow, Nashville Bar Foundation
Fellow, American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel
Former chairman, Tax, Probate and Trust Section, Tennessee Bar Association
Chief editor and author, Tennessee Limited Liability Company Forms and Practice Manual, Data Trace Publishing Company
Trustee and past president, Tennessee Federal Tax Institute, Inc.
Founding trustee and past president, Paul J. Hartman Memorial State and Local Tax Forum
Civic and Other Activities
Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees of Aquinas College, Nashville, Tennessee
Former President, Serra Club, Nashville, Tennessee
