Blaine Smith’s trusts and estates practice focuses on representing high net worth individuals with the transfer of their wealth to their children and future generations in the most efficient way possible. He also has an extensive probate and fiduciary litigation practice where he represents trustees, executors and beneficiaries in estate and trust related disputes.

Blaine practice includes:

• Estate Planning – Prepares wills, trusts, family limited partnerships and other estate planning documents; implements complicated and technical estate planning techniques, including Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), Charitable Remainder Unitrusts (CRUTs), Charitable Lead Annuity Trust (CLATs), dynasty trusts, asset protection trusts and sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts; and advises families on the best and most tax efficient way to transfer their wealth to future generations to ensure preservation of the family’s wealth and to best incentivize future generations to be productive members of society.
• Estates Administration – Represents estates of deceased individuals, including preparing estate tax returns, drafting disclaimers, implementing post mortem planning and handling estate and gift tax audits and litigation.
• Probate Litigation – Represents families and fiduciaries with probate and fiduciary litigation matters, including will contests, claims for breach of fiduciary duty and will and trust constructions actions.
• Nonprofit Planning – Represents numerous nonprofit organizations, including public charities and private foundations, with technical organizational and tax planning.
• Family Business Representation – Represents large and small family-owned companies with general corporate matters and business succession issues.

Memberships

Nashville Bar Association — Estate Planning Committee; Probate Law Committee

Nashville Bar Foundation — Fellow

Tennessee Bar Association

American Bar Association

American College of Trust and Estate Counsel — Fellow

Estate Planning Council of Middle Tennessee — Board Member

Accolades

Chambers High Net Worth Guide — Private Wealth Law (2019-2023), Up and Coming (2017-2018)

Best Lawyers® — Nashville Trusts and Estates “Lawyer of the Year” (2023); Nashville Litigation: Trusts and Estates “Lawyer of the Year” (2018, 2016)

The Best Lawyers in America© — Litigation: Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates (2011-2024)

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law — Member