Nicole Sims

Nicole is a corporate attorney who helps businesses navigate complex transactions and everyday legal matters. She focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and financing deals, guiding clients through each step of the process. Clients value her responsiveness, practical judgment, and ability to explain complex legal issues in straightforward terms.

Nicole brings extensive experience handling a wide range of business transactions across industries. She has guided clients through company sales and acquisitions, capital raises, corporate restructurings, private equity investments, and joint ventures, with transactions ranging from emerging growth companies to middle-market deals. Her work spans diverse deal structures, including cross-border acquisitions, real estate transactions, and qualified opportunity zone investments. Nicole also helps clients with forming new business entities, establishing governance frameworks, and drafting the commercial contracts that keep businesses running smoothly.

On the financing side, Nicole has represented both borrowers and lenders in structuring and negotiating a variety of loan transactions. She has particular depth in real estate lending, including acquisition financing, construction loans, and permanent financing for commercial properties. Her experience also includes debt restructurings and syndicated credit facilities. Nicole also prepares third-party legal opinions for closings.

Nicole’s transactional practice is complemented by her knowledge of regulatory requirements that often affect businesses and deal execution. She has counseled clients on Small Business Administration lending programs, export control regulations, and foreign investment rules, ultimately helping businesses structure transactions that achieve their commercial objectives while staying compliant with regulatory requirements.

Nicole is deeply committed to her community. She serves on the board of PENCIL, which connects businesses with public schools to support student success, and volunteers as a lawyer with the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville. Nicole is a graduate of the Nashville Emerging Leaders program and the Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum, and is dedicated to pro bono service.

Nicole earned her law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School, where she was a Dean’s List student and served as Senior Articles Editor of the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law. She also earned a Law and Business Certificate. Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law from the University of Arizona.

Nicole welcomes the opportunity to learn about your business and discuss how she can help.

• Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®: Corporate Law since 2024; Corporate Governance and Compliance Law since 2024; Mergers and Acquisition Law since 2026 
• Named, Chambers USA, Banking and Finance: "Associates to Watch"(2024), "Up and Comer"(2025)
• Mid-South Super Lawyers "Rising Star," Business/Corporate since 2021
• American Lawyers Media's Southeastern Legal Awards, "On the Rise in Tennessee" (2025)
• Vanderbilt Law and Business Certificate
• Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law, Senior Articles Editor

• Nashville Young Leaders, Class 74
• Nashville Emerging Leaders, 2021 Class
• Board of Directors, PENCIL Foundation
• Board of Directors, The Well Coffeehouse

• Nashville Bar Association
• Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum
• Harry Phillips American Inn of Court
• American Bar Association
• Business Law Section and Subcommittee on Cannabis and Alcoholic Beverages Law