Melodie M. Menzer

Overview

Melodie “Dee” Menzer grew up in small town in Western Pennsylvania, where she began learning problem solving skills early – mainly how to acquire the remote control privileges from her two younger brothers.  Throughout her childhood, she spent the summers repairing swimming pools with her dad, and eventually went off to Miami to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Communication.  After college, she moved to North Carolina, and began work supervising a vocation training program for adults with development disabilities. After a few years of writing behavior plans and training staff on their implementation, she determined to earn her law degree, and then a Master of Laws in Taxation.

Dee is a Shareholder in the firm’s Business Transactions and Private Client Services practice groups and consults on the pros and cons of various tax classification elections available at the time of business formations, as well as the tax structuring of business reorganizations. She also advises on tax structuring and consequences of M&A transactions. Her practice includes a variety of business tax issues, including special allocations and complex distribution waterfalls contained in operating agreements, gain exclusion and deferral mechanisms, sales and use tax, and the tax treatment of various non-qualified deferred compensation plans.  In addition, Dee provides estate planning advice to clients with business interests, consults on litigation matters concerning tax questions and implications, and prepares various business agreements.

Dee is always eager to share her passion for tax law with clients and other attorneys, and she enjoys bringing value to firm clients by simplifying complex tax questions and providing practical solutions.

Honors and Distinctions

• Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Tax, 2022
• The Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch”, Business Organizations – including LLCs & Partnerships; Tax Law, 2022-2023
• Tampa Magazine’s Top Lawyers List, 2021, 2023
• David Gergen Award for Leadership and Professionalism
• North Carolina State Bar Pro Bono Service Award

Professional Involvement

• The Florida Bar
  • Tax Section
• North Carolina Bar
• St. Petersburg Bar Association
• St. Petersburg Bar Foundation
  • President, 2021-2022
  • President Elect, 2020-2021
  • Board Treasurer 2019-2020

Community Involvement

• Leadership St. Pete, Class of 2017
• Leadership St. Pete, Planning Committee 2020
• Cetera, Inc., Co-Founder and Board Chair
• Fostering Success Coaching Institute, Advisory Committee
• Guardian Ad Litem, advocate for youth in foster care
• Habitat for Humanity