CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE: CHARLOTTE’S TOP LAWYERS IN SELECTED SPECIALTIES RECOGNIZED AMONG NORTH CAROLINA’S 25TH CLASS OF LEGAL ELITE
Each year, SouthPark’s sister publication, Business North Carolina, publishes a list of the state’s Legal Elite, attorneys chosen by their peers as being top in their field. To identify the 25th Legal Elite class, Business North Carolina contracted DataJoe Research, a Boulder, Colorado-based software and research company specializing in data collection and verification.
DataJoe facilitated an online peer-voting process of all active members of the North Carolina Bar. Attorneys without an active license or who had disciplinary infractions were excluded from the list. Lawyers can’t vote for themselves or for members of the Legal Elite Hall of Fame (previous top vote-getters in a particular specialty). Votes for attorneys from another firm are weighted more heavily than votes for colleagues at the same firm. For research/methodology questions, contact the research team at surveys@datajoe.com.
DataJoe and Business North Carolina recognize that there are many talented lawyers who are not listed. This is a subset of talented professionals across the state. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding lawyers in North Carolina. DataJoe thoroughly ensures fair voting, but the company understands that the results of this survey nomination and internet research campaign are not an objective metric.
This year, fewer than 1,100 lawyers were selected as Legal Elite. In this section, we highlight Legal Elite winners practicing in selected specialties in the Charlotte region. To view the full list, visit: businessnc.com/legal-elite.
BANKRUPTCY
Stacy C. Cordes, Cordes Law
David R. Badger, David R. Badger
Joseph W. Grier, Grier Wright Martinez
Michael Leon Martinez, Grier Wright Martinez
Melanie Raubach, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Glenn Clark Thompson, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Matthew Alexander Winer, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Cole Hayes, Hayes Law
Lydia C. Stoney, Hendren Redwine & Malone
Richard B. Fennell, James McElroy & Diehl
Trey Rayburn, McGuire Woods
Andrew Thomas Houston, Moon Wright Houston
Luis Manuel Lluberas, Moore & Van Allen
Alan W. Pope, Moore & Van Allen
Paul Rudd Baynard, Offit Kurman Attorneys At Law
Chip Ford, Parker Poe
Jack Miller, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
Richard Rayburn, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
David M. Shilli, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
Andrew W.J. Tarr, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
Ronald D.P. Bruckmann, Schumacher Loop & Kendrick
Felton E. Parrish, Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor
HALL OF FAME: J. Michael Booe, Kennedy Covington (2002, 2003); C. Richard Rayburn Jr., Rayburn Cooper & Durham (2006); Richard S. Wright, Moon Wright and Houston (2016); Heather W. Culp, Essex Richards (2017); John “Woody” C. Woodman, Essex Richards (2021); Matt Tomsic, Rayburn Cooper & Durham (2023)
BUSINESS
Thomas Duke Ricks, Alexander Ricks
Stephen M. Bennett, Arnold & Smith
Matthew R. Joyner, Bishop Dulaney Joyner & Abner
William P. Bray, Bray & Long
Fred Parker, Gardner Skelton
Catherine A. Barnes, James McElroy & Diehl
Nick Kendall, Johnston Allison & Hord
David Scott Rugani, Johnston Allison & Hord
Katherine Kliebert, Kliebert Law
Carolyn P. Meade, Moore & Van Allen
Joseph W. Norman, Moore & Van Allen
Rob Rust, Moore & Van Allen
Scott Cooper, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
Ross Fulton, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
Jacob A. Johnson, Robertson & Associates
Patrick S. Bryant, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
Caroline Wannamaker Sink, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
Philip S. Chubb, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick
Paul A. Steffens, Troutman Pepper Locke
Sophia Pappalardo, Willmer Caudill
Matt Villmer, Willmer Caudill
Patrick T. Strubbe, Womble Bond Dickinson
HALL OF FAME: Russell M. Robinson II, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson (2002, 2003); J. Norfleet Pruden III, Kennedy Covington (2005); Robin L. Hinson, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson (2007); Peter C. Buck, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson (2008); Stephen M. Lynch, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson (2011); Matthew Marcellino, Marcellino & Tyson (2020); Daniel Stephen Trimmer, Skufca Law (2022); Heather Culp, Essex Richards (2024); Milton Heath Gilbert Jr., Baucom, Claytor, Benton, Morgan & Wood (2025)
CRIMINAL
Daniel D. Adams, McLendon Humphrey & Leonard
Elizabeth Freeman Greene, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings
Christopher C. Fialko, Fialko Law
W. Rob Heroy, Goodman Carr
George V. Laughrun III, Goodman Carr Laughrun Levine & Greene
James Bradley Smith, James B. Smith
Christopher A. Connelly, Law Office of Christopher A. Connelly
Aaron R. Lee, Lee & Lee Law Firm, Huntersville
Tim Cannady, Leitner Bragg & Griffin, Monroe
Tee Leitner, Leitner Bragg & Griffin, Monroe
Jason C. St. Aubin, Marcilliat & Mills
Adam AJ Hauser II, Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office
Tanisha Palvia, Moore & Van Allen
Diane DePietropaolo Price, Olsinski Injury Family and Criminal Lawyers
Brian S. Cromwell, Parker Poe
Bill Powers, Powers Law Firm
Tony Scheer, Rawls Scheer Clary & Mingo
Eli Timberg, Rawls Scheer Clary & Mingo
Bradford F. Icard, The Icard Law Firm
Christine Elizabeth Clarke-Peckham, The Law Office of Chrissy Clarke-Peckham
C. Melissa “Missy” Owen, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen
Noell P. Tin, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen
Robert A. Blake Jr., Wyatt & Blake
HALL OF FAME: James F. Wyatt III, Wyatt & Blake (2005); James P. Cooney III, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice (2008); T. Patrick Matus II, Essex Richards (2010); David S. Rudolf, Rudolf, Widenhouse & Fialko (2011); Michael J. Greene, Goodman, Carr, Laughrun, Levine & Greene (2014); Robert K. Corbett III, Law Offices of Harold Cogdell Jr. (2015); Ryan T. Smith, RTS Law Group (2016); George V. Laughrun II, Goodman, Carr, Laughrun, Levine & Greene (2017); Rob Heroy, Goodman, Carr, Laughrun, Levine & Greene (2023)
FAMILY
Courtney Lynn Carter, Arnold & Smith
Anastasia Cowan, Arnold & Smith
Corey Alexander Noland, Arnold & Smith
Rachel D. Rogers Hamrick, Charlotte Collaborative Divorce
Candace S. Faircloth, Collins Family & Elder Law Group, Monroe
Mallory A. Willink, Conrad Trosch & Kemmy
Meghan A. Van Vynckt, Cordes Law
Lindsey S. Dasher, Dasher Law, Matthews
David Kenneth Self, David Self Law, Cornelius
Allison Holstein, Dozier Miller Law Group
Dara Duncan Larson, Duncan Larson Law
Lindsey Easterling, Easterling Law, Matthews
Kathryn Yates, Easterling Law, Matthews
Lydia Bree Laughrun, Essex Richards
Lauren Vaughn Lewis, Essex Richards
Rebecca J. Lawrence, Freedom Law NC
Tonya Graser Smith, GraserSmith
Elizabeth Johnston James, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Kyle Frost, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Mark D. Riopel, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Gena Graham Morris, James McElroy & Diehl
Kavita Christina Desai, James McElroy & Diehl
Jonathan Daniel Feit, James McElroy & Diehl
Lauren Ellis Leader, James McElroy & Diehl
John Paul Tsahakis, James McElroy & Diehl
Nicole Applefield Engel, Johnston Allison & Hord
Irene Patrice King, King Collaborative Family Law
Matthew Krueger-Andes, Krueger-Andes Law
Carolyn Lovejoy Krueger-Andes, Krueger-Andes Law
Jordan Griffin, Leitner Bragg & Griffin, Monroe
Angela M. Watkins, Leitner Bragg & Griffin, Monroe
Tara Austin Harrawood, Marcellino & Tyson
Jennifer P. Moore, Marcellino & Tyson
Danielle Jessica Walle, Marcellino & Tyson
Joshua L. Finney, McIlveen Family Law
Alexander French, McIlveen Family Law, Gastonia
Angela White McIlveen, McIlveen Family Law, Gastonia
John Taggart, McIlveen Family Law, Gastonia
Theresa Eileen Viera, Modern Legal
Deborah L. Dilman, Modern Legal
David Matthew Krusch, Plumides Romano & Johnson
Chelsea E. Gajewski, Sodoma Law
Penelope Lazarou Hefner, Sodoma Law
Paul Doughton Horton, Sodoma Law
Robin M. Lalley, Sodoma Law
Lillie Ashworth, Soni Brendle
Andrew Steven Brendle, Soni Brendle
David Christopher Herring, The Law Firm of David Christopher Herring
Tamela T. Wallace, The Law Office of Tamela T. Wallace
Courtney Hamer Smith, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen
Rebecca Wofford, Wofford Law
J. Huntington Wofford, Wofford Law
Tiasha L. Wray, Wray Law Firm
HALL OF FAME: Richard D. Stephens, Dozier, Miller, Pollard & Murphy (2009); Stan Brown, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin (2013); Rob Blair, Essex Richards (2016); Ketan P. Soni, Soni Brendle (2023); Theresa Viera, Modern Legal (2026)
REAL ESTATE
Brittnay Morgan Franklin, Alexander Ricks
Jonathan Peter Goldberg, Alexander Ricks
Mark Hanson, Alexander Ricks
Daniel Adam Merlin, Alexander Ricks
Mary Burgett Ashley, Ashley Law Firm
Brooks F. Jaffa, Cranford Buckley Schultze Tomchin Allen & Buie
Marshall Horsman III, Fox Rothschild
LaDeidre Dianne Matthews, Fox Rothschild
Susan K. Irvin, Irvin Law Group
Angelika B. Drossopoulos, James McElroy & Diehl
Catherine Barr, Johnston Allison & Hord
John R. Buben Jr., Johnston Allison & Hord
Robert George Lindauer Jr., Johnston Allison & Hord
Jeanne A. Pearson, Johnston Allison & Hord
Brian J. Schoeck, Johnston Allison & Hord
Cameron Todd Ware, Johnston Allison & Hord
William B. Kirk Jr., Kirk Palmer & Thigpen
Derek M. Wisniewski, Kirk Palmer & Thigpen
Peter F. Morgan, Knipp Law Office, Belmont
Sarah Lucente, Kunkleman & Lucente
Gary McDermott, McDermott Law, Waxhaw
Evan Michael Bass, Moore & Van Allen
M. Brien Bowlin Jr., Paladin Law, Huntersville
John F. Renger III, Renger Reynolds
Christopher W. Loeb, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
James Scott Efird, St Amand & Efird
Lawrence “Larry” Joseph Shaheen Jr., The McIntosh Law Firm, Davidson
Janeen Miller Hogue, The Miller Hogue Law Firm
Walter D. Fisher Jr., Troutman Pepper Locke
Stephanie E. Greer, Troutman Pepper Locke
Andrew McCullough, Venn Law Group
Hunter S. Edwards, Womble Bond Dickinson
Kent Jones, Womble Bond Dickinson
HALL OF FAME: Brent A. Torstrick, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson (2006); Timothy G. Sellers, Sellers, Hinshaw, Ayers, Dortch & Lyons (2010); George W. Sistrunk III, Hamilton Stephens Steele & Martin (2012); Diana R. Palecek, Fox Rothschild (2021)
TAX & ESTATE PLANNING
Beth Wood, Alexander Ricks
Thomas A. Cooper, Austin Cooper Legal
J. Michael Wilson, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings
Jeneva Alicia Vazquez, Bray & Long
John T. Burns, Burns & Gray, Monroe
Christian P. Cherry, Crisp Cherry McCraw
Stanton P. Geller, Culp Elliot & Carpenter
Julie Marion Bradlow, Darrow Everett
Janice L. Davies, Davies Law
Mary Kay Baynard, James McElroy & Diehl
Kelly Rains Jesson, Jesson & Rains
S. Kyle Agee, Johnston Allison & Hord
Lauren S. Martin, Johnston Allison & Hord
Holly Berry Harris Norvell, Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte
Stacy M. Reid Monroe, Johnston Allison & Hord
Joseph D. Shealy, Johnston Allison & Hord
Lucy Siler, Johnston Allison & Hord
Stephanie Daniel, Kirk Palmer & Thigpen
Margaret Troy Kocaj, Kocaj Consulting
Adrienne R. Cherry, Leitner Bragg & Griffin, Monroe
Robert D. Lyerly Jr., Maynard Nexsen
Bradley T. Van Hoy, Moore & Van Allen
C. Wells Hall III, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Andrew Lamberson Nesbitt, Nesbitt Law
Tanya Nicole Oesterreich, Oesterreich Law, Concord
Andrew F. Dana, Parker Poe
Jeffery J. Morris, Parker Poe
Christian L. Perrin, Perrin Legal
Deni C. Pifer, Pifer Estate Law
John W. Forneris, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
Sabrina Winters, Sabrina Winters Attorney at Law
Maria Magdalena Sattersfield, Sattersfield Legal
Warren P. Kean, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick
Holly Simpson, Simpson Law
Jeremy Todd Canipe, The Canipe Law Firm
Louise M. Paglen, The McIntosh Law Firm, Davidson
Sarah Warren, Trinity Partners
HALL OF FAME: W. Curtis Elliott Jr., Culp Elliott & Carpenter (2004); Ray S. Farris, Johnston Allison & Hord (2005); Christy Eve Reid (died May 8, 2014), Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson (2009); Graham D. Holding Jr., Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson (2012); Debra L. Foster, Foster Royal (2017); Jessica Mering Hardin, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson (2021); Brooks Jaffa, Cranford, Buckley Schultze, Tomchin, Allen & Buie (2022); Heidi Elizabeth Royal, Heidi Royal Law (2025)
YOUNG GUNS
Lauren Trask Millovitsch, Creamer Millovitsch, Davidson
Lindsey Umin, David Self Family Law and Mediation, Cornelius
Julia Kirby Stage, Essex Richards
Alexa Marie Voss, Godley Glazer & Funk, Cornelius
Austin Dutch Entwistle III, Hartsell & Williams Attorneys, Concord
Trent S. Allard, Johnston Allison & Hord
Thomas G. Gardner, Johnston Allison & Hord
Alexander Nibert, Johnston Allison & Hord
J. Nate Pierce, Johnston Allison & Hord
Jaylyn N. Powell, Johnston Allison & Hord
Jackson Connelly Pridgen, Johnston Allison & Hord
Diane B. Burks, Katten Muchin Rosenman
Joseph Robert Shealy, Katten Muchin Rosenman
Tyler Peacock, Lord & Lindley
Alexis Gadzinski, Marcellino
& Tyson
Vanden G. Nibert, McGuire Woods
Ashley B. Oldfield, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
Joseph Walton Milam III, Rosenwood Rose & Litwak
Rhett N. Butler, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick
Cameron S. Williams, Skufca Law
HALL OF FAME: J. Christian Stevenson, Kirk Palmer & Thigpen (2012); Aaron Lay, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin (2016); Matthew T. Marcellino, Marcellino & Tyson (2018); Nancy S. Litwak, Rosenwood, Rose & Litwak (2019); Carl Burchette, Rosenwood, Rose & Litwak (2022)
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