Charlotte Region: Legal Elite
March 1, 2024
THE 23RD CLASS OF LEGAL ELITE SALUTES THE CHARLOTTE REGION’S TOP LAWYERS IN SELECTED SPECIALTIES
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 23rd 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, about 1,300 lawyers were selected to the 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
David R. Badger, David R. Badger
Paul Rudd Baynard, Offit Kurman Attorneys At Law
Stacy C. Cordes, Cordes Law
Robert Cox, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Hillary B. Crabtree, Moore & Van Allen
Ashley A. Edwards, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein
William L. Esser IV, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein
Joseph W. Grier III, Grier Wright Martinez
Stephen E. Gruendel, Moore & Van Allen
Cole Hayes, Hayes Law
Andrew Thomas Houston, Moon Wright & Houston
Michael Leon Martinez, Grier Wright Martinez PA
Jack Miller, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
Ashley B. Oldfield, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
Felton E. Parrish, Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor
Alan W. Pope, Moore & Van Allen
Charles Richard Rayburn III, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
Glenn Clark Thompson, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Landon Van Winkle, Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers
Matthew Alexander Winer, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Hall of Fame: J. Michael Booe, Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman (2002, 2003); C. Richard Rayburn Jr., Rayburn Cooper & Durham (2006); Richard S. Wright, Moon Wright & Houston (2016); Heather W. Culp, Essex Richards (2017); John “Woody” C. Woodman, Essex Richards (2021); Matt Tomsic, Rayburn Cooper & Durham (2023)
BUSINESS
Justin Evan Agans, Spengler & Agans
Catherine A. Barnes, James, McElroy & Diehl
William P. Bray, Bray & Long
Scott Cooper, Rayburn Cooper & Durham
Heather Culp*, Essex Richards
Joshua B. Durham, Bell, Davis & Pitt
Joseph A. Fernandez, Moore & Van Allen
Milton Heath Gilbert Jr., Baucom, Claytor, Benton, Morgan & Wood
Nathan M. Hull, Hull & Chandler
Nick Kendall, Johnston Allison Hord
Katherine Kliebert, Kliebert Law
Christopher Henry Kouri, Nexsen Pruet
Robert R. Marcus, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings
Jeffrey Michael McCraw, Crisp Cherry McCraw
Carolyn P. Meade, Moore & Van Allen
Joseph William Norman, Moore & Van Allen
David Scott Rugani, Johnston Allison Hord
Robert Rust, Moore & Van Allen
Caroline Wannamaker Sink, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
George W. Sistrunk III, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Bryan Lee Tyson, Marcellino & Tyson
Elizabeth Vennum, Hull & Chandler
Hall of Fame: Russell M. Robinson II, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson (2002; 2003); J. Norfleet Pruden III, Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman (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 PLLC (2020); Daniel Stephen Trimmer, Skufca Law (2022)
CRIMINAL
Timothy Michael Cannady, Jetton Meredith PLLC
Christine Elizabeth Clarke-Peckham, Chrissy Clarke-Peckham
Christopher A. Connelly, Christopher A. Connelly
James J. Exum, JJ Exum Law
Christopher C. Fialko, Fialko Law
Elizabeth Freeman Greene, Flannery Georgalis
Lambert Franklin Guinn, Flannery Georgalis
Adam Hauser, Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office
Banks Hudson Huntley, Banks Huntley
Bradford F. Icard, Icard Law
George V. Laughrun III, Goodman, Carr, Laughrun, Levine & Greene
Aaron Raymond Lee, Lee & Lee, Huntersville
Thomas Courtenay Leitner Jr., Leitner, Bragg & Griffin, Monroe
Keith Brentten Metz, Metz Law
C. Melissa “Missy” Owen, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen
Gregory Plumides, Plumides, Romano & Johnson
Bill Powers, Powers Law
Claire J. Rauscher, Womble Bond Dickinson
Eben Turner Rawls III, Rawls, Scheer, Clary & Mingo
Tony Scheer, Rawls, Scheer, Clary & Mingo
Adam M. Seifer, SeiferFlatow
Ronald James Shook II, Ronald J. Shook, Gastonia
Noell P. Tin, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen
Anne M. Tompkins, Cadwaladar
Otha B. Townsend, Seegars & Townsend
Hall of Fame: James F. Wyatt III, Wyatt & Blake (2005); James P. Cooney III, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice (2008); T. Patrick Matus II (died July 18, 2023), 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
Matthew Robert Arnold, Arnold & Smith
Ashley B. Bonomini, Sodoma Law North
Chad M. Buckingham, Regent Law
Laura B. Burt, Wofford Burt
Adrienne R. Cherry, Leitner, Bragg & Griffin, Monroe
Holden Blake Clark, Hometown Counsel, Gastonia
Stephen Corby, Emblem Legal
Amanda Marie Cubit, Dozier Miller Law Group
Nicholas Lee Cushing, Miller Bowles Cushing
Paul A. DeJesse Jr., Hatcher Law Group
Kavita Christina Desai, James, McElroy & Diehl
Nicole Applefield Engel, Johnston Allison Hord
David W. Erdman, Erdman Hockfield
Candace Strickland Faircloth, Collins Family Law Group, Monroe
Jonathan Daniel Feit, James, McElroy & Diehl
Joshua L. Finney, Sodoma Law
Kyle Frost, Offit Kurman
Maren Tallent Funk, Godley Glazer + Funk, Mooresville
Chelsea Elise Gajewski, Sodoma Law
Kaylan M. Gaudio, Sodoma Law
Seth Andrew Glazer, Godley Glazer + Funk, Mooresville
Marli Dabareiner Grady, Godley Glazer + Funk, Cornelius
Jordan Marie Griffin, Leitner, Bragg & Griffin, Monroe
Tia G. Hartley, Tia G. Hartley
James Gregory Hatcher, Hatcher Law Group
Penelope Lazarou Hefner, Sodoma Law
Kimberly Herron, Law Office of Tamela T. Wallace
Paul Doughton Horton, Sodoma Law
Christine Houston, Collins Family & Elder Law Group, Monroe
Richard B. Johnson, Plumides, Romano & Johnson
Jana Kelly Jones, Jana K. Jones
David Meade Kern, James, McElroy & Diehl
Irene Patrice King, King Collaborative Family Law
Kate A.D. Kovats, Law Office of Kate A.D. Kovats
Carolyn Lovejoy Krueger-Andes, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
David Matthew Krusch, Plumides, Romano & Johnson
Daniel Larson, Duncan Larson Law
Dara Duncan Larson, Duncan Larson Law
Lydia Bree Laughrun, Essex Richards
Kyle Wesley LeBlanc, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Lauren Vaughn Lewis, Essex Richards
Alexa Noelle Litt, Collins Family & Elder Law Group, Monroe
David Michael McCleary, Dozier Miller Law Group
Christopher D. Miller, Miller Bowles Cushing
Jennifer P. Moore, Marcellino & Tyson
Gena G. Morris, James, McElroy & Diehl
Bethany M. Mulhern, Miller Bowles Cushing
Erica R. Nesmith, The Nesmith Firm
Corey Alexander Noland, Arnold & Smith
Steven Blaine Ockerman, Epperson Law Group
Katherine Adkins Rech, Rech Law
Andrew Charles Rheingrover, Conrad Trosch & Kemmy
Mark D. Riopel, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin
Kimberly R. Robertson, Dozier Miller Law Group
Rachel D. Rogers Hamrick, Tom Bush Law Group
William F. Rogers Jr., Billick Rogers, Concord
Michael Romano, Plumides, Romano & Johnson
Claire Joanne Samuels Collaborative Divorce Professionals
David Kenneth Self, David Self Law, Cornelius
Sean P. Smith, Grasersmith
Tonya Graser Smith, Grasersmith
John Paul Tsahakis, James, McElroy & Diehl
Meghan A. Van Vynckt, Cordes Law
Theresa Eileen Viera, Modern Legal
Tamela T. Wallace, Law Office of Tamela T. Wallace
Danielle Jessica Walle, Marcellino & Tyson
Anna N. Westmoreland, Westmoreland Legal
Rebecca Wofford, Wofford Burt
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)
REAL ESTATE
Mary Burgett Ashley, Ashley Law Firm
Holly S. Bannerman, Moore & Van Allen
Catherine Price Barr, Johnston Allison Hord
Paul H. Bass, Law Office of Paul H. Bass
Kenneth R. Benton, Baucom, Claytor, Benton, Morgan & Wood
Justin Nicholas Bolling, Bolling & Ghannam
John R. Buben Jr., Johnston Allison Hord
William Richardson Daughtrey, Alexander Ricks
Matthew Peter Doyle, Doyle Wallace
James Scott Efird, St. Amand & Efird
Randall Wayne Faircloth, Regent Law
Walter D. Fisher Jr., Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders
Jonathan Peter Goldberg, Alexander Ricks
Austin Grabowski, Grabowski Law Firm
Stephanie E. Greer Fulcher, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders
Jonathan Robert Hankin, Hankin Law
Mark Joseph Hanson, Alexander Ricks
Janeen Hogue, Miller-Hogue Law
Susan K. Irvin, Irvin Law Group, Cornelius
Brooks F. Jaffa, Cranford, Buckley, Schultze, Tomchin, Allen & Buie
William B. Kirk Jr., Kirk Palmer & Thigpen
William F. Kirk, Regent Law
Allen Crosby Livingston III, Knipp Law
Timothy P. Logan, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein
Joseph R. Marek, Johnston Allison Hord
LaDeidre Dianne Matthews, Fox Rothschild
William C. Matthews, Womble Bond Dickinson
Andrew Martin McCullough, Venn Law Group
Gary T. McDermott, McDermott Law, Waxhaw
Daniel Adam Merlin, Alexander Ricks
Peter F. Morgan, Peter F. Morgan
David William Murray, Murray Law Firm
Jeanne A. Pearson, Johnston Allison Hord
John F. Renger III, Renger & Reynolds
Lawrence Joseph Shaheen Jr., McIntosh Law Firm, Davidson
Daniel A. Terry, Terry Law Firm
Mark V. Thigpin, King & Spalding
Henry Frazier Wallace II, Doyle Wallace
Cameron Todd Ware, Johnston Allison Hord
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
S. Kyle Agee, Johnston Allison Hord
Michael F. Anderson, Anderson Law Firm
Brian Carl Bernhardt, Fox Rothschild
Julie Marion Bradlow, Darrow Everett
John J. Carpenter, Culp Elliott & Carpenter
Christian P. Cherry, Crisp Cherry McCraw
Thomas A. Cooper, AustinCooper
Charles M. Crisp, Crisp Cherry McCraw
Stephanie Daniel, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick
Janice L. Davies, Davies Law
John W. Forneris, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson
C. Wells Hall III, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Christopher E. Hannum, Culp Elliott & Carpenter
Robyn Alise Hicks-Guinn, Hicks Guinn Law
Mary C. Immen, Cranford, Buckley, Schultze, Tomchin, Allen & Buie
Kelly Rains Jesson, Jesson & Rains
Jacob A. Johnson, Robertson & Associates
Warren P. Kean, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick
Margaret Troy Kocaj, Kocaj Consulting
David Tyler Lewis, Johnston Allison Hord
Robert D. Lyerly Jr., Nexsen Pruet
William Lee Mills IV, Culp, Elliott & Carpenter
Holly Berry Harris Norvell, Johnston Allison Hord
Tanya Nicole Oesterreich, Oesterreich Law, Concord
Erin Bray Patterson, Erin Patterson Law
Christian Lee Perrin, Perrin Legal
Heidi Elizabeth Royal, Heidi E. Royal Law
Maria Magdalena Satterfield, Satterfield Legal
Joseph D. Shealy, Johnston Allison Hord
Jeneva Alicia Vazquez, Bray & Long
Connie J. Vetter, Connie J. Vetter
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)
YOUNG GUNS
Helen Somerville Baddour, Johnson & Groninger
Elizabeth Buckner, Moore & Van Allen
Katie Burchette, Johnston Allison Hord
Diane B. Burks, Katten Muchin Rosenman
David Busch, Alexander Ricks
James Bradley Cheek, Rogers Patrick Westbrook & Brickman
Mikail Orestes Clark, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
Tyler Andrew Diekhaus, Jones Childers Donaldson Webb, Mooresville
Alexis Gadzinski, Marcellino & Tyson
James Van Cleave Gambrell, Moore & Van Allen
Meredith Hamilton, Ogletree Deakins
Fielding E. Huseth, Moore & Van Allen
Mary Scott Kennedy, K&L Gates
Anna Gray LeBlanc, Offit Kurman Attorneys at Law
Benjamin Leighton, Alexander Ricks
Alexa Noelle Litt, Collins Family & Elder Law Group, Monroe
Jeremy Scott Maddox, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin
Alexia Virginia Martin, Skufca Law
Kelsey Nicole Hendry Mayo, Poyner Spruill
Jackson Connelly Pridgen, Johnston Allison & Hord
Elizabeth Ann Ray, CR Legal Team
C. Cowden W. Rayburn, Moore & Van Allen
Keith Manning Rivenbark, Marcellino & Tyson
Joseph Robert Shealy, Katten Muchin Rosenman
Samuel Benjamin Simmons, Crisp Cherry McCraw
Isla N. Tabrizi, Collins Family & Elder Law Group, Monroe
Jennifer W. Winkler, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Hall of Fame: J. Christian Stevenson, Kirk Palmer & Thigpen PA (2012); Aaron Lay, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin (2016); Matthew T. Marcellino, Marcellino & Tyson (2018); Nancy S. Litwak, Rosenwood, Rose & Litwak (2019); Holden B. Clark, Holden B. Clark, Attorney at Law, Gastonia (2021); Carl Burchette, Rosenwood, Rose & Litwak (2022)
Disclaimers: DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from DataJoe. SP
