Legal Elite: for the eighth year, North Carolina layers judge their peers to decide who presides as best of the bar.

To call it BUSINESS NORTH CAROLINA'S Legal Elite is a bit misleading. The magazine compiles and publishes the list, as it has since 2002, but its staff doesn't pick the lawyers who appear on it. Their peers do. Ballots were mailed last summer to every active member of the State Bar--19,160 of them--living in North Carolina. The ballots bore the same question as always: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed, whom would you rate the best in their fields? They were not allowed to vote for themselves and could select their partners and associates only if they also picked people outside the firm in the same categories--and those votes were given more weight. About 4% more ballots were returned than in the previous year, and lawyers who received the most votes constitute the 2009 Legal Elite, 621 strong--a little more than 3% of the state's lawyers. Two firms--Charlotte-based Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA and Greensboro-based Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP--tied for the most lawyers on the list with 22 each. Charlottebased Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP had 21. The magazine asked the top vote -getters in each category to reveal their favorite possession. Some are big--a car, two boats--while others are more oersonal--photographs or a letter--but all give insight into their owners. Contributing Photographer Steve Exum's photos of the winners with their favorite thiongs appear on the following pages, as does the complete roster of this year's Legal Elite.

ANTITRUST

Mark J. Horoschak, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice FLIC, Charlotte: Noel L. Allen, Allen & Pinnix PA, Raleigh; Catharine Biggs Arrowood, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Raleigh; Daniel G. Godfelter, Moore & Van Allen. PLLC, Charlotte.; W. Andrew Copenhaver, Womble Cai.lyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Winston-Salem; J, Donald Cowan Jr., Ellis & Winters LLP, Greensboro; Richard W. Ellis, Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh; Donald R. Esposito Jr., Rex Healthcare Inc., Raleigh: John E Graybeal, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein. LLP, Raleigh; Denise M. Gunter, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Winston-Salem; Jonathan P. Heyl, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Charlotte; Henry L. "Hal" Kitchin Jr., McGuireWoods LLP, Wthninqton; George L. Little Jr., Kilpatrick Stockton LIP, Winstwi-Sdem; Pressly M. Millen, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Raleigh; Lawrence C. Moore III, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; John M. Murchison Jr., K&L Gates LLP, Charlotte; Jeffrey E. Oleynik, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro; Norman B. Smith, Smith, James, Rowlett & Cohen LLP, Greensboro; Robert W. Spearman, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Raleigh; Blake W. Thomas Charlotte; Robin K. Vinson, Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh.

BANKRUPTCY

Holmes P. Harden, Williams Mullen, Releigh; C. Edwin Allman III, Allman Spry Leggett & Crumpler PA, Winston-Salem; David R. Badger, David R. Badger PA, Charlotte; June L. Basden, Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro; Paul R. Baynard, Rayburn Copper & Durham PA, Charlotte; John C. Bircher III, White & Allen PA, New Bern; John D. Burns, Hunton & Williams LLP, Releigh; William E. Burton III, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Greensboro; James Olive Carter Carter & Carter PA, Willmington; Garland Cassada, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; Langdon M. Cooper Mullen Holland & Cooper PA, GAstonia; Albert F. Durhan, Rayburn Cooper & Durham PA, Charlotte; David L. Eades Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte; Michael P. Flanagan, Ward & Smith PA, Greenville; Kenneth M. Greene, Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro, Joseph W. Grier III, Grier Furr & Crisp PA, Charlotte; Jason L. Hendren, Brady, Nordgren, Morton & Malone PLLC, Raleigh; A. Lee Hogewood III, K&L Gates LLP, Raleigh; Stephani W. Humrick-house, Nicholls & Crampton PA, Raleigh; Charles M. Ivey III, Ivey McClellan, Gatton & Talcott LLP, Greensboro; William P. Janvier, Everett, Gaskins, Hancock & Stevens LLP, Raleigh; Gerald A. "Jeb" Jeutter Jr., Gerald A. Jeutter Jr. Attorney at Law PA, Raleigh; R. Keith Johnson, R. Keith Johnson PA, Charlotte; Benjamin A. Kahn, Nexsen Pruet LLC, Greensboro; Travis W. Moon, Hamilton Moon Stephens Steele & Martin PLLC, Charlotte; Christine L. Myatt, Nexsen Pruet LLC, Greensboro; Jeffrey E. Oleynik, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro; Walter W. Pitt Jr., Bell, Davis & Pitt PA, Winston-Salem, Robert M. Pitts, Pitts, Hay & Hugenschmidt PA, Asheville; J. William Porter, Parket Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Charlotte; Amos U. "Buck" Priester IV, Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh; Robert Hugh Pryor, McGuire-Woods LLP, Charlotte; David M. Schilli, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; John H. Small, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro; Richard DeWitte Sparkman, Richard D. Sparkman & Associates PA, Angier; Richard M. Stearns, Kinston; Trawick H. Stubbs Jr., Stubbs & Perdue PA, New Bern; Scott P. Vaughn, McGuire-Woods LLP, Charlotte; N. Hunter Wyche Jr. Wilson & Ratledge, Raleigh; Samuel T. Wyrick III, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh.

BUSINES LAW

Gerald F. Roach, Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh; Michael R. Abel, Schell Bray Aycock Abel & Livingston PLLC, Greensboro; M. Joseph Allman, Allman Spry Leggett & Crumpler PA, Winston-Salem; E. Kent Auberry, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Greensboro; John W. Babcock, Wall Esleeck Babcock LLP, Winston-Salem; John F. Baron, Alston & Bird LLP, Charlotte; David D. Beatty, Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec PA, Raleigh; J. Daniel Bishop, Bishop, Capitano & Moss PA, Charlotte; W. Louise Bissette Jr., McGuire, Wood & Bissette PA, Asheville; Martin H. Brinkley, Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh; Christopher B. Capel, Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh; Vincent D. Childress Jr., Roberts & Stevens PA, Asheville; Kent F. Christison, K&L Gates LLP, Raleigh; NeilC. Cooksey, Smith, Cooksey & Vickstrom PLLC, Charlotte; David W. Dabbs, Robinson, Bradshaw & Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; Fred B. Davenport Jr., Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC, Wilmington; Mark Davidson, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro; G. Stephen Diab, Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC, Wilmington; Timothy S. Goettel, Hunton & Williams LLP, Raleigh; William B. Gwyn Jr., Williams Mullen, Raleigh; John R. Hairr III, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Charlotte; Gregory D. Hutchins, Roberts & Stevens PA, Asheville; Fred D. Hutchison, Hutchison Law Group PLLC, Raleigh; Cyrus M. Johnson Jr., Womble Caryle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Charlotte; Gaither M. Keener Jr., Lowe's Companies Inc., Mooresville; Stephen M. Lynch, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; E. Lynwood Mallard, McGuireWoods LLP, Charlotte; W. Christopher Matton, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, Raleigh; A. Ward McKeithan, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; John R. Miller, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; William G. Pappas, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Raleigh; Larry E. Robbins, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh; Desmond G. Sheridan, Isaacson Isaacson Sheridan & Fountain LLP, Greensboro; J. Troy Smith Jr., Van Winkle, Buck, Wall, Starnes and Davis PA, Asheville; Michael L. Weisel, Bailey & Dixon LLP, Raleigh; Reich L. Welborn, Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Research Triangle Park; Michael G. Winters, Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh; Robert B. Womble, K&L Gates LLP, Raleigh; Keith Wood, Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro; James M. Yates Jr., Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh.

CONSTRUCTION

Michael L. Wilson, Johnston, Allison & Hord PA, Charlotte; Greg C. Ahlum, Johnston, Allison & Hord PA, Charlotte; Bruce Ashley, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Greensboro; Eric H. Biesecker, Nexsen Pruet LLC, Greensboro; Mark D. Boynton, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, Winston-Salem; Daniel Lee Brawley, Williams Mullen, Raleigh; Thomas M. Buckley, Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo LLP, Raleigh; John E. Bugg, Bugg & Wolf PA, Durham; Robert L. Burchette, Johnston, Allison & Hord PA, Charlotte; B. David Carson, Erwin & Eleazer PA, Charlotte; M. Charles Cloninger, McGuire, Wood & Bissette, PA, Asheville; David S. Coats, Bailey & Dixon LLP, Raleigh; Richard D. Conner, Conner Gwyn Schenck PLLC, Greensboro; C. David Creech, Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby PA, New Bern; Robert J. Deutsch, Robert J. Deutsch PA, Asheville; Theodore C. Edwards II, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Raleigh; William H. Gammon, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Raleigh; Kenneth J. Gumbiner, Tuggle Duggins & Meschan PA, Greensboro; A. Holt Gwyn, Conner Gwyn Schenck PLLC, Greensboro; David B. Hamilton, Hamilton Moon Stephens Steele & Martin PLLC, Charlotte; Mark Hamlet, Williams Mullen, Wilmington; Scott C. Hart, Sumrell, Sugg, Carmichael, Hicks & Hart, PA, New Bern; J. Patrick Haywood, Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro; R. Harper Heckman, Nexsen Pruet LLC, Greensboro; Edward F. Hennessey IV, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; Wayne P. Huckel, K&L Gates LLP, Charlotte; W. James Johnson, Van Winkle, Buck, Wall, Starnes and Davis PA, Asheville; Russell B. Killen, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Raleigh; John W. King Jr., Stubbs & Perdue PA, New Bern; Gilbert C. Laite III, Williams Mullen, Raleigh; John I. Mabe Jr., Williams Mullen, Raleigh; Peter J. Marino, Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh; Bentford E. Martin, Hamilton Moon Stephens Steele & Martin PLLC, Charlotte; Michael D. Meeker, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro; John R. Miller, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; Joseph W. Moss Jr., Bishop, Capitano & Moss PA, Charlotte; Joseph H. Nanney Jr. Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh; Elizabeth Le Van Riley, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Raleigh; George W. Saenger, Adams, Hendon, Carson, Crow & Saenger PA, Asheville; Parry R. Safran, Safran Law Office, Raleigh; David A. Senter...