Legal Elite; These members of the bar are top-shelf: the state's best lawyers, picked by their peers, in 14 categories.
What prompts someone to become a lawyer, let alone one so skillful in a field as to be picked by peers as among the state's best? In many cases, a career can be shaped by another job, even that person's first, which usually has nothing to do with the practice of law. Toiling in a tobacco field, textile mill or machine shop can inspire a desire to work with the mind instead of the hands. Skills learned teaching school, tactics to capture and keep a classroom's attention, can provide valuable lessons in how to sway juries. Just ask the top-ranking members of the Legal Elite, BUSINESS NORTH CAROLINA's annual list of top Tar Heel lawyers. One winner found that even a job as a janitor in a nursing home taught valuable lessons--if not in law, then in life. For those who received the most votes in each category, there's a photo harking back to that early job and commentary on how it helped. The Legal Elite, as it has been for the six years of its existence, is chosen not by BNC editors but by the state's lawyers. The magazine mailed nearly 18,000 ballots--one to every member of the State Bar living in North Carolina--asking each a simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? This time around, we added two categories--family law and lawyers younger than 40--bringing the total to 14. Voters were not allowed to vote for themselves. They could select members of their firms only if they picked out-of-firm lawyers in the same categories, with the latter votes weighted more heavily. Past winners become members of the Legal Elite Hall of Fame and are ineligible to win again. Response to the balloting was up nearly 20%, with more than 2,500 lawyers receiving votes. But the list still lives up to its name: Only 607--slightly more than 3% of the State Bar membership--made this year's Legal Elite. You'll find them on the pages that follow.
HALL of FAME
These were the top vote getters of past Legal Elite balloting and their firms when they were chosen. In 2004, we imposed a one-term limit, so winners cannot be re-elected. Some categories have been modified since the list was inaugurated in 2002.
ANTITRUST Matthew W. Sawchak, Ellis & Winters LLP, Cary (2002, 2003); Rodrick J. Enns, Enns & Archer LLP, Winston-Salem (2004); Larry B. Sitton, Smith Moore LLP, Greensboro (2005); Everett J. Bowman, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte (2006)
BANKRUPTCY J. Michael Booe, Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP, Charlotte (2002, 2003); Gregory B. Crampton, Nicholls & Crampton PA, Raleigh (2004); Richard M. Hutson II, Hutson Hughes & Powell PA, Durham (2005); C. Richard Rayburn Jr., Rayburn Cooper & Durham PA, Charlotte (2006)
BUSINESS LAW Russell M. Robinson II, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte (2002, 2003); Doris R. Bray, Schell Bray Aycock Abel & Livingston PLLC, Greensboro (2004); J. Norfleet Pruden III, Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP, Charlotte (2005); William M. Flynn, Hunton & Williams LLP, Raleigh (2006)
CONSTRUCTION James A. Roberts III, Lewis & Roberts PLLC, Raleigh (2004); Jeffrey J. Davis, Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte (2005); John L. Shaw, Poyner & Spruill LLP, Raleigh (2006)
CONSTRUCTION / REAL ESTATE Charles L. Fulton, Manning, Fulton & Skinner PA, Raleigh (2002, 2003)
CORPORATE COUNSEL Russell M. Robinson II, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte (2002); James E. Creekman, First Citizens Bank & Trust Co., Raleigh (2003); David L. Ward Jr., Ward and Smith PA, New Bern (2004); Douglas R. Edwards, Wachovia Corp., Charlotte (2005); Stephen K. Coss, Sonic Automotive Inc., Charlotte (2006)
CRIMINAL DEFENSE Wade M. Smith, Tharrington Smith LLP, Raleigh (2004); James F. Wyatt III, Wyatt & Blake LLP, Charlotte (2005); David Freedman, White and Crumpler, Winston-Salem (2006)
EMPLOYMENT Philip M. Van Hoy, Van Hoy, Reutlinger & Adams, Charlotte (2002); George J. Oliver, Smith Moore LLP, Raleigh (2003); Penni Pearson Bradshaw, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, Winston-Salem (2004); Jonathan R. Harkavy, Patterson Harkavy LLP, Greensboro (2005); Patricia L. Holland, Cranfill, Sumner & Hartzog, Raleigh (2006)
ENVIRONMENTAL Charles D. Case, Hunton & Williams, Raleigh (2002, 2003); H. Glenn Dunn, Poyner & Spruill LLP, Raleigh (2004); George W. House, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro (2005); William D. Dannelly, Hunton & Williams LLP, Raleigh (2006)
LITIGATION James T. Williams Jr., Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro (2002, 2003); Clarence W. Walker, Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP, Charlotte (2004); Gary S. Parsons, Bailey & Dixon LLP, Raleigh (2005); William K. Davis, Bell, Davis & Pitt PA, Winston-Salem (2006)
PATENTS / INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Mitchell S. Bigel, Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec PA, Raleigh (2002, 2003); Kenneth D. Sibley, Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec PA, Raleigh (2004); Wesley Thaddeus Adams III, Adams Evans PA, Charlotte (2005); J. Scott Evans, Adams Evans PA, Charlotte (2006)
REAL ESTATE Alfred Adams, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Winston-Salem (2004); Barry D. Mann, Manning, Fulton & Skinner PA, Raleigh (2005); Brent A. Torstrick, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte (2006)
TAX / ESTATE PLANNING Robert C. Vaughn Jr., Vaughn Perkinson Ehlinger Moxley & Stogner, Winston-Salem (2002, 2003); W. Curtis Elliott Jr., Culp Elliott & Carpenter PLLC, Charlotte (2004); Ray S. Farris, Johnston, Allison & Hord PA, Charlotte (2005); Elizabeth L. Quick, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Winston-Salem (2006)
ANTITRUST
Douglas W. Kenyon
Hunton & Williams LLP, Raleigh
Michael R. Abel
Schell Bray Aycock Abel & Livingston PLLC, Greensboro
Jonathan A. Berkelhammer
Smith Moore LLP, Greensboro
Daniel G. Clodfelter
Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte
W. Andrew Copenhaver
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Winston-Salem
J. Donald Cowan Jr.
Smith Moore LLP, Greensboro
Richard W. Ellis
Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh
Gary R. Govert
N.C. Department of Justice, Raleigh
John F. Graybeal
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Raleigh
Denise M. Gunter
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Winston-Salem
Mark J. Horoschak
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Charlotte
George L. Little Jr.
Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, Winston-Salem
Mark W. Merritt
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte
Pressly M. Millen
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Raleigh
John M. Murchison
Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP, Charlotte
Jeffrey E. Oleynik
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro
Mark N. Poovey
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Winston-Salem
Norman B. Smith
Smith, James, Rowlett & Cohen LLP, Greensboro
Robert W. Spearman
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Raleigh
Robin Kenton Vinson
Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh
BANKRUPTCY
Terri L. Gardner
Poyner & Spruill LLP, Raleigh
David R. Badger
David R. Badger PA, Charlotte
June L. Basden
Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro
Laurie B. Biggs
Stubbs & Perdue PA, Raleigh
William E. Brewer
The Brewer Law Firm, Raleigh
Algernon Lee Butler III
Butler & Butler LLP, Wilmington
Thomas E. Cabaniss
McGuireWoods LLP, Charlotte
James Oliver Carter
Carter & Carter PA, Wilmington
Daniel G. Clodfelter
Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte
David Harris Conaway
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP, Charlotte
Albert F. Durham
Rayburn Cooper & Durham PA, Charlotte
David L. Eades
Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte
Paul A. Fanning
Ward & Smith PA, Greenville
Michael P. Flanagan
Ward & Smith PA, Greenville
O. Max Gardner III
The Law Offices of O. Max Gardner III PC, Shelby
David G. Gray Jr.
Westall Gray Connolly & Davis PA, Asheville
Kenneth M. Greene
Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro
Holmes P. Harden
Maupin Taylor PA, Raleigh
W.B. Hawfield Jr.
Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte
James H. Henderson
The Law Offices of James H. Henderson PC, Charlotte
A. Lee Hogewood III
Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP, Raleigh
Stephani Wilson Humrickhouse
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. Jeutter Jr.
Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, Raleigh
Benjamin A. Kahn
Nexsen Pruet Adams Kleemeier PLLC, Greensboro
Joseph B.C. Kluttz
Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP, Charlotte
R. Bradford Leggett
Allman Spry Leggett & Crumpler PA, Winston-Salem
Travis W. Moon
Hamilton Moon Stephens Steele & Martin PLLC, Charlotte
Ocie F. Murray Jr.
Murray, Craven & Inman LLP, Fayetteville
Christine L. Myatt
Nexsen Pruet Adams Kleemeier PLLC, Greensboro
John A. Northen
Northen Blue LLP, Chapel Hill
Jeffrey E. Oleynik
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro
Walter W. Pitt Jr.
Bell, Davis & Pitt PA, Winston-Salem
J. William Porter
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Charlotte
Amos U. Priester IV
Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh
Robert H. Pryor
Helms Mulliss & Wicker PLLC, Charlotte
Everett B. Saslow Jr.
Hill, Evans, Duncan, Jordan & Beatty PLLC, Greensboro
David M. Schilli
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte
John H. Small
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro
Traywick H. Stubbs Jr.
Stubbs & Perdue PA, New Bern
William B. Sullivan
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, Winston-Salem
Gene B. Tarr
Blanco Tackaberry Combs & Matamoros PA, Winston-Salem
Judy D. Thompson
Poyner & Spruill LLP, Charlotte
Scott P. Vaughn
Helms Mulliss & Wicker PLLC, Charlotte
James E. Vaughan
James E. Vaughan Attorney at Law PC, Winston-Salem
N. Hunter Wyche Jr.
Smith Debnam Narron Wyche Saintsing & Myers LLP, Raleigh
BUSINESS
Robin L. Hinson
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte
Michael R. Abel
Schell Bray Aycock Abel & Livingston PLLC, Greensboro
E. Kent Auberry
Smith Moore LLP, Greensboro
John W. Babcock
Wall Esleeck Babcock LLP, Winston-Salem
David D. Beatty
Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec PA, Raleigh
Frank M. Bell Jr.
Bell, Davis & Pitt PA...
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