Top best E Lawyers in ZIP 28202 | 116 available

Todd Browning is a founding partner of Browning & Long, PLLC who practices in the areas of Traffic Law, DWI Law, and Criminal Defense.. As an Assistant District Attorney with the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office (Charlotte, NC), Todd handled thousands of misdemeanor and felony cases in District Court. Todd’s time at the District Attorney’s Office provided him with unparalleled exposure to litigating cases in a courtroom.. Before being sworn in as an Assistant District Attorney, Todd also gained invaluable insight into the criminal justice system and the legal process through his nearly five years of employment with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.. Todd graduated magna cum laude from Charlotte School of Law with his law degree. He also completed undergraduate work at Bowling Green State University, receiving his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2004 and his Master of Science in Criminal Justice in 2005.. When not practicing law, Todd enjoys spending time with his wife Mandy and their three Labrador Retrievers, Charlee, Bentley, and Cleveland. Todd is also passionate about working out, playing basketball, and mountain biking.

Ticora’s career as entrepreneur began two decades ago in her parent’s living room where she peddled chocolate treats and sugary confections to her unsuspecting family members. At the time, the precocious Ticora thought business was good as she made enough money to supply her sweet tooth. Unfortunately, her shop doors were not open for long as she ate her entire store’s supply one summer afternoon. She founded The Creator’s Law Firm, a boutique intellectual property and business law firm, to help creative entrepreneurs and small business owners build, grow, and protect their business by providing luxury legal service in the areas of contracts, business, Internet, consulting, trademark and copyright matters. Because of her innovative work, she’s been featured on VH1, WBTV Charlotte, Mama Hustle & Co. and Sweet Blue Bird Design Company.

My Office Phone number is: I have practiced criminal and Traffic law in Mecklenburg County since 1992.  First as an Assistant District Attorney,  then as a defense lawyer in private practice.   Please read my reviews.  I'd be happy to assist you .

Mr. Winiker is an experienced trial attorney who defends individuals and businesses in state and federal white-collar criminal cases. He counsels clients in pre-trial negotiations with the United States Department of Justice, counsels clients under investigation by the FBI, IRS, SEC and other federal and state agencies, and regularly defends people charged with felony and misdemeanor crimes in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.He is a former federal and state prosecutor who is admitted to practice in North Carolina, the United States District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of North Carolina, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth and Ninth Circuits.He has successfully argued cases that have appeared in published decisions in both federal appellate circuits (See United States v. Goforth, 546 F.3d 712 (4th Cir. 2008)- Pre-trial release of person accused of federal crime)As a former Assistant United States Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Mr. Winiker prosecuted a wide variety of federal crimes, represented federal agencies in civil litigation, and was responsible for tracing and seizing criminal funds nationally and internationally. He served as an Assistant Director for the Cybercrimes section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Education and coordinated nationwide training on computer forensics, internet fraud, and computerized courtroom presentations and discovery management.Mr. Winiker is also a former Assistant District Attorney with the Charlotte Mecklenburg District Attorney’s Office.He is a graduate of Wake Forest University  – Gonzaga University School of Law, cum laude – and is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Persian Gulf War.

Mr. Walters provides litigation and counseling services to employers on a wide variety of employment and labor issues. He advises clients on matters under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the National Labor Relations Act, and other federal and state employment laws. Mr. Walters represents employers and management in wage and hour class/collective actions, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful discharge cases, among others. Mr. Walters also assists clients with traditional labor matters such as unfair labor practices and union avoidance. He has successfully handled cases for clients before federal and state courts, the EEOC, and other administrative agencies. Mr. Walters has participated in cases before the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh Circuits. He has provided employment-related legal services for clients in a wide range of industries.. In 2008, the Governor appointed Mr. Walters to serve as a Member of the North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development (Commission). The Commission develops policies and strategies that enable the States workforce to compete in the current and future global economy.. Mr. Walters has practice management-side employment and labor law exclusively since 1997.  Prior to his experience in private practice, Mr. Walters served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Richard L. Voorhees, then Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

Mr. Littlejohn graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science before attending law school. During his time in law school, Mr. Littlejohn received Dean's List Honors and a Pro Bono Distinction for his work with victims of Hurricane Katrina through the Mississippi Center for Justice and his mentorship of Charlotte youth through Faith Hope and Love Mentoring. His community contributions led to his receipt of the John S. Leary Bar's Julius L. Chambers Scholarship for his dedication to serving the underserved. Extensive pro bono experience has given Mr. Littlejohn a passion for representing and defending the rights of those less fortunate and has internalized within him a mission to help give a voice to the voiceless. Mr. Littlejohn developed his reputation as an unabating advocate throughout North Carolina by representing large-scale businesses in real estate and contract litigation matters. He has appeared in court in nearly a quarter of North Carolina's 100 counties.. When he's not practicing law, Mr. Littlejohn enjoys playing basketball, traveling, and volunteering his personal time. He has volunteered with the Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Commission as a basketball coach. Other than sports, he maintains relationships with local non-profits to serve in any capacity needed. Mr. Littlejohn has also partnered with civic leaders to build and foster relationships with youth who need direction. He has served as a panelist for a local Charlotte high school's Career Day through his partnerships.. In addition to his volunteer efforts, Mr. Littlejohn is also active in the Mecklenburg County Bar. He is a current member of the Mecklenburg County Bar's Diversity and Inclusion Committee but more specifically Chair for the Pipeline Programming Subcommittee. The Pipeline Programming Subcommittee is responsible for organizing the annual 'Lunch with a Lawyer' program and the annual Diversity Day Conference. Mr. Littlejohn has also volunteered with the 'Lawyers for Literacy' program in which attorneys read to third-grade students at Sedgefield Elementary once a week.. Mr. Littlejohn was awarded the 2016 Cystic Fibrosis – Charlotte Chapter's STANDOUT Honoree Award, which recognizes the City's most active and engaged professionals and philanthropists under 40 for his work benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's work to develop means to control and cure cystic fibrosis. Additionally, he has been awarded by the American Institute of Legal Advocates as a Rising Star in the field of criminal defense. In 2018, Mr. Littlejohn was listed in the Charlotte Agenda as "Top 30 Under 30." This annual award showcases 30 leaders age 30 or younger who are impacting Charlotte. Mr. Littlejohn has received recognition of other North Carolina lawyers as a Business North Carolina's 2019 & 2021 Legal Elite, an award given to only 3% of North Carolina lawyers. Mr. Littlejohn has been awarded Legal Elite in both the Young Guns and Criminal Defense sections. In 2020 and 2021, Mr. Littlejohn was selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers North Carolina Rising Stars lists. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selection for Super Lawyers includes a multi-phased rating process consisting of independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. The Rising Stars list is compiled using the same criteria as Super Lawyers, but candidates must be 40 years old or younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less to be considered.

Mr. Anderson has been a practicing attorney for over twelve years and has represented individuals and corporations in complex, high stakes legal matters throughout his career. He received his law degree, with honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After law school, Mr. Anderson honed his legal skills at two of the largest and most prestigious law firms in Atlanta and Charlotte. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Virginia Military Institute and also has a Masters in Business Administration from Old Dominion University. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Anderson served the United States as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.. Mr. Anderson's passion is helping individuals through complex, difficult and trying times and he looks forward to bringing his experience and commitment to bear in your important legal matter.

Mickey Aberman’s practice consists primarily of counseling clients on business matters, and negotiating and structuring transactions for mid-sized businesses. Several of his clients are US subsidiaries of foreign-based companies. Handling acquisitions and divestitures also comprise a significant portion of Mickey's practice. Mickey has extensive experience in legal issues that arise in the creation and transfer of computer software and other intangible technology, and with transactions involving complex finance and tax issues. He also works closely with members of the accounting profession and has extensive experience handling matters involving the application of accounting principles and other accounting issues. Approximately fifteen percent of his time is spent dealing with business litigation, usually with one of the firm’s trial lawyers.

Marc attended The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, Political Science and Secondary Education in 1997. At UNC he was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow.  Mr. Gustafson received his law degree in 2001 from Indiana University, where he was a merit scholarship recipient.. Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Gustafson joined the law firm of Alston & Bird, LLP in Atlanta, Georgia. Alston & Bird is a national law firm with more than 900 lawyers and is recognized as one of the premiere law firms in the country. At Alston & Bird, Mr. Gustafson was a member of the Securities Litigation Group and specialized in litigating class actions involving claims of securities fraud, commercial disputes between businesses, and representing officers and directors.. In 2005, Mr. Gustafson returned to his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina and joined Kennedy, Covington, Lobdell & Hickman, LLP (now K&L Gates). There, Mr. Gustafson specialized in financial services litigation, public company board representation, and credit and lending . Gustafson was recruited to join the legal team of LendingTree, LLC in Charlotte, NC. At LendingTree, Mr. Gustafson managed the company's litigation portfolio, including a nationwide class action involving the theft of consumer data.  He also managed the company's mergers and acquisitions activity and negotiated numerous contracts on behalf of LendingTree.  In 2010, Mr. Gustafson joined the Charlotte law firm of Essex Richards, PA, and was elected partner shortly thereafter.  In 2018, Mr. Gustafson joined Bell, Davis & Pitt, a law firm where he worked as a law clerk in the summer of his second year of law school, as a Director.. In addition to his successful legal career, has been an active member of the Charlotte community.  Mr. Gustafson was elected to the University of North Carolina Board of Visitors, following a successful stint as the chairperson of the UNC Young Alumni Club.  He is an active volunteer with the Charlotte Arts & Science Council, as a basic Operating Grant Panelist, a 2008 graduate of Cultural Leadership Training, a former chairperson of the Young Donors Society, a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force and the chair of the Public Art Commission.  He also served as a board member for the McColl Center of Art + Innovation and was the founding chairperson of the Contemporaries.  In November 2009, Mr. Gustafson was named Young Benefactor of the Year by the Association of Fundraising has been very active with, and raised thousands of dollars for, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program as a participant, mentor and coach.  He is a board member of the 24 Foundation, which raises money in Charlotte, Indianpolis and Baltimore for cancer navigation and survivorship.

Kelsey Baird joined Hull & Chandler, P.A., as an Associate Attorney in 2013. She counsels her clients on a wide range of civil litigation and transactional matters. Ms. Baird handles general civil litigation matters, business disputes, business startups and transactions, contracts, protecting and licensing intellectual property, business succession planning, non-profit and tax-exempt organizations, and copyrights and trademarks.. She has represented both companies and individuals. Ms. Baird strives to effectively communicate and work with clients throughout every stage of litigation to reach her clients’ goals and desired outcome.

John is very active in the community and local bar. John served a three-year term on the vestry of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church from 2008 to 2011, concluding by serving as Senior Warden. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Young Lawyers Section of the Mecklenburg County Bar, as the co-chair for the Mecklenburg County Bar Swearing-In Ceremony for five years, and as a member of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Appellate Rules Committee since 2003.

I have been defending the accused for more than 22 years. My experience includes handling First Degree Murder, Drug Trafficking, and Child Sexual Assault cases for decades. I have trained attorneys, taught trial advocacy to law students and committed myself to the fight for justice at every stage of my career.

I have been a board-certified family law specialist since 2010. I dedicate my practice to family law matters, such as equitable distribution, child custody, child support, alimony, post-separation support, step-parent and family member adoptions, alienation of affection and criminal conversation cases, and post-judgment practice, including contempt motions appeals.  You can follow the Horack Talley Family Law Practice Group on Facebook at  and instagram at @HTfamilylaw.

I discovered my passion for juvenile law by accident. I edited a magazine in Washington, D.C., for years before deciding at age 29 to go to law school.  Following graduation, my husband and I moved to Charlotte and had our first child, who had severe brain damage following several strokes. I put the idea of law on the back burner, volunteering for various charities and advocating for my son.. Eventually I entered the work force again as volunteer coordinator  at the Children's Law Center, a nonprofit dedicated to representing juveniles in all legal matters. Within a year I was representing juveniles in delinquency and mental health commitment hearings, with a foray into special education, but I concentrated on delinquency. Eight years later I opened my own law firm but after two years returned to the Center. I stayed another two years before I had to stop practicing to care for my three boys.  In 2016, I re-entered the legal world at Fisher Law Group. In March of 2020, I began practicing with my husband, Bob Bollinger.. At The Bollinger Law Firm, I maintain my focus on juvenile law by continuing to represent juveniles in delinquency cases and defending parents whose children are in danger of removal from custody by the Department of Social Services or are already in DSS custody.   I also do name changes, emancipation,  expunctions for those interested in cleaning up their  criminal records, and guardianship.

I currently manage all aspects of workers' compensation claims including but not limited to motions practice, discovery, and settlement negotiations. I also handle all aspects of social security disability claims including but not limited to filing appeals, drafting briefs, and attending hearings.. I am committed to helping clients navigate the legal process and work hard to find cost-effective and practical solutions with counseling and negotiations. I am bilingual in Spanish and English, which allows me to represent Spanish-speaking clients much more efficiently.. I am very active in the local and state Bar, and especially enjoy volunteering to work on pro bono matters.

I am the lawyer for you if you want to resolve your divorce or custody case without going through a nasty court battle. As your attorney, I will be on your side throughout the case. What does this mean for you? It means that I will work with you throughout your case to make sure you obtain the best possible settlement. I am a keen believer that your family issues should be resolved by ensuring that you have control over the outcome rather than a stranger, such as a Judge. While we have some excellent judges in Mecklenburg, Gaston, and the surrounding counties, I encourage my clients to work hard to resolve their issues through mediation, collaborative law sessions, settlement meetings or judicial settlement conferences.. You might be wondering what happens if we cannot settle outside of court. If we cannot settle your case, then we fight.  I have had the opportunity to attend some of the best trial advocacy training programs in the country. I am a graduate of the NITA Family Trial Advocacy Institute, which admits only 40 students each year. If we cannot resolve your case outside of court, you can trust that I will aggressively represent you in trial.. I am a local girl. I was born and raised in Lincolnton, North Carolina where my father’s roots go back hundreds of years. I live in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am one of four children, who is fortunate enough to have been raised by long-married parents in a home full of books, art, and music. I understand the importance of stability in the home, and I’m dedicated to helping families smoothly navigate the turbulence of divorce. I joined the McIlveen Family Law Firm in the spring of 2013 and have worked diligently as an Associate Attorney and now, a Senior Associate Attorney.

I am the Founder of The Law Office of Chris Clark, PLLC, a Corporate and Intellectual Property law firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina.  In my legal practice, I am committed to helping my clients achieve optimal success.  Having worked over 15 years in private practice while also serving three years as general counsel to a successful startup, I understand how to navigate the legal issues that impact the growth of emerging and innovative businesses.  My clients value my experience and creativity in helping them design corporate and intellectual property legal strategies to maximize business value.. Prior to starting my own law firm, I was an associate and partner at Tillman Wright, PLLC.  Before joining Tillman Wright, I began my legal career in the Charlotte office of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, a large Ohio-based firm.  I have also served as Vice President and General Counsel at Edison Nation, a technology and entertainment startup based in Charlotte.. Before becoming a lawyer, I worked in the Business and Legal Affairs department at Mammoth Records.  I received my bachelor's degree in Music Business from Radford University in 1996 and my law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2001.. I am a frequent author and speaker on a variety of legal topics including business and corporate law, intellectual property (particularly trademark law), online gaming, entertainment law, asset protection planning, technology, health care law and open innovation.  I am the founder and author of Five On Sixteen, an online gaming blog () and Worth Protection, an asset protection planning blog (). I am the co-founder and co-author of Send in the Crowd, an open innovation, crowdsourcing and crowdfunding blog () and Acquired Distinctiveness, a trademark blog ().  I am a Better Business Bureau certified Arbitrator and a North Carolina Superior Court certified mediator.

I am a trial lawyer who specializes in Debtor Bankruptcy Chapters 7 and 13 and Creditor representation in the Western District of North Carolina (Charlotte and Statesville Divisions). My wife Jessica has been a paralegal with the law firm for the past two decades. I am a Certified Bankruptcy Specialist by the  North Caroina State Bar and the American Board of Certification.. I am a member of the National Association Of Bankruptcy Attorneys and have been a Speaker at its Annual Seminar as well as the American Bankruptcy Institute Annual Institute.. In addition to being a co-founder of the North Carolina Bar Association Bankruptcy Section and having served as its Chairman, I received its Lifetime Achievement Award 2017.. In 2019, I compiled the 40 Year History of the NCBA Bankruptcy Section and presented the history at the 2019 Annual Bankruptcy Institute with Bankruptcy Judges Thomas Small (EDNC) and William Stocks (MDNC).. I have been included in both Best Lawyers and SuperLawyers since 2007.

Having worked at major multinational law firms, I am able to handle sophisticated legal matters in a small-firm setting. You can rely on my advice and advocacy because my firm is:. No matter how complex your situation might be, I can outline the relevant legal issues during an initial consultation so that you can proceed with confidence.

H. Edward "Eddie" Knox is the senior managing partner of Knox, Brotherton, Knox & Godfrey. He is a Board Certified Trial Specialist with the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Eddie was chosen by North Carolina attorneys and recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as a Legal Elite in 2003, 2005, and 2006. Eddie has an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, which is a "very high to preeminent" rating among his peers. He is also the recipient of the Super Lawyers Award for 2006 - 2011. In 2008, Eddie was inducted into the General Practice Hall of Fame by the North Carolina Bar Association.. Eddie was a Babcock Scholar and received his juris doctorate at Wake Forest Law School. He graduated from North Carolina State University as the Most Distinguished Graduate in the School of Education. Eddie served as President of both the Law School Student Body and the N.C. State Student Body.. Eddie has also served as chairman of numerous state commissions and local community organizations, including roles as a State Senator as well as Mayor of Charlotte, NC.. Eddie's active practice includes trial work in the area of personal injury, medical malpractice, workers' compensation and condemnation. He and his wife, fellow attorney Frances S. Knox, have been trying personal injury cases for decades with excellent results for their clients.

Gael Gilles is the founding attorney at Gilles Law, PLLC. Mr. Gilles is licensed in state courts in  North Carolina and South Carolina, and the Federal Courts in all of North Carolina and South Carolina.  Gael's areas of focus are criminal defense, and traffic offenses.. Gilles Law:  HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

Bridgman Law Offices, PLLC is a firm that focuses on representing the rights of disabled and injured people across North Carolina and South Carolina.  We take pride in the fact that our clients receive one on one attention in their particular case.  If you are thinking about applying for disability or if you have already been denied, please give us a call to see if we can help.  We have 3 offices in North and South Carolina including our main office in Charlotte, NC, as well as Greensboro, NC and Columbia, SC.  We also handle workers compensation and personal injury cases for clients accross North Carolina.

Born and raised in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Jonathan M. Smith now uses his legal skills to serve this same community. He takes pride in helping personal injury clients. In 2010, Jonathan joined Riddle & Brantley LLP.  In 2015, he became Vice President of Riddle & Brantley, LLP where he managed clients and helped with the overall management of the firm.  In 2020, Jonathan left Riddle & Brantley to join Morgan & Morgan as an attorney and as the Director of Case Operations.. Jonathan has received numerous awards and accolades within the legal industry. This includes becoming a member of the the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Born and raised in Charlotte, Ms. Laughrun graduated from Myers Park High School and went on to attended the College of Charleston, receiving a degree in business administration. While attending Charleston, she participated in the Honors Program, serving as a justice on the Charleston Honor Board, as well as, serving as judicial chair and elected treasurer of her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha.. In 2009 Ms. Laughrun graduated cum laude with a certificate of concentration in Family Law from  T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond on a partial scholarship.. In 2009, Ms. Laughrun returned to her hometown of Charlotte and accepted a position with the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office. During this time, Ms. Laughrun dedicated her practice to defending the rights of those individuals unable to afford counsel, giving a voice to the often overlooked and ignored.

BOARD CERTIFIED SPECIALIST in NC WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW.. If talking to a lawyer who is friendly and respectful to you is important, then call me.   I grew up in a blue-collar household, in a blue-collar town, and I know I am not any better than anyone else.  I am not going to talk down to you--I was raised better than that.   If you have questions about your on-the-job injury, call me.  I am an expert in workers' compensation law and I will give you a free, unlimited consultation over the phone or in person.. If you are looking for an attorney to help you with your case, be sure to choose a "Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law."  Attorneys are are NOT all the same!  Relevant experience and specialized skills matter.. I also have a FREE Workers' Compensation Information Package I can send you.  Just ask for it.  And I will be happy to talk to you over the phone, over ZOOM video conferencing, or by email or by text message.  Or contact me through the "chat" window on this page.    All workers' comp, personal injury, and SSDI consultations are free.. Remember, the insurance company is NOT on your side.   It is your adversary.  Heck, let's be blunt.  The insurance company, and their claims manager or adjuster, are your enemies.  The adjuster may be nice to you, but her job is to take money out of your pocket, money that you need to take care of your bills and your loved ones.    But I am on your side!  You need to know how to deal with the insurance carrier.   So call or email me now for your free workers' compensation consultation -- with me personally, not a non-lawyer, minimally trained "intake specialist" -- and also ask for your free information package.. If you end up hiring me as your lawyer, you will get my personal attention.  Unlike some larger firms that advertise heavily, you will not have virtually everything in your case done by a person who is NOT a lawyer.   Everyone's case is unique, and the "assembly line" approach that is used by some big firms just, in my opinion, does not produce the best results for clients.   And my goal for every single client is to get you the best possible outcome on your case.. You will have my personal email address, that I personally monitor and use, and you can send me your questions and concerns anytime by email.  And I will respond.  It may be one o'clock in the morning, but I will answer your email.. I will be doing the legal work on your case---unlike some law firms, I do not have a big staff of paralegals to whom the lawyer work is delegated.   You will typically deal with only one paralegal in addition to me.  At this firm we have three (3) attorneys and two (2) paralegals.   Check the lawyer to support staff ratio at some of the big firms, and you might be surprised at how few attorneys there are compared to all the support staff.  Why is that?  Well, with all those employees, who do you think is doing the work on your case?. I want to protect your rights and add value to your claim.  I want you to be better off for having hired me to handle your case.. When your case is finished, I want you to feel that I did a great job.  I want to earn your "Five Star rating" here on the AVVO client reviews.. Many people need a good attorney for their workers' comp cases, because the insurance company does not have the workers' best interests at heart.   The NC Court of Appeals has stated that: "In contested Workers' Compensation cases today, access to competent legal counsel is a virtual necessity.....  Leaving injured employees without the representation they need to obtain the complete and total amount of their workers' compensation award would defeat the purposes of the [Workers' Compensation] Act.  In fact, employers would be encouraged to contest liability and meanwhile make voluntary payments less than that required by the Workers' Compensation Act."  Church v. Baxter Travenol, 104 N.C. App. 411, 416 (1991) (bold emphasis added).. I have practiced workers' compensation law since 1991 and have been a Board Certified Specialist in NC Workers' Compensation Law since 2000.  I am now a member of the State Bar Board of Legal Specialization committee that grades the exams of the lawyers who are trying to become certified as specialists in workers' compensation law.. .    As the Court of Appeals said in Church, an injured employee needs a "competent" attorney on a workers' compensation case--not a traffic ticket lawyer who just takes on your workers' comp case hoping for a quick fee, and certainly not a "case manager" or legal assistant handling your case at the big firm.  An injured worker can be assured that a Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law is indeed competent to handle the case properly.   My paralegal helps me with the paperwork and phone calls, but I am the one handling your case and making the judgment calls on your behalf.  I am putting my 30+ years of experience and expertise to work for you.. I grew up in Newton, North Carolina, which was primarily a furniture and textiles town at the time.   I enjoy handling workers' compensation cases for injured workers, partly because I worked in "blue collar" jobs as a young man.  I worked in retail stores, in a furniture factory (tailing the rip saws), in a foam rubber factory (on the "Baumer slitter" cutting carpet cushion) and for a plant nursery and landscaping business.  I also taught tennis lessons in Hickory.  I have loaded and unloaded semi trailers and dug holes in hard ground with a mattock and shovel.  I understand hard, physical work and I have seen with my own eyes how employees are sometimes mistreated by management.  That mistreatment has always made me angry.   Now, as a workers' compensation specialist lawyer, I have the skills and credentials to do something about it for my clients.  I can level that playing field for the working man or woman.  I can usually make that big company treat you right.  And I love doing that for my clients!. Workers' Compensation is a complex and complicated area of the law.  I give injured workers a strong and aggressive voice against the rich and powerful insurance company.   That insurance carrier has entire law firms at its disposal to use against injured workers.   The insurance company just wants to make money--it does not care about you or your family.  There is nothing I enjoy more than taking on the big insurance company and winning a good award, or negotiating a good settlement, for a client who has been injured at work and still has children to feed and bills to pay.  My goal as a lawyer is always to protect your rights and to add value to your claim.  At the end of the case, I always want to leave you better off for having hired me to help you.  And hopefully, I will leave you a lot better off!. Without a good lawyer, an injured worker is at the mercy of the insurance company and its lawyers.  There are dozens of lawyers in the workers' compensation defense law firms who only represent insurance carriers and employers.   Who is going to be your legal advocate?   Me, that's who!   I enjoy being the attorney for all the hard-working people of North Carolina who need my help.  If you need my expertise, I would like to help you.. As I mentioned earlier, I am certified by the NC State Bar as a "Specialist" in Workers' Compensation Law.  Unlike some lawyers, I do not dabble in workers' comp law; it is the main area in which I work.  Those lawyers who lack my experience charge you the same fee percentage that I do.  Why would you hire someone less skilled and less experienced if the fee percentage you pay is the same?. In addition to my Specialist certification, I have also earned the respect of the defense lawyers that I go up against.   My professional peers have rated me highly.  I have been listed as "AV Preeminent" (Top 5% of rated lawyers in the nation) in Martindale Hubbell every year since 2005.   I have also been selected as a North Carolina "Superlawyer" every year since 2007.  And I have been named in the "Best Lawyers in America" every year since 2008.  Best Lawyers named me the "Lawyer of the Year" for 2017 in the area of "Workers' Compensation Claimants' Lawyers" for the Charlotte area.. In 2015 I was inducted as a "Fellow" into a national workers' comp lawyer honorary organization, the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers.  Less than two dozen North Carolina lawyers who represent injured workers have been inducted into the College, and of those, less than six of us are located in Charlotte.   My peers in the Plaintiffs' bar, who also represent injured workers, elected me to be the Chairman of the Workers' Compensation Section of the NC Advocates for Justice, our statewide lawyer group, for the fiscal year of 2009-10.   All these peer endorsements mean that I know what I am doing.   Fortunately, I can use that knowledge to help you get what you need from your workers' comp claim.. If you have a question about your North Carolina workers' compensation claim, then get in touch with me.  Consultations are always free.  I will answer your questions in person, on the phone or by email or text.  There is no obligation on your part.  I am happy to answer questions because I know that if you need a good attorney to represent you, then you will likely allow me to do that job for you.   So don't hesitate to get in touch with me for a free discussion and free legal advice about your workers' compensation case!