Ward and Smith, P.A.
Ward and Smith, P.A. is the successor to a practice founded in 1895. Our core values of client satisfaction, reliability, responsiveness, and teamwork are the standards that define who we are as a law firm. Ward and Smith ensure that your legal matters are handled with attentive intelligence by attorneys and staff who work together to build meaningful relationships with our clients. We do this by being knowledgeable in more than 30 practice areas, providing efficient results, and effectively using technology. We are your established legal network with offices located in Asheville, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, and Wilmington.
Ward and Smith is committed to building and maintaining relationships with every client because we understand that every client has unique needs. We work to become fully acquainted with the management style and operations of our clients. This enables us to provide timely and effective legal services. Our attorneys are dedicated to providing frequent and full communication to our clients with respect to pending and anticipated legal issues that may affect them. We advocate a proactive and preventive approach to our clients' legal issues so that through proper planning and maintenance our clients can avoid legal difficulties and costs. We believe that this approach provides our clients with responsive, high-quality, and cost-effective legal services.
Contributing authors from Ward and Smith, P.A.:
The craft brewing, winery, and distilled spirits industry is thriving in North Carolina. Growth in this industry is good for our state's economy, but can lead to a variety of potential...
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With nearly 30 years of experience, B.T. is a veteran banking attorney whose practice focuses on corporate, securities, and regulatory matters in the financial services space. He regularly...
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Jeff brings to his clients a broad background in real estate, real estate development, and zoning and land use representation. He offers guidance in numerous transactional matters, advising...
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Ken is a business and securities attorney practicing corporate and transactional law. He works with public and privately held companies and their shareholders. Clients rely on Ken to advise...
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Adam's practice experience encompasses a broad range of business law and transactional matters, including preparation of all components of business entity formation, including articles of...
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Marla's practice experience focuses on a broad range of business, civil, and commercial litigation matters in state and federal court. Clients rely on Marla for her advice regarding...
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Jenny is a trusts and estates attorney based in the firm's Asheville office. Her practice focuses on preparing estate plans tailor-made to fit the individual needs of her clients and their...
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Daniel Brader is ready and willing to help creditors, banks, and financial institutions navigate the legal complexities of the bankruptcy process. In his practice, he represents clients in...
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Chrystal is responsible for the day-to-day administrative operations of the firm's support functions, ensuring that operations run efficiently. She oversees the efforts of our Office...
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Drake works with entities and individuals in transactions involving commercial real property. A substantial portion of his practice is focused on representing both landlords and tenants in...
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Jenna's practice experience encompasses various areas of civil litigation in both the federal and state courts and before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. She advises clients...
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Virginia practices in the area of estate planning and estate administration. She assists in the preparation of all components of estate plans, wills, revocable trusts, durable powers of...
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Mary's practice experience encompasses various areas of civil litigation in both the federal and state courts, including commercial, business, appellate, insurance coverage, and personal...
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John counsels clients in estate and business planning matters. He prepares estate planning documents, including wills, revocable trusts, minors trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts,...
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Isabelle helps clients navigate complex business, intellectual property, and product liability disputes. She also assists clients with other general litigation matters. Isabelle works with...
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Whitney is a government relations attorney who represents clients before the North Carolina General Assembly, where for seven legislative sessions she has monitored, evaluated, drafted,...
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Michael Christman is an accomplished Human Resources Executive with a demonstrated history of delivering value-added services in fast-paced, dynamic organizations undergoing tremendous...
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Attorneys in our Litigation Practice Group represent individuals and all types and sizes of businesses, from the family-owned small businesses to the large, multi-national corporations in...
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Clint represents clients facing a wide range of challenges in the areas of litigation, community associations, and zoning and land use. His experience covers all aspects of litigation,...
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Payton is a member of the firm's litigation practice group. Payton assists clients in all phases of commercial litigation, from the filing of an initial complaint through trial. Payton is...
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Trip maintains a diverse litigation and general business practice. He has significant experience in corporate, construction, commercial, class action, maritime, and real property litigation...
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Our Creditors' Rights Practice Group is comprised of attorneys practicing in all of our offices located across the state. Our goal is to seek pragmatic solutions to our clients' problems,...
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Richard has significant experience in a broad range of business law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, tax planning, private securities offerings, and start-up businesses. He...
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Alex's practice experience encompasses a broad range of business law matters, including experience representing individuals, start-ups, small businesses, and multi-national companies in a...
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As a corporate, securities, and tax attorney, Joe works with emerging companies and private businesses to develop creative legal strategies to address their legal challenges and achieve...
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As a government relations advisor, Trafton is skilled at building bridges between clients and local, state, and federal governments. He regularly assists businesses, associations, and...
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Eldridge is certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. She assists all types of clients in drafting and implementing...
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Angela leads the firm's Intellectual Property practice and is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Trademark Law. She routinely counsels and assists clients with...
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Bill's practice experience encompasses civil litigation in both the state and federal courts. He has represented clients in a broad variety of complex construction, business, and commercial...
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Chris has a broad litigation practice focusing primarily on complex business litigation and appeals. He is involved in all aspects of litigation before both state and federal courts, such...
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Don's practice focuses primarily in the area of commercial litigation. This includes, among other matters, disputes involving patent, trademark, and copyright infringement; trade secrets;...
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Charles' practice experience encompasses federal and state court litigation in various areas, including claims for wrongful death and serious personal injury. He has also litigated...
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Brad is one of the firm's Managing Directors. His experience encompasses various areas of civil litigation in both the federal and state courts. He has experience in all aspects of civil ...
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Lynwood leads the Litigation practice. His experience encompasses a wide variety of civil litigation in both state and federal courts. He has extensive experience in all aspects of...
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Paul leads the Creditors' Rights practice and is certified by the American Board of Certification and the North Carolina State Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer...
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Lily's practice focuses on a variety of creditors' rights and bankruptcy matters. She assists a range of stakeholders, including lenders, banks, financial institutions, and other creditors...
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Alex is a litigation attorney whose practice focuses on construction. She helps clients with general litigation matters, assisting through all phases of the litigation process, from...
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Michael leads the Health Care practice. He counsels physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers on regulatory, compliance, and transactional matters. He represents all types of...
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Stephanie represents business clients and community associations. As a corporate attorney, she works with businesses, from established brick and mortars to online startups, on a wide range...
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Amy represents licensed health care professionals faced with licensing issues in obtaining initial licensure, renewing or reinstating a license, and navigating allegations or complaints of...
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Sam leads the Real Estate practice. His experience includes all aspects of commercial real estate and community association matters. He regularly assists commercial and residential...
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Ken leads the Labor and Employment practice. His practice experience encompasses various areas of employment-related litigation. He advises clients and litigates cases involving all forms...
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Rachel is a trusted advisor to clients looking to secure and make sound financial decisions about their future. She brings a holistic approach to her work, assisting individuals and...
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Hank Harris spent most of his career in a national management consulting and investment banking firm, specialized in working with privately held businesses. He rose to become CEO and...
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Justin focuses his practice on labor and employment matters. He works with businesses, employers, and human resources professionals across the state.
Before joining Ward and Smith full-time...
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Lee is leader of the Business practice. He regularly advises clients on a broad range of business law matters, including the formation of new business and investment entities, stock...
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Juliana's practice focuses on family law and related commercial or estate litigation. She also assists in public housing authorities work and is associated with matters before the North...
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Paige practices family law and estate litigation from our Wilmington office. She helps families and individuals navigate complicated family law legal processes during times of family...
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With an economy that places a higher value on the intellectual assets of companies, and the need to address business decisions on a global level, the Intellectual Property practice stands...
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Merrill's practice experience encompasses a broad range of business law matters, including start-up businesses, business transfers and acquisitions, transactional matters, and tax matters...
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Matthew's multidisciplinary practice focuses primarily on tax and business law matters. He helps businesses and individuals with tax planning and compliance, as well as business formation...
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Michael's practice includes domestic and international corporate matters, including mergers, stock and asset acquisitions, corporate restructuring, licensing and commercialization, ...
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Since the sweeping labor and employment laws of the mid-1960s, employers have faced an ever-increasing number of laws and regulatory agencies governing their businesses and employee...
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Zac is certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. His practice experience encompasses estate planning, estate and trust...
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Bill's practice experience encompasses the formation, regulation, and operation of banks and bank holding companies; securities offerings and reporting; mergers and acquisitions; and...
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Norman's practice encompasses a broad range of creditors' rights and intellectual property matters. His creditors' rights practice includes the representation of lenders, trade creditors,...
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Justin's practice experience includes a wide variety of residential and commercial real estate matters, including the representation of sellers and buyers in the negotiation and preparation...
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Olivia G. Lewis is a Business Attorney at Ward and Smith's Raleigh, North Carolina office. Olivia's mission is to help clients navigate the day-to-day challenges and legal hurdles of...
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Xavier's practice focuses on a wide range of labor and employment law issues, including personnel policies and handbooks, background checks, employment discrimination and harassment,...
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Whether selling, buying, or leasing property, Dana will work to ensure clients' interests are well protected in an array of residential and commercial real estate matters. Her practice...
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Madeline is a business attorney who works with businesses and their ownership and management teams on a wide variety of business transactions. She regularly assists companies with mergers...
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Avery has a diverse practice that focuses on labor and employment law. She helps businesses of all sizes, as well as individual employers and human resources professionals. Avery is...
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Steve Long leads the firm's Tax and Employee Benefits practice. He has extensive experience working with employers in banking, retail, and technology to establish and maintain retirement...
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John's practice experience encompasses various areas of litigation. He has represented many clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases, and has obtained multi-million dollar...
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Lance represents creditors in bankruptcy, collections, foreclosures, Uniform Commercial Code security agreement enforcement, and structured liquidations and workouts. He also represents...
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Emily's practice focuses on a wide range of labor and employment law issues.
EDUCATION
J.D., magna cum laude, Campbell Law School, 2017. Editor in Chief, Campbell Law Review. Teaching...
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Peter is an attorney and a Certified Information Privacy Professional/US (CIPP/US) who assists clients in a range of privacy, data security, cyber supply chain and technology matters.
He...
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Kristin assists real estate owners, developers, and individuals in complex real estate issues, including acquisitions, development, lease agreements, various easement issues, and real...
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Joanne's practice emphasizes the representation of banks and other financial institutions in commercial loan transactions involving asset-based and real estate secured loans, including new...
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Evan is a litigator who works predominantly in the area of construction law. He represents and advises contractors, subcontractors, owners, and design professionals in all stages of the...
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Josey's practice focuses on business and complex civil litigation disputes in both state and federal courts. She handles a wide variety of pre-litigation and litigation matters. Before...
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Jamie works regularly with individuals, corporations, and governmental entities on a variety of complex legal matters. His experience in substantive areas of the law includes government...
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Jane Francis' practice focuses on business and corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiation and drafting, and general business counseling. She also regularly...
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Will leads the firm's Workplace Safety and Health practice. His practice experience encompasses various areas of employment and workplace-related counseling and civil litigation in both...
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Grant's practice experience of more than 30 years encompasses a wide range of issues that arise in employment and labor law. He provides counsel to clients in the health care, financial,...
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Michael is a civil litigator with a diverse practice before various federal and state courts, including bankruptcy courts and the North Carolina Business Court. He has significant...
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Cliff's practice experience includes representing individual and corporate clients in residential and commercial real estate transactions, including the preparation and negotiation of...
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Perhaps you or a family member were seriously injured. Perhaps a loved one lost his or her life. It’s hard to know what to do and where to get help. We know, because we’ve been there with...
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Knox is a general business attorney with a financial institutions and regulatory background. He helps large, mid-sized, and small businesses with general corporate and business issues,...
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Lauren leads the Family Law practice and is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Family Law. Her experience encompasses various areas of civil litigation with a primary...
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Attorneys in our Real Estate Practice Group provide advice and counsel to clients on the acquisition, development, financing, leasing, and sale of real property and improvements and the...
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Eric's practice experience encompasses various areas of civil litigation, including real property, business, and commercial litigation; zoning and land use issues; disputes involving...
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Taylor's practice focuses on a broad range of litigation matters, with an emphasis on personal injury and wrongful death claims in cases involving car accidents, medical malpractice,...
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Erica practices in an array of intellectual property law areas. She assists with copyright and trademark registration, management, and application.
J.D., University of New Hampshire School...
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Clint's practice experience includes the representation of real estate buyers, sellers, developers, lenders, and investors in all aspects of real estate acquisition, development, and sale...
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Tyler's creditors' rights practice encompasses bankruptcy, collections, and lender liability issues. He concentrates his practice on the representation of creditors in bankruptcy cases and...
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![]() Stanley has many years of experience in a broad range of real estate, business, and transactional matters, including business start-ups, financing, contracts, and transfers. He regularly...
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![]() Jerry's practice experience encompasses all aspects of federal and state employment law, including Title VII, Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age...
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Litigator Joe's practice experience encompasses various areas of litigation. He represents clients in all phases of litigation, including trial. He counsels clients in cases involving contract law...
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![]() Intellectual Property Attorney Ryan's practice encompasses a wide range of intellectual property ("IP") matters, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. He supports and negotiates IP issues,...
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![]() Cybersecurity, Data Privacy & Technology Attorney Mayukh Sircar utilizes his keen insights and practical knowledge of privacy and data security law to help clients turn cybersecurity risks into manageable business opportunities. He advises...
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![]() North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law John leads the firm's Trusts and Estates practice. His practice experience encompasses estate planning, estate administration, estate and gift tax planning, and related services primarily,...
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Business Attorney Troy's practice experience encompasses a wide range of business law, from start-up businesses to complex transactional matters. He also represents health care providers, both private and...
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![]() Litigation Attorney Jordan helps clients navigate complex disputes related to business and intellectual property matters. She is skilled at evaluating pleadings, motions, and briefs, which allows her to work...
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Construction Litigator Jason represents and assists contractors, subcontractors, owners, lenders, and design professionals in all areas of the construction and development process. His goal is to help clients...
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Attorneys in our Tax Practice Group regularly advise clients on local, state, federal, and international tax matters. Such matters involve income, estate, gift, employment, excise, sales...
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Ryal is an experienced litigator. He has handled a wide range of litigation cases in state and federal courts, many of them jury trials. Ryal has extensive construction law experience,...
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Matt focuses his practice on estate planning and estate and trust administration issues. He has experience working with closely-held business owners on succession planning, tax, and other...
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James' practice includes a wide variety of residential and commercial real estate matters.
EDUCATION
J.D., summa cum laude, Campbell Law School, 2017. Chief Submissions Editor, Campbell...
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Luke's litigation practice focuses on commercial and construction litigation and disputes before the North Carolina Business Court.
Prior to joining the firm's Raleigh office, Luke served...
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Allen focuses his practice on assisting those who own, manage, and invest in real estate and common interest communities. He regularly works with real estate developers and the residential...
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Peter's practice involves a wide range of estate planning and administration issues. He assists clients in the preparation of wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, health care powers...
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Amy leads the Environmental practice with a focus on the environmental aspects of real estate and business transactions, including coastal development. She has built trust with her clients...
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Hayley's practice primarily focuses on labor and employment law and alcoholic beverage law. She regularly advises individual and corporate clients in matters of covenants not to compete,...
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Leigh's practice experience encompasses a broad range of health care law matters, including structuring medical practice formations, mergers, purchases, sales, and alliances; advising...
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Devon's experience focuses on a wide range of labor and employment issues, including wage and hour matters, federal contractor compliance, employment discrimination and harassment, employee...
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James A. Wilson is a Health Care Professional Licening Attorney at Ward and Smith's Raleigh office. As a veteran professional licensing attorney, Jim has a long history of helping clients...
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Jeremy leads the Personal Injury and Wrongful Death practice. He has extensive experience litigating claims for wrongful death, serious personal injury, and a broad range of civil...
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Thomas regularly handles matters concerning complex bankruptcy cases as well as state and federal court litigation. Additionally, he has experience overseeing cases throughout the...
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Amy Wooten has a wealth of experience in a wide range of substantive areas. She litigates complex commercial litigation cases; construction disputes; community association matters, and ...
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Tom works closely with individuals, families, and closely-held business owners to provide personalized plans to help identify and achieve their unique estate planning goals. His practice...
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Ward and Smith PA has been selected for a 2018 NLR Go-To Thought Leadership Award for their coverage of North Carolina Real Estate matters, including litigation, regulations, and legislation. The attorney-authors at Ward and Smith provide thoughtful legal analysis on a variety of Real estate issues, however, their insight into Community Associations stands out, specifically their advice to boards of directors concerning proper governance and administration.