NCLW Power List Personal Injury 2024

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powerLIST PERSONAL INJURY  THE POWER LIST DOUGLAS B. ABRAMS .........................................................32

JOHN ALAN JONES .............................................................36

KRISTEN L. BEIGHTOL .........................................................32

DAVID KIRBY .......................................................................36

JANET WARD BLACK ...........................................................33

LISA LANIER ........................................................................37

BRIAN F. DAVIS ....................................................................33

DONALD MARCARI ..............................................................37

FRED W. DeVORE III .............................................................33

JOHN M. McCABE ...............................................................39

ANN E. GRONINGER .............................................................33

JON R. MOORE....................................................................39

THOMAS HENSON JR. .........................................................34

BRIAN M. RICCI ...................................................................39

THE

powerLIST

CHRISTOPHER M. HINNANT .................................................34 HEALTHCARE GENE RIDDLE ......................................................................39 DANA H. HOFFMAN .............................................................36

DAVID SHERLIN ...................................................................40

T. SHAWN HOWARD.............................................................36

BENJAMIN H. WHITLEY ........................................................40

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PERSONAL INJURY

DOUGLAS B. ABRAMS

KRISTEN L. BEIGHTOL

PARTNER ABRAMS & ABRAMS RALEIGH, N.C.

Practicing law is in Doug Abrams’ DNA. His father was a trial attorney in Greenville, South Carolina, who represented blue-collar workers.

Abrams says he knew from the age of 10 that he was going to be an attorney.

“I saw how my father fought for the rights of mill workers and blue-collar laborers, and I am honored to be part of a profession that allows me to help others in their worst times,” he says.

Law is a family affair for the Abrams family. Abrams practices with his wife, Peggy Abrams, and his son and daughterin-law, Noah Abrams and Melissa Abrams. A second Abrams son, Elliot Abrams, is a partner at Cheshire Parker Schneider in Raleigh.

Abrams has a great passion for the law and looks forward to going to work every day.

“I love being an attorney whose mission is to help others when they most need it,” he says. “I love being an attorney who fights against injustice.”

FOUNDING PARTNER EDWARDS BEIGHTOL RALEIGH, N.C.

Kristen Beightol enjoys achieving meaningful results for her clients “both in terms of the compensation they need for their injuries but also what they need emotionally to deal with the trauma they suffered,” she says.

Beightol is a founding partner of Edwards Beightol in Raleigh, where she practices in multiple areas of personal injury litigation with a focus on medical malpractice.

“My first job was at a niche medical malpractice litigation firm,” she says. “I was in love with a practice that was all-consuming and allowed me to focus on helping others.”

Beightol hopes her medical malpractice cases will elevate the quality of health care in her clients’ communities and, in a way, help restore faith in it.

Over the years, Beightol has obtained tens of millions of dollars for clients who have suffered serious injury or have died. She is known for her professional approach, compassion and determination.

She attributes her success to thorough preparation and a passion for her work.

Congratulations to our partner

T. Shawn Howard

on your well-deserved success!

Office Locations: 7706 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 101 Raleigh, NC 27615

6842 Carnegie Blvd., Ste 100 Charlotte, NC 28211

2850 Village Dr., Ste 206 Fayetteville, NC 28304

(919) 526-0450 • www.carolinalaw.com 32

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PERSONAL INJURY

JANET WARD BLACK ATTORNEY AND PRINCIPAL OWNER WARD BLACK LAW GREENSBORO, N.C.

When asked to name a characteristic that makes her a successful attorney, Janet Ward Black simply replies, “I love what I do.”

Black is the principal owner of Ward Black Law in Greensboro, one of the larger woman-owned law firms in North Carolina. In 2008, she was elected as the third female president of the N.C. Bar Association and was instrumental in establishing “4ALL,” a program that provides free legal advice to people in need.

Black says she chose to practice personal injury law to use her voice to help people in crisis.

“Plaintiff’s lawyers can help level the playing field between individuals and large corporations,” she says.

“Without lawyers to do that, people rarely stand a chance.”

For the last 12 years, Ward Black Law has been donating 10% of its gross revenue to nonprofits.

“Our staff knows their work has a greater impact in our community and around the world than their legal work alone because of our giving,” she says.

FRED W. DeVORE III FOUNDING PARTNER DeVORE, ACTON & STAFFORD CHARLOTTE, N.C.

As the founding partner at DeVore, Acton & Stafford in Charlotte, Fred DeVore believes attorneys are service professionals who help people through catastrophic injuries and life-changing losses.

“I like to help my clients shoulder unexpected and sudden tragedies they face,” he says. “Most times they are lost and confused about how to process such a loss, and I enjoy providing that service to them.”

While DeVore appreciates having the ability to stand up for his clients, his greatest reward comes from knowing that, when their cases are over, he has accomplished a result that they could not have accomplished alone.

“Their gratitude is a humbling experience,” he says.

Strong and compassionate advocacy for his clients is a hallmark of his practice, and DeVore also believes demonstrating respect toward opposing counsel is key to success.

“This means treating the other attorneys as you would want to be treated,” he says. “I call it the ‘Golden Rule of Advocacy.’”

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BRIAN F. DAVIS CO-FOUNDER DAVIS LAW GROUP ASHEVILLE, N.C.

With a reputation as one of the top truck accident attorneys in North Carolina, Brian Davis is known for his aggressive “leave no stone unturned” approach to handling serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. He is board-certified in truck accident law.

Davis practices with his wife, Elizabeth Rich Davis, at their Asheville firm, Davis Law Group, and is a leader in a variety of professional organizations, including the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys and the American Association for Justice.

Davis chose to begin his career at a personal injury law firm in Raleigh because he wanted to help injured people who needed an advocate in their corner to fight for them.

In 2008, after spending 17 years building a successful practice and reputation as a top trial attorney, he returned to his hometown of Asheville to form Davis Law Group. The husband-and-wife team enjoys working in tandem with their staff to provide quality legal representation to their clients.

ANN E. GRONINGER PARTNER JOHNSON & GRONINGER CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Ann Groninger thrives on solving complicated problems and understanding how things work. Whether it’s a liability challenge or how to present a complex medical issue, she wants answers and will persist until she gets them.

“I think that’s why I gravitated to an area of law with a lot of science,” she says. “One of the reasons I love bicycle cases is because they are so complicated.”

Combining her passion for advocating for individuals and the bicycling culture, Groninger represents injured individuals with a special interest in representing victims of bicycle crashes.

A partner at Johnson & Groninger in Charlotte, she also is licensed to practice in Utah.

She is one of the founders of Bike Law, a network of independent bicycle crash lawyers who share a common approach to the law and to helping cyclists.

“I love that my work keeps me connected with the bicycling community,” she said. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with and get to know some wonderful people.”

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THOMAS HENSON JR. PARTNER HENSON FUERST RALEIGH, N.C.

Thomas Henson has extensive knowledge about the effects of traumatic brain injuries on those who suffer them. He also knows about treatment methods and resources available to survivors and their families.

Henson is a partner at Henson Fuerst, a personal injury law firm his father co-founded. He is the past chair of the board of directors of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina and currently serves on its board.

In 2012, Gov. Bev Perdue appointed Henson to the North Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Council, which is responsible for studying the needs of people with brain injuries, 2/6/24, 4:50 PM coordinating preventive efforts, promoting interagency coordination of those efforts, and making policy recommendations to the governor, General Assembly and state organizations.

In a video on the firm’s website, Henson expresses pride in his firm’s efforts to represent their clients.

“As a family law firm, we understand the importance of relationships with our clients and how an injury affects their lives,” he says.

CHRISTOPHER M. HINNANT MEMBER BARNWELL WHALEY ATTORNEYS AT LAW WILMINGTON, N.C.

Chris Hinnant was in his second year of law school when he decided litigation was the path for him.

“I clerked for a civil litigation defense firm, and that summer, the firm tried a multiweek personal injury case,” he says.

“The lawyers I worked for were great about giving me handson experience working with witnesses, preparing exhibits, drafting motions and briefs, and being in court during the trial.”

He learned to love the courtroom that summer and never thought about doing anything else.

Hinnant joined Barnwell Whaley in 2016 when the firm Mail - Sheila Batie-Jones - Outlook tapped him to open its Wilmington office. Today he is a member of the firm.

He credits his parents with helping him develop the qualities that make him a successful lawyer.

“Everything I needed to know about being a lawyer I learned at the dinner table,” he says. “Work hard. Do your best. Keep your word. I am not sure I can sum all that up in one quality, but maybe ‘integrity’ comes close.”

Congratulations to our partner

Jon R. Moore on your outstanding achievement.

930 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203 • www.brownmoorelaw.com Ph: 704-335-1500 • Fax: 704-333-1636 34

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Congratulations

John M. McCabe

for being selected as one of the 2024 Power Players!

* Past President, North Carolina Advocates for Justice (2021 - 2022) ** North Carolina State Delegate, American Association for Justice ** Chair, Board of Visitors, Campbell University School of Law ** North Carolina Super Lawyer® (2020 - present) ** Best Lawyers in America, US News & World Report (2010 - present)

1130 Kildaire Farm Rd., Suite 230 | Cary, NC 27511 (919) 833-3370 | Fax: (919) 833-3371 | www.mccabelawoffices.com

PERSONAL INJURY

DANA H. HOFFMAN

SHAREHOLDER YOUNG MOORE AND HENDERSON RALEIGH, N.C. Dana Hoffman found her life’s passion in law school, and today, looking back on her career and body of work, she is ready to give back.

“After 33 years in practice, I feel an obligation and an honor to mentor young litigators,” she says. “My success today is a reflection of every partner who took time to guide me and gave me the opportunity to grow. Now it’s my turn to give back.”

Hoffman is a shareholder and litigation team member at Young Moore and Henderson in Raleigh.

Last year, she was elected to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates, an organization dedicated to civility, integrity and professionalism related to civil jury trials.

“I like to think that my personal mantra is well aligned with ABOTA’s goals,” she says. “Emotions run high in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases. Clients look at the way their attorneys act; if we model respect, our clients will follow our lead.”

T. SHAWN HOWARD ATTORNEY MAGINNIS HOWARD RALEIGH, N.C.

Shawn Howard spent the first six months of his career representing insurance companies on the defense side in personal injury cases before realizing that practice area wasn’t for him. For one thing, he admired his opposing counsel.

“Working on cases against different plaintiffs’ attorneys gave me the opportunity to see the difference a good, thorough attorney could make in their clients’ lives,” he says.

Today, Howard is a personal injury attorney at Maginnis Howard in Raleigh, where he focuses on wrongful death, auto accidents and insurance coverage.

For Howard, his work is a labor of love and practiced with compassion. He also is competitive.

“You must care about your client, and their circumstances to be inspired to be competitive and win for them,” he says. “If you have both qualities, the hard work and diligence will come naturally.”

At the end of a long, hard-fought case, Howard feels successful when a client he has helped simply says thank you.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” he says.

JOHN ALAN JONES FOUNDING MEMBER AND MANAGING PARTNER MARTIN & JONES RALEIGH, N.C.

For John Alan Jones, honesty and trust are essential to establishing a successful personal injury practice.

“At the same time, demonstrating your commitment to clients and refusing to be outworked will generate both trust and respect and enable you to obtain excellent results for your clients,” he says.

Jones, founding member and managing partner at Martin & Jones of Raleigh, started his career representing workers with occupational diseases caused by toxic chemicals and cotton dust.

“I was aware of the plight of North Carolina cotton mill workers who were contracting a lung disease caused by long-term exposure to cotton dust,” he says. “The cotton textile companies were well aware of the risk to their employees arising from cotton dust exposure.”

Over a seven-year period, Jones successfully represented hundreds of cotton mill workers all around the state.

“My greatest reward is the profound, positive impact I have on my clients’ lives, and their expressions of gratitude are priceless,” he says.

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DAVID KIRBY

FOUNDING PARTNER EDWARDS KIRBY ATTORNEYS AT LAW RALEIGH, N.C. David Kirby recalls a time early in his career when he took a case in which a woman was killed as the result of a defective product. Along the way, he discovered the product company had a bad batch of computer control modules that caused the equipment to malfunction.

In addition to paying a substantial sum to her relatives, the manufacturer issued a worldwide recall of the product.

“That case inspired me to focus my practice exclusively on product liability and personal injury cases,” he says. “I realized that you could positively impact people’s lives and make things safer for others.”

Kirby is the founding partner of Edwards Kirby Attorneys at Law, a personal injury firm in Raleigh.

He believes to be successful, attorneys must have a deep passion and caring for their fellow human beings.

“The practice of law is very difficult,” he says. “You must make sacrifices, and without passion for your work, you can’t represent your clients to the best of your ability.”

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PERSONAL INJURY

LISA LANIER

DONALD MARCARI

PRESIDENT AND CEO LANIER LAW GROUP DURHAM, N.C.

Lisa Lanier found her passion for helping people with injury claims early in her career.

A former insurance defense attorney, she opened her practice in Durham in 1995 and began her career representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases.

Since then, Lanier Law Group has grown to nine offices across North Carolina.

With a passion for helping veterans and people experiencing homelessness, Lanier and her firm engage in weekly outreach to homeless centers statewide to help people identify benefits and services they might be entitled to. She also donates and serves meals to large gatherings of people at shelters throughout the state.

Lanier has served on the regional advisory board for the former BB&T Bank and is on the board of trustees for Duke School and Art for Hospice.

Lanier frequently appears on local radio and television, commenting on legal stories in the news, and she is a recurring guest lecturer at Wake Forest University, where she lectures on journalism law.

SENIOR MANAGING PARTNER MARCARI, RUSSOTTO, SPENCER & BALABAN RALEIGH, N.C., AND VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. As the senior managing partner at Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban’s North Carolina and Virginia offices, Don Marcari has built a national reputation for his military service and civilian law practice.

He first gained national attention as a young defense attorney with the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps, and his website says, he became known as the attorney whose life and work were the basis for the motion picture “A Few Good Men.” He has also represented clients whose cases became the foundation for other movies and books.

Marcari has been fighting for seriously injured people in North Carolina since 1985 and in Virginia since 1988, concentrating on plaintiff personal injury law and civil litigation. He works at the firm’s Virginia Beach office.

He also handles veteran benefits claims and continues to defend select military service members in courts-martial and administrative proceedings.

Marcari is a highly recognized attorney who has tried more than 200 jury trials, including cases against major corporations.

Congratulations to our Partner

Ann Groninger on your well-deserved accomplishment.

Charlotte Office: 1018 East Blvd., Suite #6, • Charlotte, NC 28203 Durham Office: 300 Blackwell St., Suite # 101 • Durham, NC 27701

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Whitley Law Firm congratulates Ben Whitley for being chosen for the 2024 Power List for the second year in a row!

3301 Benson Dr., Ste. 120 • Raleigh, NC 27609 800-785-5000 • www.whitleylawfirm.com

PERSONAL INJURY

JOHN M. McCABE

PRINCIPAL ATTORNEY THE LAW OFFICES OF JOHN M. McCABE CARY, N.C. Throughout his childhood, John McCabe dreamed of becoming a lawyer. He worked hard to make that dream come true.

He is the principal attorney at The Law Offices of John M. McCabe in Cary, where he focuses on a variety of personal injury matters.

Known for his strong work ethic and attention to detail, one of McCabe's more notable achievements occurred in 2000, when he represented a young mother and her daughter in a case against the state of North Carolina for serious injuries that they suffered when their minivan was struck head-on by a Department of Transportation dump truck.

At that time, a cap limited the damages that could be recovered from the state to $150,000, which was less than half of the mother's medical bills. He worked with North Carolina Advocates for Justice to persuade the General Assembly to increase the cap to $500,000.

McCabe also has authored numerous articles and guides on “The Rules of the Road” for the N.C. Advocates for Justice.

BRIAN M. RICCI OWNER RICCI LAW FIRM GREENVILLE, N.C.

Brian Ricci became fascinated with personal injury while spending his first summer in law school, working at a personal injury firm.

“I saw firsthand the devastating impacts injuries had on people and how it affected their lives,” he says. “This made me realize I wanted to work with real people who were just like my parents and simply needed someone to give them a voice and help them get their lives back together.”

Ricci is the founder and owner of the Ricci Law Firm in Greenville, where he has served clients across North Carolina for more than 25 years.

He believes the two most important qualities successful personal injury attorneys possess are empathy and competitiveness, and he focuses on giving his clients over 100% of his effort.

“People want someone who will listen, understand with empathy, and who will not be afraid to fight for their rights,” he says. “We do all we can do to help them regain some normalcy in their lives.”

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JON R. MOORE

MANAGING PARTNER BROWN MOORE & ASSOCIATES CHARLOTTE, N.C. Jon Moore viewed a career in law as a way to nurture his passion for teaching and learning. He also wanted to serve others.

Moore is managing partner at Brown Moore & Associates in Charlotte, where he has practiced since 2006.

“I was inspired by the opportunity to help those whose lives had been profoundly impacted through no fault of their own,” he says.

Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Moore was an Eagle Scout and valedictorian of his high school class.

Before enrolling in law school at Georgetown University, he taught English at a high school in his hometown. While in law school, he also taught a practical law class to high school students in Washington, D.C. Despite the hard work that goes into his practice, Moore enjoys the rewards that come from it.

“Being able to help clients through challenging times and knowing that they are satisfied with the results are my top personal rewards,” he says.

GENE RIDDLE FOUNDING PARTNER, RIDDLE & BRANTLEY RALEIGH, N.C.

Gene Riddle credits his father with sparking his interest in becoming a personal injury lawyer by encouraging him to pursue a career designed to help people right wrongs.

Riddle is the founding partner at Riddle & Brantley in Raleigh, which now has 11 offices across the state.

A Stanly County native, Riddle’s North Carolina roots run deep. He grew up in Aberdeen, where his father was a longtime superintendent of the Moore County Schools.

Focused on personal injury, workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, veterans’ benefits, wrongful death, product liability and eminent domain, the firm also serves clients in a wide variety of mass tort and class action cases. Riddle is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates.

He believes successful personal injury lawyers must possess a strong desire to seek justice for all people, including those who can’t afford a lawyer.

Among the many rewards he derives from his practice, Riddle says his greatest is getting justice for his clients.

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DAVID SHERLIN PARTNER EPSTEIN SHERLIN RALEIGH, N.C.

David Sherlin has drawn inspiration throughout his career from people who are resilient in the face of adversity, starting as a prosecutor in Wake County.

“As a prosecutor, I worked with victims of crime who showed great strength seeking justice and making sure their voices were heard by our legal system,” he says. “These individuals and their stories of resolve inspired me and led me to the field of personal injury work after leaving the district attorney’s office.”

Today, Sherlin is a partner at Epstein Sherlin in Raleigh and believes empathy and resolve are keys to success as a personal injury lawyer.

Sherlin says he derives his greatest rewards from his ability to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

“Our clients’ lives are often irrevocably changed in the blink of an eye, and all they ask is that the legal system do something to right the wrong committed against them,” he says. “Those clients and their stories continue to inspire me as an attorney.”

BENJAMIN H. WHITLEY PARTNER WHITLEY LAW FIRM RALEIGH, N.C.

Growing up, Ben Whitley watched his father, attorney Bob E. Whitley, help his clients through the hardest times in their lives. That’s when he knew he wanted to devote his career to helping people, too.

“Individuals catastrophically injured by others often don’t have the resources to fight large corporations such as insurance companies, and I want to help my clients get results,” he says. “I pride myself in doing this while still maintaining our hometown, small firm feel.”

Whitley is a partner in the Raleigh office of Whitley Law Firm, which has offices in 13 cities across North Carolina.

For Whitley, the key to success is attention to detail and maintaining an encouraging attitude. The rewards come from helping clients navigate difficult times, obtaining fair compensation for their losses, and seeing the positive impact it has on their lives.

“I enjoy keeping in touch with clients to see how their arc has changed based on our work,” he says.

Barnwell Whaley congratulates Chris Hinnant in our Wilmington office for being named to the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Power List for two consecutive years!

BARNWELL WHALEY EST. 1938

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720 North 3rd Street, Suite 102 Wilmington, North Carolina 28401 910.679.1388 barnwell-whaley.com

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