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THE LEGAL ISSUE
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Office guidelines: Andrew McVey, a labor and employment attorney with Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC, said clients are asking about whether they can require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Index Banking & Finance .............................3-4 The List .................................................. 5 Health Care ........................................6-7 Economic Development.......................... 8 Real Estate ..........................................23 In Profile...............................................25 Business of Life.............................. 26-27
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WORKING WITH
VACCINES
BY CHRISTINA HALEY O’NEAL s COVID-19 vaccines are becoming more widely available across the nation, employers in the region are starting to ask questions about having a vaccination requirement at the workplace.
A
Local lawyers say employers can require their employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine and are now giving out legal advice to clients on the topic. “As you could imagine, the question that we would get is: ‘Can we require that our employees submit to a vaccination?’ And oftentimes, we get the inquiry, ‘Should we require employees to submit to it?’ And those perhaps really are two different inquiries,” said Andrew McVey, a labor and employment attorney with Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC. Still, McVey said many area employers he is working with had not
made it a requirement to remain on the job. More than 4.3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered between Dec. 14 and March 24 in North Carolina, according to data released by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. And vaccination appointments will open to all adults come April 7, according to an announcement by Gov. Roy Cooper in late March. On Dec. 16, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its national guidance concerning handling vaccinations. With vaccines now available, the EEOC has acknowledged some questions many employers are now raising about the laws. Previous to the vaccines rolling out, legal issues around COVID-19 were mainly about whether or not employers could make employees
submit to testing and temperature checks and other screenings at the door, with the EEOC offering guidance. Only in recent months have some clients approached legal experts about the COVID-19 vaccine issue. Will Oden, a labor and employment attorney with Ward and Smith PA, said his firm has a COVID-19 task force, established at the beginning of the pandemic last year, that is now working more on the law surrounding COVID-19 vaccines. The firm also has a website for some COVID-19 legal information. The firm is putting together its Annual Employment Law Symposium, which will be held virtually May 7, with a topic on COVID-related issues. “Really, the best thing to do is, if [employers] have any questions, is to speak directly with your employment See VACCINES, page 10
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| FROM WILMINGTONBIZ.COM | This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s Daily Update. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
Southport Power Plant closes; 44 jobs lost (March 25) The Southport Power Plant permanently ceased operating March 31. Forty-four employees, including 17 operators and 11 shift leads, lost their jobs as a result of the power plant closing, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the N.C. Department of Commerce. The power plant, 1281 Powerhouse Drive in Southport, was one of two in the state the national wholesale power producer, Canada-based Capital Power, is closing, according to the report. “In terms of staff, we are providing support to the great team at Southport in terms of transition to other employment or retirement,” Katherine Perron, Capital Power media relations and communications manager, said in an email before the plant’s last day. A decommissioning process that will take several weeks is set to be followed by equipment removal,
building demolition and salvage, and site reclamation work expected to continue through 2021, and possibly into 2022.
Mall owner enters into bankruptcy plan (March 23) Mayfaire Town Center owner CBL Properties, which filed for bankruptcy in November, announced in March that it has entered into an amended agreement that will allow the firm to proceed with its restructuring plans. The amended Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA) provides for the elimination of $1.6 billion of the company’s debt, according to a CBL Properties news release. It also means that Chattanooga, Tennessee-based CBL (also known as CBL & Associates Properties Inc.) has reached a “truce” with lenders led by Wells Fargo, according to a Wall Street Journal story. “This agreement is a major step forward for CBL’s restructuring plan,” said Stephen D. Lebovitz, CEO of CBL, in a news release. “Reaching a fully consensual plan between our credit facility lenders and noteholders has been a primary goal throughout this process.”
He added, “With this agreement in hand, we look forward to moving ahead with the court approval and confirmation process and are confident that the restructured company will be in an excellent position to execute on our strategies and return to growth.”
N.C. Ports seeing growth in cargo volumes (March 26) The Port of Wilmington is trending above what was expected for this time of year in both refrigerated cargo and intermodal cargo through the Queen City Express, said Brian Clark, N.C. Ports executive director. “As of last week, our refrigerated container volume is tracking about 19% over budget. If you recall, early in the year, our volumes were dropping off because of the COVID impact,” Clark said March 25. “We’ve seen a very recent surge of volume both import and export. And on our intermodal rail volume, we’re actually tracking at 31% over budget.” The intermodal growth has been over the Queen City Express, an intermodal rail connection with CSX that runs between the Port of Wilmington and the Charlotte Inland Port.
TOP-READ STORIES ONLINE Here are the most popular stories for March 22 - 28 from the Business Journal’s website. 1. More apartments coming to community off Independence 2. Mayfaire Town Center owner's bankruptcy plan proceeds 3. Southport Power Plant to close 4. Shop owner aims to offer Castle Street 'a very calming experience' 5. W ilmington Health building surgery center near main campus 6. Eckel, Thompson named to Novant board 7. L ocal luxury design and build firm awarded national title 8. River Bluffs opens 36-slip marina 9. W ilmington mourns loss of City Club general manager 10. S ofra Modern Mediterranean launches new menu item To read more, go to wilmingtonbiz.com
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| BANKING & FINANCE |
Live Oak, nCino defendants in lawsuit
I
t’s official. A former employee of Live Oak Bank and of Apiture LLC – a financial technology joint venture between Live Oak Bancshares and First Data Corp. – has filed suit in the U.S. District Court’s Eastern North Carolina District to contest a nonpoaching employment agreement he JENNY alleges exists among Apiture, Live Oak and banking software company nCino, all based in Wilmington. On March 12, Joseph McAlear filed a class-action suit on his own behalf and on behalf of others who he believes lost out on job opportunities with the three financial technology companies. Live Oak’s software engineering department and nCino are named defendants in the suit; Apiture is not.
CALLISON
“This class action challenges an illegal agreement between nCino, Live Oak Bank, and non-party Apiture LLC (‘Apiture’) to suppress competition for each other’s employees (the ‘No-Hire Agreement’),” the filing states. “The No-Hire Agreement pertained to all employees of nCino and Apiture, and employees in the software engineering department of Live Oak Bank, employed in Wilmington, North Carolina. The express purpose of the No-Hire Agreement was to prevent the companies from having to pay competitive wages to attract and retain talent.” A lawsuit represents one side of a dispute. As of press date, Live Oak and nCino had not yet filed their response to the legal complaint, according to court documents. Officials of all three companies, reached in late March for a statement, said their policy is to not comment on pending litigation. The No-Hire Agreement began as early as nCino’s founding in 2011 and continues to the present, the suit contends, adding, “The No-Hire
Agreement restrains competition in the labor market and is per se unlawful under federal and North Carolina law.” McAlear seeks damages for the plaintiffs’ alleged violations of Section I of the Sherman Act, according to court documents. That federal legislation, enacted in 1890, sought to curb concentrations of power that interfere with trade and reduce economic competition. It applies to any agreement to fix prices, limit industrial output, share markets or exclude competition, whether across state lines or foreign boundaries. The focus of McAlear’s suit is very local. The class action filed on behalf of McAlear and others states that he does not know how many affected employees might make up the so-called proposed class, but believes there are at least 700. Among a number of questions, the court will seek to determine whether, between 2011 and the present, Live Oak Bank and nCino had a no-hire agreement, which they expanded to include Apiture when the fledgling
company was established in Wilmington in 2017. A second question is whether, if such an agreement existed, it was concealed from employees of one company seeking employment with another. A further matter in the case is potential compensation loss: the difference between what the plaintiff and proposed class members earned from nCino, Live Oak Bank and Apiture and what they would have earned from those companies in the absence of a no-hire agreement. The suit filing points out that Wilmington does not have any peer fintech companies to the defendants and Apiture. “In a properly functioning and lawfully competitive labor market, nCino, Live Oak Bank, and Apiture would compete for employees by recruiting and hiring from each other,” the document states. “The consequence of their geographic proximity on competition for employees is profound. To work for any other potential employer in the same industry would require an employee to move
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| BANKING & FINANCE | to another city – at minimum, to the Research Triangle, approximately 130 miles away.” Such a move would cause an employee to pull up roots in Wilmington and resettle elsewhere, the complaint alleges. “As a result, but for the No-Hire Agreement, Live Oak Bank, Apiture, and nCino would have been each other’s key competitor for employees, and their competition would have driven up employee pay,” the document continues. None of the three companies has commented publicly on the lawsuit. In its Feb. 25 annual report 10-K filing with the SEC, Live Oak officials acknowledged learning that a lawsuit was possible. “On December 15, 2020, the Company received a letter from a law firm representing an individual claiming that the Company sought to restrain the mobility of employees in violation of antitrust laws by agreeing not to solicit or hire certain employees,” Live Oak officials stated in the filing. nCino likewise noted in a Feb. 23 8-K filing with the SEC that some of its officers and employees had received subpoenas related to the matter. “On February 23, 2021, the
Company and certain of its officers and other employees were served with grand jury subpoenas wherein the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice is seeking documents and information in connection with an investigation of the Company’s hiring and wage practices under US federal antitrust laws. The Company is fully cooperating with the authorities,” officials stated in the filing. “Previously, the Company received a letter from a law firm representing one individual seeking to resolve potential civil antitrust claims against the Company and Live Oak Bank, a business based in Wilmington, North Carolina, relating to an alleged unlawful agreement not to solicit or hire certain employees,” the filing further stated, adding, “Although there can be no assurance with respect to the outcome of these matters, the Company believes its hiring and wage practices do not violate antitrust laws.”
PNC announces local branch consolidation In an era when customers are transacting ever more of their banking business online or through
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mobile devices, bank branches are rethinking their physical presence in communities. In January, PNC announced that it would reduce its bricks-and-mortar footprint in Wilmington with a consolidation that becomes effective April 16. “We constantly evaluate our branches, together with our other available channels of banking, to ensure that they are most effectively meeting our customers’ needs,” spokeswoman Marcey Zwiebel said recently in a statement. “As a result of these evaluations, the decision was made to consolidate the 17th Street Branch located at 2015 S. 17th Street in Wilmington with the Oleander Branch, located at 3709 Oleander Dr. in Wilmington – approximately 1.35 miles away.” PNC customers can bank through ATMs and other electronic means, and the pandemic only accelerated that trend away from in-person branch visits, Zwiebel added. “Consider that approximately 77% of consumer customers used non-teller channels for the majority of their transactions during the fourth quarter of 2020. Additionally during the fourth quarter, deposit
transactions via ATM and mobile channels were 66% of total deposit transactions. These shifts in the way customers are conducting their banking transactions are important inputs that inform our branch consolidation decisions.” In addition to the Oleander Drive location, PNC maintains a branch at 2026 Eastwood Road.
Truist rolls out blended branch on Military Cutoff More than a year after the merger of BB&T and SunTrust banks was finalized creating Truist, the combined company is premiering its new blended model locally at the former BB&T location at 1313 Military Cutoff Road. It’s an initial step toward the eventual meshing of the two large banks and will result in the gradual closing of branches that are in overlapping areas. Three SunTrust or BB&T branches in Charlotte were closed in late 2020, and six more followed suit in March, according to reports by several Charlotte area media outlets. At a blended branch, services are available to both SunTrust and BB&T customers.
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April 2 - 15, 2021
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| THE LIST |
Law Firms
Ranked by number of local lawyers RANK
FIRM ADDRESS
1
Ward and Smith P.A. 127 Racine Drive Wilmington, NC 28403
2
Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC 1979 Eastwood Road, Suite 101/16 N. Fifth Ave. Wilmington, NC 28403/28401
3
Cranfill Sumner LLP 101 N. Third St., Suite 400 Wilmington, NC 28401
4
Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo LLP 300 N. Third St., Suite 420 Wilmington, NC 28401
5
Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed LLP 310 N. Front Street Wilmington, NC 28401
6 6 8 9 9
Hamlet & Associates PLLC 5215 Junction Park Circle, Suite 202 Wilmington, NC 28412 McAngus Goudelock & Courie 1001 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 310 Wilmington, NC 28405 Shipman & Wright LLP 575 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 106 Wilmington, NC 28405 Marshall, Williams & Gorham 430 Eastwood Rd, Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 Rountree Losee LLP 2419 Market St./P.O. Box 1409 Wilmington, NC 28402
PHONE/FAX WEBSITE
LOCAL LAWYERS/ LOCAL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES
794-4800/794-4877 www.wardandsmith.com
19 17
763-2426/763-6561 www.murchisontaylor.com
17 14
777-6000/777-6111 www.cshlaw.com
15 32
509-9664/509-9630 www.hedrickgardner.com
12 27
763-2727/762-6429 www.bcklawfirm.com
9 9
777-5995/777-5995 www.hamletandassociates.com
8 14
726-1122/920-9157 www.mgclaw.com
8 14
762-1990/762-6752 www.shipmanandwright.com
7 21
763-9891/343-8604 www.mwglaw.com
6 6
763-3404/763-0320; 763-0080 www.rountreelosee.com
6 12
762-9711/256-0310 www.cmclawfirm.com
5 6
910-772-1678/— hcpplaw.com
5 7
Business, HOA, personal injury and medical malpractice, family and divorce, criminal and traffic, corporate, real estate litigation and transactions, franchising
2000
399-3447/338-9162 www.leekaess.com
5 —
Commercial real estate, land use and zoning, trusts and estates, litigation
Michael Lee Managing Member 2012 (formerly Lee Law Firm, PLLC)
Catastrophic personal injury, construction cases (construction accident and construction defect), collapse cases (vacation rentals, deck and railing collapses, elevator collapses, scaffolding etc.), institutional sexual abuse cases, defective drugs and medical devices, work-related accidents, class actions (including data breach cases) and mass torts, business and civil litigation, wage and hour claims, premises liability claims, etc.
Joel R. Rhine Attorney/Owner 1995
11
Crossley McIntosh Collier Hanley and Edes PLLC 5002 Randall Parkway Wilmington, NC 28403
11
Hodges Coxe & Potter LLP 3907 Wrightsville Ave., Suite 100 Wilmington, NC 28403
11
Lee Kaess, PLLC 3414 Wrightsville Ave. Wilmington, NC 28403
11
Rhine Law Firm 1612 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 300 Wilmington, NC, NC 28403
772-9960/772-9062 www.rhinelawfirm.com
5 6
15
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP 115 N. Third St., Suite 301 Wilmington, NC 28401
444-2000/444-2001 www.brookspierce.com
4 3
815-0085/815-1095 www.craigeandfox.com
4 7
762-3854/251-6346 www.ricefamilylaw.com
4 5
332-0721/(888) 290-7817 www.humphriesfirm.law
3 8
755-7255/— —
3 4
763-3626/— carterandcarterlaw.com
2 —
256-8252/256-9788 www.fusslawfirm.net
2 4
763-3666/251-9562 None
2 3
458-4466/458-8845 www.carolinabeachattorney.com
2 5
256-2292/256-1104 www.coastallawyer.net
2 3
239-9585/679-4522 www.woodywhitelaw.com
2 3
Craige & Fox PLLC
Market St. Wilmington, NC 28401 15 701
15 18 18 20
Rice Law PLLC 401 Chestnut St., Suite G Wilmington, NC 28401 The Humphries Law Firm PC 1904 Eastwood Road, Suite 310A Wilmington, NC 28403 The Wortman Law Firm, PLLC 624 Village Road, Suite #1 Shallotte, NC 28470 Carter & Carter 408 Market St. Wilmington, NC 28401 Fuss Law Firm, PC
Eastwood Road, Suite 315 Wilmington, NC 28403 20 1904 Morgan & Carter, PLLC
Market St. Wilmington, NC 28401 20 602
Ned Barnes Law Firm
N. Lake Park Blvd. Suite C2 Carolina Beach, NC 28428 20 1009
20
Siegel & Rhodenhiser PLLC 1055 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 201 Wilmington, NC 28405
20
Woody White Law PLLC 2004 Eastwood Road, Suite 201 Wilmington, NC 28403
List is based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
TOP LOCAL OFFICIAL/ YEAR LOCALLY FOUNDED
Brad Evans Devon Williams, CoManaging Directors Kenneth Wooten 1992 Michael Murchison Amanda Miars Full-service law firm with emphasis on business and corporate law, estate planning and administration, litigation, health David Martin care, employment, real estate development and transactions, homeowners associations, agribusiness and intellectual property Scott Holmes Executive Committee 1955 Admiralty and maritime, alternative dispute resolution, appellate, business, aviation, business disputes and John D. Martin litigation,community association , construction, cyber liability and privacy, education, elder, employment, family, insurance Managing Partner, and coverage, intellectual property, land condemnation and eminent domain, medical malpractice, motor vehicle litigation, Wilmington Office municipalities and public entities, nursing home litigation, etc. 2001 Justin Robertson Appellate advocacy, civil litigation, employment law, products liability litigation, professional liability litigation, public Wilmington Office entities and municipalities litigation, retail, restaurant and hospitality, trucking and transportation law, workers’ Managing Partner compensation 1999 Jeffrey P. Keeter Family law, business law, litigation, property law, real estate transactions, estate planning and administration, mediation and Auley M. Crouch III arbitration, community association law Senior Partners 1996 H. Mark Hamlet Litigation, construction, health care, business law and mediation Managing Partner 2012 Workers’ compensation defense, civil litigation, commercial litigation, construction litigation, employment law, intellectual M. Ryan Bisplinghoff Managing Member property, real estate litigation 2014 Complex commercial litigation, personal injury, professional negligence, condemnation, construction litigation, sports Gary K. Shipman agency representation, product liability, nursing home negligence, drug and medical devices, real estate development and Managing Partner transactions, family law, tax law, equitable distribution, business formation and complex civil litigation 1982 W. Robert Cherry Jr. General civil litigation, personal injury claims, construction litigation, business/commercial, estate probate, homeowners’ Managing Partner associations 1963 Admiralty and maritime law, alcoholic beverage and brewery law, business and corporate law, civil litigation, trusts, estate Geoffrey Losee planning and administration, land use and environmental law, mediation services, municipal law, real estate, transportation Managing Partner law 1896 Andrew Hanley Clay A. Collier Norwood Blanchard III Litigation, insurance defense, maritime and admiralty, employment law, municipal law, Defense Base Act Brian Edes Attorney at Laws 1948 Agribusiness, alcoholic beverage, business, community associations, construction, creditors’ rights, economic development, elder, eminent domain, family, financial institutions, government relations, hemp, intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation, personal injury and wrongful death, privacy and data security, real estate, real estate development, tax, technology, trusts and estates, workplace safety and health, zoning and land use planning
Charles S. Baldwin IV Partner, Wilmington Office 2013 Lawrence S. Craige Charlotte Noel Fox Elder law, estate administration, estate planning, family law, legal guardianship, municipal law, fiduciary litigation Managing Partners 2007 Mark S. Williams Family law, civil litigation, appeals, personal injury Managing Member 1993 Justin Humphries Real estate, intellectual property, civil litigation President 2009 David Wortman Real estate, criminal/traffic defense, personal injury and civil litigation Founding Partner 2008 James Oliver Carter Bankruptcy, real estate, business litigation, creditor and debtor bankruptcy rights, corporate matters, estate planning and Partner administration 1974 William Fuss, Lawyer/ President Residential and commercial real estate, wills, and corporate formation Ryan Konrady, Lawyer 1996 Richard Morgan Mark Carter Business law, commercial real estate, residential real estate, estates, wills, trusts, commercial litigation, estate litigation, real Attorneys estate litigation, collections, construction law, planned communities, homeowners associations, and condominium 1968 (date Morgan associations started practicing law in Wilmington) Ned M. Barnes Real estate, wills and estate administration, corporations, motor vehicle law Attorney 1985 Steven F. Siegel Residential and commercial real estate transactions and development; business law and transactions; limited liability Ryan T. Rhodenhiser companies; wills, trusts and estates Members 2011 Woody White Criminal (both state and federal), civil, personal injury, crisis management, business consulting Owner 2000 Business litigation, international law, corporate law, intellectual property, entertainment, white-collar criminal defense
Want to be considered for The List? Request an industry survey by emailing lists@wilmingtonbiz.com. The Business Journal will feature the following lists in upcoming publications: Attractions • Event Transportation
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| HEALTH CARE |
Cape Fear Clinic rises to occasion BY SCOTT NUNN ape Fear Clinic was already in for an eventful 2021. As with most everything, however, the pandemic meant a change of plans for the medical clinic, which is marking its 30th anniversary this year. It’s a milestone for the unique provider, founded in 1991 through the efforts of three physicians who were members of St. Mary Catholic Church. In its early years, the then-Tileston Health Clinic operated out of the namesake former public-school building, which was owned by the church. In 2007, the clinic moved to 1605 Doctors Circle (near New Hanover Regional Medical Center), and in 2011 it became Cape Fear Clinic. “A lot of our [anniversary] plans were derailed because of COVID,” said John Devaney, the clinic’s CEO, adding that all the events were important fundraisers. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is funded by foundations, grants and individuals, along with reimbursements from Medicaid.
C
PHOTO BY CECE NUNN
Check up: Cape Fear Clinic, a charitable clinic with on-site medical, pharmacy and mental health services, marks its 30th anniversary this year.
“Hopefully, as we go into the fall, things will be better, and we’ll be able to hold some celebratory events,” he said. As it prepared to mark 30 years
of already-ambitious service, COVID-19 abruptly presented the clinic with its biggest challenge ever: providing uninterrupted care for 2,000 patients, the majority of whom
have chronic health conditions that make them especially vulnerable to the virus. In the early days of the pandemic, as much of Wilmington essentially was shutting down, the clinic’s leadership knew it had to stay open. Closing was “out of the question,” Devaney said. “We are the bottom of the safety net for our community. And so if we were not here for our patients, their only option would be the emergency departments.” (Many EDs were strained by preparing for COVID patients and the need to maintain social-distancing for others.) “Our goal, at the truest level, is to keep our patients out of the emergency rooms,” Devaney said. Prior to the pandemic, the clinic occasionally used phone calls to check on patients. But, as with many healthcare providers, advanced telemedicine was new territory. With the help of the N.C. Association of Free & Charitable Clinics, Cape Fear added Updox, a HIPPA-approved
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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| HEALTH CARE | platform that provides secure communication with patients via texting and video chats over phones and other devices. Since the clinic serves only those with low incomes (no more than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a household) or Medicaid coverage, its patients are by definition near the bottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder. No one pays more than a suggested $3 copay. With 20 staff members – about 14 full time – Cape Fear Clinic is not a large organization, especially considering that a good portion are devoted to work such as grant applications, fundraising and securing donations of medications from drug companies. (Last year alone, the clinic distributed almost $7 million worth of medications donated from drug manufacturers.) Despite its modest size, Devaney said the clinic has been aggressive in pursuing the medical resources it needs to serve not only its existing patients, but the community in general. Cape Fear Clinic, for example, is one of only a handful of healthcare providers in Wilmington to offer REGEN-COV, the COVID-19 antibody therapy made by Regen-
eron Pharmaceuticals and administered to President Trump after he contracted the virus in October. “Our chief medical officer and our chief pharmacy officer were frustrated because we had a couple of patients who died [of COVID-19],” Devaney said. “Our belief was that had we been able to get them the infusion therapy, they might have survived.” So how did a smallish clinic get its hands on such cutting-edge therapy? Devaney explains. “We reached out to the state, which controls that just like they control the vaccines, and said, ‘Hey, can we have it?’ And they said, ‘No.’ We said, ‘OK, thanks. We tried.’ And a couple of weeks later, they called and asked if we were still interested.” Devaney said there has been a big push for people to get the therapy, which, he believes, “is completely underutilized right now, not just in North Carolina, but across the country.” The clinic also is playing a role in the region’s COVID-vaccination efforts, administering 100 doses a week. As with all its COVID-related treatment, the clinic’s antibody therapy is available to anyone, not just
established patients or those who qualify financially for its services. Like probably many other area agencies with similar missions, Cape Fear Clinic’s leaders are excited about the possible impact of the New Hanover Community Endowment, the $1.25 billion charitable foundation established with the majority of the proceeds from the sale of NHRMC to Novant Health. (Officials have said no grants likely are to be made this year, as the foundation develops a framework for how they will be made). “Our hope is that they will recognize the value that our clinic has brought to our community for 30 years and hopefully for the next 30plus years,” Devaney said. “We certainly would fit any of their criteria – we’re health care, we’re serving the low-income and the uninsured, and we’re serving four area counties.”
Wilmington Health launches women’s center Wilmington Health recently announced the forming of its Women’s Center of Excellence, structured to provide a mix of women’s health
services including primary care, obstetrics, gynecology, radiology, pelvic floor, incontinence care, urogynecology and cardiology. A new service – the center’s Pelvic Floor and Continence Center – is being headed up by urologist and pelvic surgeon Deborah Hess and a board-certified gynecology team, including the practice’s robotic minimally invasive surgery team, officials announced.
NHRMC expands advanced wound care services New Hanover Regional Medical Center Wound Care Clinic is now treating children and teens needing specialized treatments. NHRMC expanded the service because there are no other wound clinics in the region that accept patients under 18, Candice Curtin, director of the Wound Care Clinic, said in a press release. The clinic is accepting pediatric patients of all ages treats “every wound type,” Curtin said, including trauma wounds, nonhealing surgical wounds, pressure injuries, burns and post-radiation injuries.
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |
Jones: Economy on recovery road Two employers report hiring trends for new work
BY CHRISTINA HALEY O’NEAL
T
he Wilmington area economy is doing better than expected a year after the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on many businesses across the region, said Adam Jones, a regional economist with the University of North Carolina Wilmington. With the recent rollout of COVID-19 CHRISTINA HALEY vaccinations and the easing of statewide restrictions, the region could see business bounce back even more this summer, including in the leisure and hospitality industry, a sector hard hit by the pandemic. Economists nationwide have described several shapes for this particular recession, Jones said. A “V-shape” and “check-mark” recovery were all forecasts for this economic situation. “I think we are probably somewhere in between,” Jones said. “I think we have done better than a lot of folks, including myself, thought we might as a region and as a nation.” The Federal Reserve in June predicted that the GDP would shrink by 6.5% for the fourth quarter, year over year. “We turned out to only be down 2% year over year,” Jones said. “And there are two reasons for that. One, the federal government has put forward unprecedented stimulus. They have never sent out as many checks and other programs as they’ve undertaken this time around. So, that’s been helpful. And I two, I think we have a tendency to underestimate how creative business owners are … they’ve adapted. I’m amazed at how well they have done.” New Hanover County’s unemployment figures are lowering, despite the big spike last April when figures jumped up to a 15% unemployment rate, according to figures from the N.C. Department of Commerce. Figures have been declining since then. And January’s unemployment numbers, the most recent statistics available, showed a 5.5% unemployment rate for the county. However, those statistics were still above pre-pandemic unemployment rates, which in January 2020 was 3.4%. In the Wilmington Metropolitan
O’NEAL
FILE PHOTO
Reviving dining: Diners are shown late last year at Rx Restaurant. The hospitality sector, which includes restaurants and bars as well as lodging, took the biggest hit locally during the pandemic. Loosening restrictions and COVID-19 vaccinations are expected to help those jobs rebound.
Statistical Area, jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector continue to suffer the most, down 14.5% year over year in January. Jones said he expects an improvement in that sector to come in July, as the summer could prove strong for the industry’s comeback with more people making their way to the coast during the tourist season. “I think there is a lot of pent-up demand, and I think that people are sitting on savings and they’re just itching to go ... And the vaccines have just started,” Jones said. “I expect people to come back. I expect that [people] will vacation here. I think that indoor dining may be a little slower to recover just because we’re waiting on people to get comfortable with it, but I don’t think that’ll take too long either.” It could be harder, however, to bring back the area’s unemployment to pre-pandemic rates, he said. “Even with a pretty strong bounce back, if unemployment gets down to 5%, it’s going to be hard to drive that last percent. It always is,” Jones said. “Most of the real gains have already taken place, for instance, in retail, and now we are starting to see the lei-
sure and hospitality lined back up.” Jones also noted that the area’s sales tax revenues held strong. Taxable sales during March 2020-January 2021 for the three-county area were almost 2% higher than the same time period before the pandemic, according to Jones. “Further, many state and local budgets will be in a strong position because any ‘non-essential’ expenditures were cut,” Jones said. “For example, at the university, nobody is traveling and while travel isn’t a large part of the university budget, it’s an example of cuts that were made that should put the state and local governments in a strong position to help drive growth going forward.” Overall, Jones said he believes the region is “on a strong path towards recovery.” “I think really what is going to drive all of this isn’t an economic story. This remains a public health story,” Jones said. “And the quicker we can get the vaccines out there and get the public health crisis behind us, the economy will recover right on its heels.”
Two Wilmington-headquartered companies that are among the area’s larger employers are in hiring modes. Alcami Corp., a global pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization, has plans to grow its base in Wilmington and has several open positions, said Patrick Walsh, the company’s new chairman and CEO. Walsh took on the leadership role last month. Since June, Alcami has added about 115 employees to the company, with a third of those added to the Wilmington site, he said. “About half of our employees reside in Wilmington,” Walsh said. “I think there are roughly 850 employees, and a little over 400 are based [in Wilmington].” There were another 35 positions open in Wilmington, Walsh said in March. Alcami is planning in Wilmington to add additional capabilities in the company’s oral solid dose manufacturing center and its packaging center. Company officials are looking to expand Alcami’s analytical services lab, as well as its formulation capabilities. “We just brought in a new roller compactor and are adding additional packaging and manufacturing capabilities. We also plan to expand the laboratories that are in the headquarters building,” Walsh said. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, a provider of advanced reactors, fuel and nuclear services, is also hiring. GE Hitachi officials said recently that the company was hiring for several new positions associated with other developing and ongoing projects in its nuclear technologies business, including progress toward the commercialization of GE’s small modular reactor model. GE Hitachi in March had more than a dozen positions open in the Wilmington area to support its growing nuclear technologies, including engineers and project managers. “We are hiring for positions,” company spokesman Jon Allen said in March, “associated with projects that we’ve made recent announcements about, including the BWRX300 small modular reactor, Natrium technology that we are co-developing with TerraPower and next-generation fuel products.”
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| ACHIEVERS | Send information about company hires, promotions or awards to editor@wilmingtonbiz.com
Martin joins CloudWyze CloudWyze has welcomed PRESTON MARTIN to its team. Martin joins the company as the client account manager-rural markets, according to a news release. He was previously with Watch Communications as a field services technician. Martin “His passion is helping to build wireless network infrastructure that provides quality high-speed internet service to those in rural areas that have no options or bad options,” officials said. He grew up in Goshen, Indiana.
Skobel named Trinity Landing leader Trinity Landing has announced BONNIE SKOBEL as its executive director. Skobel was one of the first staff members to be hired at Trinity Grove, a Lutheran Services Carolinas skilled nursing facility that opened in 2011. She was named administrator of Trinity Grove in Skobel 2015. She previously worked as a social worker. Trinity Landing is a new active senior living community being built by Lutheran Services Carolinas on the Intracoastal Waterway. The community is planned to have 184 units in its initial construction phase with a slated opening in 2022. It is a sister community to Trinity Grove.
Lynn Crist to lead The Property Shop in Burgaw JAMIE LYNN CRIST will manage The Property Shop International Realty’s new Burgaw office. The Property Shop International Realty recently announced the new office at 213 S. Wright St. in Burgaw, officials said. Crist is a local Crist resident who has
lived in the area for more than 40 years. She has been one of the firm’s top producers. Other real estate professionals at the Burgaw office are APRIL SHEPARD, JEFF DAW, HALEY MOSELEY and JASON WORTHY.
Eagle Eye Marketing adds Smith to team Wilmington-based Eagle Eye Marketing has welcomed KRISTINE SMITH to its team. Smith has joined the firm as director of business development, serving existing clients as well as helping secure new business for the organization, officials said. Smith has more Smith than 20 years of experience in radio sales. She began her marketing career at J. Walter Thompson in New York City. Most recently, she spent nearly 12 years with Sunrise Broadcasting in Wilmington. She has also worked with other broadcast organizations. Smith is a graduate of Manhattanville College.
Baughman joins NHRMC NHRMC Physician Specialists – General Surgery Specialists has welcomed SAMUEL BAUGHMAN to the practice. Baughman is a general surgeon with fellowship training in trauma surgery and surgical critical care. He completed his residency in general Baughman surgery at Spartanburg Regional Health Care System in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and his fellowship training in surgical critical care at the University of Minnesota. Baughman earned a bachelor’s degree from Wofford College in Spartanburg, and a Doctor of Medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
Newman appointed to leadership role with CCNC Community Care of North Carolina Inc. has named LYDIA NEWMAN as executive vice president and chief administrative officer. Newman will provide leadership in government affairs and work closely with the Community Care
of North Carolina Inc. (CCNC) and NCCCN boards as the chief administrator and board liaison for the organization. She will also advise CCNC president CEO Tom Newman Wroth on strategies to “carry out value-based contracts between the provider network and payers and
work collaboratively with CCNC’s internal departments and external stakeholders to assess, define, coordinate, and implement CCNC’s payer strategy,” officials said. Newman already has extensive experience with CCNC. She helped start and led the operations of CCNC’s local network Community Care of Lower Cape Fear for more than 12 years, while also serving on CCNC’s statewide board.
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| FROM THE COVER | 219 Station Road, Suite 202 Wilmington, NC 28405 (910) 343-8600 Fax: (910) 343-8660 wilmingtonbiz.com PUBLISHER Rob Kaiser rkaiser@wilmingtonbiz.com PRESIDENT Robert Preville rpreville@wilmingtonbiz.com EDITOR Vicky Janowski vjanowski@wilmingtonbiz.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Cece Nunn cnunn@wilmingtonbiz.com REPORTERS Johanna Cano jcano@wilmingtonbiz.com Christina Haley O’Neal chaley@wilmingtonbiz.com VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Maggi Apel mapel@wilmingtonbiz.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Craig Snow csnow@wilmingtonbiz.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Courtney Barden cbarden@wilmingtonbiz.com Marian Welsh KEN mwelsh@wilmingtonbiz.com
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From VACCINES, page 1
law counsel. Because so much of this is fact-specific in terms of what route to take,” Oden said. McVey said he expects more questions to come in as the COVID-19 vaccines become more available. “As a general matter, the EEOC tends to be really protective of folks when it comes to their medical conditions, their privacy, and the like,” McVey said. “As a result of COVID-19, I wouldn’t go so far as to say the agency has pivoted in the other direction, but I think the agency is quite mindful that we are in the midst of a pandemic and there are health-related concerns in the workplace that we have never had before and hopefully will never have again.” Much of the requirements around this guidance from the EEOC are consistent with job necessity, he said. It is also within reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, he said. Some groups employment lawyers face on this issue, include those not medically able to receive the vaccination. Another group, McVey said, are the people who invoke a deeply held religious belief that is opposed to vaccinations in general. “Bottom line is: yes, employers can require vaccinations of their employees, as long as the companies provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and sincerely held religious beliefs,” Oden said. “Secular beliefs and beliefs about the medical efficacy of the vaccine itself is not going to be enough to exclude the requirement if the employer places the requirement on the employee to get the vaccine.” The issue is somewhat similar to getting the flu vaccination; however, the difference is that with the COVID-19 vaccine, what is known about the vaccines is much more limited with the global rush to push out the vaccines as quickly as possible. If a disability exists, Oden advised that with the ADA laws, there needs to be interactive discussions between the employer and the employee about whether there is a reasonable accommodation that can be provided to an employee. “Sometimes the accommodation can’t be made, but the conversation still needs to happen,” Oden said. Most employers, however, are going to great lengths to ensure that employees understand what is expected of them, and some are getting creative, going as far as offering incentives, paid time off, and other benefits to get the vaccine, he said.
Wilmington Health officials said that the medical group has no policy in place for requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. The vaccine is encouraged but not required among its employees. It does, however, offer a financial incentive to its employees after getting the vaccine, paid to the employees following the second dose. Paul Kamitsuka, infectious disease physician at Wilmington Health and chief epidemiologist at NHRMC, said, however, that the COVID vaccination of the vast majority of the population “is the only means by which we will end the pandemic, save lives, and return to normal life. Nothing is currently more important to protect the public health. We urge everyone to be vaccinated as soon as possible.” On declination forms for the COVID-19 vaccine, Oden said, “I think it’s fair to say we’re taking each situation on a case-by-case basis, depending on the particular employer’s culture and how they want to handle things, while trying to make sure they’re following the law.” Aside from any issues with a disability or sincerely held religious beliefs, employers do have the right to fire individuals should they refuse to get the vaccine, Oden said. North Carolina’s “at-will” employment is generally the rule, which means an employee can be terminated for any reason or no reason at all, as long as the reason doesn’t violate public policy, such as the protected categories under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the disability requirements under ADA, Oden said. Although, there are other exceptions to the at-will doctrine, he said. “I have not seen adverse action taken yet against anyone who has not been vaccinated because some folks have been able to get the vaccine and others have not. And so, there is certainly a sense that we are taking things day by day,” Oden said. The landscape on the topic is fluid at this point, the lawyers said, and can change on a client basis. “If employers want their employees to get vaccinated, then the employers need to be very careful about how they handle the information, and it needs to be available on a need-to-know basis,” McVey said. Once the vaccines become more readily available, both Oden and McVey said they believe that actions an employer will take will likely depend on job necessity and include an overall business decision. An example of that necessity may be in situations such as the restaurant industry, where there’s closeness with the employees and the general public.
“
Bottom line is: yes, employers can require vaccinations of their employees, as long as the companies provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and sincerely held religious beliefs.” - WILL ODEN, labor & employment attorney, Ward and Smith PA Local restaurateur Ash Aziz said the vaccinations are giving many in the industry peace of mind. While vaccinations are not required, they are encouraged among his employees, and some employees are getting their vaccines, Aziz said. There are about 70 employees at his restaurants. “It’s a dialogue between us. But it does not matter, vaccine or not, we still have protocols. We have masks, sanitization stations, and we’re being extra careful as a group,” Aziz said. “In our point of view, we cannot force it on our guests, we cannot force it on our employees. And that’s basically our philosophy. But we encourage them, and we connect our employees where to go [to get vaccinated].” For the restaurant business, he said, vaccines are another tool to get the industry back to normal. “I think it’s the right thing to do because we are in the service industry. It’s hard to do social distancing in the restaurant industry,” Aziz said. “You can try. But a restaurant kitchen is not really designed that way. Even in a dining room … people have to get up; they have to eat, and they have to use the restroom.” Sometime this spring Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC plans to pull together a seminar on these issues, of which the vaccination topic will be brought up across the firm to discuss the legal concerns. “This is, like everything else, it is a really unusual time, and we’re having to react to unprecedented inquiries that are being driven by this pandemic,” McVey said. “The sorts of questions that we have been drawing are like nothing we have seen before.”
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SPONSORS’ CONTENT DISTRIBUTED BY THE GREATER WILMINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL
L AW Small business owners often don’t think they need – or can afford – legal counsel. Learn how these industry leaders can assist with the many details of business ownership to ensure they are handled properly and help avoid potential legal and financial hurdles.
GEOFFREY A. LOSEE Partner, Rountree Losee LLP
RUSSELL NUGENT Of Counsel, The Humphries Law Firm P.C.
WOODY WHITE Attorney, Woody White Law PLLC
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STALWART FIRM EXEMPLIFIES THE VALUE OF EXPERIENCE CELEBRATING OUR QUASQUICENTENNIAL GEORGE ROUNTREE, III
GEOFFREY A. LOSEE
Grandson of the firm’s founder, North Carolina Bar Association General Practice Hall of Fame inductee, and US News Best Lawyers in America for over twenty consecutive years. Mr. Rountree is an acknowledged expert in admiralty law and corporate law, he continues with his active practice and enjoys assisting with the firm’s other attorneys.
The US News Best Lawyers Wilmington NC 2021 Admiralty Lawyer of the Year, Managing Partner, Geoff Losee focuses on litigation defense, primarily in admiralty and maritime law. For over 20 years, he has focused on real estate matters, from acquisition to development and zoning. He also counsels Wilmington’s craft brewers on permitting and regulatory compliance. Mr. Losee is also a certified mediator.
STEPHEN D. COGGINS Mr. Coggins brings four decades of experience in litigation and regulatory matters, focusing on complex coastal business and property issues. He routinely handles coastal management, development, business associations, contracts, property, infrastructure, environmental, transportation, eminent domain, and insurance coverage issues. He has served as Town Attorney for two beach municipalities and has advocated legislation at the state and federal level. Before joining Rountree Losee, Mr. Coggins practiced in Raleigh and was a partner with Parker, Poe, Adams & Bernstein, L.L.P. He is also a certified mediator.
COREY T. ZURBUCH Mr. Zurbuch brings twenty-five years of experience. Licensed in North Carolina, Colorado and West Virginia, he has represented individuals and businesses in Eastern North Carolina, Aspen, Colorado, and Charleston, West Virginia where he was an equity member of Spilman, Thomas & Battle, PLLC. He routinely handles transactions and litigation related to construction, residential and commercial sales and leasing, stock and asset purchases, and owners’ association governance and related issues, and other complex matters.
PARDIS CAMARDA Ms. Camarda is experienced in litigation, admiralty, and maritime law. She is licensed in North Carolina and New York. She routinely litigates personal injury and property damage claims and complex maritime claims including insurance coverage issues, financial disputes in the commercial fishing industry, storm claims concerning yachts, recreational boats, piers, and marinas. She also handles insurance coverage matters, including domestic and international shipping and maritime issues and marine salvage claims.
MICHAEL BECKER Mr. Becker is an experienced estate planning attorney, licensed in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the United States Tax Court. He routinely handles tax controversies, estate planning, and elder law. He also handles powers of attorney, trusts, wills, estate and trust administration, business succession planning, and more.
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WHY YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD CONSIDER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION How do I know if my idea/ product/business is worth protecting? In short, consult a professional. There are different types of intellectual property protection available and they each cover different subject matter and provide different types of protection. In addition, every lawyer out there can tell you stories about clients that spent thousands on litigation as a result of trying to avoid hiring a lawyer to do something for them. Intellectual Property is a complicated area of the law and mistakes are costly. Hire a professional. What kinds of things are eligible for patent protection? Any new and useful manufactured article, machine, composition of matter, or process and improvements to them are eligible for patent protection. The devil is in the details. Certain technology areas have a harder time patenting than others right now – namely biotechnology and software enabled inventions. In short, whether something is patentable is usually more a function of whether it is new and nonobvious. What are the risks of not applying for patent protection? First, there are a number of activities in which an inventor can engage that will defeat their right to apply for a patent including disclosing or offering to sell the invention more than one year before filing the application. In addition, there is always the possibility that someone sees the product you are selling, realizes it is not protected and starts selling it themselves.
Can I protect my business name or logo? Trademark law protects any sound, symbol or device that is used in interstate commerce to identify a brand. Trademarks can consist of words, symbols, images or any combination thereof. There are also trademark registrations for sounds, color and even taste; although, registrations for taste are pretty rare. The look and feel of a product or its packaging can sometimes be registered as well. To be registered, the trademark needs (i) to be used in conjunction with the sale of your goods and services, (ii) to be distinctive and (iii) not confusingly similar to another trademark already in use. What are the risks of not registering my Trademark? In some cases, another business that is selling a similar or related good or service may register your name or one similar to your own and threaten you with trademark litigation. Even if you adopted your trademark first, you could be left spending a lot of money in litigation to preserve your right to use your own name and worse yet, you may lose that right altogether. In addition, without a registration you may find it difficult to convince third parties like web hosts to remove infringing content. This discussion just scratches the surface of this topic. Business owners are strongly encouraged to seek the advice of an intellectual property attorney early to find out what intellectual property protections may be important to their businesses. There are deadlines for applying for certain types of protections so delay can be costly.
RUSSELL NUGENT Of Counsel, The Humphries Law Firm, P.C. Russell received his law degree from Georgetown in 2004. Russell helps individuals and businesses protect their innovations, creations and business information using strategies based in patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret law. His work includes both strategic planning and dispute resolution. He assists clients who want to buy and sell businesses, and license or transfer their intellectual property assets.
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BAD THINGS HAPPEN. GOOD RESULTS TAKE A SKILLED & EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY. What should individuals and businesses do within 24 hours when an unexpected legal issue arises? Before taking a step in any direction, you must first determine what it is that is around you – what are the legal issues involved? Where is the cliff or the pitfall ahead, and how can it be avoided? Who can I trust to navigate this situation? No matter how fearful or intimidated one may be, the best decision, at the earliest stages of any crisis or legal issue, is to engage an experienced professional who can see clearly through the smoke and give good advice about a path forward. How does your experience as a public official help your clients deal with difficult situations? Over my 8 years in public office, I saw the inner workings of government at every level – and learned firsthand how a crisis is managed, how decisions are made, and how to achieve great outcomes. Finding the right path forward does not happen by accident. It is the result of good communication, an innate ability to obtain and sift through needed information, and then knowing how best to communicate your desired outcome. These important skills are necessary, and you want an experienced, proven leader on your side when facing a crisis. In what ways does your firm work with companies and business attorneys? In my 26 year career, I have helped dozens of other attorneys and business professionals with problems that have grown too large for them to solve alone. Can litigation or prosecution be avoided? If not, what will that process
look like, and how can it be managed? Not every business or legal practitioner is equipped for a fight. But if you find yourself in one, winning is always the preferred outcome. Find someone that can help you win the fight. What is public relations crisis management and when should you or your business consider it? If you are asking yourself if you may need public relations assistance, then the answer is yes — at least for a consultation. It could be for a personal issue for you or a family member, an employee gone rogue or maybe a call from law enforcement. These are all potential PR crisis situations that need plans in place for containment and management. Often individuals, businesses and government bodies are halfway through a public relations crisis before they start to address it. Proactively taking steps at the first sign of a potential crisis gives you the chance to manage — or hopefully avoid — a significant issue. This often means taking action in how you handle employee wrongdoing or self-reporting an issue to the proper authorities or regulators. These situations can escalate quickly so an early assessment and a containment plan can make all the difference. Pick up the phone so you can get advice when it matters most and you give yourself the best chance for a win-win resolution.
WOODY WHITE Attorney, Woody White Law PLLC Woody White has over 26 years of experience as an attorney. He’s a native and longtime resident of southeastern North Carolina, serving clients in a variety of cases and our community as a public official. A board-certified specialist in criminal law by the North Carolina State Bar in both federal and state law, Woody has been recognized as a top attorney by numerous groups, including Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite. Woody White Law Firm can help if you need skilled, experienced advocacy in a criminal case, serious injury law, or in the event you are facing a personal or professional crisis.
910.338.4900 woodywhitelaw.com
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| THE LEGAL ISSUE | Area attorneys chosen for 2021 LEGAL ELITE list BUSINESS JOURNAL STAFF
H
undreds of lawyers made Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite list this year. The group included Wilmington-area lawyers. To compile the annual list, Business North Carolina asks the thousands of active N.C. State Bar members to vote for recommendations of top lawyers in various areas. Lawyers were not able to vote for themselves. They were allowed to vote for members from their own firms only by voting for another out-of-firm lawyer in the same category. The vote for the out-of-firm lawyer was weighed more heavily. Here are the local attorneys who made the 2021 list: DAVID ANDERSON CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Tax/Estate Planning FIRM: David E. Anderson PLLC TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: Mount Olive College (B.S.); N.C. Central University (J.D.) Anderson CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: For the past eight years, Anderson has focused his practice on estate planning and estate/trust administration. He is a member of the American Bar Association and N.C. Bar Association. He is a past president of the New Hanover County Estate Planning Council and a member of the N.C. Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section Legislative Committee. Anderson also has almost a decade of law enforcement experience and military service prior to practicing law. AREAS OF FOCUS: Estate planning and estate/trust administration YOEL HAIM-LEV BALTER CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Corporate Counsel FIRM: Liberty Healthcare Management Inc. TITLE: Vice President and General Counsel EDUCATION: University of Pennsylvania (B.A.); UNCBalter Chapel Hill (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: “Serving as in-house counsel, I have been fortunate to have spent my career working with a dedicated team of intelligent, ethical, experienced and passionate professionals. My clients communicate the mission and responsibility of being health care providers every day. This organizational culture provides an exceptionally strong foundation upon which I provide legal guidance in an interesting and wide variety of areas of the
law,” Balter said. AREAS OF FOCUS: Health law, employment law, corporate governance, transactions and financing CHRISTOPHER K. BEHM CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Construction (Also named to Super LawyersConstruction Litigation) FIRM: Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed LLP TITLE: Partner Behm EDUCATION: Guilford College (A.B.); Wake Forest University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Behm has been a partner with Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed since 2005. He previously was an associate attorney with Block, Crouch & Keeter and with Howard, Stallings, From & Hutson in Raleigh. AREAS OF FOCUS: Civil, commercial, construction, homeowners association, trust and estates, real estate, products liability and personal injury matters in federal and state courts RYAN BISPLINGHOFF CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Litigation FIRM: McAngus Goudelock & Courie TITLE: Managing Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Campbell University (J.D.) Bisplinghoff CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Bisplinghoff is a boardcertified specialist in workers’ compensation law. He regularly represents a wide variety of employers, carriers and third-party administrators in all stages of workers’ compensation litigation before the N.C. Industrial Commission and North Carolina appellate courts. He currently serves on the board of directors for Kid’s Chance of North Carolina, a nonprofit devoted to providing scholarships to children whose parents were severely injured or killed in workplace accidents. In December 2014, after practicing with the same firm for seven years, he expanded the firm’s footprint to the coast, opening MGC’s Wilmington office. AREA OF FOCUS: Workers’ compensation ALGERNON L. BUTLER III CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Bankruptcy (Also named to Super LawyersBankruptcy: Business) FIRM: Butler & Butler LLP TITLE: Managing Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A. and J.D.) Butler CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Butler represents businesses and individuals, both debtors
and creditors, in connection with financial workouts, debt restructurings and bankruptcy reorganizations and liquidations. Butler also serves as a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court (EDNC) and as Receiver in state court proceedings. He has served several terms as a director of the Bankruptcy Section of the N.C. Bar Association and on the Local Rules Committee for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court (EDNC). AREAS OF FOCUS: Financial and insolvency advice, bankruptcy avoidance, nonbankruptcy workouts, pre-bankruptcy planning, corporate reorganizations under Chapter 11, personal bankruptcies under Chapters 7 and 13, creditor representation, bankruptcy and civil litigation defense. He is certified by the N.C. State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and American Board of Certification as a specialist in both business bankruptcy and consumer bankruptcy law. OLIVER CARTER III CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Bankruptcy FIRM: Carter & Carter, P.A. TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); New York University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Carter Carter has been practicing with Carter & Carter since 2009. He primarily represents lenders and borrowers in connection with distressed debt, commercial disputes and bankruptcy. He is certified as a specialist in creditors’ rights by the American Board of Certification and as a specialist in both business and consumer bankruptcy by the N.C. State Bar. He also assists small businesses and their principals with respect to corporate governance and financing. Carter serves on the board of The Cape Fear Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 2020, he served as a regional director for the N.C. Voter Protection Program. AREAS OF FOCUS: Creditors’ rights and corporate disputes STEPHEN COBLE CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Litigation (Also named to Super LawyersGeneral Litigation) FIRM: Coble Law Firm PC TITLE: Attorney, Manager EDUCATION: Elon College (B.A.); Appalachian Coble State University (MPA); University of Dayton (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Selected as an Emerging Legal Leader in 2010 by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly; as a Rising Star in 2012 and 2014 by Super Lawyers; a Legal Elite by Business North Carolina in 2013; Rated AV Preeminent (the highest possible rating) by Martindale-Hubbell 2015-20; as a
top-rated general litigation attorney by Super Lawyers 2017-20. AREA OF FOCUS: General civil litigation ALEX C. DALE CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Appellate FIRM: Ward and Smith PA TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A. and M.A.); Duke University School of Law (J.D.) Dale CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Dale’s practice experience encompasses a broad range of business law matters, including experience representing individuals, startups, small businesses and multinational companies in a variety of fields. His experience includes transactional matters, corporate governance, business organization and planning, contract negotiation, estate litigation and complex business litigation. AREAS OF FOCUS: Appellate practice, corporate governance, business and commercial litigation, copyright and trademark law, public body representation, media law, homeowners association representation and securities litigation G. STEPHEN DIAB CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Business (Also named to Super LawyersMergers & Acquisitions) FIRM: Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC TITLE: Member/Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Diab Hill (B.S. and J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Diab received the most votes in North Carolina this year for the Legal Elite-Business category, joining the Legal Elite Hall of Fame. He is a certified public accountant (N.C. silver medalist, 1986 Uniform CPA Exam) and member of the N.C. Association of Certified Public Accountants. Diab has served on the boards of directors for the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation, Hill School of Wilmington Inc., Wilmington West Rotary Club and The Eshelman Foundation. AREAS OF FOCUS: Mergers and acquisitions, trusts and estates, corporate law and business and tax planning SAMUEL B. FRANCK CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Real Estate FIRM: Ward and Smith P.A. TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (B.S.); Franck College of William & Mary Law School (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Franck leads Ward and
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| THE LEGAL ISSUE | Smith’s Real Estate practice and is certified by the N.C. State Bar as a board-certified specialist in Real Property Law: Commercial Transactions. His practice experience includes all aspects of commercial real estate development and transactions, as well as community association matters. He regularly assists commercial and residential developers in the entitlement, acquisition, subdivision, development and sale of real property, including the formation of complex, mixed-use planned communities, commercial and residential condominiums and multitenant commercial projects. AREAS OF FOCUS: Zoning and land use, commercial real estate acquisition, financing, development, subdivision and sale; development of condominiums and planned communities and mixed-use projects; condominium/ community association law; Interstate Land Sales Act compliance and issues VANESSA GONZALEZ CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Immigration FIRM: The Law Office of Vanessa Gonzalez TITLE: President/Attorney EDUCATION: UNCPembroke (B.A.); UNCChapel Hill (J.D.) Gonzalez CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Gonzalez has 10 years
of experience assisting individuals to obtain and maintain lawful immigration status, petition relatives, naturalize and defend them from deportation or removal from the U.S. She has also represented clients in traffic and family law matters specifically affecting the undocumented community. She serves on the boards of the YWCA Lower Cape Fear, Going Beyond the Pink and Feast Down East and is a member of New Hanover For All and Coastal Women Attorneys. AREA OF FOCUS: Immigration law H. MARK H. HAMLET CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Construction (Also named to Super LawyersConstruction Litigation) FIRM: Hamlet & Associates PLLC TITLE: Managing Partner EDUCATION: Wake Hamlet Forest University (B.A.); Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Hamlet worked for several years with a large, regional firm representing clients from local contractors to Fortune 500 companies. He formed his own firm in 2012. AREAS OF FOCUS: Construction, litigation, health care and mediation JESSICA SOLES HUMPHRIES CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Construction (Also
named to Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Civil Litigation/Defense) FIRM: Hamlet & Associates PLLC TITLE: Associate Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill; Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Humphries has over Humphries eight years of experience representing general contractors, developers and subcontractors against construction defect and personal injury claims in North and South Carolina. She has also represented municipalities and governmental entities in condemnation and inverse condemnation matters. She serves on the boards of Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity, the New Hanover County Bar Association and the Coastal Women Attorneys, a chapter of the N.C. Association of Women Attorneys Inc. AREAS OF FOCUS: Construction law, civil litigation, land use and real estate development, eminent domain JUSTIN K. HUMPHRIES CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Real Estate (Also named to Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Business/Corporate) FIRM: The Humphries Law Firm TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: University of South Carolina
(B.S.); Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Humphries is dually licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. He has appeared before the N.C. Appellate Courts on several occasions and has practiced maritime Humphries law in various Federal Districts. AREA OF FOCUS: Civil litigation and real estate EMILY C. JONES CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Criminal, Family and Young Guns FIRM: Burney & Jones PLLC TITLE: Owner EDUCATION: N.C. State (B.S.); Charlotte School of Jones Law (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Jones notes a highlight as “being able to advocate for all clients, including indigent clients, in both New Hanover and Pender Counties to ensure that each client, regardless of income, race or background, has quality representation.” AREAS OF FOCUS: DWI, criminal defense, juvenile delinquency, traffic and family law
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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April 2 - 15, 2021
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| THE LEGAL ISSUE | JILL PETERS KAESS CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Tax/Estate Planning (Also named to Super Lawyers-Estate Planning & Probate) FIRM: Lee Kaess PLLC TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: UNCW (B.S.); Peters Kaess Wake Forest University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Peters Kaess is a member of the Trusts and Estates team in the firm’s Wilmington office. She assists clients in drafting and executing comprehensive estate plans, with specific emphasis on estate tax, gift tax and charitable gift planning. She also assists fiduciaries, such as executors and trustees, on matters involving estate and trust administration. Peters Kaess is a Certified Public Accountant, a board-certified specialist in estate planning and probate law by the N.C. State Bar and a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. AREAS OF FOCUS: Taxation and wealth planning; trust and estate law and administration
Forest University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Kitchin concentrates his practice on business and real estate and land-use litigation and regulation. He represents plaintiffs and defendants in real estate disputes, eminent Kitchin domain proceedings and business, antitrust and breach of contract cases. He represents landowners and developers in land use and zoning/permitting proceedings. He also represents creditors in creditors’ rights and bankruptcy cases. Along with Legal Elite and Super Lawyers, Kitchin also has been included on The Best Lawyers in America list since 2009, including for 2019, in the area of commercial litigation. AREAS OF FOCUS: Business and commercial litigation; eminent domain and real estate litigation; land use and zoning permitting and disputes; antitrust, business tort and breach of contract cases; creditors’ rights and bankruptcy cases; and lender liability lawsuits
HENRY L. “HAL” KITCHIN JR. CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Litigation (Also named to Legal Elite-Hall of Fame-Antitrust) FIRM: McGuireWoods TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Wake
JEFFREY P. KEETER CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Real Estate (Also named to Super Lawyers-Real Estate) FIRM: Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP TITLE: Partner
EDUCATION: Campbell University (B.S. and J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Keeter’s entire professional career has been in Wilmington. He previously practiced with Rountree & Seagle LLP Keeter and Carr, Swails, Huffine, Crouch & Keeter LLP. He has been a partner at Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed LLP since the law firm’s inception in 1996. He has served as a member of the New Hanover County Bar Association, N.C. Bar Association Law Practice Management Section Council and N.C. Bar Association member (Real Estate, Business and Estate Planning, and Fiduciary Law Sections). AREAS OF FOCUS: Business law (formation, representation, acquisitions and sales), real estate law (commercial and residential), estate planning and administration REBECCA A. KNUDSON CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Construction (Also named to Super LawyersConstruction Litigation) FIRM: Cranfill Sumner LLP TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: UNCW (B.A.); Northeastern Knudson University (J.D.)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Knudson focuses her civil litigation practice on matters concerning construction law, business law, community association law and other complex litigation matters. Her experience includes representing builders, developers, homeowner association boards, product manufacturers and other business professionals in contract, construction defect, business and lien disputes. AREAS OF FOCUS: Construction, litigation, business, community association law, appellate law JAMES W. LEA III CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Family (Also named to Super Lawyers-Family Law) FIRM: The Lea/Schultz Law Firm TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Lea Hill; Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Lea has been practicing law for 41 years. He specializes in domestic law and civil litigation. In 1996, he earned the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating and has maintained the rating for the past 25 years. For over 15 years he has been listed in Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America. His firm has been honored as one of The Best
THE BUSINESS LAW FIRM
Joseph O. Taylor, Jr.
Frank B. Gibson, Jr.
Michael Murchison
W. Berry Trice
Fred B. Davenport, Jr.
G. Stephen Diab
Andrew K. McVey
Faison Gibson Sutton
Scott M. Holmes
Real Estate Transactions & Development
Business & Tax
Litigation
Business & Tax
Life Sciences
Business & Tax
Labor & Employment
Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning & Estate Administration
Health Care
Mergers & Acquisitions
Business & Tax
Mergers & Acquisitions
Litigation
Real Estate Transactions & Development
Real Estate Transactions & Development
Labor & Employment
Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning & Estate Administration
Mergers & Acquisitions
Agribusiness
Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning
Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning & Estate Administration
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Andrea “Andi” M. Van Trigt
David G. Martin
Brian G. Morrison
Real Estate Transactions & Development
Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning & Estate Administration
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Mark A. Allebach Business & Tax Mergers & Acquisitions Wills, Trusts, & Estate Planning
Frances Y. Trask (of Counsel) Real Estate Transactions & Development
Amanda K. Miars Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning & Estate Administration Business Law
Real Estate Transactions & Development Agribusiness
Business Law
Litigation
Mergers & Acquisitions
Frank E. Martin (of Counsel) Wills, Trusts, & Estate Planning Real Estate Transactions & Development
Lauren E. Williams
Caleb M. Rash
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• Agribusiness • Business Law & Taxation
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(910) 763-2426 | WWW.MURCHISONTAYLOR.COM 1979 EASTWOOD ROAD, SUITE 101, WILMINGTON, NC 28403 | 16 NORTH 5TH AVE, WILMINGTON, NC 28401
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| THE LEGAL ISSUE | Law Firms in America. AREA OF FOCUS: Family law MICHAEL LEE CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Real Estate (Also named to Super LawyersReal Estate) FIRM: Lee Kaess PLLC EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Wake Forest University (J.D.) Lee CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Lee started the Lee Law Firm in 2012. Lee joined with Jill Kaess to form the law firm of Lee Kaess PLLC. He has earned the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating; Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite 2007, 2009-20; North Carolina Super Lawyers 2009-20; and 2014 Best of the Best, Top 100 North Carolina Super Lawyers. He was also selected by his peers multiple years for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America and U.S. News’ Best Law Firm list and in 2020 was selected as a 26th Edition “Lawyer of the Year” for his work in Real Estate Law in Wilmington. Lee served in the N.C. Senate 2014-18 and is currently serving in his third term in the N.C. Senate. Lee previously served on the N.C. Board of Transportation and N.C. State Ports Authority Board as its chairman. AREAS OF FOCUS: Commercial real estate, land use and zoning ANDREW MCVEY CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Litigation (Also named to Super LawyersEmployment & Labor) FIRM: Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC TITLE: Member EDUCATION: Wake Forest McVey University (B.A. and J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: “Arguing before the N.C. Supreme Court on my 33rd birthday, being part of a litigation team that obtained a total verdict in excess of $24 million on behalf of an individual defamation plaintiff in federal court; defending cases that needed to be tried to verdict and resolving others that needed to be settled.” AREAS OF FOCUS: Civil litigation, employment, business law, homeowners association representation, mediation PATRICK M. MINCEY CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Criminal and Litigation (Also named to Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Criminal Defense/ White Collar) FIRM: Cranfill Sumner LLP TITLE: Attorney Mincey EDUCATION: Davidson College (B.A.); Mercer University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Mincey focuses his practice on white-collar criminal defense. He represents companies, health care institutions, boards of directors, executives,
public officials and other professionals in government investigations, corporate crises and sensitive matters. He defends clients in prosecutions of federal and state governments, clients who are frequently entangled in simultaneous civil, criminal and regulatory investigations. AREAS OF FOCUS: White-collar criminal defense and government investigations WILLIAM A. ODEN III CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Employment (Also named to Super LawyersEmployment & Labor) FIRM: Ward and Smith P.A. TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Campbell Oden University (J.D. and M.B.A.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Oden’s practice focuses on the representation of management in employment, occupational safety and health, and workers’ compensation matters. Oden is a former president of both the New Hanover County Bar Association and 5th Judicial District Bar and a 2019 recipient of the N.C. Bar Association’s Citizen Lawyer Award. AREAS OF FOCUS: Employment law, employment litigation, occupational safety and health and workers’ compensation CHRISTOPHER L. ORING CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Criminal FIRM: Oring Law Firm PLLC EDUCATION: University of Akron (B.A.); University of Toledo (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Oring was the top vote-getter in the Legal Elite-Criminal category, meaning he will join the category’s Hall of Fame. According to his website, he has more than 15 years of experience resolving cases of all levels of complexity. He is admitted to practice law in North Carolina and Ohio and is a member of the N.C. Bar Association and the N.C. Association of Trial Lawyers. Oring serves clients throughout New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties. AREAS OF FOCUS: Criminal law, traffic violations, DWI, general practice, drug crimes, expungements, driver’s license suspension LEEANNE QUATTRUCCI CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Family Law FIRM: The Law Office of LeeAnne Quattrucci TITLE: Managing Attorney EDUCATION: Wake Forest University (B.S.); UNCChapel Hill (J.D.) Quattrucci CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Quattrucci opened her law practice in 2011. She has been voted Wilmington’s Best Attorney by Wilmington Magazine and received the Pro Bono Publico Award from Legal Aid of North Carolina. Quattrucci has been a featured speaker at various CLEs across the country and completed over 500 adoptions. She is the guardian ad litem attorney for New Hanover and Pender counties. Additionally, she sits on
the alumni board at Carolina Law and on the board of several nonprofit organizations. AREAS OF FOCUS: Family law, juvenile, domestic and immigration JOEL R. RHINE CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Construction and Litigation (Also named to Super Lawyers Top 100 list and Super LawyersPersonal Injury General: Plaintiff) FIRM: Rhine Law Firm Rhine TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: University of Tampa (B.A.); Wake Forest University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Rhine has handled a variety of multi-million-dollar lawsuits involving numerous issues, including catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, construction, products liability, trucking and commercial vehicles, mass torts and class action, data breach and institutional sexual abuse for more than three decades. Rhine has cases pending in North Carolina state and federal courts as well as federal courts throughout the U.S. He was also named to The Best Lawyers in America, Best Law Firms published in U.S. News, Martindale-Hubbell AV rating and National Trial Lawyers “Top 100 Trial Lawyers.” AREA OF FOCUS: Complex civil litigation LINDA B. SAYED CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Family Law (Also named to Super LawyersFamily Law) FIRM: Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP TITLE: Partner Sayed EDUCATION: UNCW (B.A. and M.Ed.); Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Sayed has been a partner at Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed LLP since 2005. She is certified by the N.C. State Bar as a family law specialist. She is former president of the 5th Judicial Bar and former president of Coastal Women Attorneys. She serves on the NHRMC Foundation Board as vice chairman and on the UNCW Foundation Board. AREAS OF FOCUS: Divorce, custody, child support, alimony, property division, separation agreements, premarital agreements and adoptions BENTON L. TOUPS (2020 mug) CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Employment and Litigation (Also named to Super LawyersEmployment & Labor) FIRM: Cranfill Sumner LLP TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: Louisiana Toups State University (B.A. and J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: “I remember every sincere ‘thank you’ I get from a client. Those are the highlights.”
AREAS OF FOCUS: Toups handles all aspects of employment law, from drafting and negotiating employment contracts to litigating discrimination, harassment and wage/ hour cases before various government agencies and state and federal courts. In addition to his employment practice, Toups represents clients in commercial litigation matters, including claims for breach of contract, unfair and deceptive trade practices and misappropriation of trade secrets. He is also a certified mediator. THOMAS G. VARNUM CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Intellectual Property (Also named to Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Intellectual Property) FIRM: Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard Varnum TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); University of California, Davis (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: In his intellectual property practice, Varnum helps clients acquire, protect, enforce and exploit their trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property assets. He also represents individuals and companies active in film projects and other types of entertainment media. At other times, Varnum provides general business counseling to all types of businesses in the region. He serves as a board of director member for the Brigade Boys & Girls Club in Wilmington. AREAS OF FOCUS: Intellectual property, entertainment law (film and TV), civil litigation and general business counseling JASON VAUGHN CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Family FIRM: Law Office of Jason Vaughn TITLE: Managing Member EDUCATION: MCRD San Diego (USMC); Mount Olive College (B.S.); N.C. Vaughn Central University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2014-18 Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating, highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards; 201517 National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Nation’s Top One Percent; American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 10 Best Client Satisfaction; American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys, 10 Best Client Satisfaction AREAS OF FOCUS: Family law, criminal law, civil litigation BRETT WENTZ CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Criminal FIRM: Wentz Law TITLE: Founder EDUCATION: East Carolina University (B.A.); Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Wentz is the founder of his law firm. “I started doing this to help people, and having the ability to do that on my own is one of the highlights,” he said.
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| THE LEGAL ISSUE | AREA OF FOCUS: Criminal defense-state and federal EDWIN L. WEST III CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Criminal (Also named to Super LawyersCriminal Defense) FIRM: Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard TITLE: Partner West EDUCATION: HampdenSydney College (B.A.); Wake Forest University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Whether resolving matters quietly or fighting in the courts, West works with his clients to find the best solutions, according to the firm. “Some of my best work has happened quietly behind the scenes, protecting the reputation of a business or individual by making the issue go away,” West said. “I work with professionals in the midst of a crisis, helping them navigate not only the legal side of the situation, but also the PR side.” AREAS OF FOCUS: White-collar criminal defense, crisis management, complex business and corporate litigation, professional liability litigation WOODY WHITE
White
CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Criminal (Also named to Super LawyersCriminal Defense) FIRM: Woody White Law Firm PLLC TITLE: Senior Partner EDUCATION: Southern College (B.A.); University
of Nebraska (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: White is a boardcertified specialist in state and federal criminal law. He has served as a New Hanover Regional Medical Center Trustee 1999-2002; Cape Fear Community College Trustee 2012-15, 2017; UNCW Board of Trustees 2018-present; state senator in 2004; Lower Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity Board Trustee 2006-07; New Hanover County Board of Commissioners 201220, including as chairman 2012-14 and 2016-18; Legion Stadium Commission 2012-17; and New Hanover County Board of Health 2019-present. White is also AV rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating available for both ethics and ability. AREAS OF FOCUS: Criminal (both state and federal), serious personal injury cases, wrongful death, civil, DWI/DUI JORDAN DUHE WILLETTS CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Young Guns FIRM: Duhe Willetts Law EDUCATION: Guilford College (B.S.); Washington and Lee University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Jordan developed a passion for criminal Duhe Willets defense in law school, and she started Duhe
Willetts Law in 2014. Jordan is one of only two board-certified state criminal law specialists in Brunswick County. She is a member of the N.C. State Bar and N.C. Bar Association. Willetts is also involved in the Junior League of Wilmington, Coastal Women Attorneys and Lawyers for Literacy Brunswick County. AREAS OF FOCUS: Criminal offenses ranging from minor traffic violations to first-degree murder JEREMY M. WILSON CATEGORY: Legal Elite-Young Guns (Also named to Super LawyersRising Stars: Personal Injury General/Plaintiff) FIRM: Ward and Smith P.A. TITLE: Attorney Willson EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Duke University (M.P.P.); UNC School of Law (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Wilson leads Ward and Smith’s Personal Injury and Wrongful Death practice. He has extensive experience litigating claims for wrongful death, serious personal injury and a broad range of civil litigation before state and federal courts. Wilson’s wide-ranging experience also includes other areas of litigation such as business, insurance coverage and eminent domain cases. AREAS OF FOCUS: Personal injury and wrongful death, medical malpractice, premises liability, product liability, nursing home liability, class actions, business litigation, insurance coverage litigation, eminent domain and appellate law HALL OF FAME Local attorneys named to the Legal Elite Hall of Fame means they received the most votes in their category in a particular year and are not eligible for the annual lists. The firm listed is where they worked when they were added. CHARLES BALDWIN IV, Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard (Business/2015); DANIEL BRAWLEY, Williams Mullen (Litigation/2012); B. JUDD HARTMAN, PPD (Corporate Counsel/ 2009); HENRY L. “HAL” KITCHIN JR., McGuireWoods LLP (Antitrust/2019); WILLIAM MASON, MacCord Mason (Intellectual Property/2011); JEAN SUTTON MARTIN, Law Office of Jean Sutton Martin (Litigation/2016)
SUPER LAWYERS
A
nother legal industry accolade that comes out each year is the Super Lawyers list, which is a publication of Thomson Reuters. Super Lawyers is a rating service of lawyers across the nation. Peer nominations and evaluations along with third-party research are used to review candidates
CHRISTOPHER BEHM CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Construction Litigation (See Legal Elite profile), Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP NORWOOD BLANCHARD III CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Employment & Labor FIRM: Crossley McIntosh Collier Hanley & Edes PLLC TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: East Carolina Blanchard University (B.S., B.A.); Duke University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Blanchard has argued numerous appellate cases at the N.C. Supreme Court, N.C. Court of Appeals and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. AREAS OF FOCUS: Employment, general civil and municipal DANIEL BRAWLEY CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Construction Litigation (Also part of Hall of Fame for Legal Elite in Litigation) FIRM: Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP Brawley TITLE: Of Counsel EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A. and J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Brawley was a visiting professor at the law school at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. “The opportunity to work with law students and professors in a post-Soviet Union environment was educational and rewarding and confirmed my abiding appreciation of the American judicial system,” Brawley said. AREAS OF FOCUS: Litigation, construction and admiralty ALGERNON L. BUTLER III CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Bankruptcy: Business (See Legal Elite profile), Butler & Butler LLP STEPHEN COBLE CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-General Litigation (See Legal Elite profile), Coble Law Firm PC AULEY CROUCH III CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-General Litigation FIRM: Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP TITLE: Of Counsel EDUCATION: Citadel (B.S.); John Marshall Law Crouch School (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Crouch has been a Superior Court mediator since 1993. His representative reported cases include: Sevigny v. Dicksey; Marina Food Associates Inc. v. Marina Restaurant Inc.; and Williams v. Houses of Distinction Inc. AREAS OF FOCUS: General civil, including commercial/business disputes, construction litigation, personal injury and condemnation in federal and state courts
DON EVANS JR.
Evans
CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Transportation/ Maritime FIRM: Clark, Newton & Evans PA TITLE: Managing Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill; Campbell University (J.D.); U.S. Naval Justice
School CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Evans belongs to the Real Property Section of the N.C. Bar Association and represents developers and banks in Eastern North Carolina, as well as having a significant wills, estates and maritime practice. Evans is also a retired Navy JAG Commander, providing him insight into land and sea transactions, finance and litigation. While his firm conducts a general practice, it has particular strength in real estate, maritime and transportation law, business transactions and estates. AREAS OF FOCUS: Business transactions, maritime law, real estate, wills and estates JANET GEMMELL CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Family Law FIRM: Cape Fear Family Law TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNCW (B.A.); Campbell University (J.D.) Gemmell CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Gemmell is a contributing writer and public speaker on divorce law topics for local publications and has been featured in national magazines. She also teaches continuing legal education classes for other attorneys throughout the state. AREAS OF FOCUS: Divorce and family law, board-certified family law specialist KATHLEEN SHANNON GLANCY CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Workers’ Compensation FIRM: The Law Offices of Kathleen Shannon Glancy TITLE: Founding Attorney EDUCATION: University of California, Irvine (B.A.); Santa Clara University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Glancy served five years as staff and managing attorney at Legal Services in Fremont, Ohio, and in Wilmington. In 1985, she founded her own law firm. She is an active leader in the N.C. Advocates for Justice’s Workers’ Compensation Section and Workplace Injury Litigation Group as well as the Labor and Employment Section of the ABA. AREAS OF FOCUS: Board-certified workers’ compensation specialist; Social Security Disability; personal injury-general: plaintiff H. MARK H. HAMLET CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Construction Litigation (See Legal Elite profile), Hamlet & Associates PLLC JASON R. HARRIS CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Transportation/ Maritime FIRM: Cranfill Sumner LLP
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| THE LEGAL ISSUE | TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: Auburn University (B.A.); Wake Forest University School of Law (J.D.); University of Miami School of Law (LL. M. Ocean and Coastal Law) Harris CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Harris represents and advises clients in a variety of general litigation, transportation, admiralty, maritime and corporate matters. In his litigation practice, Harris frequently represents clients and insurers in maritime and transportation cases, including the defense and prosecution of serious bodily injuries, fatalities, casualties and construction disputes. He also represents select clients facing state or federal criminal charges. He is the chair of the Cranfill Sumner LLP Admiralty and Maritime Law Practice Group. AREAS OF FOCUS: Admiralty and maritime law; construction law; international business law; motor vehicle litigation; white collar, government investigations and special matters CHRISTOPHER HINNANT CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Civil Litigation: Defense FIRM: Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms TITLE: Member Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Campbell Hinnant University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: As a commercial litigator, Hinnant has handled many types of cases involving corporations and businesses, from minor contract disputes to one of the largest real estate fraud cases in North Carolina history (his banking client was dismissed on a 12(b) (6) motion). He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for work in personal injury litigation-defense. AREAS OF FOCUS: Business law, civil litigation, construction litigation, medical malpractice defense, insurance coverage, personal injury defense, dram shop liability MELODY JOLLY CATEGORY: Super Lawyers: Personal Liability/Defense FIRM: Cranfill Sumner LLP TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A. and J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Jolly Jolly has successfully litigated cases at the trial court level and before North Carolina’s State and Federal appellate courts for her entire career. She regularly represents clients in defense of disciplinary complaints before professional licensing boards. She is an active participant in the Defense Research Institute, currently serving her second term as chair of its professional liability committee, and she is co-chair of the firm’s professional liability practice group.
AREAS OF FOCUS: Community association law, construction law and professional liability JEFFREY KEETER CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Real Estate (See Legal Elite profile), Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP REBECCA A. KNUDSON CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Construction Litigation (See Legal Elite profile), Cranfill Sumner LLP PAULA KOHUT CATEGORY: Super Lawers-Estate Planning & Probate FIRM: Kohut & Adams PA TITLE: Shareholder EDUCATION: University of California, Irvine (B.A.); Wake Forest University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: “I have the privilege to represent many individuals and business clients,” Kohut said. “Developing estate plans, assisting with the administration of the estates of loved ones, forming business entities, assisting business owners and volunteering with bar organizations each provide opportunities to make a difference.” AREAS OF FOCUS: Trust and estate planning and administration; business law JAMES W. LEA III CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Family Law (See Legal Elite profile), The Lea/Schultz Law Firm MICHAEL LEE CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Real Estate (See Legal Elite profile), Lee Kaess PLLC JOHN D. MARTIN CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense FIRM: Cranfill Sumner LLP TITLE: Managing Partner, Wilmington office EDUCATION: Wake Martn Forest University (B.A.); Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Martin has successfully tried numerous medical malpractice and personal injury cases throughout North Carolina. Many of his cases involve brain injury, birth trauma, paraplegia and wrongful death. Martin also has experience with large construction litigation, premises liability and hospital/workplace security. AREAS OF FOCUS: Business disputes and litigation, medical malpractice and professional liability BRUCE MASON CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Criminal Defense FIRM: Mason & Mason EDUCATION: West Virginia University (B.S.); UNC-Chapel Hill (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Mason founded Mason & Mason in 1993 as a general trial practice specializing in criminal defense with a concentration in personal injury representation. The N.C. State Bar recognizes him as a board-certified specialist in state criminal law. Mason has received the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer
Review Rating and has a 10 rating on AVVO. He practices extensively in federal court and is a member of the C.J.A. Panel. AREAS OF FOCUS: Criminal defense, driving while impaired defense, traffic law and personal injury JAMES MCGEE JR. CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Criminal Defense: DUI/DWI FIRM: The McGee Law Firm TITLE: Owner EDUCATION: UNCW (B.S.); Campbell University (J.D.) McGee CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: McGee was named the Best Lawyers 2021 DUI/DWI Defense “Lawyer of the Year” in Wilmington. He is also a published author and served as a faculty member for numerous DUI/DWI seminars in North Carolina and nationwide. AREAS OF FOCUS: DWI defense, traffic offenses, criminal defense and personal injury ANDREW MCVEY CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Employment & Labor (See Legal Elite profile), Murchison, Taylor & Gibson WILLIAM A. ODEN III CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Employment & Labor (See Legal Elite profile), Ward and Smith PA H. SCOTT OVERHOLT CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Personal Injury General: Plaintiff FIRM: Overholt Law Firm PC TITLE: Attorney, Founder EDUCATION: University of Arkansas (B.A.); University Overholt of Arkansas (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Overholt has been practicing law for over 25 years. He specializes in personal injury and workers’ compensation. He is certified a Superior Court Mediator by the N.C. Dispute Resolution Commission. Admitted to practice before all North Carolina state courts, Overholt is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the U.S. Supreme Court. JILL PETERS KAESS CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Estate Planning & Probate (See Legal Elite profile), Lee Kaess PLLC JAMES PRICE CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Bankruptcy: Business FIRM: Price & Williams TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Campbell Law School (J.D.) AREAS OF FOCUS: Wills and estates, probate, bankruptcy, contracts and business formation JOEL RHINE CATEGORY: Super Lawyers Top 100 list and
Super Lawyers-Personal Injury General: Plaintiff (See Legal Elite profile), Rhine Law Firm LISA SALINES-MONDELL CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Elder Law FIRM: Salines-Mondello Law Firm PC TITLE: Principal Attorney EDUCATION: (bachelor’s, J.D.) Boston University School of Law (LL.M. in taxation) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Licensed to practice in both North Carolina and Massachusetts, Salines-Mondello is certified as an elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation and is a N.C. Bar-certified specialist in elder law. Salines-Mondello is a member of the North Carolina and Massachusetts bars, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the North Carolina chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys as well as the N.C. Board of Legal Specialization. AREA OF FOCUS: Elder law LINDA B. SAYED CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Family Law (See Legal Elite profile), Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP GARY K. SHIPMAN CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Personal Injury and General Plaintiff Litigation FIRM: Shipman & Wright, LLP TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: UNCW Shipman (B.A.); Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Shipman has been practicing since 1980. He has handled more than 100 jury trials to verdict during his career. He is an NFL-, NBA- and, NCAAcertified agent. He also was recognized by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel as part of the Nation’s Top One Percent; and voted by his peers to be included in The Best Lawyers in America. AREAS OF FOCUS: CGeneral civil, including complex commercial/business disputes, construction litigation, HOA law, nursing home negligence and wrongful death in federal and state courts NICOLE SLAUGHTER CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Construction Litigation FIRM: Hamlet & Associates PLLC TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: University of Memphis (B.B.A.); Slaughter University of Tennessee (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Slaughter is licensed in North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. She serves as the chair of the Construction Section of the N.C. Association of Defense Attorneys; is a member and former council member of the N.C. Bar Association’s Construction Section; is a founding member and serves on the board of the N.C. Civil Collaborative Law Association; and is a
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| THE LEGAL ISSUE | member of the N.C. Association of Women Attorneys, Coastal Women Attorneys chapter. AREAS OF FOCUS: Commercial litigation, construction law, product liability, insurance defense and other complex litigation HELEN TAROKIC CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Immigration FIRM: Helen Tarokic Law PLLC TITLE: Attorney, Manager EDUCATION: Lake Forest College (B.A.); Wake Forest University (J.D.) Tarokic CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Tarokic is one of four North Carolina board-certified immigration law specialists in Wilmington. She was awarded the AILA National Sam Williamson mentorship award in San Francisco in June 2018 and co-authored the book “Ignite Your Practice with the T Visa,” which became a bestseller on Amazon for its category. She handles all types of immigration cases, ranging from investor and business cases to humanitarian and human trafficking cases. AREAS OF FOCUS: N.C. board-certified immigration law specialist; fluent in Spanish, English and Croatian RYAL TAYLOE CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Construction Litigation FIRM: Ward and Smith PA TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Wake Forest School of Law (J.D.) Tayloe CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Tayloe is an experienced litigator. He has handled a wide range of litigation cases in state and federal courts, many of them jury trials. Tayloe has extensive construction law experience, including lien law, federal and state bond claims and defective workmanship cases. He also has significant experience with agribusiness litigation, property owner association disputes, personal injury and all types of real estate disputes. AREAS OF FOCUS: Contract litigation, eminent domain/condemnation, construction litigation, real estate litigation, personal injury litigation BENTON L. TOUPS CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Employment & Labor (See Legal Elite profile), Cranfill Sumner LLP EDWIN L. WEST III CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Criminal Defense (See Legal Elite profile), Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard D. ROBERT WILLIAMS JR. CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Real Estate FIRM: Price & Williams, P.A. TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); N.C. Central University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Williams has extensive experience in real estate law, having represented clients in thousands of
residential and commercial transactions. His clients have included first-time homebuyers, small businesses, builders and developers. In addition, Williams regularly acts as an adviser and counselor to homeowners associations regarding assessments and other matters. AREAS OF FOCUS: Real estate, estate planning and administration MELISSA WRIGHT CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Family Law FIRM: Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: Cumberland School of Law of Samford Wright University (J.D.); Pfeiffer University (B.A.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Wright is an experienced family law litigator, Certified Family Financial Mediator, collaborative family law attorney and Parenting Coordinator. She practiced family law for 12 years in Mecklenburg County before moving to Wilmington in 2015. Wright litigates primarily in New Hanover and Brunswick counties. She is frequently appointed as a Parenting Coordinator to assist parents with complying with court orders and to communicate and cooperate more effectively about their children. AREAS OF FOCUS: Custody and child support, alimony and equitable distribution, premarital and separation agreements, adoptions, family law mediation, parenting coordination, collaborative divorce
RISING STARS
A
number of local attorneys also were named to Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list. To be eligible for the Rising Stars category, candidates have to be either 40 or younger or in practice for 10 years or less. STEPHEN BELL CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Business Litigation FIRM: Cranfill Sumner LLP TITLE: Associate EDUCATION: Clemson University (B.S.); Wake Forest University School Bell of Law (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Bell handles a range of litigation matters including complex commercial matters for plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts and before administrative bodies. This includes commercial litigation, class actions and multi-district litigation, securities litigation and arbitration, whistleblower actions, subrogation litigation, real property disputes, high-net-worth estate litigation, premises and product liability litigation, and
professional liability litigation. Bell has a Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating and is both a North Carolina and South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star. AREAS OF FOCUS: Business disputes and litigation; construction law, premises liability; professional liability; white collar, government investigations and special matters RICHARD P. COOK CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Bankruptcy/Consumer FIRM: Cape Fear Debt Relief TITLE: Owner and Managing Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Cook Hill (undergraduate and J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Cook is board-certified by the N.C. State Bar as a specialist in both business and consumer bankruptcy law. In 2020, Cook was named a Chapter 11 Subchapter V Trustee for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He has been selected as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers 2017-21 and was recognized by the American Bankruptcy Institute as a “40 Under 40” in 2020. Cook formerly served on the board of the N.C. State Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Section Council from 2013 to 2016. AREA OF FOCUS: Bankruptcy DAVID CREECH CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Immigration FIRM: David Creech Law Firm TITLE: Attorney at Law, Owner/Managing Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Creech Hill (B.A.); University of Miami (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Creech, who is fluent in Spanish, has practiced immigration and nationality law since 2010. He represents clients before the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration Customs Enforcement and other agencies. Creech handles a variety of immigration cases including family-based petitions, adjustment of status (green cards), temporary employment visas, victims of certain crimes, asylum, deportation or removal defense, naturalization, citizenship and DACA. AREAS OF FOCUS: Immigration and criminal defense NICKI ENGEL CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Elder Law FIRM: Salines-Mondello Law Firm TITLE: Associate Attorney EDUCATION: Appalachian State University (B.S.); West Virginia University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Engel is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. (NAELA) and is the president of the North Carolina chapter of NAELA. She is the vice chair of the N.C. Bar Association (NCBA) Elder and Special Needs Law Section and
a member of the NCBA Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section. Originally from Charlotte, Engel practiced law in Asheville for eight years before moving to Wilmington in 2019. AREAS OF FOCUS: Elder law DEEDEE GASCH CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Personal Injury General/ Defense FIRM: Cranfill Sumner LLP TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Florida Coastal Gasch School of Law (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Gasch focuses her practice on cases involving serious personal injury or death. She routinely defends and advises clients on matters involving premises liability, dram shop liability, trucking and transportation, medical malpractice and products liability. Gasch maintains an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell, a prestigious peer review rating that recognizes attorneys who have reached high levels of skill and integrity. AREAS OF FOCUS: Medical malpractice; motor vehicle litigation; premises liability; professional liability; retail, restaurant and hospitality; trucking and commercial transportation KATHERINE HADDOCK CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Immigration FIRM: Helen Tarokic Law PLLC TITLE: Senior Associate Attorney EDUCATION: N.C. State Haddock University (B.A.); Wake Forest University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Haddock prepares U visas, assisting victims of crime and domestic violence, and fights for a spectrum of immigrant rights. Under President Clinton’s Violence Against Women Act 1994 (VAWA statute), Haddock has obtained legal status for immigrant victims of extreme battery and cruelty at the hands of their U.S. citizen spouses. AREAS OF FOCUS: Immigration law, fluent in Spanish BRITTANY HALL CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Family Law FIRM: Cape Fear Family Law TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: Campbell University (B.A.); Elon Hall University School of Law (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Aware that she serves as the voice of her clients in the legal process, Hall focuses on being a dedicated advocate, she said. Described by her peers as tenacious, ethical and thorough, Hall said she values her reputation in the community.
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| THE LEGAL ISSUE | She is continuously seeking to grow in her profession. AREA OF FOCUS: Family Law DEVLIN HORTON CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars:Civil Litigation/Plaintiff FIRM: Horton & Mendez, Attorneys at Law, PLLC TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNCCharlotte (B.A.); UNCW Horton (MBA); UNC-Chapel Hill (J.D.) AREA OF FOCUS: Personal injury litigation, business and commercial litigation JESSICA SOLES HUMPHRIES CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Civil Litigation/Defense (See Legal Elite profile), Hamlet & Associates PLLC JUSTIN K. HUMPHRIES CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Business/Corporate (See Legal Elite profile), The Humphries Law Firm MARK IHNAT CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Estate Planning & Probate FIRM: Atlantic Coast Law TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); NCCU (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Ihnat Ihnat serves as Parks Conservancy of New Hanover County Inc. board of director’s vice president; volunteer judge for New Hanover County Teen Court and with Legal Aid of North Carolina-Lawyers on the Line Volunteer Program AREAS OF FOCUS: Estate planning, litigation PAIGE INMAN CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Family Law FIRM: Ward and Smith P.A. TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.); Campbell Inman University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Inman practices family law and estate litigation from the firm’s Wilmington office. She helps families and individuals navigate complicated family law legal processes during times of family upheaval and transition, both in the context of divorce and death. Her family law practice is multifaceted, encompassing such areas as divorce, mediation, equitable distribution, preseparation planning, separation agreements, alimony and spousal support, children’s rights, domestic violence and neglect, paternity and prenuptial agreements. AREAS OF FOCUS: Family law, divorce, custody, child support, alimony, property division, separation agreements, premarital agreements ANDREW “ANDY” JONES CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars:
Business Litigation FIRM: Forrest Firm PC TITLE: President and Attorney EDUCATION: Davidson College (A.B.); Elon University School of Law (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Jones Forrest Firm PC (2017-present); Rountree Losee LLP (2013-17) AREA OF FOCUS: Commercial disputes and complex business cases in North Carolina state and federal courts; general business law and transactional representation to businesses and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries HEATHER DOLAN KAEMMER CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Family Law FIRM: Kaemmer Law Firm PLLC TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: Elon University School of Law Kaemmer CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Kaemmer opened her practice in Hampstead in 2017. Other highlights: Rising Stars, Super Lawyers (2018); Pro Bono Publico: New Hanover County Bar Association (201416, 2018-20); Client Satisfaction Award, 10 Best: American Institute of Family Law Attorneys (2016); Top 10 Attorneys Under 40, North Carolina: National Academy of Family Law Attorneys (2014-15); Legal Elite, Family Law: (2015, 2020); Client’s Choice, Family Law: Avvo (2014) AREA OF FOCUS: Family law KEVIN MARCILLIAT CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Criminal Defense FIRM: Roberts Law Group TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: Auburn University (B.S.) Campbell Law School (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Also rated “AV Preeminent” by his peers for the highest level of professional excellence, Marcilliat focuses his practice on defending individuals who are targets of government investigations or who are facing serious criminal charges. In 2019, two notable case outcomes included securing the outright dismissal of a charge of first-degree murder and securing early release from federal prison for a client convicted of a complex multi-state fraud scheme. AREA OF FOCUS: Criminal defense in state and federal courts throughout North Carolina AMANDA MIARS CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Business/Corporate FIRM: Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC TITLE: Partner/Member EDUCATION: UNCW (B.A. Miars and B.S.); Campbell University (J.D.)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Miars’ practice experience includes a wide range of business and transactional, estate and trust-related matters. Her practice is primarily devoted to representing privately owned businesses and business owners, counseling them in all phases of their business life, from formation or acquisition, to planning, strategy and growth, through sale and transition. AREAS OF FOCUS: Business law and taxation; mergers and acquisitions; estate planning and probate; estate and trust litigation PATRICK M. MINCEY CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Criminal Defense/White Collar (See Legal Elite profile), Cranfill Sumner LLP JAMES T. MOORE JR. CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Star: Personal Injury General/Plaintiff FIRM: Shipman & Wright, LLP TITLE: Associate Attorney EDUCATION: UNCW (B.S.); Campbell University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Moore was named to The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 under 40 and National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys Top 10 Attorneys under the age of 40 in North Carolina. He also is a certified contract adviser for the NFL. AREAS OF FOCUS: Wrongful death, personal injury litigation, construction litigation and mass torts ADDISON PALANZA CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Business/Corporate FIRM: Atlantic Coast Law TITLE: Partner EDUCATION: Virginia Military Institute (B.A.); Campbell University School of Law (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: A former field artillery officer and veteran of the Iraq War, Palanza brings a substantial military background to the firm that complements his legal experience. Professional memberships include the N.C. Bar Association and New Hanover County Bar Association. AREAS OF FOCUS: Business law, contract law, civil litigation and special proceedings CONOR REGAN CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Business Litigation FIRM: The Regan Law Firm TITLE: Founder EDUCATION: Mary Washington College (B.A.); Campbell Regan University (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Regan represents businesses and individuals in transactions as well as in litigation before North Carolina’s trial and appellate courts, including the N.C. Business Court and all three of the state’s federal district courts. AREAS OF FOCUS: Litigation and real estate ZACHARY RIVENBARK CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Family Law FIRM: Law Office of Zachary S. Rivenbark, P.L.L.C.
TITLE: Attorney/Owner EDUCATION: Methodist University; Appalachian School of Law CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: “Returning home practice law and being able to help the community Rivenbark through a variety of legal needs and situations [and] securing my first million-dollar resolution in a medical malpractice case,” are among highlights for Rivenbark, who also serves as attorney for the town of Burgaw. AREAS OF FOCUS: Family law/divorce, personal injury, medical malpractice, traffic tickets, wills and estate planning CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL THERIAULT CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Real Estate FIRM: Theriault Law TITLE: President EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Theriault Theriault has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2010 and from 2015 through 2021. He first received the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating in 2014. He also was named among The National Trial Lawyers top 40 trial lawyers in North Carolina under the age of 40 from 2012 to 2017. AREAS OF FOCUS: Real estate and civil litigation ALLEN N. TRASK III CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Business Litigation FIRM: Ward and Smith P.A. TITLE: Attorney EDUCATION: East Carolina University (B.S.); Trask Campbell Law School (J.D.) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Trask focuses his practice on assisting those who own, manage and invest in real estate and common interest communities. He has experience in all aspects of civil litigation, including depositions, hearings, mediations, arbitrations, trials and appeals. He is the leader of Ward and Smith’s Agribusiness practice, where he coordinates the firm’s resources to address the specialized issues facing clients in the agribusiness community. AREAS OF FOCUS: Business, civil, and commercial litigation; real estate and developer litigation; community associations disputes; zoning and land use; agribusiness THOMAS VARNUM CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Intellectual Property (See Legal Elite profile), Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard JEREMY M. WILSON CATEGORY: Super Lawyers-Rising Stars: Personal Injury General/Plaintiff (See Legal Elite profile), Ward and Smith P
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| REAL ESTATE | Pandemic sparks office evolution Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt of a story that appears in the latest Real Estate Issue of WilmingtonBiz Magazine. To read more, visit WilmingtonBizMagazine.com. BY JOHANNA CANO arly wake-up alarms used to give many office workers enough time to get ready, drop kids off at school and head to the office. After greeting the office pet and saying “good morning” to coworkers, many would sip coffee while checking emails and getting ready for a meeting. That all ended suddenly for workers as many offices closed last year during the COVID-19 pandemic. This changed where and how many workers operate. And while some may be back to some form of normalcy, others are still relying on their home offices, dining tables, laptops and more recently, coworking spaces, to get things done. With COVID-19 protocols, some workplaces are seeing a fraction of their usual traffic and others may have gone completely remote. Take California-based software company Salesforce.com Inc. Its leadership team prophetically announced earlier this year that the “9-to-5 workday is dead” and that workers may now choose to work remotely permanently. Even before the pandemic, though, a new take on the office space known as coworking spaces started sprouting in big cities in the U.S., from WeWork to Venture X. And in the past few years, cities such as Wilmington, Charlotte and Raleigh have also experienced their share of the rise in these spaces.
E
A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
Coworking spaces are filling a need for those who miss the structure and sense of community gained from a work office, said Aaron Ellis, Wilmington community manager for Dallas-based Common Desk. The space, which opened Jan. 18 in downtown Wilmington, joined other dedicated coworking spaces in the city, including Blue Mind Coworking, tekMountain, Genesis Block and Coworx. A smaller, growing city like Wilmington was the right spot for a new Common Desk location, Ellis said. “We were looking for a mar-
PHOTO BY MEGAN DEITZ
Office space anywhere: People work inside Common Desk in downtown Wilmington. Common Desk is one of the new coworking spaces that have opened recently as more people work remotely.
ket that wasn’t too enormous that we could come in and actually be noticed,” Ellis said about opening in Wilmington. “You drop something like this in middle of San Francisco, and you’re sort of white noise. This downtown area has a local, Southern hospitality-type feel, and that’s who we are.” The coworking space, at 226 N. Front St., is located on all three floors of the historical Gaylord Building, totaling 22,000 square feet. The space, empty since the 1980s, underwent an extensive renovation by Monteith Construction Corp. that included gutting the building. The modernized building, complete with a coffee shop, preserved many aspects of the historical building including its brick walls and repurposed pine floor joists. With 35 private offices, 15,000 square feet of common space, four large suites and amenities, Common Desk hopes to attract a diverse group of members who seek to be productive and most of all, a sense of community. “We have found that so many people are craving some sort of rhythm in their life for work. Working from home was fun for about the first month and then the reality of it kicked in,” Ellis said. “I think a lot of people didn’t realize how important work community was to them until
they didn’t have it anymore.”
‘THE NETWORKING AND THE INTERACTION’
Another new coworking space that also seeks to tap into the need for a collective workplace is Blue Mind. With a slated opening in April at 301 Government Center Drive, founders Michael and Julie Donlon wanted to provide a collaborative space that promotes business growth. With the temporary physical closure of tekMountain due to COVID, the Donlons wanted to create a similar space to serve individuals, solopreneurs and small teams, but also the community. “Our larger mission is for the space to foster innovation and business growth, which creates more jobs and keeps talented entrepreneurs and small businesses local,” Michael Donlon said. Blue Mind provides dedicated desks, private offices, conference
rooms and meeting and event spaces. Memberships are provided monthly and include amenities. The pandemic accelerated many employers’ experiments in remote working, Michael Donlon said. “I think a lot of employers were a little reticent to do [remote working] just because of loss of control or what have you, but what they are finding is that their employees remain productive and stepped up to the challenge,” he said. “I think the trend was headed that way. This just accelerated the speed that we got there.” While there are a lot of pluses in remote working, one thing that people start to miss is human interaction, Donlon said. “When people come into Blue Mind, they certainly ask about the space and the capabilities, but invariably, they ask about the networking and the interaction,” he said. “It’s not just a coworking space. It’s an opportunity for networking with like-minded professionals and sharing ideas and challenges.”
WHAT’S NORMAL ANYMORE?
As coworking spaces start to accommodate remote workers in a new office model, many traditional office spaces have started adopting a new model as well. Copycat Print Shop in Wilmington has 10 employees all working on-site. The company, however, has created and used a mitigation plan for COVID-19 scares that includes working remotely, rotating shifts and separating workers at different ends of its office. Along with air purifiers, the office space has installed acrylic shields along its front counter and dividers between workers, among other measures. When asked if the office might ever go back to “normal,” Copycat Owner Betsy Kahn said, “Normal … what’s normal anymore? Hard to predict what the future holds. ”
ALSO FEATURED IN THE LATEST WILMINGTONBIZ MAGAZINE REAL ESTATE ISSUE: • how mixed-use is mixing up building projects; • profiles of industry professionals; • signature projects of local architects; • industry trends and market stats; and much more.
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| BIZ LEADS | Reader’s Guide BizLeads is a collection of information gathered from greater Wilmington courthouses, state government offices and informational websites. These listings are intended to help the business community find new customers and stay on top of happenings with current customers, vendors and competitors. New Corporations lists firms that were recently incorporated in the state of North Carolina. All information is gathered from the North Carolina Secretary of State website. Addresses listed may not be the actual address of the business.
NEW CORPS March 12-19
1007 CAROLINA BEACH AVENUE NORTH TOWNHOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC. 575 Military Cutoff Road Suite 106 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jillian C.S. Blanchard
AMANI SHANAE LLC 414 Benjamin Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: Shelley Blanks AMERICA’S TAX & TRANSLATION SERVICE LLC 925 S College Road Suite 1 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Pedro Ulyses Gomez
TRANSPORTING LLC 203 Newkirk Rd Burgaw 28425 Agent: Dayvone Tamont Brown BZCO LLC 6711 Netherlands Drive Unit 120 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Brice M. Bratcher CAKE MAN’S BAKES LLC 936 S 10th St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Sophia Henry CALAVERAS WEST PROPERTIES LLC 35 Anson Street Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Cynthia R. Kutil - Brown CAPRONI/HEJRANI BROKERS LLC 1001 Military Cutoff Road Suite 101 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Tyler Thomas Caproni CASTRO ALL-STAR PAINTING LLC 1319 Riggs Trail Wilmington 28412 Agent: Ramon Alfredo Fabrega CATRACHO CONSTRUCTION LLC 170 Arlington Dr Wilmington 28401 Agent: Hector E Espinoza- Ruiz
147 BRENTWOOD DRIVE LLC 302 N Lumina Ave Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Robert Rosenberg
ARMSTRONG & SONS LLC. 2161 Brookstone Dr Se Bolivia 28422 Agent: Joshua Vance Armstrong
1813 PRESTWICK LLC 1813 Prestwick Close Wilmington 28405 Agent: Christopher Noonan
AUTISM CENTERS OF NORTH CAROLINA LLC 8 Inlet Hook Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Caroline Kelly
4902 ORIOLE DRIVE LLC 1509 Country Club Rd Wilmington 28403 Agent: George Edward Holt IV
B & B FOOTERS INC. 2191 River St Sw Supply 28462 Agent: Joshua Lee Beaver
CHICO’S CONSTRUCTION LLC 5105 Wrightsville Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: Everly Ramirez
BADGER BOX PROPERTIES LLC 5908 Headsail Ct Wilmington 28409 Agent: Christopher Welch
CHUCKY’S CATERING LLC 300 Mott Town Rd Atkinson 28421 Agent: Terri D Barnhill
BEACH BUM CAFE LLC. 909 Wyndfall Dr Sw Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: Amanda J Amor
CLEAN FOR ME LLC 5140 Carolina Beach Rd Lot 24 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Suly Buelto
BEAUTI BLU AESTHETICS & WELLNESS LLC 110 Seven Oaks Court Hampstead 28443 Agent: Sunny Coy
COALSWITCH NC LLC 575 Military Cutoff Rd. Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jennifer D Scott Esqx.
BELL REALTY COASTAL LIVING LLC 303 E 8th St Southport 28461-3527 Agent: Melissa J Bell
COASTAL AUTOMATION LLC 3437 Scupper Run SE Southport 28461 Agent: James E Jones Jr
BK HOLDINGS OF HAMPSTEAD LLC 308 Grovediere Lane Hampstead 28443 Agent: John Bradley Knight Jr.
COASTAL EQUITRAIN LLC 1157 Malpass Corner Rd Burgaw 28425 Agent: Carey A. Hunter
614 PEACOCK LANE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION 124 Walnut St Apt 608 Wilmington 28401 Agent: David Nathans A&L AMMO HOLDINGS INC. 2821 N Kerr Ave Wilmington 28405 Agent: Robert Ayers ADJ HOME LLC 601 Chicamacomico Way Bald Head Island 28461 Agent: Gary A. Murdock AIT SONA LLC 201 Alston Blvd Suite C Box 20 Hampstead 28443 Agent: Jennifer McCormick Bohan AJ RAHM ADVENTURES LLC 53 York Lane Hampstead 28443 Agent: Andrew James Rahm ALLEN AQUAPONICS LLC 164 Benton Rd SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Colton Allen
BROWN DOG PROPERTIES LLC 138 Tanbridge Rd Wilmington 28405 Agent: Smith Prevost BROWN’S
CHEL HALE LAND COMPANY LLC 1308 Lovingston Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Joseph DeLiberto
COASTAL PRODUCE CO. LLC 880 Fredrick Trl SW Supply 28462 Agent: Nicholas V. Butler COASTAL REJUVENATION LLC 3633 Wingfoot Drive
Southport 28461 Agent: Jo Ellen McMullan COASTAL TOURISM AND MARKETING LLC 160 Fallbrook Lane Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Dacia Lynn Zimmer COUTURE LASH INC. 7202 Wrightsville Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: Lea Esplana DENISE LOPATKA & COMPANY LLC 1845 S. Churchill Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Denise Lopatka
Wilmington 28403 Agent: A.V.I. Property Management LLC H2O.P.E. LLC 9632 Holly Hills Drive NE Leland 28451 Agent: Registered Agents Inc. HARPO PROPERTIES LLC 1001 Military Cutoff Rd. Suite 101 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Melissa Martin HILL DYNASTY LLC 3250 Kennedy Dr Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Wanda Hill-Wells
DOUBLE E INVESTMENTS NO. 3 LLC 5830 Ocean Hwy E Winnabow 28479 Agent: J C Evans
HOPE IN SIGHT INC. 1319 Military Cutoff Rd Ste II Wilmington 28405 Agent: Crystal Brimer
DULCE A. PRODUCE LLC 110 Doc Smith Rd Willard 28478 Agent: Raul Herrera Guzman
ILLUZION LLC 1213 Culbreth Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Thomas W Kerner
EASTERN INTEGRATION LLC 2632 Borough Rd Currie 28435 Agent: Amelia M Hardin EKALAN DIGITAL MARKETING LLC 7037 Bayou Way Wilmington 28411 Agent: Kalan M McEuen ELEVATORS NOW L.L.C. 321 Tangle Oaks Ct. Leland 28451 Agent: Angelo Roy Vuocolo ENLIVINCOLOUR LLC 6400 Carolina Beach Rd. Suite 8 #357 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Toni Witherspoon ETHAN’S CONSTRUCTION LLC 5259 Irvine Trail NE Leland 28451 Agent: Hilario Parada Martinez FAST FORWARD CONSULTING SOLUTIONS LLC 3602 Princess Place Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: Crystal Anita Clay FORTY-ELEVEN.01 LLC 221 Williams Rd Wilmington 28409 Agent: Thomas Congleton FORTY-ELEVEN.02 LLC 221 Williams Rd Wilmington 28409 Agent: Thomas Congleton FUTURE FOCUSED THERAPEUTIC SOLUTIONS P.L.L.C. 201 River Gate Lane Wilmington 28412 Agent: Janet Moore G&S VENDING LLC 1020 Tideline Dr Leland 28451 Agent: Antonio J Griffin GAMA INV LLC 1122 Country Club Rd
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND ELECTRICAL AUTOMATION LLC 3300 Belmont Circle Wilmington 28405 Agent: Stephen Neil Haggett INER PES APPAREL COMPANY LLC 204 Cypress Ave. Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Kyle Jeremy Henry INNOVATE INC 1512 Radian Rd Wilmington 28405 Agent: Dale W. Boyd Jr INNOVATIVE VIRAL SOLUTIONS LLC 1213 Culbreth Dr. Wilmington 28405 Agent: Thomas W. Kerner INSPIRATION TENDER LLC 111 Princess Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jeffrey L. Zimmer ISLAND CRUISES INC. 2008 Daniel Boone Trl Wilmington 28411 Agent: Anthony William Newberry IVY & JANE LLC 3220 Midvale Dr Unit 215 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Carolyn Jane McBide J MORGAN & GROUP LLC 1079 Maplewood Ct Leland 28451 Agent: Jerry Morgan Hutto J&G BROS TRUCKING LLC 117 Dapple Ct Wilmington 28403 Agent: Warrick Dean Jones II
EVENTS LLC 4608 Cedar Ave Suite 113 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Linda Y Agustin
ENRICHMENT INC. 1304 Element Way Apt. 14201 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Terry McDowell
JCKIN HOLDINGS CORP 7263 Schooners Ct SW #4 Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Justin Clay Kinlaw
NC OUTDOOR PROGRAMS LLC 229 Bagley Ave Wilmington 28409 Agent: Madison Crum
JEFF BROWN YACHTS INC. 6 Marina St. Suite 1 Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Jeff L Brown
NEPHEWS CLOTHING LTD. LIABILTIY CO. 1291 Washington St Southport 28461 Agent: Terrance Galloway
JET BUILDERS LLC 2418 Brodick Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jason Evonko
NICHOLS’ WORKS LLC 1337 Regatta Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Gina Alane Nichols
JOURNEY GOLF CARTS LSV LLC 8822 Market St Ste 120 Wilmington 28411 Agent: Cole Burack JUST A TRIM LAWN CARE CORPORATION 2524 Marsh Hen Drive Oak Island 28465 Agent: Brian George Muller LEWKHOUR HOLDINGS LLC 2819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. LIBERTY LUCKY SEVEN LLC 575 Military Cutoff Rd. Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jennifer D Scott LIFE SAVER ENTERPRISES INC 108 Great Pine Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: Edward Fuerst LLR CONSTRUCTION LLC 2814 Graham Street Wilmington 28412 Agent: Leonel Lopez Robles LOCALS GUIDE TO SURFING LLC 1327 Live Oak Parkway Wilmington 28403 Agent: Glenn Burton Richardson II LUXURY REAL ESTATE NC CORP. 6321 Towles Rd Wilmington 28409 Agent: Monica D. Rolquin MACKE SIGNING LLC 6997 Bloomsbury Way Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Karen Arnold MATARAY CONSULTING LLC 33 Yaupon Way Oak Island 28465 Agent: Silvia Van Dusen
JAMES B. RIVENBARK PA 745 Tuscan Way Wilmington 28411 Agent: James B. Rivenbark
MINISTERIO APOSTOLICO AVANCE MISIONERO WILMINGTON 1915 N. County Dr. Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Victor L Duran Murillo
JAZZYS RENTALS &
N2NATURE- YOUTH
NOVEL CONCEPTS PUBLISHING LLC 107 Golf Terrace Dr Hampstead 28443 Agent: Catherine McDowell
Wilmington 28412 Agent: Randy Russell Hall QUS CAPITAL LLC 5005 Gate Post Ln Wilmington 28412 Agent: William Lewis RALPH HOMES AND CONSTRUCTION LLC 1357 Duffer Blvd NE Leland 28451 Agent: Dillice A Ralph II RISING TIDE PLUMBING L.L.C. 1210 Bowfin Lane #1 Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Jeffrey W Hughes RUFUS-SPT INC. 2113 Market St Wilmington 28403 Agent: Charles Archer RUMANDA ENTERPRISES LLC 536 Edgewood Road Southport 28461 Agent: Ursula S. Wight
OCEAN BREEZE AUTO FINANCE LLC 724 Antler Drive Wilmington 28409 Agent: Zachary Blue Miller Sr
SALT EXTERIORS INCORPORATED 160 Stonewall Jackson Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Megan Waite
OCEAN VIEW EQUITIES INC. 821 Fox Ridge Lane Wilmington 28405 Agent: Patricia Satrazemis
SCRIBBLE AND SHOUT LLC 143 Downy Drive Hampstead 28443 Agent: Skip Eames
OLBACHI LLC 37 Laurinburg Street Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Nicholas Walters OVERLOOK AT STONEY CREEK LLC 10 South Cardinal Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robert J Hollis PAW PRINTS CRAFTY CORNER LLC 7013 Trailhead Rd Leland 28451 Agent: Heather Ann Puening PEEK CAPITAL HOLDINGS INCORPORATED 1504 Black Chestnut Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: Matthew Peek PENDER PALMS LLC 105 Latitude Lane Wilmington 28412 Agent: Christopher Roper PORT CITY ACQUIREMENT LLC 1735 Canady Rd. Wilmington 28411 Agent: David W Buckner PRISTINE FLOORS LLC 4240 Wilshire Blvd Apt 106 E Wilmington 28403 Agent: Curtis McLaughlin PURPOSEFUL UNIVERSITY LLC 616 Seaside Road SW Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: De’Andrea Jackson QUALITY HALL LLC 8128 Lakeview Drive
SEAGATE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT L.L.C. 3210 Graylyn Ter Wilmington 28411 Agent: Trevor Lanzi SELF LOVE MUSEUM LLC 110 Rockwell Rd. Wilmington 28411 Agent: Delisa Derseraux SELL2SALE LLC 1700 Waterwing Drivce Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Marty Ferrell SHELDON NIXON ALL ABOVE LLC 213 Sunn Aire Ct Apt A Wilmington 28405 Agent: Sheldon Nixon SHIVER FAMILY REALTY LLC 3421 Newroad Ave Burgaw 28425 Agent: William D Shiver SKYDIVE LANE PARTNERS LLC 4410 Mockingbird Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Anne Goodwin SOLAR SELECT LLC 4405 Cascade Road Wilmington 28409 Agent: Ray William Gunner STEEL MAGNOLIAS INVESTMENTS LLC 1468 Eastbourne Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Nathan Bageant SUNSET VISTA MARKETING LLC 502 Sunset Blvd. North Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: Tracy L Valentine
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
April 2 - 15, 2021
Page 25
| IN PROFILE | Roofing firm reaches new heights BY TERESA MCLAMB ain Fergusson’s future wasn’t clear as the teenager stood atop his family’s rambling farmhouse, but he knew that he loved being up there. “I grew up in the southwest corner of Scotland on the farm that had been in my family for generations. It was a big, falling down house that leaked every time it rained.” He was 16 before the family could scrape together enough money to pay some locals to help repair the slate roof. “I went up there, and I loved it. It planted a seed.” Thousands of miles and decades later, Fergusson’s Highland Roofing Co. is closing in on 16 years of business in Wilmington. Fergusson left his village of about 150 people in his early 20s following an American student he later married. The couple traveled, living in several U.S. towns. Then they had twins, and Fergusson looked at his life differently. “I needed to get serious about life. I always had roofing in the back of my mind,” he said. Determined to give clients a quality job at a fair price, he took the experiences he had gained from working for other companies and started Highland Roofing in 2005. Although they’re no longer married, his former wife, Rebecca, remains his business partner. The company started with an emphasis on residential metal roofing. “Looking back, I started the company not knowing much about roofing,” Fergusson said. “I learned a lot while working. I just followed my heart. I had people asking me about different types of roofing, so I had to cautiously and carefully learn on the job.” For five years, Highland did only residential roofing. After gaining experience in flat roofing materials, they moved into commercial, hiring an employee with specialized experience. In 2015, they acquired Hanover Iron Works, a local company with a century in business. “I inherited some wonderful clients,” Fergusson said. “That made the decision to move away from residential.” Since that decision, projects have included Surf City Municipal Complex, The Harrelson Center, UNCW Dining Hall, Renaissance
I
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Roof raisers: Highland Roofing Construction Manager Rickey Hill (from left), owner Iain Fergusson and Project Manager Bill Kohaut are shown on the roof the company completed at Oleander Shopping Center in Wilmington.
Apartments, Hawthorne at Oleander, Pawville, St. James Episcopal and the awarded New Hanover County Government Center redevelopment. Among the projects Fergusson has thoroughly enjoyed is the green roof on the county’s Juvenile Justice Center. “It’s fun for something new to come up and learn something interesting,” he said. Green roofs incorporate traditional roof membrane covered by a planting medium, such as soil, and live plants. One of the several benefits is that the plantings protect the roofing materials from ultraviolet light, so the roof lasts more years than the 20-year expectation of exposed membrane, and that helps to offset the upfront installation cost. Fergusson said he also likes working with fluid applied roofing, which can be applied as a new roof or over an existing flat roof. “The benefit is you’re using the existing roof, which becomes a substrate; it’s not something that can be done on every roof,” he said. “Sometimes the existing roof is not in good enough condition.” There are circumstances when
the old roof just needs a bit of prep work to get it into shape. “It’s a win-win for everybody. Fluid applied is much less expensive than tearing off the existing material. Also the exposure is much less,” Fergusson said. “No opening up the building to the elements.” He described it as being monolithic with no seams, no laps, no edges or openings that can deteriorate. “In 20 years, it can be cleaned and recoated again,” he said. Highlands repaired the 50,000square-foot former StarNews building, on South 17th Street, after Hurricane Florence, which hit in 2018. To replace the existing roof would have been more than $1 million, Fergusson estimated. Highland is a partner in Duke Energy’s commercial rebate program to improve the energy efficiency of structures, including installation of a more reflective cool roof system. Fergusson noted that Hurricane Florence was the first real storm the company has endured. “It was a good experience for the company because it tested us to our limits,” he said. “We learned about our team. It was bedlam for six to
nine months.” The huge workload allowed Fergusson to reorganize his workflow. “I’m so proud of how efficient a team we are,” he said. “Every person has a defined role, and everyone is really good at it; everybody works well together.” Their growth has included a move into the Raleigh market, where they have estimators and project and construction managers. A trial run in the Myrtle Beach market resulted in procurement of clients, but they’re now serviced out of the Wilmington office. “I’m most proud of all our people and how good they are individually and together. The people are what defines my success. I’m grateful to this community for the opportunities provided with referrals and repeat business,” Fergusson said. He added, “I’ve always been quite good about being honest about what I don’t know. I always took care of people the way I’d want to be taken care of. I credit that and the people I’ve brought in for the success. It’s a good town. If you can get a good reputation, they’ll spread the word.”
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April 2 - 15, 2021
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
RESTAURANT ROUNDUP
BUSINESS OF LIFE
This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
MeMa’s in Burgaw aims to save development project
Since 1975
Commercial Construction
Myra and James McDuffie, owners of MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs in Burgaw, celebrated the official launch of their fundraising campaign in partnership with Genesis Block and Folla Capital, and Hipp Architecture & Development, the week of March 8. The event, hosted by Genesis Block, kicked off a community funding campaign for the multi-million dollar development of The Creek Shopping Center, which will be on N.C. 53 in Pender County. The center’s first building will house MeMa’s new location, planned to include three event spaces, an outdoor dining area, a commissary kitchen and manufacturing facility for the company’s signature barbecue sauce, and a retail store featuring MeMa’s and other locally made products. The McDuffies purchased the land upon which the center will be developed in 2019 and secured funding for the first phase of the shopping center’s development in early 2020, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the bank that had approved their loan eventually withdrew $800,000 in funding. Following a referral from Gloria Monroe of the Small Business and Technology Development Center at UNCW, the McDuffies reached out to Genesis Block, a Wilmington-based nonprofit founded by Girard and Tracey Newkirk that provides business development services for minority-owned businesses. “We attended an open house at Genesis Block and discussed with Girard and Tracey how a partnership might work,” Myra McDuffie said. “We’re very grateful because without their help we might be at a standstill or may have lost the land all together.”
SeaWitch Cafe brings back brunch service
910.350.0554
chambliss-rabil.com
The SeaWitch Cafe & Tiki Bar in Carolina Beach is gearing up for the summer season and relaunching Sunday brunch service after a 2020 hiatus. Owners Jenni Pietch and Alex
Gilewicz had to scale back on pretty much everything last year in light of the pandemic. Brunch service was cut, the menu was pared down to avoid waste and there was a shift toward meals designed for carryout, something the restaurant had never focused on previously. But now brunch is once again being served on Sundays with live music and $5 bloody marys and mimosas. The menu features several traditional breakfast and brunch items such as pancakes, biscuits and gravy, a crab benedict and breakfast quesadillas and sandwiches. The SeaWitch is located at 227 Carolina Beach Avenue N.
Mediterranean restaurant launches new menu items Bahaa Ibrahim recently celebrated the first anniversary of his eatery, Sofra Modern Mediterranean, with the launch of some new menu items and expanded catering offerings. Ibrahim admits that opening the week that everything was shutting down last March and trying to get his restaurant up and going during COVID-19 has been a challenge he never anticipated. “We’ve had some good days and some not so good,” Ibrahim said. “There were some days I didn’t think I was going to be here a year later, but I’m glad I’m still here.” Sofra carries a wide range of Mediterranean specialties including kabobs, beef and lamb kofta, chicken and beef shawarma, falafel, stuffed grape leaves and several types of salads such as tabbouleh, lentil, chickpea and a traditional Greek salad. “We’re always rotating in new salads,” Ibrahim said. “We recently started serving a Moroccan eggplant salad that has some flavors similar to baba ghanouj. We have a grape salad and a new beet salad coming out as well.” While Sofra has been serving up hearty soups throughout the winter, they will soon shift to cold soups such as gazpacho and a chilled cucumber soup. There are also two new flavored hummus options – cilantro jalapeno and chili garlic, as well as karkade, a hibiscus iced tea flavored with lemon, ginger and cloves and served in a mason jar. Sofra Modern Mediterranean is located at 5709 Oleander Drive. -Jessica Maurer
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
April 2 - 15, 2021
Page 27
| BUSINESS OF LIFE | Worn by COVID, clothing firms pick up BY JENNY CALLISON uring a year of going almost nowhere, most people in the Cape Fear region found their clothing could be simple and informal. Galas went online; special events were canceled; Zoom meetings required attendees to look good only from the waist up. The combo depressed the market for two industries: formal wear and dry cleaning. After hanging on for months with little demand for wedding, prom and party attire, Cape Fear Formal Wear owners Jason Sellars and Chuck Ogiba sold the business last month to one of their suppliers, George Hanna. Hanna, who owns Bernard’s Formalwear in Durham, saw opportunity despite the downturn. “We at Bernard’s were the main suppliers for Jason,” Hanna said. “He used our warehouse. We’re sad to see him go but think Wilmington has great potential for us. I am a North Carolina native and used to come to the beach growing up.” Bernard’s has used a variety of strategies to survive the near-lack of business during the past year, according to Hanna. “We did what we could with reduced, micro- and streamed weddings,” he said. “We relied on those to keep us going. We tried everything we could to make ourselves available, but we had to shut down for several months. When we came back, we came back with reduced hours and required customers to make appointments rather than walk in.” The business also tried to control its expenses, and obtained both a Paycheck Protection Program loan and an SBA Economic Disaster Loan, which allowed it to keep paying its staff. Spring is typically wedding and prom season, but last spring was a bust, Hanna said. “People were shocked at how aggressive COVID was. We shut down for a couple of months. But [over the past year] people have learned how to have events safely. There are more socially distanced events, more events with masks, so people can still celebrate while staying safe.” With the proliferation of outdoor events, Hanna said his businesses were marketing to that trend. “It’s definitely been a challenging year but we’re coming through it,
D
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Suiting up: George Hanna recently bought Cape Fear Formal Wear. Hanna, who owns Bernard’s Formalwear in Durham, says he is seeing demand increasing as more events and weddings come back online.
and we see recovery on the horizon,” Hanna said. Also looking at a brightening future is Theresa DiBernardo. The owner of The Dressing Room in Wilmington says that business is definitely picking up, although she has continued to sell wedding gowns and bridal party dresses through the pandemic. “Weddings were still happening, but they were smaller,” DiBernardo said, adding that that reality may have played into her shop’s niche. “All the dresses in my shop are below $1,000; the average is between $200 and $600,” she said. “So, with smaller weddings, brides don’t really want to spend as much on a dress, maybe.” And the phone is starting to ring more often at Cape Fear Formal Wear and Bernard’s. “Summer’s looking good; fall is starting to look good as well,” Hanna said. “Even for late spring, like May and June, we’re getting some orders. Tuxedo and suit rentals are usually more toward the end of people’s to-do list, so we’ll see a lot more fall reservations coming this summer. I’ve
talked to some event spaces and they are optimistic about summer and fall; they are already starting to fill up.” For dry cleaning establishments also, the return of formal occasions would drive an uptick in their business, as would the return of white-collar workers to their offices, leaving their sweatpants at home. Before the pandemic, dry cleaning was already seeing a decline because of a trend toward more casual attire in the workplace and the advent of easy-care fabrics. Bloomberg reported Nov. 25 that, of the roughly 30,000 dry cleaning companies in the U.S. before the pandemic, one in six had declared bankruptcy. Hangers Williams Dry Cleaners, which formerly maintained seven locations in New Hanover County, is down to three, according to co-owner Lori Williams, who’s currently managing operations along with her brother-in-law. “Some customers who use us on a regular basis and could afford it started bringing in household [linens] for cleaning. They kept us alive,” Williams said. “We kept our pickup
and delivery service, although that dwindled. We cut our hours way back and reduced our production to once a week. One of our stores that did church business saw that dwindle to nothing.” The family-owned business, in Wilmington since 1941, also received a PPP loan last spring; Williams said in late March she was still considering applying for a second draw loan. “I was hesitant about doing it at all, but you do what you have to do,” she said. Things are looking up. Williams sees an increase in walk-in customers and in route pickups. The volume of work is on the rise. “We do all the high school JROTC uniforms, and with the film activity picking up, we’re doing their wardrobe and their linens. We just got an order for cleaning jump suits from the Department of Corrections.” At this point, however, Hangers Williams doesn’t plan to reopen its closed locations, Williams said. “We’ve sold those four buildings, but we could eventually reopen in different facilities in those areas. We hope things will continue to improve.”
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
PRESENTING SPONSORS:
THE NEW NEW NORMAL
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One take on COVID-19’s impact is it will accelerate existing trends by 10 years. For the first Power Breakfast of 2021, we’ll look at this on the local level from several angles as well as equity efforts underway in our region since the George Floyd-related protests. The Power Breakfast will include four TED-style talks and one panel discussion…
CHARLES BONEY ON THE FUTURE OF BUILDING
HOLLY CHILDS ON TRANSFORMING OUR DOWNTOWN
CHARLES FOUST ON LEADING THE WAY IN THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE
The architect and principal at LS3P will talk about how more than a year of virtual meetings, classrooms and doctor visits will change the way we design and build new facilities.
The new leader of Wilmington Downtown, Inc. will talk about new initiatives underway to both attract and retain a diverse, dynamic and well-educated workforce.
The Superintendent of New Hanover County Schools will talk about his vision for boosting reading levels, academic achievement and graduation rates.
LISA LEATH ON SHIFTING WILMINGTON’S TRADITIONAL WAYS
HUNTLEY GARRIOTT, BILL SAFFO AND LINDA THOMPSON ON RISING TOGETHER
Leath, an HR professional, will talk about how Wilmington employers can become more agile and forward-thinking as talent seeks remote or hybrid workplaces.
Live Oak Bank’s President, Wilmington’s Mayor and New Hanover County’s Chief Diversity & Equity Officer will talk about local efforts since the George Floyd-related protests.
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Watch the Power Breakfast live at 8 a.m. on April 13
· The Business Journal’s Facebook page · GTV8 (Spectrum channel 8) · The City of Wilmington’s website · The City of Wilmington’s YouTube page
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in-person attendance will be limited to sponsors, but the Power Breakfast will also be broadcast so the entire community can tune in. To learn about becoming a Power Breakfast sponsor, contact Maggi Apel at (910) 343-8600 x203 or mapel@wilmingtonbiz.com.
