Many thanks to all who joined in the fun to make NCAJ Convention 2022 one of the greatest NCAJ gatherings in recent memory!
Save the date for June 15-17, 2023 for next year’s Convention and check back often for information on future sponsor opportunities.
Photos from this year’s event can be viewed and downloaded at these links for
Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18.
2022 NCAJ Award Winners
About James Williams
James E. Williams, Jr. received a B.A. in Political Science and J.D. from Duke University. He was Chief Public Defender for Orange and Chatham Counties from 1990-2017. He was previously the Felony Chief of the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office.
In 2010, while a member of the N.C. Advocates for Justice Board of Governors, Mr. Williams helped establish and served as Chair of the Task Force on Racial and Ethnic Bias in the Criminal Justice System. In 2012, the work of the Task Force led to the establishment of the N.C. Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Criminal Justice System, of which Mr. Williams served as a Board Member and later Commission Chair. Mr. Williams is also a founder and Board member of the N.C. Public Defender Committee on Racial Equity and serves on numerous boards, including the N.C. Fines and Fees Coalition, National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts, N.C. Association of Black Lawyers, and Orange Bias Free Policing Coalition.
Since 2018, Mr. Williams has served in an Of Counsel capacity at The Center for Death Penalty Litigation as Racial Equity Coordinator. In January 2020, Governor Cooper appointed him to the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. Mr. Williams has received numerous awards, including the N.C. Advocates for Justice Thurgood Marshall Award, the MLK University/Community Planning Inc. MLK Jr. Citizenship Award, the N.C. ACLU Champion of Justice Award, and the North Carolina Bar Association James McNeil Smith Jr. Award.
About Ames Alexander
Ames Alexander, a longtime investigative reporter for The Charlotte Observer, has examined the neglect of residents in short-staffed nursing homes, the mistreatment of injured poultry workers, rampant corruption in state prisons and many other subjects. His stories have won dozens of state and national awards, including the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism award and the Gerald Loeb award. He was a key member of two reporting teams that were named finalists for the Pulitzer Prize.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, he has written for the Observer since 1993.
About Phil Baddour
Phil Baddour, a graduate of UNC and UNC School of Law, has been practicing in his hometown, Goldsboro, North Carolina since 1967. He has been a member of NCAJ for more than fifty years. In 1989, Phil was elected to the Board of Directors and has not misseda Convention since then. After he was elected to the NC House in 1992, Phil was the primary sponsor of many bills recommended or strongly supported by NCAJ including the bills that wrote 97(10)(2)(j), that gave the District Attorneys the discretion not toseek the Death Penalty in capital cases, that established mediation in Workers Compensation, and Equitable Distribution cases and established Family Court.
When Phil was the majority leader, NCAJ recognized him as Legislator of the Year. After leaving the General Assembly, Phil served for six years as Legislative Vice President followed by President Elect and President of NCAJ. While NCAJ President his projects included the publication of a Practical Guide to Workers Compensation Law and the Personal Injury Practice Manual. Phil continues to serve as a PAC Trustee.
Elliot Abrams
Elliot Sol Abrams is a Partner at Cheshire Parker Schneider, PLLC. A substantial portion of Elliot’s practice involves white-collar criminal defense, asset forfeiture defense, and defending licensed professionals facing disciplinary actions. Elliot also handles select civil matters and other proceedings, including civil rights cases, NCAA Infractions matters, and government ethics investigations. Elliot is the immediate past president of the Federal Bar Association EDNC Chapter, co-authored the Federal Criminal Practice Chapter of the North Carolina Bar Association’s General Practitioner’s Guide to Criminal Law (2016), and regularly teaches CLEs on a wide array of topics including federal asset forfeiture, the NCAA infractions process, and identifying and litigating constitutional violations by law enforcement.
Elliot earned his law degree at Georgetown University and his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where was selected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society and graduated in the top 3 percent of his class. Elliot is married with three young children and enjoys spending time with them at the beach and on the sound.
Raymond Tarlton
Raymond Tarlton currently focuses his practice on federal and state court criminal defense cases, including appeals, asset forfeitrure defense and civil rights litigation. Tarlton is also a former Wake County Assistant District Attorney and former Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Eastern District of North Carolina. He received his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University in 2004 and his law degree from Campbell School of Law in 2008.
In this case, Tarlton served as guardian ad litem for McCollum and Brown.
The Kelli Crabtree Award is given to an attorney and his or her client in cases where the client’s story and the attorney’s representation has made a real difference in protecting people’s rights. Learn more about Elliot Abrams and Raymond Tarlton’s work for Henry McCollum and Leon Brown.
About Justice Robin Hudson
Born in DeKalb County, Georgia, after studying philosophy and psychology at Yale University, Hudson earned a J.D. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1976. Except for three years as a state appellate defender, Hudson worked in private practice in Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina until 2000, when she was elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals—the first woman to be elected to an appellate court in North Carolina without being appointed first. She is married and has two children, Emily and Charles.
Hudson was elected to the North Carolina Supreme Court seat of retiring Justice George Wainwright in November 2006. She took office in January 2007. Hudson was re-elected to the Court in November 2014. She chose not to run for another term in 2022, as she would have reached the state’s mandatory retirement age about 13 months into that term.
In 2009, Hudson became president of the Women’s Forum of North Carolina.
Hudson wrote the Supreme Court’s 2022 opinion striking down the state legislature’s congressional and legislative districts as excessively partisan gerrymanders.
About Senator Sydney Batch
Senator Sydney Batch is a family law attorney, child welfare advocate, and social worker. Sydney received her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she remained for her Juris Doctorate and Masters of Social Work. Following law school, Sydney entered private practice with her husband, J. Patrick Williams. She is the founding partner at the law firm, Batch, Poore & Williams, PC. Her practice primarily focuses on family law, child welfare law, and appellate work. She was elected to the NC House representing Southern Wake County in 2018 and was later appointed to fill a vacant seat in the NC Senate in 2021.
During her time in the legislature, Senator Batch has continuously served as an advocate for families and small businesses. She currently serves on the Commerce, Pensions, Retirement, and Aging, Education Appropriations, Legislative Ethics, and Flood Resiliency committees. As a legislator, Sydney believes that policy and evidence-based research should inform and guide the legislation passed in the North Carolina General Assembly. She has advocated for a number of common sense reforms, including paid family leave, affordable childcare, and mental health access. She resides in Wake County with her husband and two sons.
About Judge Steve Warren
Prior to his appointment as a Special Superior Court judge in 2019 by Gov. Cooper, Judge Steve Warren worked as a civil attorney with a focus on personal injury for over thirty years in Western North Carolina. Throughout his career, he has been deeply involved in service to the profession, including as a member of NCAJ’s Board of Governors from 1993-1999, and to his home region as a member of his alma mater Western Carolina University’s Board of Trustees from 2003 -2011.
About Scott Heldman
Scott Heldman is a North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal at Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC, where he has worked since graduating from the Duke University Paralegal Studies Program. Scott is an integral part of Milberg’s class action, consumer products, and consumer services practice areas. Scott excels in advancing his cases through each stage of litigation, from initial case research through trial and appeal. Dedicated to embodying a proactive and solution-oriented approach to his work, Scott acts out the mottos: “always move the ball forward”, “I got your back”, “trust by verify”, and “team work makes the dream work”. Scott’s dedication to excellence has earned him the trust and respect of his coworkers.
Scott earned a bachelor degree in Law in Society from Purdue University with expectations of entering a legal career; three different careers and twenty years later, Scott finally realized those expectations and has not looked back. Scott was hired to work with one of Milberg’s legacy firms with a promise that it would be a different adventure each day – a promise that has been kept.
When Scott is not in the office he is working on his next hobby. He is a crafter, dog walker, gamer (but not video-gamer), home-cook, dart thrower, golfer, table tennis player, wanna-be guitar player, photographer, and pop culture enthusiast.
About Doug Maynard
C. Douglas Maynard, Jr. worked as an insurance adjuster for several years prior to beginning the practice of law representing people against insurance companies. His insider’s view of the insurance industry enables him to decipher your policy to determine your rights, to anticipate how your claim will be handled, and to hold insurers accountable for unfair and deceptive claims practices. Mr. Maynard has resolved multiple cases in excess of one million dollars ($1,000,000) including denied life insurance, liquor liability / motor vehicle collision, and workers’ compensation claims.
He is well-respected in the legal community for his knowledge of insurance law and frequently leads seminars on the topic. He practices in litigation and arbitration of personal injury and workers’ compensation claims, as well as handling many insurance coverage disputes, denials, and beneficiary disputes. Doug has argued cases before the Supreme Court of North Carolina and the Court of Appeals. He has filed “friends’ of the court” briefs (amicus) on insurance coverage issues in both courts. Doug is frequently consulted, retained or associated by lawyers throughout North Carolina and the United States on issues related to North Carolina insurance law. He is also editor of one of the definitive legal treatises (book) on uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in North Carolina. Doug does not represent any insurance company but only people and those seeking insurance coverage or money from insurance companies.
Doug has lived in Winston-Salem for more than 50 years, having moved there when he was just three months old. As the son of a local physician and having handled personal injury and workers’ compensation cases for over 25 years, Doug is very familiar with many of the healthcare providers in the area.
About Chuck Monnett
Charles “Chuck” Monnett received his JD from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1983. Since that time he has been engaged in private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina with the firm of Charles G. Monnett III & Associates.
Mr. Monnett has also served in a number of leadership positions within the legal profession. He is a past president of the Southern Trial Lawyers Association and the Melvin Belli Society. He currently serves on the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice, the Southern Trial Lawyers Association and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice. He is past chair of the AAJ Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group. Mr. Monnett is also an invited member of The Summit Council.
He previously served on the Board of Directors for the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina for over 10 years and was appointed by the Governor of North Carolina to serve 2 terms on the North Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Council. The Council advises state government on issues relating to traumatic brain injury.
He received the inaugural Randy Evans Advocacy Award recognizing his years of work on behalf of brain injured individuals in the state of North Carolina in 2009. He received the Tommy Malone Great American Eagle Award from the Southern Trial Lawyers Association in 2019.
He has an “AV” rating by Martindale-Hubbell, has been continuously recognized as a Super Lawyer since 2009, and is listed in Best Lawyers in America.
When not practicing law, he restores and collects classic cars and is an avid water skier.
2022 Ebbie Award Winners
About Doug Abrams
Doug Abrams has been a practicing trial lawyer for more than 40 years. Doug is a partner in the firm of Abrams & Abrams, P.A. in Raleigh, North Carolina. Doug currently represents plaintiffs in catastrophic personal injury cases, tractor trailer wrecks, plant explosions and fire cases, products liability or defective products cases, fifteen passenger van rollover cases, business tort litigation, and other tort cases.
Doug has given numerous lectures and has written extensively on the subject of personal injury and tort law. Doug served as the President of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers (now the North Carolina Advocates for Justice) for 1995-1996 and has remained on the Board of NCAJ in numerous capacities both before and after that time. Doug has also been active in the American Association for Justice and currently serves on their Board of Governors. Doug has been selected for inclusion in a leading publication entitled The Best Lawyers in America, as well as the publication Super Lawyers. Doug and Peggy were jointly recipients of the Founders Award given by the North Carolina Advocates for Justice in June 2012.
About Michele Cybulski
Michele Cybulski is the Senior Personal Injury attorney at Deuterman Law Group. She focuses her practice on injury cases involving automobile, tractor-trailer, and motorcycle wrecks. She also handles premises liability, nursing home negligence, and medical malpractice cases. She has obtained million dollar settlements for several of her clients and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Michele was a member of the charter class of Elon University’s School of Law and earned her juris doctor in 2009. She was a founding member of the Elon Women’s Law Association. While attending law school, she was a law clerk at Deuterman Law Group. That experience developed her passion for helping injured people, and she was excited to join the firm in September 2009.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Michele had a successful career at the Center for Creative Leadership helping executives develop leadership skills.
Michele earned her undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University and remains a proud alum. She earned her master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. She has two wonderful children and lives in Greensboro.
Michele is a member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, the N.C. Bar Association, and the Greensboro Bar Association.
About Allison Garren
A native of Rutherford County, North Carolina, Allison Brook Garren received her B.A. in Political Science with Distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, and her Masters in Public Health from Tufts University School of Medicine.
Her work since graduating from law school has truly been a labor of love as it has been focused on working to conduct research on poverty, work, opportunity and meaningful access to the legal system. She has been an advocate in the courtroom for survivors of domestic violence, helped obtain affordable housing and pursued claims for life-saving federal benefits. On why she wanted to practice law, “To hold those with power accountable; to level the playing field; to ensure that money and power doesn’t trump what is just and fair.”
She began practicing law at Pisgah Legal Services before practicing eight years with Teddy, Meekins & Talbert, PLLC in Shelby, NC where she carried a significant court-appointed caseload. In 2020 she became a Board Certified Specialist in State Criminal Law, the same year she was chosen and selected by the NC Bar Association to attend their annual leadership academy.
Ms. Garren served as the chair of NCAJ’s Criminal Section from 2021-2022, and previously as vice-chair and co-chair of education. She had the honor to serve briefly as a Commissioner for North Carolina Indigent Defense Services before deciding to help raise her judicial district’s new public defender office by joining as a felony defender in May of 2022. When she is not sharing her clients’ stories in court, she can often be found hiking in the woods and traveling the globe.
About Anna Kalarites
Anna’s practice focuses on fighting for individual’s rights in nursing home, medical malpractice, and employment issues.
She grew up in Winston-Salem, and upon graduating from Duke University, moved to Washington, DC. After living and working in DC for 7 years, she decided to go to law school and graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2014. While in school, she served as a staff editor of the Law Forum Journal.
After law school, she and her husband moved back to North Carolina where she joined the Law Office of David Pishko. David Pishko also happens to be her father. She considers it an honor to work side by side with her mentor and the man who made her want to practice law.
About Lauren McAndrew
Lauren grew up in Winterville, North Carolina. Lauren graduated cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009 with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication (Public Relations) and a minor in History. She earned her law degree from Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in 2012.
At Campbell Law, Lauren competed on Mock Trial Team, representing Campbell Law School in competitions across the country. Lauren was recognized for her advocacy during the 2012 South Texas Mock Trial Competition with an Outstanding Advocate Award. Upon graduation, Lauren received the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award, the Robert A. Jenkins Award, and was inducted into the Order of the Barristers, a National honorary organization that recognizes graduating law students who have excelled in advocacy.
Lauren joined Blanchard, Miller, Lewis, and Isley in 2012. She focuses her practice on complex civil litigation, personal injury, and nursing home negligence, having tried cases to verdict in North Carolina Superior Courts. In addition to her trial experience, Lauren has argued in front of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She is licensed to practice in all state and federal courts of North Carolina.
Lauren is member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, having held leadership positions in both the Women’s Caucus and the Professional Negligence Section. Lauren is also a member of the NCAJ Auto Torts Section.
In 2013, Lauren was appointed to the North Carolina Courts Commission, a non-standing legislative committee that seeks to bring solutions to various issues facing the North Carolina court system.
In addition to her law practice, Lauren serves on the Board of Directors for Military Missions in Action, a nonprofit dedicating to assisting veterans in need, members of all armed forces, and their loving and supporting families.
About Stacey Miller
W. Stacy Miller, II is a personal injury lawyer at Miller Law Group, in Raleigh. Stacy is a Raleigh native. He received his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and law degree from Campbell Law School. He is currently licensed in North Carolina and the District of Columbia. His practice includes catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, and representing whistleblowers under False Claims Act.
Stacy has served on the Board of Governors for NCAJ, was Vice President of the profession negligence section of AAJ, and currently a member of the Board of Visitors for Campbell Law School. His is married to Blannie Miller and together they have two boys, Stacy III and Hank.
About Lauren Newton
Lauren O. Newton has been fighting on behalf of the injured for more than 12 years. Right out of law school, Lauren worked as a defense attorney representing employers and insurance companies. This background as a defense attorney gives her special insight during negotiations with insurance companies and while fighting for her injured clients. Lauren handles a wide array of cases, including car wrecks, workers’ compensation, premises liability, sexual assault, police misconduct, and medical malpractice cases.
Lauren is a fierce advocate for her clients and is not afraid of a fight. In addition to success for her clients in jury trials, she has had success at the North Carolina Court of Appeals for two workers’ compensation clients in Myers v. Ben Mynatt Chevrolet Cadillac and Campbell v. Garda USA, Inc.
Lauren graduated from Elon University and worked as a political consultant prior to law school. Lauren graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law and is licensed to practice law in both North and South Carolina. In addition, Lauren is an active member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice in which she currently serves on the Board of Governors. Lauren is also the founder and former President of the NCAJ Women’s Caucus and serves as the North Carolina Revitalization Governor on the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice. Lauren is also an active member of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys and has previously served as that organization’s Nominations Chair in addition to serving as the Secretary for the local Charlotte Women’s Bar.
Lauren is a proud wife and mother who enjoys spending her time reading, trying new foods, running, and doing Crossfit.
About Aindrea Pledger
An attorney in Daggett Shuler’s personal injury/pre-litigation department, Aindrea M. Pledger fights for the rights of injured people every day.
Aindrea attended Wake Forest University School of Law after graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara. In her decade plus career, Aindrea has practiced law in the district attorney’s office, as well as a medical malpractice and catastrophic personal injury law firm. She is dedicated to fighting for those injured by the negligence of others.
Convention 2022 Firm & Business Sponsors
Thank you to the following firms and business for their continued support of NCAJ’s mission.
Abrams & Abrams, P.A.
At Abrams & Abrams, P.A., we are committed to making a difference in the lives of individuals and families affected by catastrophic personal injuries. We have built a reputation throughout the legal community for effectively managing complex personal injury cases while preserving the dignity of the people we represent.
With over 100 years of combined experience, our team of dedicated attorneys is focused on helping you recover from your injuries – both physically and financially. When you have questions about your legal options and concerns about your future, you can count on us to help you make informed decisions that help pave the path for a better future.
Ametros
Ametros is changing the way individuals navigate healthcare by providing them with post-settlement medical management tools for their settlement funds. Ametros helps drive more settlements and save money by working closely with injured workers, insurers, employers, attorneys, and Medicare to create a seamless experience.
Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C.
Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, PC serves people facing challenging legal situations such as being seriously injured by the negligence of others, no longer being able to work or suffering an on the job accident. Phil Baddour is a former NCAJ president and has been a member for 50 years.
Brown Moore & Associates, PLLC
Brown Moore & Associates, PLLC is a highly regarded personal injury law firm located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Our Charlotte personal injury lawyer bring experience, skill, compassion, and complete commitment to the role of representing plaintiffs in a variety of circumstances that include on-the-job accident cases, car crash cases, and medical malpractice claims.
Byrd Settlements
Byrd Settlements is your resource and partner for Structured Settlements and Trust Advisory services. We work with you and your clients to determine what is in their best financial interest and will have the best possible outcome. Whether it is a special needs trust to protect government healthcare benefits, a general trust, a tax free and guaranteed structured settlement or a combination, you can rely on us to offer what makes most sense for your client, not what meets arbitrary corporate minimums. In addition to our role as comprehensive settlement consultant, we can also serve as an unbiased third party Trust Protector. We provide clients with the most advantageous trust resources possible and have created an infrastructure to ensure consistent optimal performance through semi-annual review. Our team works to provide attorneys and their clients with all of the options that will enable them to use their recovery to become and remain financially secure. Please let us know if we can help!
Charles G. Monnett III & Associates
At Charles G. Monnett III & Associates, we understand the challenges you face after an accident, injury, or the death of a loved one. Our Charlotte personal injury lawyers are committed to doing everything possible to obtain the recovery you need to heal and move forward with your life. We are real trial lawyers, and we have secured real results.
Our legal team has won millions of dollars on behalf of our clients, both in settlement and at trial. We have handled complex, high-profile cases, and we have the answers you need to make the right decisions for yourself and your family.
DeMayo Law Offices
Edwards Kirby LLP
Edwards Kirby is led by two of the best known and most highly acclaimed litigators in America, former U.S. Senator John Edwards and David Kirby. The Raleigh personal injury attorneys at Edwards Kirby have won record-setting verdicts and settlements for clients across North Carolina. At Edwards Kirby, we fight to get the best result for every client.
Fialko Law PLLC
Fialko Law has helped men and women just like you prepare and fight in federal and state court for over 25 years. Managing Partner and Owner, Chris Fialko, has earned his reputation as a top Board Certified Specialist criminal defense trial lawyer in North Carolina.
Johnson and Groninger PLLC
We are lawyers in Charlotte and Durham, NC fighting for injured people and their families. We handle cases from all over the State of North Carolina in court and against insurance companies. Two of our Durham attorneys are certified workers’ compensation specialists and our Charlotte lawyers have represented hundreds of people with injury and wrongful death claims resulting from bicycle accidents and crashes. Our record of verdicts and injury settlements across the span of our injury practice areas speaks for itself. We’ve built this firm on a passion for justice, and we have a reputation for hard work and tenacious representation.
Lawyers Mutual
Lawyers Mutual has been providing North Carolina attorneys with liability insurance for 40 years. Our mission is to protect North Carolina lawyers with the best coverage against professional liability, and to provide education and risk management resources to help them better serve their clients and the public.
The Law Offices of John M. McCabe, P.A.
At The Law Offices of John M. McCabe, P.A., we understand that there are many law firms in the Raleigh area and that it is a privilege to help you pursue your personal injury or workers’ compensation case. From your initial consultation through the resolution of your legal matter, you can count on us to provide you with the personal attention and quality representation you deserve.
Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman LLP
Milberg challenges corporate wrongdoing through class action, mass tort, consumer, and shareholder rights services, both domestically and globally. Established by members of Milberg Phillips Grossman LLP, Sanders Phillips Grossman LLC, Greg Coleman Law PC, and Whitfield Bryson LLP, the firm represents plaintiffs in the areas of antitrust, securities, financial fraud, consumer protection, automobile emissions claims, defective drugs and devices, environmental litigation, financial and insurance litigation, and cyber law and security.
Minick Law, P.C.
The Minick Law team aims to provide our clients with outstanding legal representation. Our attorneys are constantly improving their knowledge of the law, in an effort to arm our clients with the defense they deserve. Aggressive criminal defense with client focused service.
Milner Settlements
Bryan Milner is a Senior Structured Settlement Consultant with Milner Settlements through Sage Settlement Consulting. He has been working with attorneys and their clients in North Carolina for over 19 years, and continues to be a strong supporter of NCAJ. Bryan understands the important and complex financial decisions that face individuals and families who are receiving settlements. He provides creative structured settlement options and helps the attorney navigate the complexities of settlement-related issues such as Medicare Set-Asides, Trusts, Lien Resolution, etc. He also assists attorneys with designing fee structures for their contingency fees. Bryan is a committee member of the newly formed American Association ofSettlement Consultants (AASC).
The Odom Firm, PLLC
Our attorneys have many years of combined legal experience—and many notable successes—with particular focus in the areas of eminent domain and personal injury. While our practice is centrally based in the Charlotte community, we are able to serve clients and have successfully represented people and businesses from Dare County on the Outer Banks to Avery County in the Smoky Mountains.
Poisson, Poisson & Bower, PLLC
Poisson, Poisson & Bower, PLLC, is one of the most respected injury law firms in North Carolina. With a focus on personal injury cases and workers’ compensation claims, our attorneys have earned a reputation as top-notch advocates for accident victims in Wadesboro, Wilmington, and throughout the surrounding areas. For more than 40 years and through three generations of attorneys, our firm has upheld a genuine commitment to compassionate client service.
Rawls, Scheer, Clary, & Mingo, PLLC
‘The good lawyer is not the person who has an eye to every side and angle of contingency, and qualifies all their qualifications, but who throws themself on your part so heartily, that they can get you out of a scrape.’ –Ralph Waldo Emerson
RAWLS, SCHEER, CLARY & MINGO –Proud to be part of the fraternity of trial lawyers. Helping good people get out of “scrapes” for 40 years.
Settlement Planning Services LLP
With 27 years of litigation and settlement planning experience, Tacker LeCarpentier started SPS in order to provide comprehensive settlement planning services to injury victims, their families and attorneys. At no charge to your clients, we offer life care planning cost analysis, governmental benefits assessments, mediation attendance, as well as appearances at all settlement hearings. Settlement planning solutions include structured settlements, Special Needs Trusts, Medicare Set-Aside Accounts, Family Security and Settlement Preservation Trusts, and assistance with lien resolution.
Sumwalt Anderson
Sumwalt Anderson in Charlotte assists clients in workers’ compensation, personal injury, and wrongful death cases. Our knowledgeable attorneys have over 75 years of combined experience delivering successful results in the area of injury law.
We are dedicated to protecting the rights of injured workers and individuals in North Carolina and compassionately aiding families who have lost loved ones. The high-quality representation we proudly provide is tailored to the specific needs of clients and the unique circumstances of their cases. While our legal guidance varies based on each individual situation, our commitment to respectful representation never changes. We always treat our clients, professional peers, and legal adversaries with dignity and courtesy.
The Sumwalt Group
Our workers’ compensation and legal system can overwhelm and confuse people. We can help you move forward and guide you through them. We hope to help make the law make more sense. The Sumwalt Group Workers’ Comp and Trial Lawyers works with clients throughout North Carolina and South Carolina for clients who live all over the United States. We can answer your questions and concerns, explore your options, and guide you through the process to get the best for you and your family. Our initial consultations are free and always confidential.
Thorp Law
Tin Fulton Walker & Owen PLLC
One of the most critical factors affecting the outcome of any case is the quality, experience, and legal acumen of your attorney. Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, PLLC is a team of accomplished, experienced lawyers who have a reputation for excellence. Our attorneys are equally comfortable at the negotiating table and in the courtroom. In every case, we strive to deliver effective and personalized representation for clients whose well-being, reputations, and freedom are at risk.
Truist Wealth
At Truist, our Legal Specialty Group works with some of the most successful plaintiffs’ law firms and attorneys in the country—and we’ve done so for years. It’s afforded us rare insights into the challenges that come with managing wildly fluctuating cash flows and helped us build vast expertise in designing successful strategies to meet your distinctive capital, investment, personal planning, and tax mitigation needs.
Ward Black Law, PA
There are times in life when uncertainty becomes daunting. Whether it is a car accident, a workers’ compensation issue, or a serious personal injury claim the attorneys at Ward Black Law in Greensboro can help. Our legal team is skilled and experienced across a wide range of practice areas. We can answer your questions and connect you with the right attorney to most effectively serve as your powerful voice. Availability, honesty and exceptional client service are our priorities for every individual who contacts our office.
Convention 2022 Individual Sponsors
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF NCAJ’S MISSION.
Alyssa Levine
Ms. Levine’s law practice mainly focuses on family law cases: divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, equitable distribution and other matrimonial law matters. Her practice also includes civil domestic violence and no-contact order cases. Additionally, Ms. Levine is a Volunteer Attorney for the Custody Advocacy Program of the Council for Children’s Rights and a Mecklenburg County volunteer attorney for active duty servicemembers under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).
When Ms. Levine is not working, she volunteers for Lawyer on the Line, which is a partnership of the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation and Legal Aid of North Carolina. Ms. Levine serves on the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys (“NCAWA”) Board of Directors as the Vice President. She is the Immediate Past President of the Charlotte Women’s Bar (“CWB”), a local NCAWA chapter. Besides her membership with the NCAWA and CWB, Ms. Levine is a member of the American Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association, Mecklenburg County Bar, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and Temple Israel.
Lauren Newton
Lauren O. Newton joined Charles G. Monnett III & Associates in 2011. Right out of law school, Lauren worked as a defense attorney representing employers and insurance companies. This background as a defense attorney gives her special insight during negotiations with insurance companies and while fighting for her injured clients. Lauren handles a wide array of cases, including car wrecks, workers’ compensation, premises liability, employment discrimination, and bad faith cases.
Lauren graduated from Elon University and worked as a political consultant prior to law school. Lauren graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2009 and is licensed to practice law in both North and South Carolina. In addition, Lauren is an active member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice in which she currently serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Governors. Lauren is also the founder and President of the NCAJ Women’s Caucus and serves as the North Carolina Revitalization Governor on the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice. Lauren is also an active member of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys and currently serves as that organization’s Nominations Chair in addition to serving as the Secretary for the local Charlotte Women’s Bar.
Lauren is a proud wife and mother who enjoys spending her time reading, trying new foods, running, and doing Crossfit.
Paige Pahlke
Paige Pahlke believes that injury victims deserve fair compensation. When the system fails those victims, Paige vigorously advocates on their behalf, in and out of the courtroom. For over a decade, Paige has represented injured people and their family members in personal injury, medical malpractice, and employment litigation.
She is an Associate Fellow with the Litigation Counsel of America and has been named a “Rising Star” by North Carolina Super Lawyers® Magazine from 2014 to 2022, in the field of Personal Injury. Paige is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, the Mecklenburg County Bar Association, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, South Carolina Association for Justice, the American Association for Justice, and the Charlotte Women’s Bar. Paige is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in North Carolina and all state courts in South Carolina.
Paige graduated summa cum laude from Creighton University and attended the University of Iowa College of Law, where she was a Student Writer and Contributing Editor for the Iowa Law Review. In addition, she was a judicial extern for the Honorable Robert W. Pratt, Senior District Judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
Outside of the office, Paige enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, practicing yoga, golfing, and traveling.