8:55 Welcome and Introductions
9:00 If Ignorance Is Bliss, Why Did We Ask the State Bar That Ethics Question?*
Jason A. McGrath, McGrath and Spielberger PLLC Attorneys at Law, Charlotte
Jason McGrath presents actual ethics questions and real-world ethics dilemmas as presented to the State Bar, as well as the State Bar's responses. (This is not a repetition or summary of Formal Ethics Opinions.) The issues cover a wide range of topics, and many apply to all attorneys, regardless of practice area or career stage.
10:00 Break
10:10 Bankruptcy Law Update
William E. "Billy" Brewer Jr., Janvier Law Firm PLLC, Raleigh
William P. "Bill" Janvier, Janvier Law Firm PLLC, Raleigh
The only thing constant about the practice of bankruptcy is the constant change. Billy Brewer and Bill Janvier review a day's worth of recent Chapter 7, 11, 12 and 13 cases in just under an hour. If time permits, and just for fun, they may also talk about a Chapter 15 case.
11:10 Break
11:20 Privacy and Data Security Law Update‡
Matthew A. Cordell, VF Corporation, Greensboro
Elizabeth H. Johnson, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh
Most organizations will soon need to change the ways they collect, use, safeguard and share personal information. This session highlights the most impactful developments in privacy and data security law for 2020. Topics include new and emerging U.S. laws (CCPA, CPRA, VCDPA, CPA, etc.), international laws, regulatory and enforcement trends, and industry developments, among other updates.
12:20 Lunch Break
1:05 Real Property Case Law Update
Christopher L. Burti, Statewide Title Inc., Farmville
Review the most recent and impactful case law decisions involving real property.
2:05 Break
2:15 Labor and Employment Law Update
Robin E. Shea, Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP, Winston-Salem
Receive a general overview of basic employment law issues — including at‐will employment, wrongful discharge, noncompetes and related tort claims — with 2020‐21 updates.
3:15 Break
3:25 Estate Planning Law Update
Sandra M. "Sandy" Clark, Manning Fulton & Skinner PA, Raleigh
Examine recent cases and changes to law impacting estate planning and the administration of a decedent's estate.
4:25 Adjourn for the day
* Indicates portion providing Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit
‡ Indicates portion providing Technology Training credit
Thank you for joining us today for day one of NCBA 2021 Annual Review. We'll see you tomorrow.
Two days, 12 hours and jam-packed with information — join us for this year's always-popular NCBA 2021 Annual Review CLE program on October 14-15.
Heather T. Baker is a Partner at Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham in Raleigh.
Heather is originally from New Jersey, but grew up in North Carolina and went on to graduate from N.C. State University with a degree in English. A high school teacher instilled in her the importance of being able to write and say exactly what you mean, and Heather has continued to love and develop this skill set in both the written and spoken word. Since graduating from UNC Chapel Hill School of Law in 2009, Heather has focused her practice on workers' compensation and is an integral member of Teague Campbell's workers' compensation team. She practices with a comprehensive understanding of the law while balancing each of her clients' specific needs. Heather has an impressive record advocating for her clients in and out of the courtroom.
Within the realm of workers' compensation in North Carolina, Heather represents employers across industries, some of which include construction, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, utilities, and vegetation management. She is regularly asked to speak at local and national conferences, client seminars, and other industry events. Heather has been honored to speak annually at the NC Bar Association's Workers' Compensation Seminar and has also spoken at the NC Bar Association's Annual Review Meeting. She currently serves as Secretary of the NC Bar Association's Workers' Compensation Section Council for the 2020/2021 session and will serve as Vice-Chair in the 2021/2022 year. Heather is also an active member of the National Workers' Compensation Defense Network (NWCDN), a network of prominent insurance defense firms throughout the United States and Canada. She is currently serving as the Southeast Regional Chair and regularly speaks at NWCDN conferences.
Community is important to Heather and she has made it a priority to invest in her local community. During law school, she helped co-found a mentoring program, Graduate2Graduate, which paired law school students with local high school students who were identified as academically at risk. Heather went on to assist with the launch of Lawyers 4 Literacy in Wake County, a volunteer organization that pairs lawyers in the area with elementary school children to increase literacy and interest in history and civics. More recently, in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public education, Heather volunteered to assist with fundraising for the Project for Equitable Access in Remote Learning (PEARL), which aims to mitigate the education equity gap that has intensified as a result of COVID-19 by providing support for high school students in Raleigh, North Carolina. Heather is also the Chair of the firm's Mentoring Committee, where she enjoys working with associates and other newer attorneys in the legal community.
Heather is a proud resident of downtown Raleigh. She and her husband, Mike, met while attending N.C. State University and they love living in Raleigh. They have two young daughters who keep them on their toes. Heather is an avid runner and enjoys participating in marathons across the country. The Boston marathon holds a special place in her heart. When not working, wrangling children, or running, Heather enjoys traveling. She and Mike most recently traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia and continue to add to their list of places to visit.
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William E. "Billy" Brewer Jr. began his practice as a general practitioner in 1977. Beginning in 1987, he focused his practice on consumer bankruptcy. In April 2017, he joined the team at Janvier Law Firm PLLC, helping to expand its services to assist a wider range of clientele. Billy's extensive experience not only as a bankruptcy lawyer, but as a general practitioner who handled real estate closings, divorce cases, and criminal matters, provides the background to deal with the numerous issues that arise in bankruptcy cases.
Billy's professionalism and prowess have not gone unnoticed, earning him several distinctions over the years, including an AV Preeminent peer review rating through Martindale-Hubbell, and he was selected for inclusion in North Carolina Super Lawyers, a part of Thomson Reuters, from 2008 to 2018. The Super Lawyers distinction is a high honor considering the independently led, multiphase selection process that includes a peer review and a thorough good standing and disciplinary check. He served on the board of directors for the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) from 1997 to 2015, and as NACBA's president in 2011-2012. He was inducted as fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy in 2009. Finally, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for the Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association in 2014.
Billy is certified as a specialist in consumer bankruptcy by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.
Click here for more information about Billy.
Christopher L. "Chris" Burti is Vice President & Senior Legal Counsel at Statewide Title, Inc in Farmville. After fifteen years in private practice he left the law firm of Lewis & Burti in 1994 to join Statewide Title Inc. Chris concentrated his practice in the areas of Commercial Real Estate, Residential Real Estate and Governmental Law. As counsel for Statewide Title Inc., Chris works with attorneys across the State in resolving complex legal issues in residential, governmental and commercial transactions involving real property. He is active in providing input and advice on drafting legislation to increase certainty in land records, mortgage lending and to correct problems affecting real property.
Chris is the principal course planner and speaker for continuing legal education seminars for Statewide Title Inc., and has been a CLE presenter for the North Carolina Bar Association, The North Carolina Land Title Association, The University of North Carolina School of Law, Wake Forest University School of Law, Professional Educational Systems, Inc., the North Carolina Municipal Attorneys Association and other professional associations. He is the principal author on the topic of Real Property Law for the Statewide Title Inc. Newsletter and Legal Memorandum. These articles have been frequently reprinted in other legal journals.
Chris is a Past President of the North Carolina Land Title Association and has served for two terms as its General Counsel. He has previously served on the North Carolina Bar Association Real Property Section Council, the North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors, on its Executive Committee, as Chair of the Senior Lawyers Division and on the Transitioning Lawyers Commission.
Chris earned a B.S. in Management from East Carolina University and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Law.
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Sandra M. "Sandy" Clark is a partner with Manning Fulton & Skinner PA in Raleigh. She represents individuals and fiduciaries regarding strategies for estate planning, trust planning, special needs trusts, and administrative matters. Sandy also has a broad range of experience with closely-held businesses for business matters including mergers and acquisitions.
Sandy has a diversified tax practice advising clients on a wide range of business, estate and gift tax planning matters, family trust planning and works on the settlement of large and complex estates. Representing individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations, she helps clients plan for the orderly and tax-saving transfer of wealth, keeping current on the constantly changing federal and state tax laws.
Sandy represents numerous privately held corporations and partnerships. She has extensive experience in corporate and business transactional matters and routinely provides counsel regarding business plans, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, tax accounting issues, and a broad range of tax planning strategies. Her franchise expertise ranges from assisting franchisors in developing nationwide systems that comply with state and federal franchise laws to the clients' marketing and distribution arrangements.
Sandy was the Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association, Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law Section and is a Fellow with the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. She is a Certified Public Accountant, a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate and a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
Sandy graduated with honors from Campbell University Law School and also received her undergraduate B.B.A. degree with honors from Campbell University.
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Matthew A. Cordell is the Vice President and General Counsel for Privacy and Technology at VF Corporation in Greensboro.
Matt is the founder and Chair of the Privacy and Data Security Specialization Committee of the NC State Bar. He holds several IAPP certifications: CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPP/Canada, and CIPM. He is an IAPP and ABA certified Privacy Law Specialist (PLS), and an IAPP Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP).
Matt earned his B.B.A., summa cum laude, majoring in Trust and Investment Management and minoring in Financial Planning from Campbell University, his M.B.A., with distinction, from Lundy-Fetterman School of Business and his J.D., with honors, from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
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Kearns Davis is a partner at Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP in Greensboro. Kearns is an acclaimed courtroom advocate, a veteran of both high-profile cases and sensitive matters resolved confidentially. A former federal prosecutor and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, he has tried jury cases at all levels of federal and North Carolina trial courts, and he represents clients in U.S. trial and appellate courts across the country. His clients have included public companies, private businesses, elected officials of both major parties, Hall of Fame athletes, Division I coaches, corporate executives, and professionals including doctors, accountants, professors, and numerous lawyers and law firms.
Kearns founded the firm's white-collar defense and investigations practice in 2007. Among his most notable cases, Kearns represented a Division I coach in Operation Varsity Blues, the nationwide college-admissions investigation, obtaining for his client the government's only agreement in those cases to dismiss all charges against a defendant. He successfully defended a former member of Congress against bribery and false statement charges.
Kearns served as president of the North Carolina Bar Association in 2016-17. He also served as Chair of the Criminal Justice Section, as Chair of the Young Lawyers Division, and as a frequent speaker on federal criminal and litigation practice.
Kearns earned his B.A., with honors in History, from Davidson College, his M.A. from Duke University and his J.D., with honors, from University of North Carolina School of Law, where he was the Managing Editor of the North Carolina Law Review.
Click here for more information about Kearns.
Latasia A. Fields is an Assistant Attorney General with the North Carolina Department of Justice in Raleigh. She brings her passion for advocacy practicing both workers' compensation and employment law. She works with insurance carriers, third-party administrators, and employers, including but not limited to, retailers and healthcare entities. Latasia enjoys identifying the intersection of workers' compensation and employment law and has experience with motions and hearings before the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
In her workers' compensation practice, Latasia represents employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators across a broad range of industries including retail and hospitality, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation. Latasia has experience litigating the full range of workers' compensation claims including injury by accident, occupational disease, death claims, traumatic brain injuries, and even claims involving permanent and total disability. She routinely negotiates favorable settlements through mediation as well as informal negotiations. When unable to reach a settlement agreement, Latasia zealously advocates for her clients' interests before all levels of the North Carolina Industrial Commission from the administrative forum to the Full Commission.
In contrast, Latasia's employment law practice is dedicated to compliance and litigation avoidance. Latasia provides conscientious and personalized counsel to business owners, public employers, in-house counsel, and human resources professionals on a variety of employment law issues such as, Title VII claims of discrimination and harassment, retaliation, ADA accommodations and leave policies, and more. Latasia has also been critical in spearheading the development of Teague Campbell's Employment Law Workshops. These fee-based workshops are offered to public and private sector employers to mitigate risk and address underlying issues that lead to employment law claims.
While Latasia has made Raleigh her second home, she will always be loyal to the Queen City and all that it has to offer. In her free time, she enjoys attending Panthers games, traveling, and trying new restaurants. Latasia loves to scope out a good barbeque restaurant and admits that her guilty pleasure is a barbecue sandwich with coleslaw and a little hot sauce from B's in Greenville.
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Robert E. "Rob" Harrington is a member of Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson PA in Charlotte. He litigates complex business disputes. He represents corporate clients in a broad range of contracts, trade practice and other business matters.
Rob has served as lead counsel in cases in various jurisdictions, including the North Carolina Business Court and other state and federal courts in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. He has represented and counseled clients in litigation and business matters across various industries, including financial services, manufacturing, agribusiness, telecommunications, sports and entertainment, health care and education.
Rob co-chairs the firm's Litigation Department. He served as president of the Mecklenburg County Bar, was appointed by the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court to the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice and served as a member of the board of governors of the North Carolina Bar Association. For his professional work and civic engagement, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly recognized Rob as Lawyer of the Year in 2017 and Business North Carolina included him in its Power lists for 2020-23 and its inaugural Dynamic Diversity list in 2021.
Rob received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Duke University and his J.D., with high honors, from Duke University School of Law.
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Richard E. Hicks PhD is the Executive Director of HRC, the Director of Employee Assistance Programs at HRC, and a North Carolina Licensed Psychologist in Raleigh. His specialties are anxiety, depression and individual psychotherapy. He has provided psychological services to adults, adolescents, and children in a variety of outpatient and inpatient settings since 1998. He currently serves on the Board of the North Carolina Psychological Association.
Dr. Hicks is passionate about translating knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, and medicine into practical and supportive strategies for health, fulfillment, and personal success. He sees adults, couples, and adolescents. His clinical work draws from a variety of traditions, including cognitive behavioral and mindfulness therapies.
Dr. Hicks earned his undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and his Masters and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Judge Lucy N. Inman is a Senior Counsel with Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC in Raleigh. She brings to Milberg wide ranging experience in civil litigation and more than a dozen years serving North Carolina as a trial and appellate judge. She focuses on the firm's appellate work.
From 2010 through 2014, Judge Inman served as a Superior Court judge in North Carolina, presiding in communities large and small. Of the thousands of rulings, she made in trials and hearings, seven were reversed on appeal. She won statewide election to the North Carolina Court of Appeals and served there from 2015 through 2022, authoring more than 450 appellate opinions, including decisions on issues of first impression in constitutional, criminal, civil, and administrative law. Fewer than three percent of her appellate opinions were reversed.
Judge Inman serves on the Judicial Independence Committee of the National Association of Women Judges. She has served in leadership roles in the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys.
Judge Inman earned her J.D., with honors, from The University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill, where she served as an article's editor for The North Carolina Law Review. She clerked for Chief Justice Exum of the North Carolina Supreme Court and practiced civil litigation for 18 years, first in Los Angeles, then in Raleigh. Her first jury trial was covered gavel-to-gavel on Court TV. She has represented businesses, celebrities, death row inmates, and survivors of negligence, fraud, and sexual abuse,
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William P. "Bill" Janvier is of counsel with Stevens Martin Vaughn & Tadych PLLC in Raleigh. He has helped individuals and businesses file successful bankruptcy cases throughout North Carolina. Bill works with business of all types, and has filed bankruptcy cases for builders, developers, restaurants, retail chains, farms, medical practices, distributors, shopping centers, office buildings, golf courses, landfills, technology companies, pharmaceutical companies, media companies, mines, and high- income individuals. He has brought and defended hundreds of adversary proceedings.
Bill served for a decade on the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC) Bankruptcy Court's Local Rules Committee, served as a panel Chapter 7 Trustee, served as Chairman of the Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association, served as a Director for the Eastern Bankruptcy Institute and served as a Director for the American Board of Certification.
Bill is a Board-Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer Bankruptcy.
Bill earned his B.A. from Rice University and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.
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Elizabeth H. Johnson is a parnter at Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP in Raleigh and is a member of Wyrick Robbins' Privacy & Data Security Practice Group, which she formerly led for 12 years. Her practice addresses all aspects of U.S. privacy and data security law, as well as GDPR and international data transfer mechanisms.
Elizabeth enjoys helping clients with compliance initiatives to address privacy and data security and has assisted with a wide variety of implementation projects including data subject rights portals, telehealth, health information exchanges, mobile applications ranging from wellness programs to ecommerce to gaming, precise location tracking, biometric authentication, and complex customer insights initiatives including fraud prevention. Elizabeth also supports all aspects of data breach preparation and response, including leading forensic investigations, advising on ransomware response, supporting notification to affected parties, coordinating with law enforcement, and handling government agency notifications and inquiries.
Elizabeth is a Privacy and Information Security Law Specialist with the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) with the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Elizabeth received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Coe College as a Phi Beta Kappa graduate and her J.D., cum laude, from Duke University. She also received her Master of Environmental Management from Duke University Nicholas School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
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Xavier D. Lightfoot is an employment and personal injury attorney at Ward and Smith in Raleigh. His practice primarily focuses on labor and employment law, serious personal injury and wrongful death, and civil litigation.
As a member of the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group, X. regularly advises employers on a wide range of labor and employment law issues, including personnel policies and handbooks, employment discrimination and harassment, employee discipline and termination, drug and alcohol testing, and various wage and hour matters. He has also conducted training presentations and webinars for employers on various COVID-19 employment topics such as workforce reduction, ADA compliance, emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave requirements under the FFCRA, best practices and strategies for employers to return workers to the workplace, and preparation of liability waivers.
In addition, X. has experience litigating claims for serious personal injury, including cases involving vehicle accidents, professional malpractice, and premises liability, among other areas. He also represents both corporate and individual clients in a broad range of civil litigation before state and federal courts.
X. earned his B.S in Business Accounting and Finance from East Carolina University and his J.D., cum laude, from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
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Jason A. McGrath is a partner and attorney at McGrath and Spielberger PLLC in Charlotte. He provides services in numerous areas of the law including, but is not limited to, business law, business formation, business litigation, trademarks, and contracts; mortgage matters such as mortgage loan modification and relief, mortgage foreclosures, and mortgage disputes; debt, credit, collections and FDCPA; employment law; wills; and general practice.
Jason has been practicing law continuously since 1996. He spent five (5) years as an "assistant DA", and was consistently near the top with regard to the number of trials completed and the percentage of trials won. After being recruited into a highly rated private firm, Jason was promoted and named managing partner of one of the firm's offices. In 2009, he started his own firm.
Jason has tried over 100 cases to completion, has prepared over 10,000 legal documents for clients, has participated in thousands of depositions (including hundreds of expert depositions), and has represented the public, private individuals, and businesses.
Jason earned his B.S. in Political Science and International Affairs, and a minor in Spanish, from Florida State University and his J.D. from Florida State University College of Law.
In law school, Jason was part of a two person Moot Court team which won a National Moot Court Competition in Beverly Hills, CA. During his undergraduate years, he was a member and officer in the Sigma Chi fraternity. He was admitted into Florida State University's Honors Program and attended Florida State on various scholarships, including a National Merit Scholarship.
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Meredith J. Parker is a family law attorney with Charles R. Ullman & Associates PLLC in Raleigh. She focuses her practice exclusively on family law matters in Wake County, including separation, divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, property distribution, domestic violence, premarital agreements, separation and property settlement agreements, and grandparents' custody rights.
Although she quickly discovered her passion for family law while clerking for a local family law firm during law school, Meredith also interned with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and clerked for Wake County District Court Judge Jefferson Griffin. In addition to her understanding of family law, Meredith's experience in diverse areas of the law has equipped her with the necessary skills and instincts to handle a wide range of legal challenges.
Meredith is a member of the Wake County Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.
Meredith received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned her J.D. from Campbell University School of Law. During law school, Meredith honed her advocacy skills by representing domestic violence survivors through the Domestic Violence Advocacy Project. She went on to serve as the Project Coordinator.
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Jan E. Pritchett is a managing partner/trial attorney at Schlosser & Pritchett in Greensboro. He is a former Assistant District Attorney who has been practicing law in North Carolina since 1995. He always fights hard to get justice for his clients — whether they are up against our complex, confusing, and opportunistic criminal justice system or battling giant corporations who have wronged them.
Over the course of his career, Jan has built a track record of successful outcomes for his clients and been recognized by countless professional legal organizations, including receiving multiple awards from Charlotte Magazine, Super Lawyers, The National Advocacy of DUI Defense, and others.
Jan takes his chosen profession very seriously and works to stay abreast of the latest changes in the laws by maintaining memberships in a variety of professional associations and serving on the North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors. He is a Board-Certified Specialist in both State and Federal Criminal Law. Jan is also a member of the Greensboro Criminal Defense Association.
Jan earned his B.A., cum laude, from Winston-Salem State University and his J.D. from Southern University Law Center.
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Catherine Sanders Reach is Director for the Center for Practice Management at the North Carolina Bar Association, providing practice technology and management assistance to lawyers and legal professionals. Formerly she was Director, Law Practice Management and Technology for the Chicago Bar Association and the Director at the American Bar Association's Legal Technology Resource Center.
Prior to her work at the NCBA, CBA and ABA she worked in library and information science environments for a number of years, working at Ross and Hardies as a librarian. She received a master's degree in Library and Information Studies from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa in 1997.
Catherine's professional activities include articles published in Law Practice magazine, Law Technology News and GPSolo Magazine, as well as numerous other publications. She has given presentations on the use of technology in law firms for national bar conferences, state and local bar associations and organizations such as the National Association of Bar Council and the Association of American Law Schools. In 2011 she was selected to be one of the inaugural Fastcase 50, celebrating fifty innovators, techies, visionaries, and leaders in the field of law and in 2013 became a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management. She served on the ABA TECHSHOW Board from 2007-2009, 2014-2016 and is co-vice chair in 2019.
Click here for more information about Catherine. Connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Robin E. Shea is a partner with the labor and employment firm Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP. She has more than 30 years' experience in employment litigation, including Title VII and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, the Equal Pay Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act; and class and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state wage-hour laws; and labor relations. She provides preventive advice to employers and conducts training for human resources professionals, management, and employees on a wide variety of topics.
Robin is editor in chief of her firm's legal bulletins and its three law blogs, including Employment & Labor Insider, which was included in the ABA Blawg 100 for five years.
Robin graduated, cum laude, from Wake Forest University School of Law, and her undergraduate degree is from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a past chair of the NCBA's Professionalism Committee and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2012. She was voted "Lawyer of the Year" for 2022 in Best Lawyers in America for North Carolina employment law-management.
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Lauren E. Snyder is a partner at HWG LLP in Raleigh, where she is Vice Chair of the firm’s Legal Ethics and Malpractice group. She focuses her practice on legal ethics and malpractice, complex civil litigation, and government enforcement actions. She practices in Washington D.C. and Raleigh.
Lauren has represented various individuals and corporations in a wide range of federal criminal investigations and prosecutions, including investigations and prosecutions related to price-fixing cartels, mail and wire fraud, "off label" use of medical devices, and financial crimes. She has served as both defense and plaintiff's counsel and has been involved in all aspects of litigation, from initial case assessments to trials and appeals.
Prior to joining HWG, Lauren was an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, where her practice focused on litigation and regulatory antitrust matters.
Lauren currently serves on the Board of Wake Women Attorneys. She also serves as the Nominating and Public Service Awards Committee Chair on the Board of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, the Membership Chair for the North Carolina Bar Association's Antitrust and Complex Business Disputes Law Section.
Lauren has previously taught Legal Research and Writing as an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School.
Lauren earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University and her J.D., with high honors, from the George Washington University Law School. While in law school, she was a member of The George Washington Law Review and a Dean's Fellow for the Legal Research and Writing Program. She served as a legal intern for the Victim Witness Assistance Unit for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
Prior to entering law school, she taught at-risk middle school students through Teach for America, where she helped implement a gang prevention program.
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Matthew Sparks received his Juris Doctor from Campbell University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in Management and Society from UNC Chapel Hill. Since his admission to the North Carolina State Bar, Matthew has exclusively practiced family law, including separation, divorce, child custody, child support, postseparation support, alimony, equitable distribution, and domestic violence. He has successfully represented client's in Wake County and other surrounding counties.
Click here for more information about Matthew.