NCBA 2023 Annual Review

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023

8:25 Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:55 Welcome and Introductions

9:00 Civil Law Update

X. Lightfoot, Ward and Smith PA, Raleigh
Lauren Snyder, HWG LLP, Raleigh

Hear recent key decisions from the North Carolina Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Business Court. This session also addresses substantive areas of civil law, Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Evidence.

10:00 Break

10:10 The ABCs of LPMS^‡

Catherine Sanders Reach, North Carolina Bar Association, Cary

Finding the right tools can help law firms monitor trust balances, track time accurately, reduce error from re-keying, checking for conflicts, help manage tasks and deadlines, calculate court deadlines, provide secure communication options, and so much more. In this session we discuss how to break down the features and functions of law practice management software/applications (LPMS), how they may benefit your practice and your firm, and how to overcome decision paralysis. We also discuss issues regarding pricing, migration, integration, customization, and training to make sure that you understand the total cost of ownership.

11:10 Break

11:20 Education Law Update

Brian C. Shaw, Poyner Spruill LLP, Raleigh

This session provides a survey of significant education law decisions in the last 12 to 15 months, in North Carolina and throughout the country.

12:20 Lunch Break

1:20 Bankruptcy Law Update

William "Bill" Janvier, Stevens Martin Vaughn & Tadych PLLC, Raleigh
Kathleen O'Malley, Steven Martin Vaughn & Tadych PLLC, Raleigh

Hear a discussion of the past year's decisions in bankruptcy law, from our North Carolina bankruptcy courts up through the Supreme Court, that are useful to bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy lawyers advising their clients.

2:20 Break

2:30 Family Law Update

Emily C. Jeske, Bosquez Porter Family Law, Raleigh

This year's family law update is a whirlwind overview of the most recent case law and legislative changes in the world of family law. This fast-paced discussion covers legal updates from the previous year in topics such as equitable distribution, child custody, child support, postseparation support, alimony, separation agreements, contempt, attorney's fees, and more.

3:30 Break

3:40 Privacy and Data Security Law Update

Matthew "Matt" A. Cordell, VF Corporation, Greensboro
Matthew "Matt" Meinel, Berkely Research Group (BRG), Raleigh

This session covers recent and pending updates to data privacy law both internationally and in the United States, with a focus on the practical implications of those changes and tips for preparing your clients.

4:40 Adjourn for the Day

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023

8:25 Continental Breakfast

8:55 Announcements and Introductions

9:00 Workers' Compensation Case Law Update

Latasia Fields, North Carolina Department of Justice, Raleigh
Luke A. West, Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham LLP, Raleigh

Delve into relevant cases of the past year that affect the workers' compensation practice.

10:00 Break

10:10 Professional Responsibility: Civility in the Practice of Law – Why It Is Important and How It Can Make You More Effective^*

Gill P. Beck, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina, Asheville

Why is civility important? How does it flows from the NC Rules of Professional Responsibility? How can we enhance our civility skill set to be more effective? Attendees receive practical examples of how we can use civility to deal with difficult opposing counsel and professional challenges in a manner that enhances the public's perception of our profession.

11:10 Break

11:20 Real Property Case Law Update

Christopher L. Burti, Statewide Title Inc., Farmville

Receive the latest real property updates to benefit your practice by learning about this year's most recent and impacting case law decisions.

12:20 Lunch Break

1:20 Criminal Law Update

Kearns Davis, Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro
Jan Pritchett, Schlosser & Pritchett, Greensboro

Kearns Davis and Jan Pritchett return to provide this year's criminal law update. In this session, Pritchett discusses key recent decisions by the North Carolina Supreme Court and North Carolina Court of Appeals, and Davis addresses significant federal cases from the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

2:20 Break

2:30 "Is It Over Yet?"-- The Changing Duty of Competence in the Hybrid Work Era (Part 1)^*

Joshua Diver, Smith Anderson Blount Dorsett Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh
Edward "Ed" Ergenzinger, Ergenzinger IP Law, Raleigh
Nancy Byerly Jones, NBJ Consulting & Resolutions, Banner Elk
Michele Morris, Asheville
Chris Osborn, Osborn Conflict Resolution and Liles Mediation and Arbitration, Charlotte (Moderator)

In this lively, interactive session, we'll identify common challenges regarding technological competency, particularly as they show up in the formation of attorney-client relationships. You'll learn sustainable best practices for protecting client information while working via laptop or other mobile devices.

3:30 Break

3:40 "Is It Over Yet?"-- Challenges for Mental Health and Well-Being in the Hybrid Work Era (Part 2)^†

Understand and recognize the impact of stress and the challenges of working from home on competence, diligence, and over-all well-being. Identify and implement sustainable strategies for developing and maintaining a personal commitment to well-being.

4:40 Adjourn

* Indicates portion providing Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit
† Indicates portion providing Substance Abuse/Mental Health credit
‡ Indicates portion providing Technology Training credit

Description

Get up to speed with the latest on key court decisions and significant amendments to legislation and policies covering a variety of topics and practice areas.

Contributors

Gill P. Beck

Gill P. Beck serves as the Chief of the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of` North Carolina in Asheville. He handles the full range of civil cases involving the United States and federal agencies.

Gill received the U.S. Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award, the U.S. Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award, the North Carolina Governor's Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the Bronze Star for his service as an Army Judge Advocate in Iraq and was promoted to Major General in the U.S. Army Reserve. In 2016 he was selected as North Carolina Lawyer's Weekly North Carolina Lawyer of the Year. He is currently President of the Buncombe County Bar.

Gill is a graduate of Appalachian State University, where he was Captain of the football team and an Academic All-American football player. He attended Duke University School of Law, where he graduated with high honors and served as a Senior Editor for Law and Contemporary Problems.

Click here for more information about Gill.
Christopher L. "Chris" Burti

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.

Click here for more information about Chris.
Matthew A. Cordell

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.

Click here for more information about Matthew.
Kearns Davis

Kearns Davis is a Partner at Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP in Greensboro. He founded the firm's white-collar defense and investigations practice in 2007. In addition to criminal defense, he handles a broad spectrum of federal and business litigation across North Carolina and around the country.

Kearns previously worked as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina and as a Law Clerk to Fourth Circuit Chief Judge Sam J. Ervin, III.

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, 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.
Joshua M. "Josh" Diver

Joshua M. "Josh" Diver is a partner at Smith Anderson Blount Dorsett Mitchell & Jernigan LLP in Raleigh. He practices start-up, venture capital, M&A and securities law, helping both entrepreneurs and founders as well as angel, venture and private equity investors form business entities, raise capital, buy and sell companies, and navigate sensitive governance and technology issues. Josh works with early-stage and late-stage start-up, growth and technology and life science companies. In addition, he is an experienced advisor to corporate boards (including boards of religious and affinity groups) on corporate governance matters, including fiduciary duties, defensive takeover protections and strategies, shareholder proposals, and proxy contests. Josh also serves as a member of the firm's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Josh enjoys working with socially-minded businesses and has a burgeoning interest in helping benefit corporations and social impact investors fulfill their missions.

Prior to joining Smith Anderson in 2015, Josh practiced corporate law in the Boston office of a global law firm.

Josh earned his B.A., magna cum laude, in Economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Click here for more information about Josh.
Edward "Ed" Ergenzinger

Edward "Ed" Ergenzinger is founder and principal at Ergenzinger IP Law in Raleigh. He is a patent attorney and mental health advocate. He has worked in BigLaw, in medium- and small-sized firms, and as a solo practitioner. He also has substantial in-house experience, including serving as Director of IP & Legal Affairs at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and as fractional IP counsel to Wyeth (now Pfizer) and Catalent. His clients have included every ACC school in North Carolina, and he has served as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest Law, UNC Law, and Campbell Law.

Ed's interest in mental health issues stems from his doctoral training in neuroscience and his personal experience living with bipolar I disorder, an anxiety disorder, and complex PTSD. After a severe cycle of mania and depression left him unemployed, uninsured, bankrupt, and collecting Social Security Disability, he was able to return to practicing law with the help of medicine and therapy. He is a contributor and blogger on topics relating to bipolar disorder, mental health, and neuroscience for Psychology Today, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, The Good Men Project, the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA), and the Wake County Bar Association (WCBA).

Ed serves on the Board of Directors for BarCARES and the Leadership Council for NCBA's IP Section. He co-chairs the Wellness & Intra-Organization Coordination Committee for BarCARES, chairs the Mental Health Committee for NCBA's IP Section, and is an active member of NCBA's Professional Vitality Committee and WCBA's Lawyer Support Subcommittee.

Ed is lead author or a co-author on over 100 scientific and legal publications, including articles that have appeared in Nature Neuroscience, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, The Scientist, Business Insider, Legal Times, and Stanford Technology Law Review. He has also been an invited speaker for programs sponsored by the NCBA, the American Health Law Association, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, Southeast BIO, the Association of University Technology Managers, Duke Law, Vanderbilt University, Wake Forest Law, University of California at San Francisco, Yale University, and Stanford University.

Ed earned his B.A., cum laude, in Biology and Psychology from Wake Forest University, his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Wake Forest University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Click here for more information about Ed.
Latasia A. Fields

Latasia A. Fields is an Assistant Attorney General with the North Carolina Department of Justice in Raleigh. She defends state agencies in wide variety of workers' compensation claims, ranging from injury by accident cases, occupational disease claims, catastrophic injuries, and death claims.

Prior to joining the Attorney General's Office in 2022, Latasia spent three years representing insurance carriers, third party administrators and self-insured employers across industries. She enjoys zealously advocating for her clients all across the state.

Latasia earned her B.A. in Political Science from Furman University and her J.D. from Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law.

Click here for more information about Latasia.
William P. "Bill" Janvier

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.

Click here for more information about Bill.
Emily C. Jeske

Emily C. Jeske is a Partner at Bosquez Porter Family Law in Raleigh. She focuses her practice exclusively in the areas of family and domestic issues, with particular interest in high-conflict child custody, 50B and 50C cases, and child support.

Emily has been recognized for her work in family law in Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch; as a Rising Star by North Carolina Super Lawyers; and as a Legal Elite "Young Gun" by Business North Carolina. She is also the co-chair of the social committee for the family law section of the North Carolina Bar Association and a member of the Wake County Bar Association.

Emily earned her B.S., magna cum laude, in Psychology and Sociology from Furman University and her J.D., cum laude, from Wake Forest University School of Law, receiving membership in the Order of the Coif..

Click here for more information about Emily.
Nancy Byerly Jones

Nancy Byerly Jones is the founder of NBJ Consulting & Resolutions in Banner Elk.

After several years as the director of the North Carolina State Bar's Law Office Management Assistance Program. In 1999 she and her husband moved to the North Carolina mountains where their rescue and special needs horses, donkeys, dogs and cats have given them extensive stall mucking experience along with joyful times with family, friends and clients.

Nancy's personal health challenges and improvements (thanks to adopting a whole food plant-based lifestyle) led her to earn certification as a vegan lifestyle instructor and coach. NBJ Consulting & Resolutions expanded its risk and stress management service options to offer coaching support in health vitality planning. She also serves as a volunteer coach and master class teacher with Healthy World Vitality Plan, a national nonprofit organization.

A UNC law grad and Davis Society member, Nancy has served as an adjunct professor at Campbell Law School and on the North Carolina State Bar Ethics Committee. She helped lead the ABA's initiative to support and offer resources for state bar and bar association practice management advisors. Her 1999 ABA published book, "Easy Self Audits for the Busy Law Office," shares many forms and tips for assessing a law firm's strengths, weaknesses and overall risk management and leadership health. Providing simple and customized "tools" for creating lasting, desired changes continues to be Nancy's polar star for her law firm management clients and for clients seeking a healthier lifestyle.

Nancy earned her B.A., summa cum laude, in English from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her J.D. from the the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Click here for more information about Nancy.
Xavier D. Lightfoot

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.

Click here for more information about X.
Matthew "Matt" Meinel

Matthew "Matt" Meinel is a Data Protection & Privacy Managing Consultant at Berkeley Research Group (BRG) in Raleigh. He is a compliance consultant focusing on data privacy and information governance. He leverages his legal training and prior IT consulting experience to provide companies with practical, risk-based implementation solutions for privacy and records management programs.

Matt has experience with clients across multiple industries, including life sciences, manufacturing, eCommerce, and financial services. He holds CIPP-US and CIPP-E certifications from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and serves in several leadership positions with the Raleigh-Durham IAPP chapter and the N.C. Bar Association's Privacy & Data Security Section.

Matt earned his B.A., with honors, in History and Political Science with a minor in Computer Science from Vanderbilt University and his J.D., with honors, from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Click here for more information about Matt.
Michele Morris

Michele Morris is the owner of Morris Law Office in Asheville. She specializes in employment and labor law. As the driving force behind her own legal practice, she offers a comprehensive range of legal services with a notable emphasis on civil litigation. Michele has a proven track record of successfully representing employers in discrimination cases, navigating both state and federal courts, as well as governmental administrative agencies. Her accomplishments include numerous reported decisions in her favor and a commendable history of winning jury trials. Furthermore, Michele possesses extensive appellate experience with a strong presence in state and federal courts.

Currently, Michele is in the process of pioneering a groundbreaking business venture. She is melding her extensive trial experience with a deep understanding of trauma informed relational health. Through this innovative endeavor, she aims to provide professionals with valuable tools for fostering connection, authentic relationships, and active listing practices, all designed to enhance the overall quality of life.

Michele earned her B.A. in Fine & Applied Arts from The University of Akron and her J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law.

Click here for more information about Michele.
Kathleen M. O'Malley

Kathleen M. O'Malley is an associate at Stevens Martin Vaughn & Tadych PLLC in Raleigh. She focuses her practice on bankruptcy and bankruptcy litigation, as well as appellate advocacy. She represents bankruptcy clients primarily in Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcies, as well as related debtor/creditor litigation, and has represented clients in appeals in both the state and federal courts.

Kathleen was selected as a North Carolina Rising Star by Super Lawyers in the field of business bankruptcy from 2020-2023.

Kathleen is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association bankruptcy and appellate practice sections, the New Hanover County Bar Association, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, and the International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation where she serves as secretary on the board of the Carolinas Chapter.

Kathleen is an alumna of St. John's University in Jamaica, NY, where she earned a B.S. in Biology. She worked as a paralegal in both New York and North Carolina, working the fields of real estate, civil litigation, and elder law, prior to attending Campbell University School of Law. She graduated, cum laude, from Campbell University School of Law. After graduating, she clerked for the Honorable Linda Stephens, Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Click here for more information about Kathleen.
D. Christopher "Chris" Osborn

D. Christopher "Chris" Osborn is the founder and principal of Osborn Conflict Resolution in Charlotte. He uses his extensive training as a mediator and trained collaborative lawyer to help separating and divorcing couples, deadlocked businesses, and families with inheritance disputes find practical, cost-effective solutions to complex legal problems.

In his 25+ years of practice, including 11 years as an associate and shareholder with Horack Talley in Charlotte, Chris has helped clients reach amicable resolutions in hundreds of disputes, involving complex legal issues and interpersonal dynamics, in the areas of separation and divorce, construction law, business breakups, and inheritance disputes.

Chris was certified by the NC Dispute Resolution Commission as a Superior Court mediator in 2009, and completed the required 16 hour Collaborative Law Practice training in 2016. In 2021, he was also certified by the N.C. Dispute Resolution Commission as a Family Financial Settlement Mediator.

From 2012-2015, Chris was an Assistant Professor at the Charlotte School of Law, where he taught "Interviewing, Client Counseling, and Negotiations," along with first year classes in Contracts and Civil Procedure.

Chris earned his B.A., with highest distinction, from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and his J.D. from University of Virginia
School of Law.

Click here for more information about Chris.
Jan E. Pritchett

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.

Click here for more information about Jan.
Catherine Sanders Reach

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.
Brian C. Shaw

Brian C. Shaw is a partner at Poyner Spruill LLP in Raleigh. He has extensive education law experience and provides counsel to public school systems throughout the State. Brian is also an Adjunct Professor at the Norman A. Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University.

Brian is a Past Chair of the Education Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and has served on the Board of Directors of the National Council of School Attorneys. He is a member of the North Carolina Council of School Attorneys and the National Council of School Attorneys. He is a frequent speaker at the district, state and national level on many different topics dealing with education law.

After serving as law clerk for the Honorable Edward J. Schwartz, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court in San Diego, California, and graduate work at Oxford University in England, Brian joined the law firm of Jensen Baird Gardner & Henry in Portland Maine, where he served as Chairman of the Education Law Department. In 1993, he joined then Richard A. Schwartz & Associates, became Partner in 1997, and the law firm changed its name to Schwartz & Shaw PLLC.

Brian graduated cum laude in 1976 from Harvard College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and received his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1980.

Click here for more information about Brian.
Lauren E. Snyder

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.

Click here for more information about Lauren.
Luke A. West

Luke A. West is an attorney with Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham LLP in Raleigh. His experience as a non-attorney Social Security Disability (SSD) representative inspired his legal career and affords him a diverse skill set. He enjoys his workers' compensation practice because it capitalizes on his advocacy skills and allows him to actively engage in a pre-trial practice.

Luke earned his B.S. in Political Science from Western Carolina University and his J.D., cum laude, from Campbell University School of Law. While at Campbell, Luke served as an Articles Editor for the Campbell Law Review and the Vice President of the Campbell Business Law Association. He was awarded three book awards and received the Dean's Excellence Scholarship. He was also a round of eight finalist in the Richard A. Lord Intermural Moot Court Competition.

Before attending law school, Luke worked for several years as an SSD advocate for a local firm. He enhanced his knowledge of these matters through UNC's paralegal program and an educational program for SSD advocates. He handled matters start to finish and represented his clients in administrative hearings. He witnessed how mastery of the law could alter the outcome of a case and sought out that fulfillment in civil defense and litigation.

Click here for more information about Luke.

Description

Contributors

Gill P. Beck

Christopher L. "Chris" Burti

Matthew A. Cordell

Kearns Davis

Joshua M. "Josh" Diver

Edward "Ed" Ergenzinger

Latasia A. Fields

William P. "Bill" Janvier

Emily C. Jeske

Nancy Byerly Jones

Xavier D. Lightfoot

Matthew "Matt" Meinel

Michele Morris

Kathleen M. O'Malley

D. Christopher "Chris" Osborn

Jan E. Pritchett

Catherine Sanders Reach

Brian C. Shaw

Lauren E. Snyder

Luke A. West