Kirk Warner, Longest-Serving Member of N.C. Military Affairs Commission, Appointed for 5th Time

Smith Anderson attorney Col. (Ret.) Kirk Warner has been reappointed by the North Carolina Speaker of the House of Representatives as a commissioner on the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission (NCMAC). Kirk is the longest-serving commissioner on the NCMAC and represents Fort Bragg, is a member of its Executive Steering Group and chairs its Quality-of-Life Committee. Col. (Ret.) David Hayden, also a Smith Anderson attorney, serves as vice-chairman of the NCMAC.

The NCMAC executes recommendations through the action of four committees: Base Sustainability & Community Affairs; Quality of Life; Economic Development and Legislative Affairs. It provides advice, counsel and recommendations to the Governor, the N.C. General Assembly, the Secretary of Commerce and other state agencies on initiatives, programs and legislation that will continue and increase the role that N.C.’s military installations, the National Guard and Reserves play in America’s defense strategy and the economic health and vitality of the State. The commission also recommends actions to protect the existing military infrastructure in North Carolina, maintain a high quality of life for military members and their families and promote new military missions and economic opportunities for North Carolina and its citizens.

Kirk is a retired Army Colonel, Iraqi War Commander, and Senior Army Judge Advocate who was legal counsel to three chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon and to several commands. He has led major investigations and tiger teams for the Department of Defense and large corporations. He was featured on CNN’s Lou Dobb’s Tonight “Heroes” series and has published two award-winning books: Zone of Action: A JAG’s Journey Inside Operations Cobra II and Iraqi Freedom and A Hoot in Hell’s Island: The Heroic Story of World War II Dive Bomber Lt. Cmdr. Robert D. “Hoot” Gibson.

At Smith Anderson, Kirk is a lead trial lawyer focusing much of his practice on complex and challenging product liability and commercial bet-the-company litigation and in contested topical areas such as motor vehicle, pharmaceuticals, biosciences, medical devices asbestos, industrial, tools and construction products defense. Kirk leads the firm’s Products Liability, Mass Tort and Catastrophic Loss, Asbestos and Toxic Torts and Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation practice groups and is a senior litigator in the firm’s Commercial Litigation, Complex Contract Disputes and Construction Litigation teams. He has investigated, litigated and tried cases throughout the United States in all levels of trial and appellate courts.

His career includes numerous accolades from leading legal publications, prominent leadership roles serving in many professional and community organizations, as well as military committees and veteran organizations – including being a driving force behind the creation of Veterans Treatment Courts throughout North Carolina. Kirk spends countless hours dedicated to military and veterans’ affairs and professional affiliations, including as founding chairman of the NC Bar Association’s Military and Veterans Law Section, as a long-time vice-chairman of the USO of N.C. and the N.C. State Bar’s LAMP Committee and on the board of directors for the Veterans Life Center of North Carolina.