Another Banner Year for Smith Anderson in the 31st Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®

Congratulations to all 111 lawyers who have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America^®!

This year, 82 lawyers will be recognized by Best Lawyers - that’s a new record number of lawyers in our firm’s history. Additionally, as a result of “extremely high peer feedback,” five of our lawyers have been included in this latest edition as “Lawyers of the Year” in Raleigh in their respective practice areas.

Finally, 29 lawyers were named in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America, which recognizes extraordinary lawyers who have been in practice for fewer than 10 years.

Smith Anderson’s 2025 “Lawyers of the Year” for Raleigh are:

1. Amy Meyers Batten (Corporate Governance Law)
2. Benji T. Jones (Securities Regulation)
3. Byron B. Kirkland (Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law)
4. Gerald F. Roach (Securities / Capital Markets Law)
5. Martin H. Brinkley (Corporate Law)

Best Lawyers

The full list of Smith Anderson lawyers recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® and their areas of recognition is below.

1. Geoffrey W. Adams (Banking & Finance Law)
2. Zebulon D. Anderson (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
3. Mitchell Armbruster (Commercial Litigation)
4. Heyward D. Armstrong (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
5. Andrew P. Atkins (Construction Law)
6. Amy Meyers Batten (Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
7. David W. Berry (Environmental Law, Energy Law)
8. Julian D. Bobbitt, Jr. (Health Care Law)
9. Curtis C. Brewer IV (Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law, Venture Capital Law)
10. Martin H. Brinkley (Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
11. Clifton L. Brinson (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Mergers & Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities)
12. Joshua D. Bryant (Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Tax Law)
13. Christopher B. Capel (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law)
14. Kevin M. Ceglowski (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
15. Ansley Chapman Cella (Tax Law, Trusts and Estates, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law)
16. Toby R. Coleman (Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law)
17. Bradley J. Daves (Real Estate Law)
18. Joshua Diver (Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law)
19. James K. Dorsett III (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation)
20. Robert E. Duggins (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
21. Jordan Fieldstein (Tax Law)
22. Sarah W. Fox (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law – Management, Litigation Labor & Employment,)
23. Blake Simpson Fricks (Litigation – Intellectual Property)
24. Darrell A. Fruth (Litigation – Intellectual Property, Trademark Law, Trade Secrets Law)
25. Lori Fuller (Government Relations Practice)
26. Timothy S. Goettel (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
27. Mark Griffith (Energy Law, Government Relations Practice)
28. Jamison H. Hinkle (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
29. Travis Hockaday (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
30. Davis Horne, Jr. (Administrative/Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice)
31. John L. Jernigan (Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law)
32. John H. Jo (Commercial Litigation)
33. Benji T. Jones (Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
34. Charles Kabugo-Musoke (Banking and Finance Law)
35. Rosemary G. Kenyon (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
36. Christopher R. Kiger (Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
37. Lee M. Kirby, Jr. (Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law)
38. Byron B. Kirkland (Corporate Law, Leverages Buy Outs & Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law, Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law)
39. Kimberly J. Korando (Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management)
40. Geoffrey R. Krouse (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
41. Timothy P. Lehan (Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants)
42. Isaac A. Linnartz (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
43. John D. Madden (Litigation – Insurance, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants)
44. Wayne K. Maiorano (Construction Law, Litigation – Construction)
45. Peter J. Marino (Construction Law, Litigation – Construction)
46. Jason L. Martinez (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law)
47. Steven Mason (Real Estate Law)
48. Merrill M. Mason (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law)
49. Caryn Coppedge McNeill (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
50. Brian D. Meacham (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
51. Miranda R. Miller (Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law)
52. Scott A. Miskimon (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate)
53. Michael W. Mitchell (Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Real Estate Law)
54. Jackson W. Moore (Commercial Litigation)
55. Joseph Morris (Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Advertising Law)
56. William H. Moss (Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants)
57. William W. Nelson (Tax Law)
58. Bart A. Norman (Banking and Finance Law)
59. Stephen T. Parascandola (Environmental Law)
60. Susan Milner Parrott (Employment Law – Management)
61. Carl N. Patterson, Jr. (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities)
62. Armand A. Perry (Banking and Finance Law)
63. Matthew D. Rhoad (Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law)
64. Addie K. S. Ries (Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
65. Davis Roach (Real Estate Law)
66. Gerald F. Roach (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law)
67. Michael P. Saber (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law)
68. David A. Senter, Jr. (Health Care Law, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law)
69. Kerry A. Shad (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
70. Robert W. Shaw (Administrative/Regulatory Law)
71. Dana E. Simpson (Administrative/Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice)
72. Christopher G. Smith (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental)
73. Richard Y. Stevens (Government Relations Practice)
74. Kimberly Quarles Swintosky (Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates)
75. John R. Therien (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Copyright Law, Trademark Law)
76. Michael R. Thornton (Real Estate Law)
77. Justin G. Truesdale (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
78. Donald H. Tucker, Jr. (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities)
79. Kirk G. Warner (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
80. Sharita M. Whitaker (Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Real Estate Law)
81. James C. Wrenn, Jr. (Health Care Law)
82. Allen York (Real Estate Law)

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

The full list of Smith Anderson lawyers recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and their areas of recognition is below.

1. Lindsay F. Avagliano (Venture Capital Law)
2. Tyler Cook (Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
3. Amy C. Crout (Construction Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law)
4. Taylor M. Dewberry (Labor and Employment Law – Management)
5. Joseph C. Fields (Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
6. G. R. Falcon (Technology Law)
7. Eric J. Fisher (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
8. Davis J. Fussell (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
9. Hope C. Garber (Commercial Litigation)
10. John W. Gibson (Health Care Law)
11. Grace A. Gregson (Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction)
12. John E. Harris (Commercial Litigation)
13. Robert L. Hash (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
14. Samuel A. Hipps (Banking and Finance Law)
15. James R. Jolley (Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
16. Deborah McDermott (Trusts and Estates)
17. Elizabeth “Liza” Nye (Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law)
18. Chase Parker (Commercial Litigation)
19. David A. Pasley (Commercial Litigation)
20. Tommy Postek (Labor and Employment Law – Management)
21. William M. Pugh (Venture Capital Law)
22. Edward F. Roche (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
23. Melissa A. Schluter (Banking and Finance Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law)
24. Amelia L. Serrat (Commercial Litigation)
25. James R. Todd (Real Estate Law)
26. William “Casey” Vaughn (Construction Law, Litigation Construction, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law)
27. Kendra L. White (Banking and Finance Law)
28. Kathryn A. Wilson (Banking and Finance Law)
29. Patrick D. Wilson (Real Estate Law)

Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch is based on a peer-review survey in which leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million detailed evaluations of the legal abilities of other lawyers.