By James W. Narron Harvey was a character. He wore only Pointer brand overalls, had less than a high school education and lived in a double-wide mobile home near the railroad with a wonderful wife and two good children — and he was an exceptional businessman, accumulating a small fortune. He owned grain sidings along […]
By Douglas J. Wood Lawyers are trained to anticipate problems, manage conflicts, meet deadlines and shoulder responsibility for matters that can significantly affect the lives and businesses of others. Over time, the pressure associated with those responsibilities can quietly become normalized. Attorneys begin to accept stress as “just part of the game.” While stress may […]
By Douglas J. Wood Editor’s note: This is the second blog post in a two-part series written by Douglas Wood. The first post is on how to build your practice with intention. At some point, every lawyer faces a difficult reality: careers evolve, and, eventually, they transition. For many attorneys, this is not an easy […]
By Douglas J. Wood Editor’s note: This is the first blog post in a two-part series written by Douglas Wood. The series focuses on key approaches for two stages in an attorney’s career: developing a law practice and transitioning from an attorney career to retirement. Law school teaches attorneys how to analyze problems, interpret precedent […]
By Heyward Armstrong and Nicholas Zanzot Recent Amendments to the North Carolina Business Corporation Act The North Carolina General Assembly recently passed House Bill 388 (the “Act”), which was subsequently signed into law by Governor Josh Stein on June 30, 2025. The Act provided substantive amendments to the North Carolina Business Corporation Act (the “NCBCA”) that […]
By Nicholas E. Williams A federal district court recently ruled that the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on employment-based non-competes is unlawful and therefore shall not be enforceable or otherwise become effective. The FTC reportedly will consider appealing that decision.[1] The FTC has not yet filed a notice of appeal, which is due on or before […]
By David Broughton Dear Business Law Section Members, I am looking forward to serving as Chair of the Business Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association for a second year, and we are looking forward to another good year. Below is a list of the Business Law Section Council members and officers for 2024-25. […]
By Nicholas E. Williams On April 24, the Federal Trade Commission voted to enact Part 910 of Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations, banning employment-based non-compete provisions and requiring businesses to provide notice to affected employees.[1] While challenges to the FTC’s Part 910 already are underway,[2] if upheld, the regulations will supersede state […]
By Andrew Steffensen Thomas C. Watkins recently received the North Carolina Bar Association Business Law Section’s highest honor, its Distinguished Service Award. The NCBA presents the Distinguished Service Award to recognize extraordinary service to the Business Law Section, the legal profession and the public. In making the nomination, April Kight said of her colleague, “Tom […]
By Ed Chaney The Business Law Section invites you to join its annual section program on February 8-9 in Winston-Salem and via live webcast. This year’s theme is “The Times They Are A-Changing for Business Lawyers,” and as the title suggests, we will be focusing on a number of important recent developments in the field […]