Checking In: September 14, 2021
Law Firm Carolinas: New Shareholder, Partners, Offices and Lawyers
Harmony Taylor
Law Firm Carolinas announces the following changes: Harmony Taylor, who is in the Charlotte office and practices community association (HOA and condo) law and civil litigation, has been named a Shareholder.
Three attorneys have been named Partners: Joe Thompson, who practices residential and commercial real estate, and David Wilson, who practices North and South Carolina community association law, both from the Charlotte office; and Jon Raymer, who practices commercial and residential real estate, from the Greensboro office.
Joe Thompson
David Wilson
Jon Raymer
There have also been several recent additions to the firm: Nancy Guyton and Hunt Harris have joined the Wilmington office. Nancy Guyton is a Board-Certified Specialist in Residential and Commercial Real Property law and practices residential and commercial real estate as well as community association law. Hunt Harris practices residential real estate, community association law and civil litigation. Will Rankin has joined the Raleigh office and practices residential and commercial real estate and community association law.
Nancy Guyton
Hunt Harris
Will Rankin
Andrew Brower and Jonathon Woodruff have joined the Greensboro office. Jonathon Woodruff practices community association law and HOA/condo assessment collections. Andrew Brower heads the firm’s Estate Planning & Administration Department (wills, trusts, probate and guardianships).
Andrew Brower
Jonathon Woodruff
Matthew G.T. Martin has joined First Citizens Bank as chief counsel. He will oversee corporate and general bank legal functions and litigation management, and he will advise executive management and its corporate board on legal matters. Martin will also serve as Corporate Secretary to the First Citizens BancShares Board of Directors. Before his role with First Citizens Bank, Martin was the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, and as part of this role, he led the U.S. Department of Justice prosecution office. Martin has prior experience as Associate General Counsel of Duke Energy. He received a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he was the editor in chief of the North Carolina Law Review, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina.
Brian Assessor has joined the firm as a senior associate attorney. Assessor helps companies obtain patent protection for their computer and software technologies. He oversees U.S. and international patent drafting and prosecution in a number of technical areas including hardware, software, network infrastructures, semiconductors, and more. Assessor has previous experience in international law and intellectual property law, and he worked as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. He holds a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law and a B.S. in computer engineering with a concentration in cognitive science from Villanova University.
Deborah Gerhardt has joined Michael Best as of counsel and will work in the Intellectual Property practice group. She represents a variety of clients who include Fortune 500 corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, museums, and more. She was in private practice for nearly 10 years before becoming a professor of law at the University of North Carolina School of Law. While practicing with Michael Best, she will continue to work as the Reef C. Ivey II Excellence Fund Term Professor of Law at UNC School of Law. Gerhardt received a J.D., cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and she holds an A.B. from Duke University. 
J. Michael Wilson has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP as partner in the Charlotte office. He will practice in the firm’s Tax and Trusts and Estates groups. His areas of focus include taxation, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and fund formations. He has experience in real estate transactions, such as joint ventures, acquisitions, development, sales, and more. Wilson also has prior experience as a tax consultant. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law with a J.D. and from UNC Chapel Hill, where he received a B.S. in business administration with a concentration in accounting.
Austin Rowe Kessler has joined the Asheville office of Hall Booth Smith. He focuses on insurance defense and general liability. Kessler has experience conducting trials and hearings in District Court and Superior Court. He has practiced in the areas of family law and civil litigation, estate planning, and criminal defense. Kessler graduated from Campbell Law School with a J.D. and from Guilford College with a B.A. in criminal justice and a minor in sociology.
The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin announced that Sheri Bangura has joined the firm as a personal injury attorney. Bangura has worked for insurance companies for more than 15 years as a multi-state insurance claims adjuster. Sheri graduated cum laude from North Carolina Central University School of Law, where she earned a J.D. While in law school, she was a torts tutor and research assistant and was involved in the NCCU Student Bar Association as a 2L representative. She holds a a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice with a minor in sociology from Old Dominion University.
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has announced that 24 attorneys have joined the firm’s offices, including Lissette C. Payne, who has joined the Charlotte office as an attorney in the Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. She is designated as a Certified Information Privacy Professional by the International Association of Privacy Professionals, with U.S. Private Sector (CIPP/US) and European (CIPP/E) concentrations. Payne received her B.A. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Scott Harkey established Harkey Litigation, located in Winston-Salem. Harkey was the Senior Financial Crimes Prosecutor for the the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys. He specializes in white collar defense, investigations, and complex civil litigation. A Board Certified Specialist in North Carolina Criminal Law, Harkey is a member of the North Carolina Bar Foundation Civic Education and Engagement Committee. He holds a B.A. from North Carolina State University and a J.D. from Campbell Law School.
The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin announced that Alexandria Tuttle is now an associate attorney with the personal injury department. Tuttle obtained a B.A. in political science from North Carolina State University and a J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law. During law school, Tuttle worked full-time as a paralegal with The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. As an attorney with the firm, she serves on the Social Services Committee to help local non-profits.
William S. Smoak Jr. has joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP as a partner in the firm’s Charlotte office. Smoak is a corporate attorney who represents clients in a variety of mergers and acquisitions and general corporate activities. He graduated with a J.D. from Duke University School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif. Smoak received a B.A., magna cum laude, in history from Davidson College.
Alexander M. Gormley has joined Williams Mullen. Gormley, an attorney in the firm’s Litigation Section, will practice in the Raleigh office. Gormley has more than 10 years of experience as a litigator. He has experience in complex commercial litigation, professional liability, ERISA and employment law. Gormley obtained a J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Maryland School of Law and a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania.
The Fresh Market, Inc., based in Greensboro, announced earlier this month that Gerald L. Walden Jr. has been appointed to serve as its first Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Head of Diversity. He joined The Fresh Market in 2004 and was serving as Vice President, Head of Legal at the time of the announcement. Walden graduated summa cum laude from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He received the Juris Doctor in 2001 from North Carolina Central University School of Law, where he served as Director of Externships (Adjunct Clinical Professor) from 2011-19. Walden earned an MBA from the Elon University Martha and Spencer Love School of Business in 2014. He served on the NCBA Board of Governors and NCBF Board of Directors from 2016-19, is a former co-chair of the Minorities in the Profession Committee, and in 2013 received the NCBA’s Citizen Lawyer Award.
Kent Jones focuses his practice in commercial real estate development, finance, commercial leasing, loan workouts and general corporate law. He assists developers, public/private partnerships, investors, and lenders in managing and closing commercial real estate transactions. Jones graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a Bachelor of Arts and from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University with a J.D.
Josh Stone focuses his practice in commercial real estate transactions. He has assisted clients in many transactional matters, such as real estate acquisitions and development and real estate based financing, as well as other corporate matters. Stone also has prior experience as a financial advisor. He graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science in economics and from West Virginia University College of Law with a J.D.
Samantha Hovaniec is now an associate at Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLP, and she will work in the Raleigh office. Hovaniec practices transactional law and represents businesses in corporate matters: mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and equity and debt financing. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in political science and economics and from UNC School of Law with a J.D.
Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) welcomes Joan Welborn, who is now a paralegal in the Raleigh office. She will work with the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Practice Group. Welborn has previous experience in employment and family law, as well as workers’ compensation defense. She received her paralegal certificate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Welborn earned a B.S. in business administration, management and organizational development from Mount Olive College and an MBA in human resource management from Strayer University.
Ragsdale Liggett recently welcomed Paula Murray as the newest partner in the firm. Murray joined the firm in 2016 and practices in the Residential Real Estate Group. Her skills have been recognized in peer-reviewed publications including Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch,” Super Lawyers Rising Stars, and Business North Carolina magazine Legal Elite editions. Murray is a 2007 graduate of Meredith College, where she earned a B.A. in political science with a concentration in law and justice. She is a 2011 graduate of Campbell Law School. Murray resides in Raleigh with her husband and daughter.
Molly Brewer has joined the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. A personal injury attorney, she received a J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa. Brewer worked as a litigation paralegal prior to completing law school, and is a published scholar with previous experience at North Carolina State University, the District Attorney’s Office and the N.C. Department of Justice. 
Jack L. Harper will serve as Vice President, Treasurer, and CFO of the Kettering Foundation. Harper has more than 27 years of public and private experience in tax law and corporate governance. In this position, Harper will oversee the foundation’s finances as well as play a role in the foundation’s work on democracy-related research. As a former Senior Director with Walmart, he was responsible for tax planning and led federal and state tax audit teams. Harper established Walmart’s Global Tax Controversy Center of Excellence. A Certified Public Accountant, Harper served as Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Tax Section. He received a Bachelor of Science in accounting from North Carolina Central University, a Master of Science in taxation from Colorado State University, and a Juris Doctorate, with honors, from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
