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Checking In: June 17, 2025

Compiled by Jessica Junqueira

K&L Gates Announces Global Managing Partner

Stacy, a woman with blond hair and blue eyes, wears a black dress and a gold necklace.Stacy Ackermann has been appointed Global Managing Partner. Ackermann has practiced with the firm since 2012, and she previously served on the Management Committee for six years. Ackermann spearheads the firm’s global finance practice. She represents lenders, servicers, investors, and other market participants in all aspects of various financial and credit market transactions. She focuses on structured finance, primarily commercial mortgage-backed and CRE CLO securitization transactions. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif. She holds a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Furman University.

Poyner Spruill Welcomes New Associate Attorney

Margaret, a woman with blond hair, wears a white blouse and black blazer.Margaret Raymer is now an associate attorney based in the Raleigh office. Raymer’s practice is focused on education law. She provides counsel to local school boards and public school systems. She helps clients with various matters in education law, such as special education issues, student discipline and personnel matters. She graduated from Campbell Law School, where she was the managing editor of Campbell Law Review. She served with the Lawyers and Leaders Program as vice president. Prior to law school, she worked with Teach for America as a sixth-grade science teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Checking In: May 20, 2025

Compiled by Jessica Junqueira

Baker Donelson Announces New Elected Shareholder

Iain, a white man with brown hair, wears a light blue shirt, green tie and black blazer.Iain Stauffer, who practices in the firm’s Raleigh office, was elected as a shareholder. Stauffer assists health care providers with Certificate of Need matters, which include complex litigation regarding disputed Certificate of Need awards. He represents health care facilities with North Carolina licensing issues. He provides counsel to practitioners in licensing board matters and regulatory compliance. Before working in private practice, Stauffer worked for more than ten years in the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Stauffer serves on the NCBA Health Law Section Council. He graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina Central University School of Law. He received a bachelor’s degree from St. John Fisher College.

Fox Rothschild Announces New Partners

Elizabeth, a white woman with brown hair, wears a pale peach blouse and black blazer. Elizabeth Buckley is now a partner in the firm’s Raleigh office. She focuses on litigation and employment law. She represents businesses involved in employment disputes, which include discrimination, retaliation, breach of contract and wrongful termination claims. Buckley graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she received high honors and was a member of the Order of the Coif. While in law school, she served as an intern for Judge Cheri Beasley and Judge Donna Stroud of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Before attending law school, Buckley worked in the finance and banking industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

John, a white man with black hair, wears a pale blue shirt, lime green tie and navy blazer.John G. Hodnette is a partner in the Charlotte office. Hodnette advises clients in matters of business taxation, which include structuring merger and acquisition transactions, resolving partnership, S corporation and C corporation tax issues and researching complex income taxation matters. As a member of the NCBA Tax Section, Hodnette is a contributor to the section’s NCBarBlog page and has written posts for the section since 2018. He received an LL.M. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he earned the Book Award in International Taxation. He graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Auburn University.

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Checking In: April 22, 2025

Compiled by Jessica Junqueira

Brooks Pierce Welcomes Of Counsel Attorney

Michael, a Black man with black hair, wears a white shirt, black and off-white striped tie, and navy blazer. Michael Jones has joined the firm’s Greensboro office as of counsel. His practice is focused on complex litigation, election law, and state and local government law. Before joining the firm, he served as Deputy National Director of Voter Protection and Access on the Harris for President campaign. Jones previously was an attorney in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Jones has served as an aide to two members of Congress, including former U.S. Senator Kay Hagan of North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law and from Yale University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science with an Interdisciplinary Concentration in Urban Studies.

Young Moore Announces New Of Counsel Attorney

Alicia, a white woman with golden brown hair, wears a black blouse and teal blazer. Alicia L. Bray has joined the firm. She has previous experience in defending long-term care facilities, nursing homes, physicians, nurses, and hospitals. Bray is a native of Danville, Virginia. She has more than 14 years in the health care industry in North Carolina. She has litigated insurance defense matters involving premises liability and motor vehicle accidents. She holds a J.D. from Elon University School of Law and received her undergraduate degree in English with a minor in psychology from Averett University, where she graduated magna cum laude.

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