Compiled by Jessica Junqueira

Baker Donelson Adds New Shareholder

The firm announced that Jill Walters is a shareholder. Walters has joined the Corporate Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group and practices in the Raleigh/Research Triangle office. She has more than 15 years of experience counseling clients in matters of corporate insolvency, distressed lending, restructuring and bankruptcy, and complex Chapter 11 cases. Walters is a member of the NCBA Bankruptcy Section and serves as the Sponsorship Committee Chair. She is on the Board of Directors for A Note in the Pocket and volunteers with Legal Aid of North Carolina. Walters holds a J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law and a B.A. from Lake Forest College.

Brooks Pierce Names Three New Partners

The firm announced that Steven M. LaSota, Haniya H. Mir and Jessica Thaller-Moran are now partners.

Steven M. LaSota is a real estate development attorney, and he has been practicing law for more than 15 years. He has served as a general counsel for community and regional banks and has experience in a wide variety of commercial transactions, as well as in retail financial services. He received a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, an M.B.A. from the University of Florida Warrington College of Business, and a bachelor’s degree from Furman University.

Haniya H. Mir practices transactional law. Mir represents businesses in corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities law, corporate governance, entity formation and more. She has experience assisting clients in complex corporate transactions. She holds a J.D., cum laude, from Duke University School of Law, where she was executive editor of the Duke Law Journal and president of the Women Law Students Association. She earned an M.A. with distinction from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies, and a B.A., cum laude, from Vassar College.

Jessica Thaller-Moran focuses on employment law and litigation. She counsels employers on compliance with state and federal laws and complex business litigation disputes. She works with companies to help them plan for, and respond to, issues involving their workforce. Thaller-Moran holds a J.D. with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she was a comments editor for the North Carolina Law Review, and a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Richmond. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Diabetes Family Connection.

Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo Welcomes Attorneys From Nichols, Choi, and Lee

Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo announced that the attorneys of Nichols, Choi, and Lee have joined the firm. Four attorneys have joined the Litigation Group: M. Jackson “Jack” Nichols, Anna Baird Choi, Catherine E. Lee, and Grant Simpkins. The attorneys will practice in the firm’s Raleigh office. The four attorneys have been recognized for their work as administrative/regulatory law practitioners in North Carolina.

Anna Baird Choi has joined the firm as partner. She focuses her practice on administrative law/regulatory law. Choi served for more than 20 years as counsel to the N.C. Licensing Board for General Contractors. She advises the General Contractor’s Board, as well as eight other occupational/professional licensing boards. Choi represents individuals and businesses before other N.C. licensing boards and agencies. She holds a J.D. from Campbell Law School and a B.A. in economics and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Catherine E. Lee has joined the firm as partner. She focuses on employment law, administrative law, civil litigation, and contract disputes, with an emphasis on matters involving state occupational/professional licensing boards and public employment. She serves as general counsel to a number of North Carolina occupational licensing boards. She has experience appearing before boards and the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings. She earned a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law and a B.A. in English and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Jack Nichols has joined the firm as of counsel. His practice is focused on public policy development and advocacy, administrative law, and civil litigation. He has extensive experience representing clients before the Office of Administrative Hearings and serving as Counsel of Record in appellate cases. Nichols has taught courses in administrative law and constitutional law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Campbell Law School. Nichols holds a J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law, an M.A. from Duke University, and a B.S. in political science from Davidson College.

Grant Simpkins focuses his practice on administrative law with an emphasis on occupational/professional licensing. He earned a J.D. from Campbell Law School in 2019. At Campbell, he was a member of the Moot Court Team, and he represented the school in national competitions. From 2019 to 2020, Simpkins was the Campbell Law School Wallace Leadership Fellow from 2019-2020. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and pre-professional legal studies from Appalachian State University.

The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Announces New Associate

Maya Davis has joined the firm and practices with the litigation team. Maya holds a J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law. While in law school, she was a Smith-Shaver Scholar and a member of the Dean’s List, and she earned a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution. She graduated from North Carolina State University with a B.A. in philosophy and a concentration in philosophy of law. Davis serves as a volunteer with Habitat For Humanity and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.