Federal Dollars are Nice to Get, but Owners, Designers, and Builders Need to Watch Out for Those Strings
August 16, 2023
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James W. Norment
Government Relations Attorney
Jamie works regularly with individuals, corporations, and governmental entities on a variety of complex legal matters. His experience in substantive areas of the law includes government contracts (with an emphasis on local, state, and federal construction contracts and the procurement of goods and services), government relations and lobbying (including campaign finance and ethics issues), and economic development law (especially public-private partnerships and incentives). Jamie has extensive experience with board governance issues, open meeting and public records laws, and military economic development initiatives. He provides legal services to corporations, individuals, cities, counties, public housing authorities, community colleges, and other independent subdivisions of the State.
Prior to joining Ward and Smith, he was a legislative assistant in Washington, D.C. where he handled a variety of issues, including military construction and public works appropriations, for a member of congress who served on the House Armed Services and Agriculture Committees. Jamie was previously a research fellow in public education at a public policy foundation.
Education
- J.D., The University of North Carolina School of Law, 2001. Articles Editor, North Carolina Law Review.
- B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1992
Representative Experience
- Helped secure over $100 million in military construction projects for a local military base
- Ongoing advocacy for over $1 billion in future military construction projects for a local military base
- Lobbied for amendment to federal banking law to allow additional flexibility for community bank mergers and acquisitions
- Advised public boards on open meetings and public records laws challenges
- Advised elected officials and committees on campaign finance laws
- Successfully defended federal government bid protests
- Extensive experience with request for equitable adjustments on federal construction and service contracts
- Represented construction companies before the federal government in requests for equitable adjustment and contract claims
- Represented corporations and public interest groups in over $100 million of economic development incentives and development packages
- Represented public housing authorities in over $30 million of apartment conversions and upgrades
- Coordinated refinancing of over $50 million in USDA economic development loans
Professional and Community Affiliations
- Customs and International Trade Bar Association
- Eastern North Carolina Inn of Court
- Electric Cooperative Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Havelock Chamber of Commerce — Military Affairs Committee
- New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce (Leadership Craven Alumnus, Class of 2007)
- North Carolina Bar Association — Sections: Government and Public Sector; Zoning, Planning and Land Use
- North Carolina Electric Membership Cooperative Counsel Association
- North Carolina Professional Lobbyists Association
- North Carolina Technology Association
- State Law Resources, Board of Directors
- Tryon Palace Commission — Chair, present; Co-Chair, 2021-2024
Admitted to Practice
- North Carolina, 2001
- All state courts in North Carolina
- United States Court of International Trade
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
About Me
The North Carolina motto is mine as well: Esse Quam Videri. To be, rather than to seem. This motto informs my civic and professional commitments. My civic involvement includes many rewarding experiences. I am honored to volunteer regularly with Marine Corps morale improvement efforts through the local Military Alliances, and my service on the Tryon Palace Foundation Board of Directors brings a sense of history and legacy to my efforts by helping a 250 year-old institution thrive in the 21st century.
Professionally, I work with clients to solve problems and maximize outside-the-box solutions through the legislative and policy-making systems at the local, state, and federal levels. Being a part of the Ward and Smith team is supremely rewarding and allows me to leverage my government relations and public entity law experience to help clients who face unusual problems or opportunities.
