Jeffery I. Stoddard

Education

• J.D., cum laude, New England Law, 2012
• B.S., cum laude, Northeastern University, 2008

Representative Experience

Construction, Civil Litigation, and Dispute Resolution

• Secured a unanimous opinion from the North Carolina Supreme Court after oral arguments in favor of one of the largest developers in southeastern North Carolina. The case involved a woman who fell through the ceiling of a new construction home while walking in the attic. The decision was obtained after a petition for discretionary review, and it overruled a unanimous panel of the Court of Appeals. The opinion is available Cullen v. Logan Developers, Inc., 904 S.E. 2d 730 (2024).
• Successfully represented a major southeastern North Carolina developer in a flooding claim brought by almost two dozen homeowners. After oral arguments, the North Carolina Court of Appeals ultimately affirmed the dismissal of all claims in a published opinion. The opinion is available at Autry v. Bill Clark Homes, LLC, 287 N.C. App. 11, 882 S.E.2d 698 (2022).
• Represented a plumbing subcontractor in a 20-party, $16 million commercial construction defect case, achieving a favorable settlement for less than the cost of litigation.
• Represented a roofing contractor in a 10-party, $2 million condo building water intrusion case, obtaining early dismissal for the roofer before the case was litigated for multiple years.
• Represented a framing contractor and successfully avoided punitive damages in a case involving a custom beachfront home.
• Represented a roofing contractor arising out of the collapse of a mall roof during Hurricane Florence. More than $10 million in damages were claimed and successfully shifted responsibility for the tenants’ damages to the building owner and design professionals.
• Represented a roofing contractor in a 15-party, $5 million construction defect case involving a 100-acre mixed-use development involving a corresponding declaratory judgment action, successfully obtaining settlement for less than the cost of defense.
• Obtained summary judgment with no payments made on behalf of a general contractor in a claim brought by over 40 townhome owners as a result of work performed following Hurricane Florence.
• Tried to successful verdict a case alleging the sale of defective recreational vehicle.
• Tried to successful verdict a case involving the recovery of damages after an eviction in a high-end rental.

Community Associations Litigation

• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of the president of a waterfront homeowners’ association in his individual capacity with no payment made on his behalf.
• Obtained a favorable settlement for less than the cost of litigation on behalf of a well-known homeowners’ association as a result of flooding that occurred during Hurricane Florence.

Representation of Licensed Professionals

• Tried to successful verdict a dental malpractice claim.
• Represented over 100 licensed professionals in medical malpractice claims, the vast majority of which involved wrongful death, delay in diagnosis of cancer, and other high-exposure matters.
• Successfully represented numerous doctors, nurses, and dentists in proceedings brought by state licensing boards.

Honors and Distinctions*

• "Rising Star," Massachusetts Super Lawyers, 2019-2021

Professional and Community Affiliations

• Staff Sergeant Bruce Rushforth Memorial Scholarship (founder)

Admitted to Practice

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, 2021
• North Carolina, 2020
• United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, 2013
• Massachusetts, 2012

About Me

• My motto is... The great Thomas Jefferson reportedly said: "I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." My clients can rest assured that I will not be outworked by our opposition.
• What I admire most about my clients… My clients are doers. In a world full of informational technology and artificial intelligence, my clients provide real, tangible products and services to people. We need more doers like my clients in this world.
• The best thing about Ward and Smith is… The people. Law firms are simply people coming together. Between the high achievement and the comradery, the teamwork at Ward and Smith is unparalleled, and so is the attendant success.
• One surprising thing people don't know about me is… I have not watched a movie in over 15 years and haven't been to a movie theater in 20 years. My wife and I are both avid sports fans and will watch even a fringe sport you may not already know.
• Where I'd most like to live and why: I moved from Massachusetts to Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington has it all: beautiful weather, historical significance, and an incredible sense of community. Of course, an extra week or two in the Caribbean wouldn't hurt.