Justin T. Hill

Labor and Employment Attorney
Ward and Smith, P.A.
Email jthill@wardandsmith.com
919.277.9180 Fax 919.277.9177
Post Office Box 33009, Raleigh, NC 27636-3009

Justin focuses his practice on labor and employment matters. He works with businesses, employers, and human resources professionals across the state. 

Additionally, Justin is a member of the firm's Professional Licensing group and defends licensed professionals before North Carolina's many professional and occupational licensing boards.

Justin is also a member of the firm's Name, Image, and Likeness Practice Group.  Many employers contract with individuals, and more recently individual collegiate athletes, to license commercial use of their name, image, and likeness ("NIL") to the companies.  The NIL Practice Group primarily assists businesses that work with these athletes to promote products or services, in addition to assisting NIL collectives, marketing agencies, software platform providers, and financial advisors.  Justin is mindful of the changing laws and regulations regarding NIL agreements with college athletes, including issues related to the income provided by businesses to collegiate athletes and the employment status of collegiate athletes.   

Before joining Ward and Smith full-time, Justin served as a summer associate in 2018, which marked a change for the firm's program that was historically focused on second-year law school students only. He returned to the program as a 2L in 2019.

Justin received his undergraduate degree from Davidson College and earned his J.D. from Campbell University School of Law, where he graduated in the top ten of his class. While in law school, Justin was part of a team of Campbell Law School advocates that made history by winning the national title at the Hofstra Medical-Legal Mock Trial Competition in the school's first appearance at that tournament.

Education

  • J.D., Campbell University School of Law, 2020; Campbell Law Review, Articles Editor
  • B.A., Davidson College, 2016

Honors and Distinctions*

  • "Rising Star," North Carolina Super Lawyers, 2024
  • "Legal Elite," Business North Carolina, Young Guns, 2024
  • "Go-To Thought Leader," National Law Review, 2022

 Legal Elite

Professional and Community Affiliations

  • Safety and Health Council of North Carolina, Board of Directors: Legal Counsel, 2021

Admitted to Practice

  • North Carolina, 2020
  • United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, 2021

* Please see the following websites for an explanation of the membership standards for the following recognitions: www.bestlawyers.com; businessnc.com/special-sections/legal-elite/; and www.superlawyers.com/north-carolina.

An attorney‑client relationship may only be established through direct attorney‑to‑client communication that is confirmed by the execution of an engagement agreement. The content of any unsolicited email sent to Ward and Smith, P.A., or to any of its attorneys at an email address available on this website, will not create an attorney‑client relationship and the contents of such unsolicited email shall not be considered confidential. Therefore, do not use this website or the email addresses available on this website to provide confidential information about yourself or a legal matter to Ward and Smith or any of its attorneys.

  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Legal Elite Business North Carolina 2024
  • Super Lawyers 2021
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers 2025
  • U.S. News Best Lawyers 2025
  • 2024 Chambers USA

Subscribe to Ward and Smith