Ward and Smith, P.A. is pleased to announce that Greenville litigator Brad Evans has become the firm's Co-Managing Director. Evans will serve alongside New Bern litigator Ken Wooten, who was elected to the position in 2005, and succeeds Charles Ellis who served the firm in the co-managing director role since 2006. While Ellis' term as co-managing director ends, he continues to litigate in the firm's Personal Injury and Wrongful Death group.
"As co-managing directors, Ken Wooten and I guided the firm through a period of economic downturn in the country and significant changes in the legal market. I am proud of what our team has accomplished, and I think the firm has never been in a better position. We are fortunate to have an attorney of Brad's caliber step into this leadership role; the firm couldn't have made a better choice," said Ellis.
"I'm very grateful for Charles' dedication to the firm. This firm is unique in that we are collectively committed to our values and mission to provide exceptional client service, which we know will continue to serve us well as the firm grows," said Evans.
Evans is experienced in all aspects of civil litigation, including depositions, hearings, mediations, arbitrations, jury trials, and appeals. He advises clients and litigates cases involving commercial, business, estate, and intellectual property disputes. He regularly represents contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in construction litigation in state and federal courts. He has litigated numerous matters concerning trade secret misappropriation and intellectual property infringement.
As the leader of the firm's agribusiness group, Evans has handled numerous disputes for agribusiness entities, including corporate dissolution, contract, and antitrust disputes. He also has experience litigating corporate and partnership disputes before the North Carolina Business Court and is a certified Superior Court mediator.
Evans joined Ward and Smith in 2003. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Malcolm J. Howard, United States District Court Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He received his J.D. cum laude from Wake Forest School of Law and his B.A. cum laude from Wake Forest University.
