Ward and Smith is proud to announce that 38 of its attorneys have been named to Business North Carolina’s 2025 Legal Elite, a testament to the firm’s dedication to legal excellence across North Carolina.
The annual list highlights the state’s top attorneys as chosen by their peers, with fewer than 4% of North Carolina lawyers receiving this honor.
This year, Will Oden has been inducted into the Legal Elite Hall of Fame for Employment Law, an accolade given to the top vote-getter in each category. Will, a pioneer in Employment Law, was recently recognized as one of the first board-certified specialists in the field by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. This induction brings the total number of Ward and Smith's Hall of Famers to six.
The full list of Ward and Smith attorneys recognized as 2025 Business North Carolina Legal Elite are:
Asheville
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| Melody King Family Law |
Lance Martin Bankruptcy |
Hayley Wells Employment |
Greenville
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| Paul Fanning Bankruptcy |
New Bern
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| Angela Doughty Intellectual |
Lee Hodge Business |
Michael Parrish Litigation |
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| Greg Peacock Tax and Estate Planning |
Lauren Quinn Family Law |
Raleigh
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| Payton Collier Bullard Young Guns |
Alex Ferri Construction |
Michelle Gonzalez Real Estate |
Justin Hill Employment |
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| X. Lightfoot Employment |
Marianna Baggett McMurry Young Guns |
Evan Musselwhite Construction |
Jane Francis Nowell Young Guns |
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| Joe Schouten Litigation |
Jason Strickland Construction |
Devon Williams Employment |
Cameron Winfrey Real Estate |
Wilmington
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| Mary Charles Amerson Family Law |
Adam Beaudoin Business |
Al Clyburn Family Law |
Richard Crow Business |
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| Alex Dale Appellate |
Chris Edwards Appellate |
Sam Franck Real Estate |
Matthew Jones Business |
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| Avery Locklear Young Guns |
John Martin Appellate |
Will Oden Employment-Hall of Fame '25 |
Allen Trask Litigation |
Legal Elite Hall of Fame
Along with Will Oden, the Business North Carolina's Legal Elite Hall of Fame include Joanne Badr, Jim Creekman (retired), Brad Evans, Amy Wang, and David Ward (Counsel Emeritus). While these individuals are no longer eligible to win in the same category due to publication rules, they are recognized annually in the Legal Elite list.
