Andrew Ralph "Drew" Dempster, Jr.

Devon is one of the firm's Managing Directors. Her practice encompasses a wide range of labor and employment issues, including wage and hour matters, federal contractor compliance, employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, employee discipline and termination decisions, personnel policies and practices, restrictive covenants, and background checks. Devon regularly counsels HR executives and C-suite officers, navigating them through the many state and federal requirements f...

Susan Vanderweert is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants. Susan, who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Susan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jeffrey R. Russell is a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law and a partner in the Family Law section at Tharrington Smith, LLP. His practice is concentrated in family law and appeals. Jeff earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Furman University and subsequently graduated magna cum laude from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University. Before joining the firm in 2013, he clerked for the Honorable John C. Martin, Chief Judge of the North Carolina Cour...

Alison R. Cayton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Alison R., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alison R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Rick Fleming is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Rick, who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Rick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mr. Joyner represents employers in a myriad of employment-related and complex commercial matters, including litigation involving, discrimination, wage and hour, wrongful discharge and other claims and matters in state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Mr. Joyner has extensive experience representing employers in wage and hour class action and collective action defense, particularly involving alleged tip credit violations in the restaurant industry and misclassification of exempt...

Julia Ambrose provides transactional and regulatory counsel to media companies navigating the rapidly-changing video programming industry. She is also an experienced litigator, well-versed in commercial and constitutional litigation in all levels of state and federal trial and appellate courts. Technology is evolving rapidly, but the laws and regulations governing broadcast television have not always kept pace. Julia has significant experience helping media companies and broadcast trade assoc...

Ms. Lang represents insurance carriers, individual defendants and corporate defendants. She has been named 2025 Best Lawyers in America for Insurance Law, Insurance Litigation, and Construction Litigation. Prior to working at Wall Templeton, Ms. Lang has worked for both insurance defense and plaintiff’s firms and brings an unique perspective and broad-based litigation experience to the firm. Ms. Lang received her J.D. from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and M...

Paul leads the Creditors' Rights Practice Group and is certified by the American Board of Certification and the North Carolina State Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law. His practice experience encompasses bankruptcy, collections, creditors' rights, and lender liability. He concentrates his practice in the representation of creditors in complex bankruptcy cases and state court collection litigation, including workouts, reorganizations, and contested mat...

Lynn Burleson is a native of Albemarle, North Carolina. He was admitted to the practice of law in North Carolina after receiving his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his Juris Doctor degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law. Before joining Tharrington Smith, Mr. Burleson served as a district court judge and was a partner in the law firm of Kilpatrick Stockton. He has served as an adjunct professo...