Charles W. "Whit" Clanton

Drew Patty is a partner with Phelps Dunbar, LLP in the firm's Intellectual Property and Cybersecurity Groups. He also leads the firm's Artificial Intelligence Working Group. With 30 years of experience in a broad range of transactional intellectual property matters and related litigation, he also has a growing AI and data privacy practice. His chemical patent experience includes patent preparation and prosecution in the fields of oilfield proppants and other downhole chemicals, refinery catal...

Tony Barwick regularly assists clients in successfully structuring, negotiating and completing a wide variety of complex transactional matters. His experience includes advising financial institutions and corporate clients in multiple industries related to their financings, joint ventures and complex real estate acquisitions and dispositions. He works with clients to structure, negotiate and close complex commercial transactions including representing clients through strategic asset acquisitio...

With a career that has included in-house patent counsel positions at GlaxoSmithKline and Targacept, Inc. (now Catalyst Biosciences), Amy Fix understands the core business issues her clients face. She has spent many years helping clients protect pharmaceutical, agricultural and polymer technologies, and is notably skilled in the growing sector of small-molecule drug development. Amy’s clients range from large international pharmaceutical corporations to smaller companies producing innova...

Gerald H. Groon, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Gerald H., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gerald H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A seasoned litigator and counselor, Mark represents businesses and trade associations, with particular expertise in media and communications law. For some clients, he provides specialized regulatory, legislative, corporate, or litigation work. For others, he serves an outside general counsel role. Throughout his career, Mark has developed a capacity for solving complex problems that have stymied others. Mark’s principal clients are media and communications enterprises, such as digital m...

Brett T. Hanna is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Brett T., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brett T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Hunt grew up in the mountains of North Carolina. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University, Hunt was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army, where he served as a captain. He is a former intelligence officer and veteran of the Iraq War. Hunt’s practice focuses on representing real people who have been harmed by the negligence of others, including from tractor-trailer collisions, car wrecks, defective products and construction accidents. He h...

Hill Allen is a partner in the firm and handles a broad range of civil and criminal litigation. His practice areas and past cases include: White Collar Criminal Defense and Government Investigations, criminal, civil and regulatory – defending those under investigation or charged by federal and state law enforcement and administrative agencies. Mr. Allen has represented entities and individuals in investigations by federal grand juries in North Carolina and other states, as well as feder...

A.T. Debnam is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. A.T., 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 A.T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Fred D. Hutchison is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Technology Law and Venture Capital Law. Fred D., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2001. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Fred D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.