Ernest C. "Ernie" Pearson

Joseph Schouten is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Joseph, 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 Joseph is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Steve Long leads the firm's Tax and Employee Benefits practice. He has extensive experience working with employers in banking, retail, and technology to establish and maintain retirement plans, executive compensation agreements, stock incentive plans and other employee benefits. Steve also advises charities and other tax-exempt organizations regarding their IRC 403(b) and IRC 457 retirement plans, as well as issues related to compliance with Internal Revenue Service and state regulations conc...

Mr. Keen has practiced labor and employment law in the Raleigh office of Ogletree Deakins since 1987. His practice has included employment litigation in state and federal courts, representing clients before the National Labor Relations Board and advising clients on equal employment opportunity and wage and hour issues. He has successfully litigated cases to defense verdicts in employment discrimination cases. He has also litigated matters involving ERISA, non-competition and trade secrets, wo...

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...

3 Things to Know About Ryan Bliss: He is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation law. He was recognized on the “Best Lawyers” list for Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants by Best Lawyers in 2025 and 2026.* He was named to the “Top 20 Managing Partners” list by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly in 2025.* Ryan Bliss is a Partner at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin , where he leads the firm’s workers’...

Ben is an experienced trial lawyer who earned his law degree from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He was trained in trial practice at the nation’s preeminent Public Defender agency, the federally funded Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, described by United States Attorney General Eric Holder as “the best public defender office in the country.” From 2006 to 2011, Ben worked as an attorney at the Public Defender Service in DC, including...

David E. Vtipil is a partner at Younce & Vtipil, P.A. the firm is located just outside of downtown Raleigh and caters to those who have been injured due to negligence. David is a board certified workers' compensation specialist in North Carolina but also practices personal injury and social security disability law.

Marcia Armstrong is a partner in the firm The Armstrong Law Firm, P.A., in Smithfield, North Carolina. She was admitted to practice in North Carolina in 1983 after receiving her bachelor’s degree in 1980 from Salem College and her J.D. degree from Wake Forest University in 1983. She has also served as an adjunct professor of law for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law. Ms. Armstrong’s practice is limited to family law. In 1989, she was certified by the No...

Natalie M. Rice is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Natalie M., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Natalie M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Barry Mann has been practicing real property law with Manning Fulton since graduating from the UNC School of Law at Chapel Hill in 1982. For many years, Barry was fortunate to work with and learn from Charlie Fulton, arguably the preeminent real property practitioner in North Carolina prior to his retirement in 2007. Today, due to such mentoring, his years of experience, a great client base and an ongoing participation in the activities of various real property associations, Barry has one of ...