James C. "Jim" Smith

Jason Bennett is a partner in Winston & Strawn LLP’s Charlotte office who focuses his practice on debt financing and other corporate finance transactions, with an emphasis on asset-based and cash flow lending. Mr. Bennett represents banks and other financial institutions on financings involving acquisitions, recapitalizations, multicurrency facilities, foreign collateral, and split lien, first/second lien, mezzanine, and bank/bond structures. He has significant experience in a wide ...

John D. Cole is a litigator with broad experience across the spectrum of employment law and labor law. For more than 20 years, John has represented employers of all sizes in cases throughout the eastern United States. He has handled numerous cases involving virtually all aspects of employment law before various federal courts, federal and state administrative agencies, and the state courts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. He has also handled employment arbitration cases before A...

Hal Levinson is one of the firm’s senior corporate and transactional lawyers, having focused his career on complex mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. Hal is known for bringing experienced and practical business oriented legal advice to each transaction. Hal is counsel of choice for many business owners, including those owned by generations of family members, entrepreneurs, and strategic companies that have decided to sell their business. Hal’s extensive transactional exper...

Felicia Gardner is a seasoned practitioner with extensive experience advising employers on employee benefits, executive compensation, and other employment-related matters as outside counsel and as an associate general counsel at a large financial institution. Felicia focuses her practice on employee benefits and executive compensation matters. She works closely with employers of all sizes and types to design programs and packages to help them attract and retain high-level talent. She has over...

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

M. Andrew Avram is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Workers' Compensation Law - Employers. M. Andrew, who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which M. Andrew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ed O’Keefe advises and represents financial institutions. From strategy to tactics and logistics, Ed’s experience includes investigations, litigation, regulatory compliance, governance, cybersecurity, compensation, and risk management. He also advises on law department management, including effective legal engagement with regulators and control functions. Ed is the former Global General Counsel of Bank of America Corporation. Having also headed or served as a senior executive with...

With "a great knowledge of real estate and lending" and more than 30 years' experience closing real estate deals, Hayden Harrell "brings a logical and practical business perspective to the transactions." Hayden represents lenders, investors and developers in construction, permanent, mezzanine and syndicated loan transactions. He also provides experienced advice in joint venture agreements for both the equity providers and the sponsors. According to Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyer...

Jack M. Knight, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation - Banking and Finance. Jack M., who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jack M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Joshua R. Adams is a principal in the Charlotte, North Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He exclusively represents employers in a broad range of employment-related litigation in both federal and state courts, as well before administrative agencies. In addition to providing employers with advice and counsel, Josh focuses his litigation practice on collective/class action wage and hour litigation and complex, single-plaintiff wage disputes across the country. He regularly advises employers...