James C. "Jimmy" Adams II

James C. "Jimmy" Adams II

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2008
Awarded Practice Areas
Commercial Litigation Litigation - Labor and Employment Litigation - Securities
Awarded Practice Areas
Commercial Litigation Litigation - Labor and Employment Litigation - Securities
James C. "Jimmy" Adams II
James C. "Jimmy" Adams II
Greensboro, NC
Works at
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP

63 Best Lawyers awards

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP logo

Biography

Jimmy Adams is a versatile and seasoned litigator with more than 30 years of experience in arbitrations and in federal and state courts. Jimmy represents clients on dispute and litigation issues related to noncompetition agreements, taxation, health care, professional malpractice, ERISA and estate litigation, and all types of corporate and commercial disputes.

He is an accomplished litigator who is very familiar with the process, strategy and custom at the trial and appellate levels. His goal is to “First, position clients to avoid litigation if possible, and then to maximize their chances for success when litigation arises.”

Jimmy represents large national enterprises, small local companies and individuals on a multitude of issues. He has extensive experience in cases involving post-employment disputes, including covenants not to compete; state and federal taxation disputes; ERISA disputes, estate disputes including caveat proceedings, shareholder and closely-held company litigation; contract disputes; real estate development; accounting and professional malpractice; Certificate of Need (“CON”) applications and litigation; and other health care related issues. Jimmy also has experience in several litigation matters involving interest rate swaps, representing parties in disputes with large financial institutions.

Jimmy helps employers draft non-compete agreements that comply with the current law. He represents employers in enforcing their agreements with former employees, and also represents employees in disputes against former employers.

He represents health care providers in litigation involving Certificate of Need applications. Jimmy has represented providers both challenging and supporting decisions by the state, and has also represented providers in granting or denying requests to develop new healthcare facilities or provide new equipment or services.

Jimmy has extensive experience representing accounting firms and law firms in grievances filed against them by their former clients or their clients’ lenders and creditors.

Works at
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP

63 Best Lawyers awards

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP logo

Locations

Education

  • Georgetown University, JD, graduated 1991
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA, graduated 1988

Bar Admissions

  • North Carolina, United States

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern Districts of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Western Districts of North Carolina
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th and 8th Circuits
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle Districts of North Carolina

Affiliations

  • Litigation Section, North Carolina Bar Association - Member
  • Litigation and Intellectual Property Sections, American Bar Association - Member
  • Antitrust and Complex Business Litigation, American Bar Association - Member

Federal Clerkships

  • United States District Court

Client Testimonials

Jimmie Adams is excellent.

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Litigation - Securities Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Litigation - Securities
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Litigation - Securities, Greensboro (2017)
  • Litigation - Securities, Greensboro (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Litigation - Securities
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Arbitration
  • Mediation
  • Health Care Law
  • Professional Malpractice Law
Special Focus:
  • Business Disputes
  • Civil Litigation
  • Complex Litigation
  • Covenants Not to Compete
  • COVID-19
  • Stockholders' Suits
Awards:
  • Recognized in Business North Carolina's "Power List" (2025)

  • Recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers in Business Litigation (2009-2023); recognized in Super Lawyers Business Edition for Business Litigation (2015)
  • Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in Commercial Litigation (2011-2025), Labor & Employment Litigation and Securities Litigation (2008-2025); "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation: Securities (2015, 2017)

  • Recognized as a "Litigation Star" by Benchmark Litigation for General Commercial (2015-2023)
  • Recognized by his peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina's "Legal Elite" in Litigation Law (2023)

Your browser is not fully compatible with our automatic printer friendly formatting.

Please use the print button to print this profile page.

Spinning circle Big letter B