James L. Conner II

Whitney Brownlow is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Whitney, 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 Whitney is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jennifer L. Weaver is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Jennifer L., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jennifer L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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

3 Things to Know About Jennifer Taylor: She has grown the firm’s Co-Counsel Department to seven figures and led the firm in offering representation to an additional 850+ clients via co-counsel opportunities in 2025.* She led the Intake Department to create nearly 55,000 intakes in 2025 as Intake Administrator. She was named to North Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s “50 Most Influential Women” list in 2025.* Jennifer Taylor is a Partner at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin...

Don Beskind’s trial practice focuses on car and truck crash cases, medical and legal malpractice, and business torts. He is also a Professor of the Practice at Duke Law School. Don served on the American Association for Justice's Board of Governors and professional education committee - the National College of Advocacy, has been a Program Director for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, has authored case files for AAJ and NITA and is a co-author of North Carolina Evidentiary Found...

Patrick Johnson is a business and transaction lawyer. For more than twenty years, including eight years with large New York and international law firms, he has counseled clients on M&A, securities, financing and commercial matters. Patrick has extensive experience representing clients in the sale or purchase of a business. He negotiates and advises on deal terms, representations and warranties, covenants, indemnification and survival provisions, exclusivity arrangements, and other key ter...

Thurston Debnam is one of the founding partners of Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, L.L.P. Thurston is the Section Head of the Business Law practice group and served as the firm’s managing partner from 1992 through 1997. He concentrates his practice in the areas of business and corporate planning and real estate law, including land use planning and zoning. For more than thirty years, Thurston has maintained a broad-based business practice, assisting clients with business...

For more than 30 years, Mickey Spivey’s practice with Young Moore and Henderson has been in insurance law and regulation, and in business and commercial matters. Through long-time representation of the North Carolina Rate Bureau and the North Carolina Reinsurance Facility, he has extensive experience in setting rates and loss costs and promulgating policy forms and rating manuals, as well as in the general operations of the voluntary and residual markets, for automobile, residential pro...

Dieter Mauch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Dieter, who practices law in Durham, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dieter is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Maria P. Wood is the Managing Partner in our Raleigh office and specializes in medical malpractice, aging services, correctional health care, professional malpractice and ethics, appellate, and general liability matters. In her more than twenty year legal career, she has gained significant litigation and trial experience. Maria has devoted her career to the representation of health care providers. These providers include hospital systems, long-term care facilities (skilled nursing and assiste...