James Oliver "Jimmy" Carter

Shelley is a member of Butler Snow’s Tort, Transportation, & Specialized Litigation Group.

Deedee Rouse Gasch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Insurance, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants. Deedee Rouse, who practices law in Wilmington, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Deedee Rouse is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael J. Parrish is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Banking and Finance. Michael J., who practices law in New Bern, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill's practice experience encompasses the formation, regulation, and operation of banks and bank holding companies; securities offerings and reporting; mergers and acquisitions; and corporate governance matters pertaining to publicly-held companies. He has been rated by his peers as being "preeminent" in his fields of law. Prior to joining the Firm, Bill served as vice president and general counsel/corporate secretary for one of North Carolina's multi-bank holding companies.

Sam leads the Real Estate practice. His experience includes all aspects of commercial real estate and community association matters. He regularly assists commercial and residential developers in the acquisition, subdivision, development, zoning, and sale of real property, including the formation of complex, mixed-use planned communities, commercial and residential condominiums, and multi-tenant commercial projects. Additionally, Sam represents purchasers and lenders with regard to the evaluat...

Ken leads the Labor and Employment Practice Group. His practice experience encompasses various areas of employment-related litigation. He advises clients and litigates cases involving all forms of employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, and breach of employment contracts from small start-up companies to Fortune 500 corporations. Ken is a frequent lecturer on employment discrimination, workplace retaliation, workers' compensation, and wage and hour law issues. He has been rated by his p...

Eldridge is certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. She assists all types of clients in drafting and implementing estate plans, including estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning, and also provides counsel to executors and trustees in administering estates and trusts. Eldridge has also earned a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from the University of Southern California . Her years of experience as an a...

James W. McGee, Jr. has been a resident of Wilmington, North Carolina, since 1990. After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, McGee attended and earned his Juris Doctorate from Campbell Law School. From residing in Wilmington for over 30 years to attending a North Carolina law school, McGee has developed an intimate understanding of both the state’s people and its laws concerning DUI/DWI and Criminal Law . McGee is considered a thought-lea...

Matt Thompson has significant experience advising the firm's clients on estate planning, business succession, asset protection, charitable planning, and fiduciary matters. He is attentive to each client's unique needs, focuses on uncovering true goals and objectives, and works to find practical, effective solutions for the client's situation and problems. Matt is a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. While his practice is focused on helping to protect...

Recognized in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Family Law. James W. Lea, III - The Lea/ Schultz Law Firm , P.C. 1612 Military Cutoff Road Suite 300 Wilmington, NC 28403 Tel: 910-239-5990 Fax: 910-239-5992 jwl@thelealawfirm.com www.thelealawfirm.com James W. Lea, III, practices exclusively in the area of Family Law and has done so for the last 40 years of practice. Mr. Lea has served on the North Carolina State Bar’s Family Council, a selected group of fami...