Jeffrey C. Hart

Joseph Alexander “Alex” Marshall is a 2015 graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill and earned his undergraduate cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Alex is an AV Preeminent Peer Rated Lawyer at Martindale Hubbell. He joined the criminal defense section of DeMent Askew & Johnson in 2021. For nearly six years Alex served Wake County as an Assistant Public Defender. Over that time he gained an unparalleled level of exper...

John H. Ruocchio is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Workers' Compensation Law - Employers. John H., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Originally from Michigan, Carolyn Murchison moved to North Carolina after obtaining her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She received her law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina, where she was an editor of North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation, a Daniel H. Pollitt Fellow and a member of the James E. and Carolyn B. Davis Society. Prior to joining Tharrington Smith in 2000, Ms. Murchison was a policy analyst f...

Brett T. Hanna is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Brett T., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brett T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kelsey Kingsbery guides clients engaged in commercial activity across the United States through litigation involving top-of-the-house matters and high claims disputes in state and federal courts. Kelsey represents clients in a wide variety of complex commercial litigation matters in trial and appellate proceedings, with a special focus on consumer class action defense, business torts, and contract disputes. She has substantial experience representing clients in major consumer class actions an...

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

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

John N. (Nick) Fountain is one of the most experienced attorneys in North Carolina handling professional licensure issues and occupational licensing boards. He has appeared before dozens of the numerous boards and commissions in Raleigh, including the Real Estate Commission, the Appraisal Board, the Banking Commission, the CPA Examiners, N.C. Medical Board, the Dental Board, the Psychology Board, Licensed Professional Counselors and others. He is General Counsel to the State Board of Examiner...

Devon is one of the firm's Managing Directors. Her practice encompasses a wide range of labor and employment issues, including wage and hour matters, federal contractor compliance, employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, employee discipline and termination decisions, personnel policies and practices, restrictive covenants, and background checks. Devon regularly counsels HR executives and C-suite officers, navigating them through the many state and federal requirements f...

With more than 40 years of litigation experience in areas including medical malpractice, worker’s compensation, and general casualty litigation, Joe now focuses his practice on mediation. Certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission to conduct mediated settlement conferences in Superior Court cases, Joe is available to conduct mediations in most North Carolina counties. Joe is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and holds an AV Peer Review Rating f...