Jeffrey R. Whitley

Tony Barwick regularly assists clients in successfully structuring, negotiating and completing a wide variety of complex transactional matters. His experience includes advising financial institutions and corporate clients in multiple industries related to their financings, joint ventures and complex real estate acquisitions and dispositions. He works with clients to structure, negotiate and close complex commercial transactions including representing clients through strategic asset acquisitio...

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...

Lynwood leads the litigation practice. His practice experience encompasses a wide variety of civil litigation in both state and federal courts. He has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation, including depositions, hearings, and mediations, as well as, arbitrations, appeals, and cases tried to jury verdict. Lynwood also counsels individuals and businesses who are currently involved, or could potentially become involved, in litigation. He also provides national pre-suit negotiation a...

Joseph B. Bass is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Joseph B., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Drew Patty is a partner with Phelps Dunbar, LLP in the firm's Intellectual Property and Cybersecurity Groups. He also leads the firm's Artificial Intelligence Working Group. With 30 years of experience in a broad range of transactional intellectual property matters and related litigation, he also has a growing AI and data privacy practice. His chemical patent experience includes patent preparation and prosecution in the fields of oilfield proppants and other downhole chemicals, refinery catal...

Brandon S. Neuman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Brandon S., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brandon S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James Anthony Penry is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Securities and Mediation. James Anthony, who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James Anthony is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Julia Ambrose provides transactional and regulatory counsel to media companies navigating the rapidly-changing video programming industry. She is also an experienced litigator, well-versed in commercial and constitutional litigation in all levels of state and federal trial and appellate courts. Technology is evolving rapidly, but the laws and regulations governing broadcast television have not always kept pace. Julia has significant experience helping media companies and broadcast trade assoc...

William B. Gwyn, Jr., is a member of the firm’s corporate practice. Bill has over thirty years of experience counseling and serving clients in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, private equity, international transactions, joint ventures, licensing and commercial transactions. His industry experience includes software, biotechnology, communications, electronics, financial institutions, agribusiness, distribution and manufacturing, among others. He has represented...

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...