Jeffrey Steven "Jeff" Warren

Stephanie Hutchins Autry has been a trial lawyer since 1987 and has focused her practice on eminent domain since 2000. Before joining Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog as a partner in 1995, Stephanie was a partner in the Raleigh office of an international law firm. Stephanie’s career has included dozens of successful jury and bench trials and reported appellate decisions. For the last 15 years, Stephanie has concentrated her practice exclusively in the area of eminent domain, representing p...

Lori’s practice is principally focused on workers’ compensation litigation. She advises and defends employers and insurers in the manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, hospitality and retail industries throughout all stages of litigation before the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Lori handles complex workers’ compensation issues and strives to provide efficient and effective resolutions for her clients, whether that means negotiating with the other side or taking ...

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...

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.

Dan Smith focuses his law practice on matters involving environmental, commercial, education, and state constitutional law. A former educator and environmental scientist, Dan represents businesses, boards of education, and individuals in state, federal, administrative, and appellate courts. Dan uses his scientific training and background to help clients solve complex problems related to environmental laws, frequently working as part of a larger Brooks Pierce team. Dan has represented and advi...

Hunt grew up in the mountains of North Carolina. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University, Hunt was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army, where he served as a captain. He is a former intelligence officer and veteran of the Iraq War. Hunt’s practice focuses on representing real people who have been harmed by the negligence of others, including from tractor-trailer collisions, car wrecks, defective products and construction accidents. He h...

Beth Ferebee Atkins is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Beth Ferebee, who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Beth Ferebee is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Matthew Gray represents and advises insurers, healthcare facilities, corporations, and individuals. His practice includes complex insurance coverage analysis and counseling, bad faith litigation, employment counseling and litigation, long-term care claims, and administrative law. Matt represents his clients in the trial and appellate divisions of the state and federal courts throughout North Carolina. Currently, Matt is assisting clients with employment matters related to COVID-19 and the Fam...

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...