Joseph Diab

Melissa Hill is a native of Asheville, North Carolina. She received her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1984. She also attended law school at UNC, where she was admitted to the Order of the Coif, was on the North Carolina Law Review and received her J.D. with honors in 1987. Ms. Hill is the author of Tennessee v. Garner - The Use of Deadly Force to Arrest as an Unreasonable Search and Seizure, 65 N.C.L. Rev. ...

Robert Jessup (“Robby”) is an owner of the Howard Stallings Law Firm and a civil trial lawyer, who handles wrongful death, serious injury, medical malpractice, and first-party property insurance claim cases. Robby received his BA cum laude (Journalism & Religious Studies) and his Juris Doctor cum laude from UNC-Chapel Hill. Robby is admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, all Federal Dis...

Ali Overby is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants. Ali, 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 Ali is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A native of Maryland and a former wrestler and wrestling coach, and now an avid rock climber, Jonathan Blumberg graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an undergraduate degree in philosophy in 1982 and a law degree, with honors, in 1986. He served two years as a law clerk for Judge Eugene Gordon in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina before joining Tharrington Smith in 1988. Mr. Blumberg works in education law, employment law ...

Stephanie Gibbs is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Stephanie, 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 Stephanie is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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

Steve Mansbery joined Tharrington Smith in 2006 after earning his law degree from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to law school, Mr. Mansbery attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned his undergraduate degree in Finance, with Departmental Honors, and graduated magna cum laude. Mr. Mansbery has been appointed to the Wake County Bar Association and the Tenth Judicial District Bar Professionalism Committee every year since 2009. He was recognized as a "Rising Star" in North Car...

Susan Vanderweert is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants. Susan, 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 Susan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A Board Certified Specialist in appellate practice, Charles Coble handles complex business litigation and appeals across a range of courts and jurisdictions. He has represented businesses and individuals in a wide variety of matters at the trial and appellate levels, including bet-the-company litigation, franchise disputes, intellectual property matters, and class actions. Charles has handled numerous complex business litigation cases in federal court and the North Carolina Business Court. Hi...

John W. Narron has been practicing law in North Carolina since 1977 and has been a partner with Smith Debnam since 1987. Mr. Narron’s practice consists of litigation, arbitration, mediation and business transactions. For 30 years, Mr. Narron has provided advice and litigation services to clients in central and eastern North Carolina in all manner of civil disputes frequently involving equitable distribution proceedings, alimony trials, will caveats, employment disputes, personal injury ...