Justin M. Puleo

Evan Horwitz was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 1997 and graduated from the Norman A. Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in 2001. While in law school, Mr. Horwitz was the managing editor of the Campbell Law Review. After graduating, Mr. Horwitz served as a law clerk to Justice Robert F. Orr at the North Carolina Supreme Court. Prior to joining Tharrington Smith in 2008, Mr. Horwitz spent almost six years as an associa...

Joseph Schouten is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Joseph, 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 Joseph is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jaye Meyer is listed in the Best Lawyers in America® and North Carolina Super Lawyers®. She has been recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as one of the "Legal Elite" in North Carolina. Ms. Meyer is a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law, a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and is certified as a Family Financial Mediator. Ms. Meyer was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1990. She received her B.A. cum laude from Wake Forest University and her J.D. ...

Kevin Prakke focuses his practice on the areas of corporate law, corporate finance and securities law. He has 20+ years of experience representing corporations, entrepreneurs and investors in a broad range of transactions, including business organizations, venture capital financings, private placements and public offerings of both debt and equity securities, mergers and acquisitions, contract drafting and negotiation, corporate governance, securities regulatory compliance, and private equity ...

Bob is a trial lawyer who regularly represents management in labor/employment law and related matters. National employers rely on Bob to advise their employment practices and represent their interest throughout the country. He has defended hundreds of lawsuits, taken hundreds of depositions and successfully obtained many jury verdicts and arbitration awards.He often represents prominent employers and their executives in high-stakes disputes and advises clients facing scrutiny by the governmen...

Jason represents and assists contractors, subcontractors, owners, lenders, and design professionals in all areas of the construction and development process. His goal is to help clients through the building process in the most efficient and cost effective manner. His practice experience includes civil litigation, preparation and negotiation of construction contracts, and development of best practices for construction companies. Prior to joining the firm, Jason clerked for Chief Justice Mark D...

Michael J. Denning is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law, Family Law Arbitration and Family Law Mediation. Michael J., 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 Michael J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Doug Meier is an experienced patent attorney and managing partner of NK Patent Law. With a background in electrical engineering and in-depth experience practicing patent law, Doug brings a unique combination of legal and technical experience that allows him to quickly understand complex electrical, computer, and software technologies. Before becoming a patent lawyer, Doug worked as an electrical engineer for a major defense contractor in Houston, Texas, where he designed and developed softwar...

Paul leads the Creditors' Rights Practice Group and is certified by the American Board of Certification and the North Carolina State Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law. His practice experience encompasses bankruptcy, collections, creditors' rights, and lender liability. He concentrates his practice in the representation of creditors in complex bankruptcy cases and state court collection litigation, including workouts, reorganizations, and contested mat...