Richard S. "Rick" Starling

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

Beth Grimes’ practice focuses exclusively on employee benefits and executive compensation. She regularly advises the firm’s clients on a broad array of executive compensation, employee benefit matters, and equity compensation issues in connection with corporate mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and other significant corporate transactions. Beth works to resolve employee benefits and executive compensation issues with her experience navigating the rules under the Internal Rev...

Clients can rely on Emily to use her experience in federal district and appellate court to advocate for their interests in criminal and civil proceedings. Emily is well regarded for her work as amici curiae for high-profile individuals and as counsel for corporations and individuals in government investigations and litigation. Emily McGowan is well regarded for her work as counsel for organizations and individuals in a variety of complex enforcement and litigation matters. She defends individ...

C. Todd Burbank is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. C. Todd, who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which C. Todd is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chris Jones is a nationally recognized specialist in the areas of estate planning and business succession planning. Chris heads the firm’s Wealth & Estate Planning group and has substantial experience advising and counseling clients regarding sophisticated estate planning, business succession, asset protection, charitable planning, life insurance matters, and international estate planning. Understanding that each client has specific, unique objectives, Chris and his team provide cre...

Mike Connor is a partner in the firm’s IP Litigation Group. He is a recent co-chair of the firm’s national Intellectual Property Practice and a past chair of the national IP Litigation Group. He handles patent infringement and other IP disputes and counseling. Mike has experience in technologies such as cardiovascular implants and other medical devices, mobile telephony, high speed computer networks, financial services, diagnostic imaging, music downloads, robotics, textile machin...

John C. Gilson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. John C., who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chris Fowler practices in a broad range of finance-related areas, focusing on the representation of institutional investors, hedge funds, business development companies (BDCs), small business investment companies (SBICs), private equity groups and sponsors in their investment, buy-out and finance transactions. Chris’ primary focus is in debt and equity finance transactions as counsel to agents, lenders and passive and controlling stakeholders. Chris represents a variety of finance compa...

Jeff Brown is a member within Moore & Van Allen's Commercial Real Estate group. He focuses his practice on the representation of investors and developers in an array of real estate-related transactions and ventures. Jeff represents and serves as counsel to his clients in a comprehensive range of real estate-related matters, from financing, acquisitions and dispositions, joint venture and real estate investment structuring, and development, including complex land use, entitlement and publi...

Rick Bange is a member of Moore & Van Allen’s Corporate group. The focus of Rick’s practice is representing private equity sponsors and public and private companies in evaluating, structuring and negotiating mergers and acquisitions and investment transactions, including leveraged buyouts, growth equity investments, mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and sales, mezzanine investments and recapitalizations. In addition to his work in the areas of private equity, venture capit...