Sandra Mitterling Schilder

Jeffrey R. Russell is a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law and a partner in the Family Law section at Tharrington Smith, LLP. His practice is concentrated in family law and appeals. Jeff earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Furman University and subsequently graduated magna cum laude from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University. Before joining the firm in 2013, he clerked for the Honorable John C. Martin, Chief Judge of the North Carolina Cour...

J. Heydt Philbeck concentrates his practice on complex civil litigation in the areas of civil rights, employment law, commercial litigation, contract disputes, unfair business practices, state and federal personnel law, constitutional law, and occupational licensing. Mr. Philbeck is an experienced trial advocate who has tried over 100 jury and bench trials to verdict. He has successfully represented clients before the North Carolina Supreme Court, the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the U...

Shannon Frankel is a trucking industry attorney with a proven track record. For more than 18 years, Shannon defended trucking companies, regularly handling multi-million-dollar claims in both the state and federal courts of North Carolina. During her time on the defense, she learned how the trucking industry views and handles catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases, developing relationships with numerous industry executives, national counsel, and expert witnesses along the way. Her exper...

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

Before joining the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin in 2023, Elizabeth Ligon practiced workers’ compensation law for more than a decade as a defense attorney. She now uses her background in case strategy, litigation, and clear client communication to help injured workers navigate the North Carolina workers’ compensation system. This transition allows her to focus her work on people whose livelihoods and health have been impacted by workplace injuries. “I want to be known as...

Charles Montgomery is a N.C. Board Certified Specialist in Family Law*, as certified by the North Carolina State Bar. Charles has been a certified Family Law Specialist for over nineteen years. He is one of only 243 lawyers statewide to achieve this distinction in Family Law of the more than 20,000 licensed North Carolina lawyers. His practice emphasizes equitable distribution of property, child custody, child support, alimony and divorce. In addition to more than thirty-nine years' experienc...

Carlos Mahoney is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Civil Rights Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Carlos, who practices law in Durham, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Carlos is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Tom Wilmoth joined the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin in 2021 and works with the firm’s litigation team on mass torts, federal multidistrict litigation, consumer class actions, and Consumer Protection Law matters. Based in Durham, North Carolina, Tom represents individuals who have been harmed by unsafe products, unfair practices, and corporate misconduct. Before joining the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Tom spent more than a decade practicing corporate complex litigation on the...

Daniel Lord works with real estate developers and institutional investors in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions. He approaches complex legal problems with a solutions-oriented mindset, focusing on identifying practical solutions to move transactions forward while remaining mindful of the client’s best interest to foster long-term relationships. He represents purchasers, developers, and users of commercial real estate in all aspects of the acquisition, financing, and disp...

A seasoned litigator and counselor, Mark represents businesses and trade associations, with particular expertise in media and communications law. For some clients, he provides specialized regulatory, legislative, corporate, or litigation work. For others, he serves an outside general counsel role. Throughout his career, Mark has developed a capacity for solving complex problems that have stymied others. Mark’s principal clients are media and communications enterprises, such as digital m...