Sara R. Lincoln

Zack Higbee is a patent attorney known for building exceptional patent portfolios and helping clients navigate competitor IP. With particular experience with fintech/insurtech, electromechanical systems, and biomedical devices, Zack partners with clients to offer tailored solutions and valuable guidance to protect client IP and drive growth with a focus on long-term value and freedom to operate. Zack is a registered patent attorney practicing all aspects of U.S. and international patent prose...

Kristen Finlon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Individuals and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Kristen, 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 Kristen 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...

David Allen practices litigation for a broad variety of clients. He has been trying lawsuits for more than 30 years with close to 100 juries empaneled during that time. A former president of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys (NCADA), David is a frequent lecturer on substantive and technical aspects of trial practice for numerous sponsors of continuing legal education presentations, having addressed both the NCADA and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice in recent years. ...

As an intellectual property attorney with more than 30 years of experience, Dick Lupo focuses his practice on intellectual property and technology transactional matters. Heavily involved in a variety of intellectual property and transactional matters for emerging-market companies as well as established businesses, Dick provides sophisticated IP counsel to diverse clients in wide-ranging industries, including: Financial services Heavy industrial manufacturing Internet applications Computer sof...

Brad Johnson is a partner in the Finance Group of Alston & Bird. Brad is a senior partner in the firm’s trust, agency and asset servicing practice, one of the largest corporate trust focused practices in the country. Brad regularly represents financial institutions which provide corporate trust, custody, loan agency, reporting and administrative services in a wide variety of capital markets transactions, including transactions involving collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), projec...

Valecia McDowell is a national thought leader in the areas of governmental and internal investigations, conduct risk management, and civil rights and racial equity assessments. Valecia is ranked in Chambers USA and Best Lawyers , included in national publications such as Bloomberg , American Banker , Corporate Compliance Insights , and Inside Counsel. Valecia was one of the ten “Innovative Legal Practitioners” identified by the London-based Financial Times in 2023 and on Forbes To...

Brett Weber maintains a comprehensive financial services practice that focuses primarily on representing banks and other financial institutions in secured financing transactions, with a focus on credit facility providers and underwriters in tax-exempt financings. Brett’s practice includes extensive experience in commercial real estate financings, working capital financings, asset-based lending and other related finance transactions.

Randall Phillips is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Randall, who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Randall is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A former presidentially appointed U.S. attorney, Thomas Walker understands the high stakes of federal and state investigations and white-collar criminal defense. A former presidentially appointed U.S. attorney, Thomas concentrates his practice in government investigations, internal corporate investigations, and white-collar criminal defense. Thomas has extensive jury trial experience in state and federal courts and previously served as special counsel to North Carolina Attorney General Roy Co...