Sharon A. Thompson

David Courie is one of Cumberland and Hoke County's best known and relied upon trial lawyers. David is a Fayetteville native with deep roots in the region. He is the son of a well-known small businessman and a highly regarded and loved, 40 year veteran school teacher. David joined the firm in 1997 as an associate to founding partner Jerry Beaver, following his work in Washington D.C., as a Special Assistant to North Carolina's Senior Senator and his completion of law school at Campbell Univer...

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

Hill Allen is a partner in the firm and handles a broad range of civil and criminal litigation. His practice areas and past cases include: White Collar Criminal Defense and Government Investigations, criminal, civil and regulatory – defending those under investigation or charged by federal and state law enforcement and administrative agencies. Mr. Allen has represented entities and individuals in investigations by federal grand juries in North Carolina and other states, as well as feder...

Kristin H. Ruth is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Kristin H., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kristin H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Alison R. Cayton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Alison R., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alison R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jeffrey J. Goebel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Real Estate Law. Jeffrey J., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jeffrey J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Maria P. Wood is the Managing Partner in our Raleigh office and specializes in medical malpractice, aging services, correctional health care, professional malpractice and ethics, appellate, and general liability matters. In her more than twenty year legal career, she has gained significant litigation and trial experience. Maria has devoted her career to the representation of health care providers. These providers include hospital systems, long-term care facilities (skilled nursing and assiste...

Lynn Burleson is a native of Albemarle, North Carolina. He was admitted to the practice of law in North Carolina after receiving his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his Juris Doctor degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law. Before joining Tharrington Smith, Mr. Burleson served as a district court judge and was a partner in the law firm of Kilpatrick Stockton. He has served as an adjunct professo...

Jessi Thaller-Moran focuses her practice on employment law and litigation, which includes counseling employers on legal compliance and helping them proactively identify, prepare for and respond to issues involving personnel management. Jessi guides employers on appropriate responses to a rapidly-changing workplace. Over the last few years, this has included counseling through the rapid transitions required by the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to increasingly localized laws on everything fr...

Jack Cummings is counsel in the Federal Tax Group of Alston & Bird in Raleigh and Washington, D.C. He served as IRS associate chief counsel (corporate) and chair of the Corporate Tax Committee of the ABA Section of Taxation. His books include The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (with Robert Hanson), The Supreme Court’s Federal Tax Jurisprudence published by the American Bar Association in 2010 and The Supreme Court, Federal Taxation and the Constitution , published by the America...