Commercial Litigation Insurance Law Litigation - Banking and Finance Litigation - Insurance Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Susan H. Boyles
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2007 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
My practice is a mix of business litigation and insurance cases. I regularly represent clients in state and federal courts throughout NC in business disputes. Typical claims are: breach of contract, tortious interference with contract, unfair competition, fraud, defamation, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and other statutory violations. I have represented both policyholders and insurers in insurance coverage disputes. I also represent dentists in malpractice cases and in disciplinary proceedings.
I have extensive experience in e-discovery and regularly assist clients in responding to subpoenas in civil cases, as well as government/administrative actions.
I have extensive experience in e-discovery and regularly assist clients in responding to subpoenas in civil cases, as well as government/administrative actions.
Overview
- English
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduated 1994
- North Carolina, North Carolina Bar Association
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
- North Carolina state courts
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
- English
- North Carolina, North Carolina Bar Association
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduated 1994
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
- North Carolina state courts
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Insurance Law, Triad (2025)
- Insurance Law, Triad (2023)
- Litigation - Insurance, Triad (2021)
- Insurance Law, Triad (2020)
- Litigation - Insurance, Greensboro (2018)
- Insurance Law, Greensboro (2017)
- Litigation - Insurance, Greensboro (2016)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Commercial Litigation
- Insurance Law
- Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Litigation - Insurance
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Mediation
Special Focus:
- Appellate
- Business Disputes
- Civil Litigation
- Complex Litigation
- Coverage
- COVID-19
- Employment Practices Liability
- Insurance
- Liability Insurance
- Litigation
- Policy Holder
Awards:
- Pro Bono Partner of the Year, 2017
News & Media
Additional Information
Case History
Cases
- National Textiles, LLC v. Fireman's Fund Insurance Co.
Served as lead counsel in representing National Textiles LLC, the plaintiff-policyholder, in litigation alleging breach of duty to defend, breach of contract, and unfair and deceptive trade practices. Confidential settlement reached at mediation after insurer refused to indemnify insured for settlement of business tort claims.
- Stroupe v. Branch Banking & Trust Co.
Represented Branch Banking & Trust Company (BB&T) defending Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower suit pending before the U.S. Department of Labor and related wrongful discharge suit. Both cases involved complex Bank Secrecy Act issues and novel questions of law under the Sarbanes-Oxley.
- Parkdale Mills v. Traveler's Insurance Co.
Represented plaintiff-policyholder in an insurance coverage action involving novel questions of coverage for antitrust claims.
- Performance Sales & Marketing, LLC v. Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Represented Lowe's Companies, Inc. in a case alleging breach of contract, fraud, copyright violations, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and other business torts arising from Lowe's termination of a contract with a vendor service group.
- Griffin Management Corp. v. Progress Energy
Represented Progress Energy in a complex matter alleging various business torts, including tortious interference with contract and unfair and deceptive trade practices claims, arising from Progress Energy's termination of a contract with a meter-reading vendor. The case was pending in the North Carolina Business Court. The Court granted summary judgment in favor of our client on most of the claims. The Court was considering summary judgment on the remainder of the claims when the case was settled.
- Foster Apartment Group v. Lloyd's of London et al.
Represented McGriff Seibels & Williams Inc. (McGriff), a retail insurance broker, against claims of negligence and breach of contract for alleged failure to procure insurance coverage for a client that suffered a fire loss. The wholesale broker and insurance carrier that wrote the policy were also named as defendants, and they asserted cross claims against McGriff. After extensive discovery, the court granted McGriff's motion for summary judgment on the breach of contract claim. A confidential settlement was reached before trial.
- Hardin v. Southern Mechanical, Inc.
Represented welding contractor in defense of wrongful death action. The case included allegations of OSHA violations and questions of law regarding responsibilities of contractors when working under hot work permits issued by a client for work on a client's premises.
- Burlington Insurance Co. v. Griffin Motor Co.
Represented Universal Underwriters Insurance Company, an insurance carrier, in a dispute with another carrier in a subrogation claim arising from a fire loss where the policy involved a unique question of law concerning drop-down limits for a particular kind of loss.
- MicroCapital Investors, Inc. v. Broyhill Furniture Industries, Inc.
Defended Broyhill Furniture Industries, Inc. (Broyhill) in breach of contract claim arising from allegations that our client refused to pay it for heat provided to a warehouse used by Broyhill. The case involved novel issues of contract interpretation and damages theories. The court granted our motion for summary judgment and denied the plaintiff's motion to amend its complaint to allege extra-contractual theories of recovery, which resulted in a dismissal of all claims against our client.
- Lincoln Financial Media Co. v. CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
Represented Lincoln Financial Media Company as plaintiff in a complex contract matter arising from the merger of Jefferson Pilot Corporation, parent of Jefferson Pilot Communication Company, into Lincoln Financial Corporation and subsequent name change of subsidiary Jefferson Pilot Communication Company to Lincoln Financial Media Company terminated CBS's right to continue to receive substantial annual promotional payments to Lincoln Financial Media Company for two of its television stations. The court entered summary judgment in our client's favor. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed. Lincoln Fin. Media Co. v. CBS Broad., Inc., 316 Fed.Appx.235, 2009 WL 605865 (C.A.4 (N.C.)).
- ABT Building Products Corp., et al. v. National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Inc.
Represented ABT Building Products Corp. and ABTco Inc., one of the largest manufacturers of building materials in North America, and working with another firm obtained a jury verdict of more than $18 million in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina (Statesville Division). ABT sought coverage under a three-year umbrella policy issued by National Union with respect to numerous class actions and individual lawsuits alleging defects in hardboard siding manufactured by ABT. The jury awarded our clients $2.5 million for breach of contract, $3.9 million for unfair and deceptive trade practices, $3.9 million for bad faith and $7.5 million in punitive damages for the carrier’s bad faith denial of coverage, misrepresentation of policy terms and failure to effectuate a prompt and fair settlement of the underlying lawsuit. The trial judge trebled the unfair and deceptive portion of the award and granted our clients’ motion for nearly $2 million in attorney fees. The Fourth Circuit upheld. ABT Building Products Corp. v. National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, Inc., 472 F.3d 99 (4th Cir. 2006).
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