Thomas C. "Tom" Watkins

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 ma...

Aaron Bennett has a broad-based practice serving individuals, families, and business owners. He also represents corporate and individual fiduciaries in trust and estate administration matters. He especially focuses on estate and wealth transfer planning, estate and trust administration, and closely held business planning. Aaron enjoys working with families to develop solutions to the multifaceted issues that arise in helping them achieve their goals and objectives in a tax efficient manner, w...

John Small has more than 35 years of experience representing both creditors and debtors in business bankruptcies, and was a Board Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law from 1988 to 2023. He also counsels small businesses and religious organizations on a variety of legal issues. He thrives on solving clients’ most complex problems. John represents secured creditors in bankruptcies for business and real estate loans. He also has experience working with landlords, eq...

Julie Barker Pape is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Julie Barker, who practices law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Julie Barker is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Steven Williams Walker is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law. Steven Williams, who practices law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steven Williams is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

An experienced litigator, Joey represents clients in the areas of environmental law and litigation, health care litigation, and complex business litigation. He regularly appears before administrative, trial, and appellate courts, both state and federal. Joey represents businesses in a wide variety of environmental litigation involving issues such as NPDES, Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act permitting, NEPA, SPCA, and civil penalty assessments. He has experience representing municipalities and...

Jane C. Jackson is a highly accomplished attorney with a career marked by excellence in workers’ compensation, employment law, personal injury, and insurance litigation. A former standout scholar-athlete at Wake Forest University, Jane translated her discipline and leadership on the basketball court into a distinguished legal practice. As Of Counsel at Robinson & Lawing, LLP, she brings decades of experience, a deep commitment to achieving positive outcomes for her clients, and lead...

Keith Wood is both an attorney and CPA with a special background in taxes. He also is a board-certified specialist in estate planning and probate law. Keith’s practice is focused on business, tax and estate planning for a wide range of clients, including new startups, entrepreneurs and multigenerational family-owned businesses. He counsels these closely held enterprises in the unique challenges they face – from succession planning, tax planning and management structures to effecti...

Candace S. Friel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Health Care. Candace S., who practices law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Candace S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jennifer Van Zant focuses her practice on complex business litigation — the more complicated, the better. She represents businesses on a wide array of disputes before federal courts and the North Carolina Business Court, and works closely with clients to make paths toward resolution. Jennifer represents clients in a variety of complex business disputes, including numerous class action cases and LLC ownership disputes. She thrives in cases that involve complicated legal theories. She has...