Tory I. Summey

Jeff Brown is a member within Moore & Van Allen's Commercial Real Estate group. He focuses his practice on the representation of investors and developers in an array of real estate-related transactions and ventures. Jeff represents and serves as counsel to his clients in a comprehensive range of real estate-related matters, from financing, acquisitions and dispositions, joint venture and real estate investment structuring, and development, including complex land use, entitlement and publi...

A member of the firm’s Financial Services group, Jim Hovis brings years of sophisticated, high-level experience to his finance and capital markets practice. For the majority of his career he managed the Financial Services group and served on the firm’s Management Committee from 1989 through 2015. He regularly represents national and regional financial institutions in complex financing transactions, including: Acquisition and leveraged buyout financing Subordinated debt facilities ...

Bailey King is a litigation partner and trial attorney with over a decade of experience representing businesses in the areas of intellectual property, trade secrets, securities fraud, and other complex commercial disputes. He has tried numerous cases, including bet-the-company matters, to verdict. Recognizing that businesses often prefer to avoid trial, Bailey also uses his trial experience to counsel clients on litigation avoidance strategies and to negotiate favorable settlements prior to t...

Lauren Biek is a member in the Financial Services group. She has extensive experience representing financial institutions in domestic and cross-border financing transactions. Lauren’s practice primarily focuses on representing commercial and investment banks in leveraged lending transactions, including acquisition financings, recapitalizations, ESOP financings and other secured and unsecured lending transactions. She has experience in a wide variety of industries, including transportati...

J. René Toadvine maintains a nationwide practice that focuses on representing management in all facets of employee benefits matters, including: Employee benefits tax issues The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and benefits planning Executive compensation Employee benefits in mergers and acquisitions Bank finance and ERISA issues in securitizations René designs and drafts all types of employee benefits and executive compensation plans with adherence to compliance r...

Ed O’Keefe advises and represents financial institutions. From strategy to tactics and logistics, Ed’s experience includes investigations, litigation, regulatory compliance, governance, cybersecurity, compensation, and risk management. He also advises on law department management, including effective legal engagement with regulators and control functions. Ed is the former Global General Counsel of Bank of America Corporation. Having also headed or served as a senior executive with...

Matt Plyler works with lending institutions to achieve practical, business-oriented solutions in secured and unsecured financing transactions across a broad range of industries, including transportation, consumer retail, manufacturing, automotive, utilities, chemicals, agriculture and technology. Matt regularly represents lead arrangers, lenders and agent banks in syndicated credit facilities, club deals and single-bank financings used to finance strategic acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, rec...

Sonya Pfeiffer is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Civil Rights Law, Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Sonya practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina Best Lawyers has recognized Sonya Pfeiffer since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Sonya Pfeiffer is held by other lawyers.

Paul M. Hattenhauer, a partner with Culp Elliott & Carpenter, P.L.L.C., is chair of the firm’s Estate Planning practice group. Mr. Hattenhauer’s practice is focused on providing tax, business, asset protection and estate planning advice for individuals, closely held business owners and fiduciaries. He provides counsel in sophisticated estate tax reduction strategies, and advises clients on strategies to arrange their affairs to pay the least amount of tax. He is experienced in...

For nearly 20 years, Kimberly Kirk has provided practical, informed, and responsive counsel to health care providers throughout the region and nationally. Her goal in providing counsel and advice is to develop solutions that protect clients’ interests and advance their business goals while meeting regulatory requirements. Kimberly works on significant regulatory and transactional matters involving health care-related companies. Her practice includes advising clients on: Transactional ma...