William J. "Bill" Thomas II

Bettie Kelley Sousa is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law. Bettie Kelley, 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 Bettie Kelley is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Melissa Hill is a native of Asheville, North Carolina. She received her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1984. She also attended law school at UNC, where she was admitted to the Order of the Coif, was on the North Carolina Law Review and received her J.D. with honors in 1987. Ms. Hill is the author of Tennessee v. Garner - The Use of Deadly Force to Arrest as an Unreasonable Search and Seizure, 65 N.C.L. Rev. ...

Clay C. Wheeler is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Securities. Clay C., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Clay C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Lynn Montgomery is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Lynn, who practices law in Cary, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lynn is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David Coats is the firm's co-managing partner and senior litigation partner. He has been recognized by and peer selected for each of the past 14 years for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America ; Business North Carolina Magazine's Legal Elite ; and North Carolina Super Lawyers - and in a variety of areas including litigation, construction law, and insurance law. Since 1996, Martindale Hubbell has recognized David with its prestigious "AV" peer rating. In 2021 (as well as in 2019 and 2020), ...

Douglas Noreen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Douglas, 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 Douglas is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

T. Shawn Howard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. T. Shawn, 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 T. Shawn is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Lori’s practice is principally focused on workers’ compensation litigation. She advises and defends employers and insurers in the manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, hospitality and retail industries throughout all stages of litigation before the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Lori handles complex workers’ compensation issues and strives to provide efficient and effective resolutions for her clients, whether that means negotiating with the other side or taking ...

Steve Long leads the firm's Tax and Employee Benefits practice. He has extensive experience working with employers in banking, retail, and technology to establish and maintain retirement plans, executive compensation agreements, stock incentive plans and other employee benefits. Steve also advises charities and other tax-exempt organizations regarding their IRC 403(b) and IRC 457 retirement plans, as well as issues related to compliance with Internal Revenue Service and state regulations conc...

“Charlie was the ultimate service provider. He is vastly experienced and had a great understanding of our issues. He was the best to deal with in every way.” – Client quote in Chambers USA Charlie Mercer focuses his practice on state and local tax controversies (SALT), including property tax, sales and use tax, and corporate and individual income tax. Charlie has extensive experience representing taxpayers in real property and business personal property tax appeals across No...