Best Lawyers in North Carolina, United States for Labor and Employment Law - Management
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John D. Cole is a litigator with broad experience across the spectrum of employment law and labor law. For more than 20 years, John has represented employers of all sizes in cases throughout the eastern United States. He has handled numerous cases involving virtually all aspects of employment law before various federal courts, federal and state administrative agencies, and the state courts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. He has also handled employment arbitration cases before A...
Kevin Dalton is a partner in the firm’s Charlotte office. His practice focuses on counseling clients regarding employment issues and defending clients against claims alleging wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, breach of contract, and wage and hour violations. He has assisted companies in remaining non-union, including responding to unfair labor practice charges and advising employers during union representation campaigns. Before joining the firm, Kevin served as a Captain i...
Beth Langley has over 25 years of experience counseling employers of all sizes in an assortment of employment law issues. She has represented businesses in employment litigation in matters involving civil rights, non-competition agreements, and trade secret protection. Beth provides advice and counsel to employers on a variety of employment law issues, including workplace employment compliance, executive compensation, trade secret protection, and employment agreements, including non-competiti...
To his clients, Russ Sizemore is a problem solver. With a focus on employment law, Russ serves as an extended member of his clients’ human resources departments, providing legal counsel on a range of employment issues and litigating complex employment cases. A true partner, Russ invests the time to deeply understand his clients’ business models and corporate cultures. He appreciates that clients often face time-sensitive challenges and need an attorney they can turn to on short no...
Justin S. Coffey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Justin S., 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 Justin S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
William S. Cherry III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Employment Law - Management, Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Litigation - Real Estate. William S., 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 William S. is held by other top lawyers i...
D.J. O’Brien represents employers and individuals in business litigation, employment law, and government enforcement actions. He has deep experience in all levels of federal and state appellate and trial courts in North Carolina, including the N.C. Business Court. D.J. concentrates a significant part of his practice in high-stakes actions under the False Claims Act. D.J. represents businesses in a variety of employment-related litigation cases, including class and collective actions and...
Ann H. Smith is a Partner in the Raleigh/Durham office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Ms. Smith has practiced employment law since 1996 and has handled a wide variety of employment matters before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Ms. Smith has represented and advised Fortune 250 companies as well as governmental entities. Ms. Smith’s litigation experience includes general employment law disputes involving claims pursuant to the ADA, FMLA, FLSA, and Title VII. Ms. Smith has al...
Ken Carlson is a senior litigator who has successfully defended companies in virtually every aspect of employment law. He also has a strong practice in drafting employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, and noncompetition agreements, combined with a significant amount of work involving trade secret and noncompetition law. In addition to his litigation practice, Ken regularly advises employers on how to avoid problems before they occur, and helps companies protect their intellec...
Connie Elder Carrigan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Connie Elder, 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 Connie Elder is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Michael D. Mcknight is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Michael D., 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 Michael D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joshua R. Adams is a principal in the Charlotte, North Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He exclusively represents employers in a broad range of employment-related litigation in both federal and state courts, as well before administrative agencies. In addition to providing employers with advice and counsel, Josh focuses his litigation practice on collective/class action wage and hour litigation and complex, single-plaintiff wage disputes across the country. He regularly advises employers...
Brodie D. Erwin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Brodie D., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brodie D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kristine Marie Sims is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Kristine Marie, 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 Kristine Marie is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
J. Allen Thomas is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. J. Allen, 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 J. Allen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Nicola Prall is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Immigration Law and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Nicola, who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicola is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.