East Bend Lawyers

“I understand that this is more than just a case for my clients; it is their life and their family’s livelihood, and I take that very seriously.” Marcus Spake is known for aggressively representing his clients, and for ensuring that their best interests are protected at all times. During his career, Marcus has represented both injured workers and defendants in workers’ compensation claims, giving him a vast depth of knowledge of both sides of the law. He firmly believes that every injured person deserves competent and effective counsel and uses his experience to his client’s absolute advantage. Marcus Spake is a...

My main area of practice is Immigration Law. I am the son of Immigrants. However, I also, handle uncontested divorce, criminal defense for most misdemeanors, name changes and legitimation, personal injury and workers compensation.

Michelle Abbott is a Charlotte, NC criminal defense attorney. Michelle is licensed to practice law in North Carolina State Court and in Federal Court in the Western District of North Carolina. Her primary areas of practice are criminal defense and traffic. Michelle handles a broad range of misdemeanors and felonies, including, but not limited to: sex crimes, drug crimes, theft crimes, and violent crimes.


She works at Gilles Law, PLLC. Gilles Law client reviews can be read here: https://gilleslaw.com/client-testimonials/ Michelle believes in providing each client with thorough representation, zealous advocacy, and personalized services, tailored to each client's unique situation.

Mr. Thompson is a native Floridian having grown up in Fort Lauderdale. After graduating with honors from Fort Lauderdale Christian School, he was offered placement in the Honors Program at the University of Georgia. Following receipt of his undergraduate degree in Political Science, he remained in Athens and received his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. During that time he was also an officer in the Demosthenian Society in which he focused on oral argument and debate.

Prior to relocating to North Carolina, Mr. Thompson practiced a wide array of litigation in both Georgia and Florida, including...

Stephen M. Bennett is a partner at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, practicing in the Charlotte area. He focuses on General Civil Litigation, Business Law, Estate Planning, and Land Use/Zoning. He is well-versed in various legal issues businesses may encounter, including forming new business entities, drafting contracts, and handling business litigation.

Pamela Williams is a North Carolina native who worked as a paralegal before attending law school at the University of South Carolina. She now practices civil litigation, family law, personal injury, and appellate matters at Arnold & Smith, PLLC. She is licensed to practice law in North and South Carolina.

Alonzo McAlpine Alston, Esq. was born in Savannah, GA, is a loving and proud father, dedicated husband, and client-focused and service oriented attorney. Attorney Alston was born to entrepreneurial parents who were heavily involved in the civil rights movement, and is a product of their strong influential guidance to purpose his life and endeavors on social equality, cause-driven activism, and self-reliance with a focus on empowerment through community building. These values have also influenced his desire to espouse integrity, maintain ownership of his work-product, and develop clear communications. Attorney Alston said, "[O]ne of the primary reasons I became and attorney was...

Attorneys providing zealous legal representation with a thorough attention to detail. Our attorneys will not stop fighting to receive the best possible outcome in your case. Representing those in need of an attorney in all criminal defense matters in Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia, and Monroe, North Carolina. Whether you need legal representation in a speeding ticket or other traffic tickets, or if your need to consult with a lawyer in more serious criminal misdemeanors or felony(s), the Hatcher Law Office can assist you. We understand the serious nature of being charged with a criminal offense. We have impeccable experience and success...

Mr. Spain was admitted to the State Bar in 2013 and practiced as an estates and business law attorney prior to joining BHSPA in 2018. Jason focuses on Estate Planning and Probate law, helping clients plan for their family’s future and to assist clients in administering the estate of a loved one. He also is proficient in helping small business owners set up business succession plans that will allow their companies to be passed on to the next generation and help provide financial security for their families in the event of retirement, death, or disability. ...

Chris Hyland is an experienced personal injury lawyer and managing partner at Hyland, Padilla, & Fowler, PLLC. He is committed to protecting the rights of injury victims in Raleigh and Durham. Chris attended the College of Wooster for his undergraduate degree and earned his Juris Doctor from Campbell University School of Law. Active in the legal community, he is a current member and former Durham County Bar Association president. He is also a part of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, the Fourteenth Judicial District, the North Carolina Bar Association, and more. For his dedication and success, he was awarded...

Whether you have been charged with a traffic infraction or are being accused of a major felony, you need someone whose first concern is your best interests. With Brad K. Hodgins, Attorney at Law, you can rest assured that your case will be thoroughly reviewed. Our law offices in Wadesboro, North Carolina are conveniently located directly across the street from the courthouse. Brad knows that no case is minor if it is your case. You can count on Brad to handle your case with the personal attention you deserve. Feel free to to learn more about how Brad...

Sara Barlowe is an associate attorney at Bagwell Holt Smith where she practices in the Firm’s Family Law department. Sara joined the Firm in July of 2020 shortly after relocating to the Research Triangle area from Astoria, Queens with her family and their two cats. While in New York, Sara worked as an Assistant District Attorney with the Bronx District Attorney’s office where she focused primarily on domestic violence and special victims cases with the exception of a year-long stint in the office’s Special Investigations Division where she handled long-term wiretap investigations. Sara received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Benjamin...

Originally from Grand Haven, Michigan, Andrew Bullard attended the University of Michigan, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. He later attended Michigan State University College of Law and obtained his J.D. in 2010. Andrew Bullard primarily practices estate planning, estate administration, special needs law and guardianships at the firm. Andrew’s experience includes assisting individuals and families as they navigate the process of planning and administering estates and trusts. Additionally, he guides fiduciaries through their duties in the probate process and helps families plan for the care of loved ones with long-term special needs. Andrew takes...

My legal and business experiences enable me to offer clients a broad spectrum of professional services from the unique perspective of someone who is both an attorney and an entrepreneur.

Ellis Family Law, PLLC was founded in 2008 by board certified family law specialist Gray Ellis with the singular goal to provide the very best legal representation to North Carolinians facing challenging family law issues. Since that time, the firm has successfully represented hundreds of husbands, wives, children, grandparents, and other family members in courts across the state. Our work has not gone unnoticed as the firm has earned awards from both national and local organizations such as Super Lawyers, Martindale Hubbel, North Carolina’s Legal Elite, NC Lawyer's Weekly Power List, NC leader's in the Law, and the...

People turn to an attorney when they need help dealing with a problem that has become too large for them to handle on their own. Every day, I see clients in difficult situations they did not create, dealing with pain they didn’t have before, trying to pay for medical expenses they can’t afford. And all the while, a large corporation or auto insurance company is trying to minimize what the victim is going through.

As an attorney licensed in North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., Brad represents personal injury clients in cases throughout the Mid-Atlantic States. He began his legal career...

I am licensed to practice law in North Carolina, South Carolina & Tennessee. I am an attorney with McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC, where my areas of practice include real property (including loss mitigation and foreclosure defense) and business law. I received a Juris Doctor from Campbell University School of Law and a Master of Business Administration from Campbell University Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, as part of the joint JD/MBA program. I attended North Carolina State University and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology. Currently, I am pursuing an LL.M. (Master of Laws) postgraduate law degree in...

Navigating the legal process, whether civil or criminal, can be daunting and uncertain. Dmitriy Panchenko recognizes these challenges and places a strong emphasis on maintaining open, prompt communication with his clients, providing step-by-step guidance to ease their concerns. He firmly believes that every case deserves a thorough defense and that each client is entitled to unwavering dedication and personal attention. Dmitriy’s academic journey began at UNC Charlotte, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Finance. He went on to earn his law degree Cum Laude from the Charlotte School of Law, finishing in the top 10% of his...

Attorney Michael Litrenta brings the unique experience of working for years as both a prosecutor and then as a defense attorney. He has worked in multiple different state and federal courts on a variety of different matters.

Bringing extensive courtroom experience to Litrenta Law, Michael knows the best offense is always a good defense. He is a dedicated advocate for his clients and has won Avvo’s Client’s Choice Award. Attorney Litrenta is committed to listening and understanding each of his client’s needs and is determined to secure the best outcome possible.

Attorney Litrenta began his career as a prosecutor before he transitioned...

I am a Board Certified Specialist in Immigration Law. I am fluent in Spanish. I assist families, businesses, and individuals in finding solutions to their immigration problems.

Barri Hilton Payne was born in High Point, North Carolina and grew up in Davidson County. She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she majored in Religious studies and Sociology. Barri practiced for the last twelve years as a founding partner in the firm Brock, Payne & Meece, P.A. before opening her own solo law and mediation practice in 2013. Barri was involved with the Holderness Moot Court while in law school at UNC and earned her law degree in 1999. She has practiced in Durham, North Carolina since that time and concentrates her practice on...

John Alan Jones is the founding member and managing partner of Martin & Jones, where he has worked since he began practicing law in 1982. John Alan handles both trial and appellate work in state and federal courts throughout North Carolina and around the U.S. He heads the firm's medical malpractice group, which is comprised of three attorneys and seven staff members. John Alan dedicates a large percentage of his practice to representing individuals catastrophically injured by medical negligence, defective pharmaceuticals, toxic substances or other negligence. He also devotes a significant amount of his work time to consumer...

Shelia Huggins is a North Carolina licensed attorney with almost 20 years of experience in working with businesses in a variety of capacities. Her extensive experience includes business formation, contracts, government relations, entertainment law, and social media. She also has a YouTube channel with free information about contracts, legal issues, and scams and frauds. Her YouTube channel has over 500 videos available to the public. You can view it at https://www/youtube.com/mslegalista. Shelia is a former adjunct professor at North Carolina Central University where she taught Entertainment and Business Law, and she has spoken at numerous events including the Long Leaf Pine Film...

I practice personal injury law focusing primarily on motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, trucking accidents, construction accidents, and slip and falls. After many years of representing injured clients, I have have a unique understanding of the difficulties and stresses an accident and injury can place on a person's life. I am very passionate about helping my clients through these difficult times and I fight to ensure all of my clients are fairly compensated for their losses. My goal is to provide all of my clients with a boutique law firm experience - I purposefully keep my client list low so...

Mr. Jacob Goad is a workers’ compensation and personal injury attorney with Law Office of Jacob Goad, PLLC. Mr. Goad graduated from the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill where he majored in Spanish and minored in Social and Economic Justice. At UNC, Mr. Goad earned membership in Sigma Delta Pi, a Hispanic Collegiate Honor Society. After earning his undergraduate degree, Mr. Goad lived and worked in Peru, where he got involved with environmental advocacy and also coordinated international delegations. He accompanied CNN producers and Dr. Sanjay Gupta to the town of La Oroya where Mr. Goad introduced Dr. Gupta...

Matthew Burkert was raised in Durham, North Carolina, and still resides in the same area he grew up in. He is a graduate of East Carolina University, where he received a bachelor’s degree majoring in Criminal Justice in 2008. Matt then attended North Carolina Central University School of Law, earning his Juris Doctor degree in 2012. He passed the North Carolina Bar Exam in February, 2013, becoming a licensed attorney in the State. Matt joined the Constantinou Law Group, PA as a law clerk while in law school in 2010. He remained at the firm after passing the bar, becoming...

Billie Guthrie has spent more than 20 years working with people experiencing challenging life situations and fighting for social justice, first as a social worker and later as an attorney. Billie, who has a master’s degree in social work from the University of North Carolina, worked in the mental health field as an administrator and social worker. One of her primary roles was as a policy advocate, fighting for legal and systemic changes to improve outcomes for disabled adults and people dealing with persistent mental health issues and homelessness. As an attorney, Billie helps her clients navigate the complicated and often frustrating...

Mike has been practicing law with Martin & Jones for more than 20 years and his practice focuses on representing individuals suffering from asbestos-related diseases including malignant mesothelioma, asbestos related lung cancer and asbestosis. His clients include workers who were occupationally exposed to asbestos in industrial settings such as power plants, chemical plants, railroads, shipyards, paper mills and other manufacturing facilities. Mike has represented clients from states all over the United States as well as from various provinces in Canada.

Attorney Peace is a managing partner at the Law Office of Peace & Squires, PLLC practicing in the areas of Business, Contracts, and Personal Injury Law. Attorney Peace has worked extensively negotiating North American and International contracts, and has used her notable negotiations skills to effectuate first-rate results for her clients.

Attorney Peace earned her Juris Doctor degree from North Carolina Central University in 2008, her Master of Business Administration, Cum Laude, from North Carolina Central University in 2004, and her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, Magna Cum Laude, from North Carolina Central University in 2002. While attending North Carolina...

Kara Goodman is a dedicated, experienced, and compassionate lawyer who practices in the area of family law. As a child of parents that divorced before she was 10 years of age, Kara developed a passion for family law at an early age. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology. Kara ultimately settled in Charlotte, North Carolina where she obtained her Juris Doctorate and began her legal career. Kara spent her first two years of practice with a small law firm in Concord, North Carolina, spending...

Forest has been practicing law for more than twenty-five years. He spent the first six years of his career as a partner with a large “defense” law firm mainly defending large corporations in civil lawsuits. Seeing the inequalities that existed in the justice system between wealthy and powerful companies and regular people, Forest was motivated to change his law practice, join Martin & Jones and help level the playing field for ordinary, hard-working men and women and their families.

Steven maintains a varied practice focusing on representing workers who have been injured on the job and people who have been injured due to the negligence of others. His practice also includes representing consumers who have been harmed by unfair or deceptive business practices.

Steven started his legal career with the office of the North Carolina Attorney General, where he worked primarily defending the state of North Carolina in workers’ compensation cases, before deciding to join Martin & Jones out of a desire to help real people who have been injured or harmed. Steven understands how difficult it is for people...

Attorney J. Wallace Pierce was born in the Republic of South Africa. In the course of his tenure as a scholar, he spent much of his time studying, exploring and grasping the complexity that surrounds South Africa's race relations. In early 2001, Attorney Wallace Pierce relocated to Durham, North Carolina with his family. Attorney J. Wallace Pierce acquired his Bachelors in History, Concentration in African American History, from North Carolina Central University in 2006. Attorney Pierce finished this four yearlong program in only three years. His determination and enthusiasm to furthering his involvement in the local community grew as...

John A. Price has over four decades of legal experience, including first chair trial experience on a variety of complex business and commercial litigation matters with special emphasis on the areas of antitrust and unfair/deceptive trade practices, business torts, securities fraud, intellectual property, minority shareholder, regulatory, products liability, environmental, and a wide spectrum of business disputes. He is ranked AV Preeminent with 5 out of 5 for legal ability and ethics by Martindale-Hubbell in a peer-reviewed rating. He is certified in civil litigation by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, licensed to practice law in Kansas, Texas and...

Karina Herhusky is a dedicated professional who strives to provide the best legal representation for her clients. She believes that empathizing with clients is the key to successful representation. Karina understands the importance of keeping clients informed throughout every step of the process.

An immigrant herself, Karina understands a client’s perspective, including the challenges they face to legalize their status and other issues that may have an impact on their legal status. As a wife and mother, Karina empathizes with families who may be facing the threat of separation due to their immigration status. She fiercely advocates on behalf of...

The unknown is a scary place for any individual, especially for a person whose family is undergoing a significant transition through divorce, a child custody dispute, a domestic violence situation, or even a hopeful adoption. Although I cannot tell you exactly what course your situation will take, I can help you navigate the legal system while addressing each concern and question. I strive to educate my clients about the law so they can make informed decisions about what is most precious in their lives. Whether you are a business owner employing multiple individuals and supplying income for even...

Ben Hefferon is a highly rated divorce and family law attorney with extensive experience in handling cases related to divorce, equitable distribution, child custody, visitation, and spousal support. A graduate of North Carolina Central School of Law with High Honors, Ben is committed to achieving favorable outcomes for his clients through both court proceedings and negotiations. His dedication to the field and his ability to navigate complex family law issues make him a valuable advocate for those he represents.

I serve as the managing attorney at Maginnis Howard, a civil litigation firm based in Raleigh, NC, in Wake County. Our firm is unique in that we represent both plaintiffs and defendants in legal disputes. On the plaintiff side, my work primarily involves consumer class actions and business litigation. I previously held the position of chair for the Consumer Areas of Practice at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice. Our firm handles consumer cases on a contingency basis, covering issues under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and related...

Corey Noland, a native of Union County, North Carolina is a dedicated family law attorney with a focus on cases such as divorce, child custody, and prenuptial agreements. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the University of North Carolina School of Law with honors. Mr. Noland primarily handles cases in Union County, Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus County, Gaston County, and Iredell County, and is committed to guiding clients through the challenging process of domestic litigation.