Lake Waccamaw Lawyers

Stephanie joined the Cary Estate Planning team in May of 2023 as an Estate Planning Lawyer. She spent a combined eight years as a solo estate planning practitioner and then pro bono attorney in Pittsboro, North Carolina. She believes in proactive planning at all stages of our lives and aims to provide client-centered service. Stephanie lived in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Ohio before attending Duke University in North Carolina, where she studied comparative religion. She relocated permanently to Chatham County after returning to Ohio briefly to study at Miami University. During law school at North Carolina Central University, Stephanie served as...

Mark is recognized for excellence by many peer rating organizations such as Best Lawyers in American and Super Lawyers. He is a former president of the Chief Justice Susie M. Sharp Inn of Court and the 2015 president of the 10th Judicial District which comprises all of Wake County including Raleigh and much of Research Triangle Park (RTP)

Attorney Steve Palme has devoted his practice exclusively to family law since 2005. The Palme Law Firm prides itself on the individual attention it offers to clients and their cases. Steve Palme has extensive experience both in and out of the courtroom and handles all aspects of family law, including: child custody, child support, interstate custody and support, alimony, equitable distribution, domestic violence, separation and prenuptial agreements, and alienation of affection and criminal conversation claims.

Our nationally recognized Raleigh law firm focuses on criminal defense, family law, and professional license defense. A small firm mentality allows us to provide personalized attention to each matter. Our philosophy of tireless devotion to our clients and uncompromising honesty has earned us the reputation as one of the go-to firms in the State. We counsel our clients through all aspects of the case, providing the individual attention necessary to achieve justice and return peace to your life.

Charles R. Ullman is Board Certified by the North Carolina State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization in Family Law. At the time of his certification he was one of less than 300 lawyers state-wide to achieve this distinction. He is also a member of the Wake County Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association and a member of the Christian Legal Society.

Roger W. Smith, Jr., was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and attended the Raleigh public schools. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of North Carolina in 1991. While at UNC he was inducted into the Order of Gimghoul.

After college, Mr. Smith moved to Wyoming where, during a period of about two years, he learned to hand-make rough white-pine furniture in the Western tradition. He returned to North Carolina and co-founded Appalachian Designs, a company through which he continued to manufacture and market this furniture.

In the fall of 1996, Mr. Smith entered the Norman A....

Fred Morelock received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1974 and his law degree from UNC in 1976. He then practiced as a trial attorney for ten years in the areas of criminal defense and family law litigation before being appointed to the bench. He joined Tharrington Smith in 2001.

In 1986, Mr. Morelock was appointed by Governor James G. Martin to a Wake County district court judgeship. He was reelected three times and served for fourteen years. In 1990, Mr. Morelock became the first judge in Wake County to become a Certified...

Hill Allen is a partner in the firm and handles a broad range of civil and criminal litigation. His practice areas and recent cases include:

white-collar criminal defense;
healthcare fraud;
False Claims Act and qui tam, or whistleblower, litigation;
wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury;
antitrust litigation;
administrative law;
aviation and workplace accidents;
class actions and other commercial litigation;
campaign finance and political corruption matters;
environmental crimes;
intellectual property litigation;
mortgage fraud;
securities fraud;
trade secret and non-compete litigation; and
criminal tax investigations.

Mr. Allen's clients have included a former Olympic Gold medalist; a former North Carolina Lieutenant Governor...

Marsha Comeau
A native of upstate New York, Dan Clark moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1979 and in 1985 graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He served first as a staff writer and then as an editorial board member on the North Carolina Law Review and upon graduation from UNC Law School in 1988 he joined Tharrington Smith.

Mr. Clark’s areas of practice include employment law, civil and business litigation, intellectual property law, and administrative law. He has counseled businesses and individuals, including legal, medical and other professional practices, individual executives, physicians, attorneys, scientists, engineers,...

Russell D. Babb was born in Wilson, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar and co-captain of the 1995 Carolina football team. A four-year starter as an offensive lineman for the Tar Heels, Mr. Babb was also the winner of the 1995 Jim Tatum Award, which is presented each year to the top Senior Scholar-Athlete in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

After college, Mr. Babb entered the University of North Carolina School of Law. During law school, he participated in the UNC Criminal Law Clinic and served...

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. 155 (1986);...

Andrea Bosquez-Porter is the founding member of Bosquez Porter Family Law, a boutique family law firm that provides exceptional and hands-on service to its clients. She is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist, a Certified Family Financial Mediator, and a Parenting Coordinator.

Ms. Bosquez-Porter is originally from San Antonio, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York and a Master of Business Administration degree from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Ms. Bosquez-Porter graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Ms. Bosquez-Porter is admitted to practice law...

Bevin W. Wall, Attorney at Law is a General Practice of Law emphasizing DWI, Traffic & Criminal Defense, Real Estate & Bankruptcy Law, and Wills & Estates. Located in Newport, North Carolina, the primary jurisdictions of practice are the District & Superior Courts of Carteret & Craven Counties, NC, including Beaufort, Morehead City, Newport, Havelock, New Bern, and the Crystal Coast Beach communities of Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Indian Beach and Emerald Isle. A Leader in the Legal Community, the goal of Bevin W. Wall, Attorney at Law is to provide quality legal services to his clients, in an...

Stuart Paynter is an experienced trial attorney who specializes in catastrophic personal injury cases and product liability. Mr. Paynter began his career at Sullivan & Cromwell, one of the country's top law firms, before starting in own law firm in 2005. Under his leadership, Paynter Law has obtained over $500 million in verdicts and settlements, including verdicts exceeding $100 million. Mr. Paynter fights to ensure that all his client have their day in court. Mr. Paynter has sued and won against Fortune 500 companies and other large corporate entities--including groundbreaking litigation against the NCAA that resulted in a $60 million...

Scott Montgomery is a N.C. Board Certified Specialist in Family Law, as certified by the North Carolina State Bar. Scott limits his practice exclusively to family law. His practice is focused on equitable distribution of marital property, child custody and support, alimony, as well as adoption and various other legal issues arising from separation and divorce. Scott was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and grew up in Cary. He attended Ravenscroft High School in Raleigh, class of 1999. He graduated with honors from Wake Forest University in 2003 with...

Attorney Rebecca Poole brings a powerful combination of skill, passion, and advanced training to the practice of law. Certified by both the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization and Center for Cooperative Parenting, Rebecca has established a reputation for excellence – and results – in the areas of mediation, arbitration, litigation, and the collaborative divorce process. She also assists the firm’s clients in developing comprehensive estate plans that ensure family members and financial affairs are protected and preserved. Over the course of her legal career, Rebecca has maintained an unwavering commitment to achieving client goals, even when faced with challenging...

Franchesco Fickey Martinez was born and raised in Eastern North Carolina, specifically Onslow County and its Surrounding Areas. After attending undergraduate school, graduate school, and law school, he wanted to return to his community and start his own practice. In 2015, Mr. Fickey Martinez opened his own practice, calling it Fickey Martinez Law Firm, P.L.L.C. Mr. Fickey Martinez strives to have his law firm be innovative and business oriented. To meet that end, Mr. Fickey Martinez believes that a law firm should be reasonably prices, mostly flat-fee based, and have a high regard for client-lawyer communication. ...

Opened law practice focusing primarily on bankruptcy and associated legal matters. The goal is to provide individuals and families the peace of mind when dealing with stressful and difficult decisions regarding their home and property. We strive to put the client first, helping to guide them down the legal process path. Caring and understanding is the basis for which we base our practice on.

North Carolina personal injury lawyer Brenton D. Adams has represented individuals against insurance companies since 1973. Mr. Adams is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocacy Forum. He has been selected as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in North Carolina by the American Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Adams has given lectures to trial lawyers at numerous seminars dealing with trial advocacy and trial practice issues. Among the trial lawyer organizations at which Mr. Adams has lectured are the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, The North Carolina Bar Association,...

Elizabeth focuses her practice on reuniting families and helping individuals reach their American dream. As an adoptive mom of four siblings, she understands the importance of keeping families together.

From 2006 until 2013, Elizabeth assisted an immigration attorney as a paralegal managing the processes for immigration matters including permanent resident/green card applications, petitions for family members, immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications, adjustment of status applications, and citizenship and naturalization. She realized that she wanted to take the lead and help people reach their American dream. It was at that time that she decided to enroll in law school.

In 2015, she graduated...

Michelle Dewkett-Kochhar found her passion for workers’ compensation law dabbling in personal injury, workers’ compensation, and criminal defense law after graduating from law school. Dewkett-Kochhar graduated from Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in 2019, and passed the North Carolina Bar Exam that same summer. A northerner at heart, Dewkett-Kochhar grew up in Rhinebeck, New York. She first moved to Raleigh to attend North Carolina State University, where she received a B.A. in International Studies and a minor in Spanish. While at law school, Dewkett-Kochhar served as a research assistant and interned with the Wake County Public Defender’s Office, a personal...

I spent seven years at the Hoke County District Attorney’s Office, where my primary focus was on prosecuting serious felony cases. These cases ranged from domestic violence and drug trafficking to felony assault, child sexual assault, child abuse, rape, and murder. I have a wealth of trial experience and have devoted my career to resolving high-conflict cases. My commitment, thorough preparation, and empathy are clearly reflected in my work. I am a native of Hoke County and maintain strong connections within my community. I graduated from Meredith College with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and obtained my Law Degree from Campbell...

With more than two decades of experience, Melinda Flinn has dedicated her legal career to family law within Cumberland County, North Carolina. Recognizing the emotional toll and strain associated with family law and divorce matters, Melinda is committed to offering her clients compassionate and pragmatic legal guidance. Employing a hands-on approach and drawing upon her comprehensive understanding of the local legal system, she tirelessly pursues her clients' interests in every case. Melinda places great importance on engaging her clients in their own legal journeys. She endeavors to provide them with a comprehensive overview of all potential outcomes, empowering them to make informed...

Patrick R. Anstead is one of the most sought after litigation attorneys in Southeastern North Carolina. Mr. Anstead prioritizes cases involving the violation of constitutional rights and catastrophic personal injury. If you have been charged with a crime, hurt on the job, or been a victim of police misconduct, call The Richardson Firm and ask for a free consultation with Patrick Anstead to protect your rights. Recent Outstanding Results: $60,000 for a woman falsely arrested by local police $400,000 for a disabled man assaulted by a personal care assistant $85,000 for a medical assistant assaulted by a physician $135,000 for family...

Concentrating in consumer and business Bankruptcy with over 25 years experience in the law. I limit the number of cases so that I know my clients and cases. Also experienced in tax issues, civil and criminal trials, both bench and jury, settlement, mediation, and all means to empower clients and produce a favorable result. My knowledge also includes contracts, adoptions, domestic matters, wills, estates, and most matters which may arise. Let me and my assistants tend to your matter. By practicing bankruptcy law I am a debt relief agency under federal law and proudly represent persons with debt problems.

Meet Matt Richardson, a distinguished partner at The Richardson Firm, renowned for his exceptional legal experience. Matt embarked on his legal journey by attending Campbell University's Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, following the completion of his undergraduate degree at the prestigious University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Since his admission to the North Carolina Bar in 2009, Matt has been an esteemed practitioner in southeastern North Carolina. Early in his career, Matt served as an Assistant District Attorney in Cumberland County, where he tirelessly prosecuted cases on behalf of the State of North Carolina for nearly two years. This...

Minick Law brings you more than an attorney. You get a defense team. Being charged with a crime in North Carolina is stressful, especially when you are trying to figure out where to start. I work hard to listen to and understand each of my client's situations to get them the information they need to make the right decisions about moving forward with their case and most importantly, get their life back on track. I am an attorney in Minick Law's Jacksonville office and have successfully completed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's course on DUI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety...

Whether you are going through a separation and divorce, have suffered personal injuries as a result of an auto accident, or have pending criminal charges or a traffic ticket or need a Will drawn up or you need a probate attorney to help administer an estate, Tim G. Fowler is available to help you get the results that you both want and need. Tim has over 21 years of experience helping clients just like you. He is a knowledgeable, skilled, and determined attorney with attorney's fees that are fair and reasonable. Just as importantly, he is also a good person...

I have been practicing bankruptcy law and consumer law for over twenty years. In addition to looking at the relief that bankruptcy can offer, I also look for claims to assert against creditors. I will pursue claims against creditors for violations of the Fair Debt Collections Act, the North Carolina debt collection statute, Truth in Lending and RESPA violations. I also pursue mortgage servicing abuses arising under Regulation X. I am a board certified specialist in consumer bankruptcy law. I am also a two-time graduate of Max Gardner's nationally featured "bankruptcy boot camp" and have...

Attorney Barbara I. Jones has a rich professional background, which includes not only legal practice but also writing, teaching, speaking, military service, and founding a Christian community theater organization. She brings decades of diverse life experience to her legal practice. She strives to be of service to her clients and community in every area of her life and sees her legal practice as a unique opportunity to be an advocate for those who might otherwise not have a voice in the judicial system. Ms. Jones understands that our legal system is a tool, and is only as good as the...

Jeannette has 11 years of experience working in the insurance industry in claims handling. She has represented both plaintiffs and defendants and is bilingual in Spanish and English.

The Law Office of John C. Fitzpatrick helps people through the following difficult times: Criminal Law – Our Durham attorney focusing will aggressively defend you from allegations of North Carolina criminal violations, ranging from traffic tickets for speeding or Driving While Impaired (DWI/DUI), to misdemeanors like shoplifting or domestic assault, to drug charges or white collar crime, and serious felonies, including homicide. Personal Injury – If you have been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, pain, and even your time lost from work. An injury from a car accident, trucking accident, bicycle accident...

Andres Tomey is a licensed attorney in North Carolina. Andres earned his Bachelor’s Degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2015 where he majored in Political Science. He went on to earn his JD from Campbell Law in 2020. While at Campbell Law School, Andres participated in the Hispanic Law Student Association, where he assisted with Naturalization events and also participated in the Campbell Community Law Clinic, where he assisted with expungements and other matters. Andres joined Matheson & Associates as an Associate Attorney in December 2020.

As an Associate Attorney in the Criminal Defense department,...

Ken Soo's areas of practice include public school law, employment law and civil litigation. Mr. Soo was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1991 and joined Tharrington Smith in 1994. Mr. Soo's first career was as a wire service and newspaper reporter in Ohio, North Carolina and Florida, including stints with United Press International and The Charlotte Observer. He received his law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1991. During law school, he was a note editor for the North Carolina Law Review. Mr. Soo completed his bachelor's...

Family law has been Elizabeth's passion for over 20 years. She enjoys learning her client’s story, as this allows her to dig deep to discover their goals and work with them to develop a winning strategy. That means sitting face to face, when possible, and sharing the pros and cons of their case. Family law cases are often times filled with bitter emotions and resentment, and Elizabeth won’t sugar coat it. She’s upfront and honest about the likely outcome. Every case has its good and bad, and her job is to put her client’s facts and circumstances in the best...

Randall Roden is a trial and appellate lawyer who began his career with the United States Department of Justice. During his more than six years with the Justice Department, he tried cases in federal courts throughout the Southeast. He now handles civil trials and appeals at all levels in the state and federal court systems in North Carolina, primarily representing individuals and businesses in intellectual property, contract and business ownership disputes. At Tharrington Smith, Mr. Roden has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants. He is listed in Best Lawyers In America®, 2013 & 2014 for distinction in intellectual property litigation....

Ashley is passionate about working with clients in construction, insurance coverage, and professional liability matters. Over the years, Ashley has cultivated a reputation of being known for her hands-on approach to her work with her clients. From working with North Carolina farmers at a pro bono office in Durham at the start of her career to crawling through a crawl space to understand a key issue in a construction case, or defending a salvage claim on a high-dollar vessel, Ashley’s priorities have always been to best serve those she represents in communities throughout the state. Complementing her hands-on approach, Ashley...

For over a decade, I have dedicated myself to the legal field, serving my clients with a steadfast dedication to justice and excellence. I am recognized for my ability to simplify complex legal issues into manageable actions, always with a focus on the individual needs and objectives of my clients. My commitment is to uphold the highest standards of legal excellence and client advocacy. My professional journey is marked by diversity and significant impact. I handle a broad range of legal matters, including high-stakes litigation and detailed legal negotiations, which highlight my strategic approach and meticulous attention to detail. My primary...