New Bern Lawyers

Mark Morris was voted Best Attorney of Rutherford County, North Carolina by the Rutherford County Daily Courier Readers Poll for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. He practices family law, automobile accidents, criminal law and civil litigation in Rutherford, Polk, Cleveland, and McDowell Counties of North Carolina. Mark has also won the Clients Choice Award through Avvo. He fights for his clients' rights to obtain the best results possible.

Christopher D. Lane has been practicing law in North Carolina since 1994.

He received hs Bachelor of Arts degree, Summa Cum Laude, from Albion College in 1986.

He is a Cum Laude graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law, where he also received an MBA degree.

Mr. Lane is admitted to practice in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Western, Middle and Eastern District Federal Courts of North Carolina, as well as the State Courts of North Carolina.

Mr. Lane has extensive experience in Debtor / Creditor law.

His practice areas include debt counsel, debt settlement, bankruptcy, and the...

I am Larry J. Ford, an attorney with 49 years of experience, providing legal services to business owners, families, individuals, and retired persons. My areas of practice include Asset Protection Planning, Business Planning, Corporations, Charitable Trusts, Estate Planning, Federal Tax Planning, Family Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, Living Trusts, Medicaid Planning, Real Estate, and Wills and Estates. I began my legal career in the Asheville/Hendersonville area, then transitioned to the corporate business and legal sectors in Charlotte, NC, before moving back to Hayesville in 1991. While in Charlotte, I held positions as Vice-President/Legal Counsel at two different title insurance companies and...

Tim joined the Law Office of Nathan Earwood in 2021 and practices immigration, family law, and estate administration. He prides himself on zealously advocating for his clients and not backing down from a scrap. Tim seamlessly weaves through the nuances of immigration law and the complexities of family affairs. Tim lives in Canton with his wife Kelly and their three dogs: Bean, Leela, and Zapp.

Tyler Stull is an associate in the firm’s Brevard office, where he focuses his practice on commercial litigation, class action litigation and business torts. In addition, Mr. Stull handles labor and employment disputes on behalf of both individuals and businesses.

Mr. Stull began his career in 2013, where he worked for boutique firms handling commercial and employment litigation. Mr. Stull has served as lead counsel in both trials and arbitrations, and has broad experience in both the State and Federal Courts. Mr. Stull has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for the years 2016-2018.

Awards/Recognitions

Selected as Florida Super Lawyers® “Rising...

Melody J. King is an experienced litigator and negotiator in Family Law where she focuses her practice on child custody and child support, spousal support, equitable distribution (property division), and divorce. In addition to litigation, Melody has significant experience in the drafting of premarital and postmarital agreements, as well as Separation and Property Settlement Agreements. Coming from a large law firm, Melody decided to open her own firm exclusively practicing in the area of family law. Melody works closely with clients to determine their specific needs and goals and to make difficult family law cases manageable for her clients, with...

My practice focuses on the representation of individuals and families dealing with the aftermath of severe injury and loss, including death. I have extensive experience with complex medical issues in personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Our firm consists of four experienced trial lawyers and a remarkably talented and devoted support staff.

A general law practice focusing on estate planning and elder law, veterans benefits, corporate planning, and issues affecting families. In addition to extensive litigation experience, Heidi is also an experienced mediator and collaborative law attorney. She focuses on helping clients resolve disputes amicably and provides mediation services to lawyers and private individuals.

BIOGRAPHY
Susan earned a B.A. in Psychology at Southern Methodist Universtiy in Dallas, Texas and went on to attend Loyola University New Orleans, School of Law, graduating in the top of her 2003 law school class. Susan began her legal training during law school working as a law clerk in the civil insurance defense and criminal practice areas.

Following licensure by the Louisiana State Bar in 2003, she began a private law practice in New Orleans where she focused exclusively on Criminal Law. She has gained extensive trial experience working for over 15 years as a litigator the private and public...

Susan Waller Ramos is a graduate of Emory University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Spanish, and St. Mary’s University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Texas, and New Mexico (currently inactive), and began practicing immigration law in 2003. Ms. Ramos is fluent in Spanish and assists individuals, families, and employers in connection with assessing available U.S. immigration options. Ms. Ramos’ practice includes preparing and filing individual, family-based, and employment-based petitions, immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applications, and waivers of inadmissibility. She assists with complex consular processing...

I have served as General Counsel to a Fortune 500 Company, Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc., and have practiced in both large and medium size law firms. I have also worked for and with State and Federal agencies in regulatory matters and litigation. As the in-house General Counsel for Carnival Cruise Lines, during its explosive growth period, I developed considerable expertise in all facets of corporate governance and management, including intellectual property, securities, anti-trust issues and every imaginable type of litigation and contractual matter. During this period major events, coordinated and directed through my Office, included Carnival's Initial Public Offering; the...

Mr. Teague is general practice attorney and a graduate of Appalachian State University and Wake Forest University School of Law. Mr. Teague is originally from Boone, North Carolina and returned to Boone to practice in 2007. Mr. Teague believes strongly in a commitment to personal service when handling his clients legal issues.

Jonathan is a registered patent attorney (USPTO #44,764) and concentrates his practice on patent preparation and prosecution, patentability and freedom to practice analysis, and licensing. Examples of technologies Jonathan has worked with include gas turbine engines and related technologies, medical products, computer software, consumer products, electrical equipment, piping and valving, and aircraft seating.

Paul J. Ditz has been practicing law in Cleveland County, NC and surrounding counties for nearly 20 years. He has extensive experience in both criminal and civil courts having tried dozens of cases during that time. As a former prosecutor, he possesses the insight necessary to prepare and present your case successfully and to help you get the best result under the law.

Attorney Brandon Jaynes is the managing partner and owner of Archonix Law, primarily working in the areas of estate planning (wills, trusts, probate, etc.) and business law . Brandon received a Bachelors of Computer Science and a Bachelors of Mathematics from Gardner-Webb University in 2003 where he graduated magna cum laude. While at Gardner-Webb, Brandon was President of both the SIGMA Math Association and the Association for Computing Machinery, Gardner-Webb chapters. In 2006, he was awarded a full scholarship to attend Campbell University’s Norman A. Wiggins School of Law, graduating cum laude with his Juris Doctor degree in 2009. While in...

I am a North Carolina native who was born in Marion, but grew up in Rutherfordton. While I was truly blessed to be raised in a loving, caring, and stable home, I realized at a young age that not everyone had that opportunity and always had a heart to help my friends who were hurting. Upon graduating high school, I began working with my father who has a real estate office in Bat Cave, North Carolina, while at the same time, attending Gardner-Webb University. I was seeking what direction to go with my career. At the...

Regina R. Gillespie was born near Boston, Massachusetts in 1958 and was raised in South Florida, moving to Florida before she started elementary school. During her early career, she was a paralegal, a mortgage banker, and the manager of a title insurance company. Regina was thirty-three years old when she began her first year at Wake Forest School of Law. Highlights of her Law School accomplishments include winning her first year Moot Court competition, competing in Chicago and New York Moot Court competitions, and membership in The Order of Barristers. Regina graduated from Wake Law in 1993, a single mother...

Jason is a 1993 graduate of Oak Ridge Military Academy. From there, he attended The Citadel, the military college of South Carolina. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in business administration in 1997. Jason attended Cumberland School of Law, at Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama where he received his Juris Doctorate in 2000. He has been a member of the North Carolina State Bar since 2001. Jason has practiced law full time in the Iredell County and surrounding areas since 2001 and joined the firm of Gottholm, Ralston and Benton, PLLC in 2014. Jason practices primarily in...

Martin is a partner at Gottholm, Ralston and Benton, PLLC. In almost 20 years of practicing law, his experience includes roles as an assistant District Attorney and District Court Judge. Martin practices primarily in the area of criminal defense. He has represented clients on charges ranging from speeding tickets to first degree murder. Having been a former Judge and Prosecutor has brought Martin a varied perspective and wealth of experience as a criminal defense Attorney. That experience is both recognized by his peers and appreciated by his clients. You will find no one more zealous and committed to advocating on...

Born in Shelby, NC July 18, 1978. I grew up in Kings Mountain, NC. Appalachian State University, 2002; University of South Carolina School of Law, 2008. Member: North Carolina Bar Association; Iredell County Bar Association Bio: I taught US History for three years at Hunter Huss High School in Gastonia North Carolina. During my time as a teacher, I also coached the boys and girls soccer teams and participated in other school activities. I am an avid Appalachian State football fan and enjoy traveling to Boone, NC for the games. ...

Since 2010, I have dedicated my practice to securing favorable outcomes for both individuals and businesses grappling with challenging tax issues. Resolving IRS tax problems is my sole focus. Certified as a Tax Resolution Specialist by the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers, I possess the necessary experience to tackle your tax concerns effectively. Don't put off resolving your tax problem; it only gets worse.

Matthew Damon Byerley was born and raised in Alexander County, graduating from Alexander Central High School in 2003. Matthew is a 2007 graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. He obtained his law degree from Elon University School of Law in 2011. While at Elon Law, Matthew concentrated his studies in general practice and litigation. He became a licensed attorney in North Carolina in August 2011, and has been practicing in Alexander and the surrounding counties since that time. Matthew and his wife, Catherine, also an attorney, reside in Conover, North...

Mike Godley has practiced family law in Mooresville, North Carolina for 31 years. Family law deals with issues concerning the break up of a marriage such as divorce, custody of children, child support, spousal support and division of property. Family law also involves issues prior to marriage such as prenuptial agreements and issues after marriage such as separation agreements.

Mike serves his clients as an educator, adviser and advocate through the legal system, which can often be very confusing, frustrating, and time-consuming without a guide to help through the process.

Mike Godley is also a mediator who helps parties and their...

Vicki Webb is a native of North Carolina. She graduated from NC State University with a B.S. in Statistics. Knowing she wanted to work with people more than numbers and with a desire to make a difference in the world, she chose to pursue law. She saw a chance to broaden her horizons and view of the world when she was accepted to California Western School of Law in San Diego.

During law school, Vicki founded the Family Law Society at CWSL. She was chosen to participate in the year long Child Abuse Interdisciplinary Program, an intense...

Attorney Darrin Gamradt is a Concord criminal defense lawyer who focuses his practice on DUI charges, as well as cases involving juvenile crimes, drug crimes, theft crime, white collar crimes, and more. Beyond his criminal practice, he is also able to help injured workers who are dealing with workers’ compensation claims. As a Minnesota native, Darrin first attended high school at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, where he was proud to win both a state and national championship as a member of the debate team. Following graduation, he earned a presidential scholarship and moved to Winston-Salem, NC...

Now at a new law firm, I continue working with families to develop estate planning documents to provide peace of mind, and also help families with estate administration (probate) after a loved one has passed. I also have a wealth of experience with guardianships, having served as a Guardian ad Litem for Wake County guardianship hearings for over six years. I welcome the opportunity to assist my clients with the difficult process of having a guardian appointed for their loved one. An exciting new area of practice is surplus funds, where we help clients recapture funds resulting from foreclosure of real...

Attorney Val Cesanelli handles family law cases for our firm, with a focus on child custody cases and matters arising out of the process of separation and divorce, such as separation agreements and questions of spousal and child support. Val also handles other family related cases, such as paternity actions, legitimations, name changes and changes in birth certificates, as well as provides drafting services of powers of attorneys and simple wills.

Val is as much a litigator as she is a counselor at law for her clients. As a mother of three children and three stepchildren, Val is both professionally and...

Having practiced at both an international law firm and as in-house counsel at a large publicly traded company, Rich McAvoy has a history of providing superior litigation and other legal services to some of the most discerning clients. By engaging the Law Office of Richard McAvoy, PLLC, you or your business can receive the same quality representation that the world's largest corporations receive, but at a fraction of the cost, right here in Apex, North Carolina.

Relevant Experience
-Represented Fortune 50 client in state and federal court litigation at both the trial court and appellate court level
-Negotiated $70 million investment in...

I grew up Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where I lived most of my life. I moved to North Carolina to be closer to family and have lived here 13 years. In 2009, I began private practice concentrating in the areas of debt resolution/negotiation, estate planning and probate.

Jackie Bedard’s estate and long term care planning practice is focused on guiding clients through the complicated, often confusing, maze of balancing family protection, long-term care planning, wealth preservation, and cherished family values in the planning process.

Jackie determined early on that traditional estate planning has primarily focused on what happens upon death, but a far more pressing concern for many families today is—what happens if you don’t die suddenly, but instead need long term care for several months or years? A comprehensive estate and long term care plan should address both of these concerns.

Jackie is a member of WealthCounsel...

Shaunis Mercer co-owns Peaceful Law with her husband, where together they champion amicable resolutions in family law and comprehensive estate planning. With nearly two decades of legal expertise, Shaunis is passionate about helping her clients achieve clear and peaceful agreements—be it prenuptial, separation, or custody—that protect and honor their family. Her holistic approach to estate planning ensures that her clients' legacies reflect their values and aspirations for generations to come. In addition to her role at Peaceful Law, Shaunis is a respected consultant for other law firm owners. She shares her insights on business growth, client relations, and the delivery of...

I'm Bill Ramos, a husband, father, grandfather, disabled USMC vet, small business owner, and attorney. I understand the need to protect those we love. As a husband, father, and grandfather, I understand how important it is to protect and provide for those we love. As a disabled Marine Corp veteran, I understand how the unexpected can happen in an instant, and change your life forever. As an attorney, I apply all I've learned personally and professionally to serve the needs of my clients. In all these ways, I've been there, I understand.