Pender County Lawyers

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...

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...

Christian has always had a passion for protecting the rights and interests of those seeking justice. While injured clients are now the focus of his personal injury and social security disability practice, Christian was previously an immigration attorney and he was an Asylum Officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In those capacities, he adjudicated refugee claims for people fleeing their home countries as the result of brutal violence and persecution.

Christian understands that bad things happen to good people. He knows that when people become injured because of the negligence of others, they need an attorney who knows how...

Erin November is a Associate Attorney, primarily at the Columbus, North Carolina office. Erin’s practice area is mainly focused on Family Law. She is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina. Erin graduated from Wingate University, with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. She graduated from Campbell Law School, receiving her Juris Doctors. While attending law school, Erin was the social media coordinator and founding member of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association.

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...

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.

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.

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...

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.

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...

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...

With more than fifteen years of litigation experience, Caleb brings a broad base of legal knowledge to every single client encounter. Representative clients during that time include individuals, families, small businesses, and even large national corporations. Caleb integrates his keen understanding of human interactions with the complexities of legal matters to ensure effective and equitable results.

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. ...

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...

Mr. Anderson has been a practicing attorney for over twelve years and has represented individuals and corporations in complex, high stakes legal matters throughout his career. He received his law degree, with honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After law school, Mr. Anderson honed his legal skills at two of the largest and most prestigious law firms in Atlanta and Charlotte. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Virginia Military Institute and also has a Masters in Business Administration from Old Dominion University. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Anderson served the United States...

The Law Firm of Atiya Clark serves clients in Guilford, Alamance, Randolph, Rockingham, Forsyth, Davidson, Chatham, Caswell, and Orange County. Attorney Atiya Clark focuses on traffic tickets, DWI/DUI, misdemeanors, felonies, expungements, driver's license restoration, and legal name change.

Kevin opened his own firm in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in early 2014. Prior to that, he practiced for 17 years at other firms where he handled all manner of catastrophic injury cases, business disputes and insurance defense. 
Kevin currently handles all types of injury cases, including tractor trailer collisions, other motor vehicle accidents and medical malpractice cases. In addition, Kevin represents businesses that need a seasoned courtroom litigator to handle contract disputes, employment agreement disputes, shareholder disputes, and business torts, like fraud and misrepresentation. 
Kevin is active in a variety of professional organizations including the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and the American Association for Justice.  He is a member...

Adam focuses primarily on business/corporate and construction law. As at partner of Felton Banks, PLLC, Adam understands the importance of quality, affordable legal advice. Felton Banks is structured to be the first stop for a small business's legal needs. In 2011, Adam, a lifelong North Carolinian, joined the North Carolina National Guard. He spent a short time as an engineering officer, and was then selected to serve as a North Carolina National Guard Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, focusing specifically on soldier defense.

The Law Office of Cheryl R. Watkins is a boutique estate law practice serving all 100 counties of North Carolina representing individuals, families, and small businesses in the provision of advice, counsel, and results in the following areas of law:

- Estate Administration (Probate Law)
- Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, etc.)
- Business Succession Planning
- Wrongful Death

Attorney Cheryl R. Watkins of The Law Office of Cheryl R. Watkins has a practice concentration in Estate Planning and Probate and has worked in those fields for over 20 years as a former CPA, auditor, Assistant Clerk,...

Ava Lynch was born in Boone, North Carolina. In 2001, her family moved to Cary, North Carolina. Ava obtained her undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and her Law Degree from Campbell University. In August 2017, after a six-year courtship, Ava married her husband, Colby G. Lynch. They live with their two dogs, Dixie and Sophie, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Ava Lynch, Attorney at Law handles The Bishop Law Firm’s personal injury and worker’s compensation clients. She has appeared before Superior Court Judges in Wake County, Harnett County, Cumberland County, and Pender County. She also has experience in Federal Court....

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...

Mr. Whiteman has represented clients in civil lawsuits and arbitrations for over three decades. The main focus of his practice is the representation of individuals in disputes with securities brokers and disability insurance companies.

Mr. Whiteman is admitted to practice before the federal and state courts in North Carolina, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Whiteman holds a peer review rating of “AV” from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest available ranking in the areas of attorney competence and ethics.

Mr. Whiteman carefully evaluates potential cases based on their legal and factual merit, and welcomes all potential...

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.

Daniel Krchnavek is an attorney licensed to practice law in North Carolina. He is a member of the Wake County Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Association. Daniel mostly practices in Chatham, Durham, Harnett, Johnston, and Wake counties. The majority of his practice involves family law, including, but not limited to: adoptions, alimony, child custody, child support, divorce, equitable distribution, guardianships, and postseparation support. When not practicing law, Daniel enjoys spending time outdoors with his family.

Brandon is an attorney focused on representing technology and media clients in business, intellectual property, content clearance, privacy, commercial contracts, employment and internet regulatory matters. Why? Because of a passion for creativity and technology. Brandon is a so-so visual artist, a lousy programmer and a pretty-okay film editor, but he is a great lawyer. He keeps an old comic by Barbara Smaller that features a little boy in a cowboy outfit telling his father “Well if I can’t be a cowboy, I’ll be a lawyer for cowboys.” The creative and innovative clients Brandon serves are his cowboys.

Brandon volunteers as general...