< PreviousAt a Glance ZAYTOUN, BALLEW & TAYLOR, PLLC 3130 Fairhill Drive, Suite 100 Raleigh, NC 27612 919-832-6690 www.zaytounlaw.com EDUCATION Juris Doctor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1975 Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1971 PRACTICE AREAS Catastrophic Personal Injury Medical Negligence Wrongful Death Law Enforcement Excessive Force Health Care Fraud and Abuse, Representing Physicians Plaintiff Physician Business and Non-Compete Litigation Plaintiff Qui Tam Whistleblower Litigation AWARDS UNC School of Law Mentorship Program, 1995-1997 Leaders in the Law, Civil Trial Lawyer, Lawyers Weekly Ebby Service Award, North Carolina Advocates for Justice Best Lawyers in America MEMBERSHIPS North Carolina Bar, 1975 Florida Bar, 1977 Public Justice American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Past President American Advocates for Justice Wake SPCA, Board of Directors Health & Wellness Trust Fund Commission, Chair, 2009-2010 North Carolina Symphony, Past Board of Trustees North Carolina Film Council, Past Member Artspace, Past President and Board of Directors Member New Vision Renewal Energy, West Virginia, Board of Directors UNC Law Annual Alumni Golf Scholarship Fundraising Event, Chairman 2015-2020 Several years ago, home appliance companies had excess inventory they donated to the mission. The mission then sold the appliances at a deep discount to people in the community. “The act of them paying for these items rather than being given them made all the difference in the world,” said Zaytoun. The mission’s work in West Virginia spun off a project that makes solar light kits that are shipped to places like Puerto Rico and the Do- minican Republic. Zaytoun led a remote mission team to the Domini- can Republic, where they delivered 500 solar lights to a village in the rice-growing area that had only sporadic power and used toxic kero- sene lamps at night for kids to see to do homework. He lists his other favorite “purposeful” projects as being a member of the Board of Directors at the Wake County SPCA, supporting the North Carolina Symphony and Artspace, and as chairman of the UNC Law Alumni Association Scholarship Golf Classic that raises scholar- ship money for needs-based law students. “My philosophy of living a life of purpose very much includes my law practice. I believe being a lawyer is the highest calling besides per- haps a physician (and a journalist!). A law degree offers many oppor- tunities for ethical service to one’s clients,” said Zaytoun. “In addition, being a mentor to Matt and John for the past nine years has meant more than anything I have ever done as a lawyer. I’ve been able to watch them grow to become strong, powerful advocates. They have taught me as much as I have taught them.” In 2016, Zaytoun embarked on a solo six-week sabbatical to walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Northern Spain. “I have never been quieter in my life,” recalled Zaytoun. “To silence the brain is deafening, renewing, and exhilarating.” ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · NORTH CAROLINA TRIANGLE VOL. 8 NO. 2 20Black Lawyers Matter The Capital City Lawyers Association held a Black Lawyers Matter rally outside the Wake County Courthouse on June 26. EVENT SPOTLIGHT NIYA FONVILLE, EVIN GRANT AND UNIDENTIFIED SHEILA CHAVIS, YASMIN MORTON AND LATASIA FIELDS LATASIA FIELDS AND ERIKA JONES NEUBIA HARRIS ELWOOD BECTON, JOHN ELUWA AND COURTNEY FAUNTLEROYAs a lawyer who has rep- resented injured work- ers for the past 15 years, I believe that the law should favor coverage for those who contract CO- VID-19 in their workplace. If you find that your lost work time due to COV- ID-19 is extended beyond 14 days and you are continuing to suffer lost wages while your medical bills pile up, you should contact an experienced work- ers’ compensation attorney. The Family First Coronavirus Re- lieve Act (FFCRA) states that em- ployees who are unable to work due to COVID-19, and who work for em- ployers who have less than 500 em- ployees, are entitled to paid sick leave at their full rate of pay for up to 80 hours. In this scenario, if you recover well and can return to work after the 14-day period, then your potential workers’ compensation claim is likely not worth pursuing. If after the 14-day period you are still ill and out of work due to treat- ment, hospitalization, etc., you may be eligible for ongoing benefits un- der one or a combination of several government-funded unemployment programs. You may select to pursue the assistance available from these sources while you speak to legal coun- sel (recommended) or weigh the po- tential for pursuing your COVID-19 exposure as a legal claim. WHAT EXPENSES CAN I RECOVER? In North Caro- lina, workers’ com- pensation gener- ally pays for three things: (1) medical treatment (with doctors chosen by the insurer/em- ployer); lost wages (at 2/3 of the av- erage weekly wage); and payment for any permanent impairment sustained by the injured worker. If the claim for COVID-19 expo- sure is accepted, benefits should com- mence right away with the carrier di- recting medical treatment and paying lost wages. If the claim is denied, then a re- quest for a hearing may be filed with the NCIC. Unfortunately, that process is lengthy and may take 12-24 months or longer to obtain a decision (win or lose) that will be final (not appeal- able). If the COVID-19 claim is denied as a workers’ compensation claim and there are identifiable elements of neg- ligence on the part of the employer, it may be advantageous to file the claim as a civil lawsuit. In the civil arena, the remedies for an injured person are greater. In addition to compensation for medical treatment, the plaintiff in a civil lawsuit may be entitled to re- imbursement of their full lost wages and may also recover compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoy- ment of life, and a number of other elements that go beyond the remedies available in a workers’ compensation claim. WHAT RECORDS DO I NEED TO KEEP? To prove an occupational disease claim, specific facts and details are needed. You should preserve any doc- umentation and witness statements that will confirm the number of peo- ple infected, quarantined, etc. due to COVID-19 in the workplace. Make note of actions taken to protect em- ployees who have not tested positive; cleaning procedures in areas where infected people had contact; the types of personal protective equipment (PPE) issued or required for those coming into the workplace; and the limitations, if any, placed upon the public interacting with people inside the workplace. EXAMPLE OF A POTENTIAL CLAIM A nurse in a nursing home tests positive for COVID-19 after being exposed to several residents who are sick and tested positive. The nurse po- tentially has an “occupational disease” claim. With an occupational disease claim the employee must prove two things in order for their claim to be accepted as a workers’ compensation claim: (1) work was the cause of their getting COVID-19; and (2) their work with the employer put them at an in- creased risk of getting COVID-19 over and above the average person not so exposed. Without an expert (doctor) stating “more likely than not” that these two things are true, it is unlikely that the nurse’s claim will be successful. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE TESTED POSITIVE? If you have tested positive you will have to be quarantined from all non- infected individuals for a minimum of 14 days. If you are not symptomatic and your employer provides the op- tion for you to telework, then that is your quickest and simplest remedy. If you can recover from the illness with- in the two-week period, then you will likely not have a workers’ compensa- tion claim that is worth pursuing. Is COVID-19 a Work-Related Injury Eligible for Workers’ Compensation? SHEILA CHAVIS | Workers’ Compensation Sheila Chavis is a partner with Brent Adams & Associates, a personal injury firm with offices in Raleigh, Fayette- ville, Dunn and Clinton. She has 20 years of litigation experience, and has, for the past 15 years helped injured workers put their lives back together as the firm’s workers’ compensation lawyer. Chavis is admitted to practice before all NC trial and appellate courts and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of NC. She earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees at Duke University and her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law. sheila@brentadams.com, 919-781-7590. ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · NORTH CAROLINA TRIANGLE VOL. 8 NO. 2 22SPONSORED BY LAWYERS MUTUAL Legal Innovators Yousef Kassim was a student at Trinity University in San Antonio when he was un- lawfully arrested for a minor offense. While the charge was com- pletely dismissed, the arrest remained on his record. “It didn’t prevent me from seeking employment in finance but was show- ing up in an employer background check which made for an awkward discussion with my employer that could have easily been avoided,” Kas- sim explained. He had the arrest ex- punged from his record. After earning his Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s School for Law, Kassim saw a niche for a service to help oth- ers who needed to get their records expunged. He founded Easy Expunc- tions in Austin in 2014 and serves as its CEO. Its product went live in 2015. DEMYSTIFIED THE PROCESS “You could always file pro-se like I did, and that is precisely what we help our customers do. However, we have demystified the process and provided additional tools to help pro-se litigants to be successful,” said Kassim. “We generate the proper docu- ments, get them electronically filed and provide support throughout the process and guarantee the outcome if we determine the client is eligible.” Prices range from $249 to $599 depending on the level of service the customer needs. “We describe it as providing a clear path to a clear record,” said Kassim. “The expunctions are typically for non-convictions. Such as people who were arrested and the charges were dismissed, or they were found not guilty by a judge or jury. It could be a situation where they were arrested and there was a no-bill and charges were never filed but the record still shows up in a background check. It could be that their mug shot is online. The expunction lets clients deny the arrest occurred and prohibits others from possessing or distributing the arrest information.” Kassim said expunctions of convic- tions, including, DWI are more diffi- cult with less relief available. “Some- times the type of offense factors in as well as the time elapsed. Some juris- dictions also consider the totality of someone’s record.” “We are empowering individuals to accomplish this procedure effec- tively and to provide tools they need to get the maximum benefit of their expunction. So, when somebody gets an expunction, they acquire two main rights – the right to deny and the right to prohibit other people from distrib- uting that information,” said Kassim. “We also made it a more effective outcome by sending notice to private companies so that our customers re- ceive the maximum value of their ex- punction by clearing it off the internet not just on the government level.” JUSTICE THROUGH DATA Easy Expunctions was a finalist in the 2019 Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day. “They leverage technology to create a comprehensive impact – from expunctions to scrubbing records from background check companies, for example – for members of our communities experiencing the col- lateral consequences of an arrest or criminal conviction,” said Jeff Ward, Tech Lab Director. Today, the company has 24 employ- ees and operates in six states including North Carolina. Long term, the com- pany is looking to expand its services nationwide. “We closed an equity financing last year and are focused on deployment of this capital and continuing to accom- plish the milestones we have identified to set us up for continued growth,” said Kassim. “We very much look at this business as a B2C engine that is driving a much larger B2B vision where we can de- velop other products and promote our vision of justice through data.” For more information, visit easy- expunctions.com or call (210) 816- 6655. Easy Expunctions BY BOB FRIEDMAN AttorneyAtLawMagazine.com 23Seemingly every recent business or trade publication has an ar- ticle entitled “[fill in the blank] in the time of COVID.” We are truly in troubled and frightening times, full of uncertainty. The financial markets reflect that uncertainty. They have fallen precipitously, spiked up, then down again and up again with nearly every headline. In a recent New York Times busi- ness article, “The Market Partied Like It was 1932,” columnist Jeff Sommer stated that “Equities have seldom moved as sharply down and then up, from quarter to quarter, as they have this year. Calling the stock market a ‘roller coaster’ is a cliché.” Yet, in times of uncertainty, markets see- saw, mostly downward. Many skilled investors can avoid the adverse ef- fects of such volatility by allocating their assets among risk categories. HOBGOBLINS But most injury victims cannot. Market volatility is the hobgoblin of the financially vulnerable, especially those with ongoing, day-to-day life care and medical needs. They cannot tolerate any risk to critical settlement funding for their injuries. Markets fluctuate by their nature, and that is an everyday risk – not just “in the time of COVID.” Market volatility is simply a constant, no matter the level of crisis. But why is volatility a risk, say to any investor? Consider this hypo- thetical: An indi- vidual invests $1 million, and the market then im- mediately drops 10%. But, over time, the market rebounds 10%. The investor still has his $1 million, right? NO. He only has $990,000. Do the math. If the markets dropped 20% in one quarter, then rose 20% the next as it has this year, the investor only has $960,000. For injury victims, the risk is even worse because they have monthly expenses to cover ongoing life care and medical needs. They are not the typical “buy-and-hold” investor. CASH VERSUS STRUCTURED SETTLEMENT An example from one of my re- cent cases: A 35-year-old paraple- gic settles her personal injury claim for $4 million (net of attorneys’ fees, expenses and liens). She has monthly expenses of $10,000 for on- going life care needs (rent, utilities, food, etc.), but also critical medical needs. These expenses do not fluc- tuate with the markets. If anything, they are likely to increase over time. The structured settlement plan we proposed would pay her $14,450.00 a month, and those payments were guaranteed to be made for the rest of her life (with other guarantees if she passed away prematurely). She would have had an extra $3,000-4,000 each month to spend, save or invest. Her attorney strongly recommend- ed this plan. But she opted to take all cash and manage it using a trusted fi- nancial advisor. That was in mid-Jan- uary 2020. Over the next 60 days, she lost an estimated 20%. She also had those $10,000 in monthly expenses. My calculations are that on April 1, 2020, she would only have $3,178,000 (20% of $4 million less $20,000 in monthly expenses for February and March). If her investment account rebounds 20% return in the second quarter, which is extremely unusual, she will still only have $3,816,000 after 6 months. A steep downturn in the markets usually takes many months and years from which to recover. That too is the constant. And therein lies the risk that mar- ket volatility presents to the injury victim taking all cash at settlement. Claimants like this have a lifetime of needs, and their settlement proceeds must be able to take care of them for a lifetime. A structured settle- ment can provide that guarantee and eliminate both the mortality and the investment risk associated with trusts and other investment accounts. So, despite the chaos around them, structure settlement recipients can rest comfortably in the knowledge that their scheduled periodic pay- ments will be, and are, being paid on time, as they always have, no matter what is otherwise happening in the world and in the financial markets. They are not concerned about market volatility nor uncertainty. They (and their attorneys) are sleeping easy. Not Another ‘… In The Time of COVID’ Article TACKER LECARPENTIER | Settlement Planning With nearly 30 years of litigation and settlement planning experience, Tacker LeCarpentier has been AV Preem- inent rated by Martindale Hubbell for 25 years. A former law clerk on the Supreme Court of North Carolina, he was named to the Legal Elite of the South in 2018 and 2019, and is recognized as one of the preeminent settle- ment planners in the southeastern United States. Contact: 919-247-9070, tacker@settlementplanningllc.com. Market volatility is the hobgoblin of the financially vulnerable, especially those with ongoing, day- to-day life care and medical needs. ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · NORTH CAROLINA TRIANGLE VOL. 8 NO. 2 24COVID-19 dealt a financial blow to small businesses unlike any- thing we have seen before. Stay at home orders forced businesses al- ready operating on thin profit mar- gins to shut their doors and imple- ment drastic changes to their business models in order to comply with new social distancing requirements. A survey by SMB Group found that 75% of all small business report that COVID-19 is negatively impact- ing their businesses and almost two- thirds believe revenues will drop by 30%. OpenTable predicts 25% of res- taurants will never re-open. Major retailers such as Nieman Marcus, J. Crew and J.C. Penny have already filed bankruptcy. Here in North Carolina, several well-known establishments have already an- nounced they will not be able to re- open in the wake of COVID-19 finan- cial pressures. CARES ACT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) attempted to offer relief to small busi- nesses through short-term loans designed to help businesses meet payroll, rent and utility obligations. However, the ever-changing rules on loan forgiveness may end up saddling small business owners who were suc- cessful in obtaining a loan with more debt at a time they can least afford it if they fail to comply with the strict for- giveness guidelines. Other than these temporary loans, economic relief for small businesses has been limited. SUBCHAPTER V MAY HELP Congress may have recognized that bankruptcy may be the only way forward for many businesses, as it amended the definition of a small business in the CARES Act to allow more small businesses to take advan- tage of the newly enacted Subchapter V of the Bankruptcy Code. Subchapter V removed many of the overwhelm- ing costs and other impediments to filing bankruptcy that small business- es face in filing a traditional chapter 11 case. The closure of the state courts and the moratorium on foreclosures and evictions has also offered some temporary relief as creditors have been unable to take action against delinquent borrowers. However, once the courts reopen, economics expect the rate of foreclosures and lawsuits to spike, especially on commercial loans, as many of the prohibitions on fore- closures and evictions in the CARES Act were geared toward consumers. INVESTIGATE YOUR OPTIONS NOW Most business owners make the mistake of waiting too long to seek legal advice about financial matters. Instead, business owners will use up all their resources trying to pay their bills, leaving them with few alterna- tives when they eventually run out of cash or an unexpected expense occurs. Often this includes the business own- ers’ personal resources as well, placing their families further at risk if the busi- ness ultimately fails. In tough financial times, conserving your resources until you have a comprehensive plan to ad- dress all your creditors is often a better option than simply dealing with the creditor who is the most aggressive. Many business owners also reject bankruptcy as a viable option because they believe it means they will have to close their doors. Instead, chapter 11 allows businesses to continue to op- erate normally under the bankruptcy court’s supervision. During the case, a business owner formulates a plan to repay its creditors, and can involve lowering monthly payments, repay- ing loans over a longer period of time, or eliminating debt that the business simply can no longer afford to pay. This plan can be implemented even if all your creditors do not agree to mod- ify their debts. Now is the time for business owners to consult with a lawyer experienced in bankruptcy, financial workouts, and business restructurings to take the first steps toward getting back on a sound financial footing. Everyone agrees that small business owners face a bleak outlook. For most businesses already operating on a thin profit margin, the math of catching up lost revenue sim- ply will not work. Bankruptcy can give your business time to reassess your operations, conserve cash flow, and reassess how your business needs to move forward. As businesses face the tough choices, those that investigate all their financial op- tions early on in the process will have the best chance of pro- tecting the business they have built. Laurie Biggs is an attorney with Stubbs & Perdue, P.A., in Raleigh, North Carolina. She focuses her practice on business and consumer bankruptcy cases and other business matters. For over 17 years, she has represented small business owners and individuals in restructuring their debts through bankruptcy, navigating other finan- cial setbacks, and saving their businesses and homes. Ms. Biggs has been board certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a specialist in business bankruptcy for over 10 years and in consumer bankruptcy since 2015. She can be reached at (919) 870-6258 or lbiggs@stubbsperdue.com. LAURIE BIGGS | Bankruptcy Small Businesses Considering Bankruptcy Need to Act Now AttorneyAtLawMagazine.com 25The longer-term economic im- pact of COVID-19 through- out the United States may not be fully understood. However, there are already significant, immediate impacts felt by families, particularly those families who were already expe- riencing the stress of divorce or sepa- ration. Introducing job loss, market decline, debt accumulation and delays resulting from court closures into an already stressful relationship escalates anxiety. Many are concerned about the value of their home or retirement in- vestments. Dividing the marital home and retirement investments are often the most financially significant aspect of a divorce. These assets typically ac- count for both spouses’ life savings— how they will provide for themselves in retirement and how they will con- tinue providing for their children. In the context of divorce and sepa- ration, North Carolina Statutes clas- sify property as marital, separate or divisible property. Marital property is defined as property acquired after the date of marriage and prior to the date of separation. The Court is re- quired to value all property as of the date of separation. A primary con- cern is the decrease in market value of property after the date of separation. This is where divisible property is a key factor in the wake of COVID-19. Divisible property includes the pas- sive increase or decrease in value of marital prop- erty between the date of separation and the date the property is actually divided. Thus, in valuing and distributing marital property between the parties, the Court must also consider post-sep- aration changes in value. Here is a look at how North Carolina’s divisible property classification can be cru- cial in a post-COVID divorce action: MARITAL HOME When parties separate it is nec- essary to value the marital home as of the date the parties separat- ed; however, any passive increase or decrease in the value to the date of distribution must be con- sidered. This is divisible property. Hypothetical: Husband and Wife separate on February 1, 2020. At that time, the home is appraised at $400,000 with a mortgage of $100,000. Neither party takes action to change the value of the home. After filing suit, but following a series of delays in the hearing date as a result of court clo- sures, the parties go to Court on April 1, 2021, at which time the home is ap- praised at $200,000 with a mortgage of $100,000. The reduction in appraised value of the home is due to passive real estate loss arising from an economic downturn caused by COVID-19. Although the value of the home at the time of separation was $300,000 ($400,000 minus $100,000 mortgage), in distributing marital property the Court is required to consider the pas- sive decrease in value of the home as of the date of distribution, now valued at $100,000 ($200,000 minus $100,000 mortgage). This provides a mechanism where neither spouse suffers an unequal loss or gain, sole- ly because of market fluctuations. RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND INVESTMENTS As with any marital property, spouses are entitled to share in retire- ment savings or investments which accumulate after the date of marriage to the date of separation. Passive in- creases or decreases in retirement sav- ings and investments due to market fluctuations are also divisible property. Hypothetical: Husband and Wife have, collectively, $500,000 in retire- ment savings on February 1, 2020 when they separate. The market de- clines over the next several months resulting in a reduction in the assets to $200,000 by March 1, 2020, but then rebounds bringing the value of the retirement investments to $450,000 by the Court date of August 1, 2020. At the date of separation, the parties had $500,000; however, the net loss of $50,000 is divisible property, which must be considered by the Court as it distributes the marital property. Thus, the Court is required to consider the real-world impact of events on market value even if it occurs after the date of separation, and distribute marital prop- erty accordingly. The divisible property statute helps prevent significant ineq- uities from occurring while the parties are awaiting resolution of their cases. Parties do not need to fear ineq- uities in valuation of property due to economic loss in a post-COVID economy. However, understanding how these concepts apply to an equi- table distribution of marital property, and mapping a route through this dif- ficult terrain is necessary and possible with the assistance of an experienced and informed family law attorney. Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Property Distribution: Divisible Property Laws are Key KRISTIN M. HAMPSON | FAMILY LAW As a graduate of The University of Georgia Ms. Hampson majored in psychology and minored in political sci- ence. She earned her Juris Doctor from Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University and has been practicing family law for more than 16 years. Formerly a Partner at McGill & Hampson, PA, Ms. Hampson opened Hampson Family Law in North Raleigh in 2017. Ms. Hampson has practiced family law exclusively since finishing law school and has extensive experience in all areas of family law mediation and litigation. She can be reached at Khampson@hampsonfamilylaw.com, (919) 834-2330 or www.hampsonfamilylaw.com. ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · NORTH CAROLINA TRIANGLE VOL. 8 NO. 2 26The Triangle’s position as a leading incubator for startup businesses and entrepreneurship was un- derscored when Raleigh was named this year by Inc. magazine as the third best place in America to start a business. In January, Campbell Law School leveraged that growth and the accompanying need for attorneys with the Janu- ary launch of the Innovate Capital Business Law Clinic at Campbell Law School — in Partnership with HQ Raleigh. “We are so fortunate to call home one of top innovation hubs in the country, and this expansion of our school’s experiential learning program and partnership with HQ Raleigh is intended to give back and continue to foster the vibrant Triangle startup community,” said Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard. Jim Verdonik and Benji Jones, partners at Raleigh- based Innovate Capital Law, are the clinic’s co-directors. The clinic works with individuals, small businesses, and other early-stage organizations who are members of HQ Raleigh and entrepreneurial ventures at Campbell and North Carolina State universities. PARTNERING WITH HQ RALEIGH The program is currently open to third-year law stu- dents, but it may be expanded to include second-year stu- dents in the future. “The student attorneys prepare all of the legal docu- ments and correspondence with clients – of course, Jim and I review their work before it is presented to the client. So far, our students have drafted operating agreements, corporate formation, founders’ documents, and website terms of use and privacy policies,” said Jones. All legal services are provided free of charge to clients that cannot otherwise afford private representation. “We had a fairly broad segment this past semester, a lot of tech, such as a company developing a complex com- pound through a local university, online publishing com- panies as well as more ‘main street’ businesses, like a com- mercial cleaning company with a social impact mission,” said Jones. “We are fortunate to have had a nice list of di- verse applicants to choose from, and currently we have a waiting list. We hope to be able to help more companies during the fall semester as the clinic.” THINK LIKE ENTREPRENEURS Campbell Law students are being taught to think like entrepreneurs, not simply as lawyers,” Jones said. “A good legal advisor applies the same type of creative problem solving to legal obstacles that entrepreneurs use to bring their ideas to market. We encourage our student lawyers to understand a client’s long-term goals and ‘big picture’ objectives. That’s the best way to understand how to coun- sel them on short- and long-term decisions.” HQ Raleigh Founding Partner Jason Widen added, “The clinic provides a valuable resource for HQ’s com- munity as well as Raleigh’s entrepreneurial community by providing legal services to early stage entrepreneurs. And it further supports our mission to foster inclusive com- munities of entrepreneurs who create lasting social and economic impact.” Jones continued, “We want to produce law school grads who understand HOW to practice biz law, so they can hit the ground running after graduation.” And Dean Leonard added, “If these startups are suc- cessful, someday they will need future legal services that our students have been trained to provide.” FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE INNOVATE CAPITAL BUSI- NESS LAW CLINIC AT CAMPBELL LAW SCHOOL — IN PARTNER- SHIP WITH HQ RALEIGH CONTACT: BENJI JONES AT (919) 674- 4301 OR BIZLAW@CAMPBELL.EDU. Benji Jones, Jason Widen, Dean J. Rich Leonard and Jim Verdonik New Campbell Law Business Clinic Leverages Triangle’s Startup Culture BY BOB FRIEDMAN AttorneyAtLawMagazine.com 27AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENTS PRESS RELEASES EVENTS PROMOTIONS ACTIVITES HONORS RECOGNITIONS TALK TOWN of the SUBMIT PRESS RELEASES FOR NEXT MONTH’S TALK OF THE TOWN AT WWW.ATTORNEYATLAWMAGAZINE.COM/SUBMIT-TOT/ David Henson, a partner in the Raleigh law firm Henson & Fuerst, P.A., accepted the president’s gavel from Vernon Sumwalt on June 18 during the Annual Convention of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, held virtually via Zoom. Hen- son began serving a one-year term as NCAJ president. John McCabe of the Law Offices of John M. McCabe was elected as the president-elect of the NCAJ. He will succeed Henson at the 2021 NCAJ conven- tion. Raleigh labor and employment attorney Devon Williams was recently elected to the position of co-man- aging director elect at Ward and Smith. She will lead the firm along- side Greenville-based litigator Brad Evans, who has served in this posi- tion since 2017. Williams has held nu- merous leadership roles at Ward and Smith, including leading the firm’s la- bor and employment section and co- chairing the Raleigh geographic team. Williams was featured in an Attorney At Law Magazine “Young Attorney Spotlight” in 2015. Shanahan Law Group, PLLC an- nounced that attorney Nathaniel J. Pencook has been accepted into the North Carolina Bar Association Leader- ship Academy’s Class of 2020. Pencook is one of only 17 young lawyers statewide to be selected for the program. The Brocker Law Firm, P.A. announced that Crystal Carlisle became a shareholder effective January 1, 2020. Carlisle has been working with the firm since 2012. She concen- trates her practice in professional li- censing and disciplinary matters, rep- resenting attorneys, bar candidates, medical professionals, pharmacists, therapists/counselors and contrac- tors, among others. Monica Webb- Shackleford has founded Webb Shack- leford PLLC, a new law firm and media- tion practice. She is a certified superior court mediator through the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission, helping clients find ef- fective solutions to conflicts as an al- ternative to litigating an issue in court. Webb Shackleford also advises clients in employment law matters, contract negotiation and business matters, and appellate litigation. Leonard T. Jerni- gan Jr. of The Jerni- gan Law Firm an- nounced that the 2019-2020 supplement to his “North Carolina Workers’ Compensa- tion: Law and Practice” (Fifth edition) is now available from Thomson Reuters. Ragsdale Liggett partner John Nun- nally has been named a member of the Federa- tion of Defense & Cor- porate Counsel. FDCC is a professional trade association of peer-reviewed, premier defense and corporate counsel and in- dustry executives, dedicated to lead- ing the profession by advancing civil justice, knowledge, and fostering the trust and value of fellowship. Smith Debnam an- nounced the addition of South Carolina at- torney Elizabeth A. Blackwell to the firm. Blackwell joins Smith Debnam as a partner within the firm’s corpo- rate and business law practice group. Blackwell will concentrate her prac- tice in the area of business litigation, commercial leasing, creditors’ rights, foreclosure, and commercial bank- ruptcy. Ward and Smith an- nounced Tyler Russell is the new co-chair of the Raleigh geographic team. He will serve with government rela- tions attorney Whitney Campbell Christensen, who has led the team since 2019. Tyler has held several leadership positions within the firm, including leading the financial institutions group and co- chairing the hemp law practice. Ward and Smith recently added com- mercial litigator Amy Wooten and business attorney Michael Ko- hagen to the firm’s Raleigh office. Wooten litigates complex com- mercial litigation cases; construction disputes; disagreements arising in the HOA context; and professional licens- ing issues. Kohagen’s practice is limited to David Henson Crystal Carlisle Monica Webb- Shackleford Leonard T. Jernigan John Nunnally Elizabeth A. Blackwell Tyler Russell Amy Wooten Michael Kohagen John McCabe Devon Williams Nathaniel J. Pencook ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · NORTH CAROLINA TRIANGLE VOL. 8 NO. 2 28Escrow Consulting & Accounting, LLC Protecting Your Trust Accounts Protecting Your Trust Accounts Are Your Trust Accounts in Accordance with Rule 1.15? Dawn Cash-Salau 252.531.4241 TrustComplianceNC.com Protect your business by... • Confirming Monthly and Quarterly Reconciliations Meet NC Bar Rules • Validating Client Trust Ledgers Are Fully Funded • Ensuring Trust Accounts Are in Compliance and Making Necessary Ledger Corrections • Services vary from a one-time review of client prepared reports to ECA reconciling the trust accounts on a monthly basis. with 20 years of professional accounting experience corporate matters, including mergers, stock and asset acquisitions, corpo- rate restructuring, licensing and com- mercialization, corporate governance, debt and equity financings, and day- to-day contract negotiation. Ward and Smith at- torney Bill Durr has been selected to lead the Law Firm Alliance’s (LFA) Litigation Com- munity. The Litigation Community provides a forum for members to discuss best litigation practices, busi- ness development tips, as well as case law through conference calls and a listserv. It encompasses several spe- cific areas of litigation, including ap- pellate, banking, construction, health care, intellectual property, labor and employment, and real estate. Poyner Spruill LLP announced that part- ner Mike McIntyre has been selected as the 2020 Liberty Bell Award recipient by the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association. McIntyre was selected for his commitment to strengthening democracy and pro- moting civic engagement. McIntyre is a longtime active member of the NCBA. Ted Smyth, of coun- sel at Cranfill Sum- ner & Hartzog LLP has been accepted as a fellow of the Ameri- can College of Cover- age Counsel. Smyth is based in the Raleigh of- fice of CSH Law and has 39 years of experience in litigation. Recent Campbell Law School gradu- ate Britni Prybol has joined Stanek Lemon, an intellectual prop- erty and technology law firm where she will practice patent law. Bill Durr Mike McIntyre Ted Smyth Britni PrybolNext >