Areas of Practice

• Toxic Torts
• Complex Civil Litigation
• Water Pollution
• Underground Storage Tanks
• Hazardous Wastes
• Wetlands
• Condemnation/Eminent Domain
• Superfund & Cleanup
• Construction Litigation
• Personal Injury

Certification/Specialties

• Certified Mediator, N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts, 1996

Bar Admissions

• North Carolina, 1986
• U.S. District Court Middle District of North Carolina
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of North Carolina
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit

Education

• University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, May, 1986
  J.D.
  Honors: Chief Justice, Holderness Moot Court Bench (1985 - 1986)
  Honors: Member, UNC International Law Moot Court Team (1984 - 1985)
  Honors: Member, Order of the Barristers
  Honors: Honor Court Justice
  
  
• Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina, May, 1983
  B.A.
  Honors: Summa Cum Laude
  Honors: Phi Kappa Phi
  Honors: Omicron Delta Kappa
  Honors: President, Phi Eta Sigma
  Honors: Presidential Scholar
  Honors: Recipient, ODK Presidential Cup
  Honors: Harry S. Truman Scholarship Nominee
  Major: Government
  
  

Published Works

• "Bringing Environmental Law Back Home to North Carolina, " The Brief, North Carolina Association of Legal Assistants Publication, May, 1995
• "Environmental Contamination: The Basics for Plaintiffs, " Trial Briefs, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, August, 2004

Representative Cases

• Greene Citizens v. Greene County, 143 NC App. 702 ( 2001)
• Pate v NC Dept. of Transportation, 176 N.C. App. 530 ( 2006)
• Lust v Fountain of Life, 110 N.C. App. 298 ( 1993)

Classes/Seminars Taught

• "Personal Injury and Property Damage in the Context of Environmental Contamination- The Plaintiffs' Perspective", North Carolina Bar Association Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section Annual Meeting, 1997
• "Environmental Law Update for the Real Property and General Practice Practitioner", North Carolina Bar Association Real Property & General Practice Sections Annual Meeting, 2000
• "From 'A Civil Action' to 'Erin Brockovich': Steering Past Tragedy to Triumph in Toxic Tort Litigation", North Carolina Bar Association Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section Annual Meeting, 2001
• "Litigating Toxic Torts & Environmental Claims - Not Just a Walk in the Park", NCBA Real Property & Environmental and Natural Resources Law Sections Meeting, 2004

Honors and Awards

• Legal Elite 2008, Business North Carolina
• Legal Elite, 2009, Business North Carolina
• Best Lawyers in America, 2009

Professional Associations and Memberships

• North Carolina Bar Association, 1986 - Present
  Member
  
  
• North Carolina Bar Association, Environmental & Natural Resources Section, 2000 - Present
  Past Chairman, Environmental Ethics Committee
  
  
• American Bar Association, 1986 - Present
  Member
  
  
• American Association for Justice, 1990 - Present
  State Captain, Toxic, Environmental and Pharmaceutical Torts Section
  
  
• North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 1990 - Present
  Member & Past Chair, Consumer Areas of Practice Section
  
  
• Pitt County Bar Association, 1990 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Pitt County Board of Education, 1996 - 2000
  Member
  
  
• Wachovia Bank, N.A., 2000 - Present
  Board of Directors
  
  
• Mid-East RC&D Council, 2006 - Present
  Member & Chair
  
  
• Pitt County Chamber of Commerce, Education Cabinet, 2008 - Present
  Member
  
  
• NC Public School Forum, 2008 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Communities In Schools of Pitt County, 1997 - Present
  Member, Chair, Board of Directors
  
  
• The Memorial Baptist Church, 1994 - Present
  Member, Deaconate, Past Chair - Program Deacons
  
  
• Pamlico-Tar River Foundation, 1997 - Present
  Life Member, Foundation Advisory Council
  
  
• Greenville Little League, 1997 - 2000
  Executive Board Member, President & Vice President, North State League
  
  
• Elmhurst Elementary PTA, 1992 - 1996
  President & Vice President, Executive Board Member
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Law Offices of Marvin Blount, Associate Attorney/Partner, 1990 - 1995
• Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, Associate Attorney, 1986 - 1990

Birth Information

• December 21, 1961, U.S. Naval Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan