Charlotte, N.C. – Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP is pleased to announce that 18 of its attorneys were named “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America®, whose rankings are among the highest standard in the legal industry. The “Lawyer of the Year” recognition goes to the attorney with the best overall feedback from his or her peers for a specific practice area and geographic region.
Charleston, South Carolina
Bobby Byrd was voted by his peers as the “Lawyer of the Year” for bankruptcy litigation. This is the second time Bobby's peers have named him the top attorney in that area. He has more than three decades of litigation experience, primarily representing national and community banks and other lending institutions.
Charlotte, North Carolina
John Beyer was named "Lawyer of the Year" for health care litigation. It is the fourth time out of the past five years John has been voted the top attorney in a practice area related to litigation. He has nearly 25 years of experience with litigation and has led Parker Poe's Professional Negligence & Product Liability Defense Group.
Jonathan Crotty was voted by his peers as the “Lawyer of the Year” for management-side employment law. Jonathan heads Parker Poe’s Employment & Benefits Practice Group. He has been a successful counselor and problem solver for large and small employers in the Southeast and beyond for more than 30 years.
Anthony Fox was named "Lawyer of the Year" for land use and zoning law. Anthony has more than 30 years' experience defending cities and towns in annexation, zoning, construction, and land use disputes. He also assists companies in structuring complex public-private deals that include elements of land use, zoning, and annexations.
Doug Harmon was voted by his peers as the “Lawyer of the Year” for securities and capital markets law. Doug leads Parker Poe's Securities & Corporate Governance Group and its Governance, Risk & Compliance Group. He represents public and private entities on a broad array of their capital markets and compliance needs.
Chip Holmes was named "Lawyer of the Year" for the defense of medical malpractice claims. It is the eighth straight year Chip has been voted the top attorney in a practice area related to litigation or insurance. He has more than 25 years of experience defending businesses and professionals in courts, arbitration, and mediation.
Richard Rivera was voted by his peers as the "Lawyer of the Year" for the defense personal injury claims. It is the second time he has been named the top attorney in a practice area related to litigation. He focuses his practice in the areas of professional negligence, tort defense, and internal investigations.
Rogers Warner was named "Lawyer of the Year" for health care law. It is the second time in the past four years he has received that honor. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions in the health care and behavioral health services industries, and he advises clients on health care regulations.
Stacy Wood was voted by her peers as the "Lawyer of the Year" for arbitration for the second time in the past three years. Stacy has been defending employers and educational institutions successfully for three decades, including in arbitration. She focuses her practice on discrimination, harassment, internal investigations, and ERISA litigation.
Columbia, South Carolina
Simpson Fant was named “Lawyer of the Year” for real estate law. Simpsons has represented owners and developers in the development, financing, and refinancing of more than 300 multifamily housing, assisted-living, and nursing home projects throughout the Southeast. He also advises clients relocating to South Carolina on their real estate needs.
Ray Jones was named “Lawyer of the Year” for economic development law. Ray has worked on billions of dollars’ worth of bond transactions and economic development transactions across the Southeast. His clients include hospitals, cities, counties, school districts, investment banks, financial institutions, public housing authorities, and large to midsize corporations.
Jim Werner was voted by his peers as the “Lawyer of the Year” for construction litigation. It is the second time in the past four years he has been voted the top attorney in a practice area related to construction. Jim has extensive experience resolving a broad variety of disputes in the construction industry, including defending contractors against claims of defective work.
Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina
Kevin Dunlap was voted by his peers as the “Lawyer of the Year” for environmental litigation. It is the second time in the past four years he has been voted the top attorney for an environmental practice area. Kevin has acted as lead trial counsel in numerous trials for over 35 years. This includes complex, high-stakes environmental litigation cases that have gone to verdict.
Tyler Smith was named “Lawyer of the Year” for public finance law for the second time in three years and the third time overall. Tyler has worked with public and private sector clients across the U.S. and served on the National Association of Bond Lawyers’ board. Tyler focuses a significant part of his practice on the New Markets Tax Credit and Opportunity Zone programs.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Russell Killen was named “Lawyer of the Year” for construction law. Russell focuses his practice in the area of construction and land development, including dispute resolution, contract negotiation, and project entitlement. He serves on Parker Poe’s board of directors and is the former mayor of the Town of Knightdale.
Katherine Ross was voted by her peers as the “Lawyer of the Year” for energy law. Katherine leads Parker Poe’s Energy & Environmental Practice Group. She provides counsel on the acquisition, sale, financing, and permitting of renewable energy facilities across the Southeast, including portfolios ranging in size from five megawatts to hundreds of megawatts.
Frank Silber was named “Lawyer of the Year” for biotechnology and life sciences. Frank has more than 20 years of experience in drafting and negotiating technology-related transactions, including research and development collaborations in the life sciences industry. He is a former leader of Parker Poe’s Life Sciences Industry Team and the firm’s Intellectual Property Group.
Chris Thomas was voted by his peers as the “Lawyer of the Year” for trademark law. It is the second time in the past four years he has been voted the top attorney in a practice area related to intellectual property. Chris focuses on intellectual property disputes and has assisted clients with all aspects of copyright and trademark registration, licensing, and transfers.
Other Recognition
In addition, nearly 100 Parker Poe attorneys were recognized by Best Lawyers for 2022. You can find the full list and learn more about Best Lawyers' rankings here. You can also find a list of 18 Parker Poe attorneys that Best Lawyers named “Ones to Watch” here.
About Parker Poe
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has more than 230 lawyers in eight offices in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. The firm provides legal counsel to many of the largest companies and local governments in the Southeast.
Parker Poe is a member of two leading international legal networks: TerraLex and the Employment Law Alliance. TerraLex and the ELA have chosen Parker Poe to help guide clients through the challenges of global business.