YOUNG MOORE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Partner
- Shareholder
Alex is a partner at Young Moore and focuses his practice on business law, commercial real estate, and wealth preservation.
Alex represents clients in a variety of transactional matters including entity selection and formation, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, shareholder agreements, employment agreements, corporate governance, finance, succession planning and other commercial contracts. Alex also represents business owners in connection with their commercial needs, including real estate acquisitions, finance, and leasing. Alex has represented both sellers and buyers in numerous business acquisitions and sales in a wide variety of industries. Alex serves as outside general counsel for clients, advising business owners on day-to-day operations, drafting and negotiating contracts, and advising on financial matters and transactions. Alex also has extensive experience advising closely-held business owners on all aspects of business succession planning. Alex's transactional experience encompasses a broad range of industries with a concentration in the healthcare sector.
A North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate, Alex also advises individuals on wealth preservation matters. He is skilled in structuring plans that help clients realize their goals for disposition of assets and that address the reduction of estate and gift taxes. His experience includes working with corporate fiduciaries and other clients, in probate and fiduciary disputes and advising clients on a wide range of estate and trust administration issues.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Member of Young Moore 's Transportation
Anderson is a member of Young Moore's Transportation and Logistics team and represents clients in trucking litigation, product liability, premises liability, and insurance defense cases.
Anderson joined the firm after serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Mark A. Davis on both the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court. He graduated from Duke University School of Law in 2017, where he was the Student Note Editor of the Alaska Law Review. Anderson received a B.A. in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating Phi Beta Kappa.
A North Carolina native, Anderson lives with his wife in Durham. Outside the office, he enjoys exploring the Triangle, playing tennis, and reading British murder mysteries.
Andrew D. (Andy) Webster is a shareholder at Young Moore and concentrates his practice on the defense of clients in the trucking and transportation industry. He has experience in all phases of litigation, including managing discovery, participating in alternative dispute resolution, conducting depositions, drafting motions and pleadings and handling trials. His practice includes the immediate response to catastrophic losses. He has also litigated matters involving products liability, premises liability and insurance law in various courts.
Andrew represents insurers, businesses, and individuals in litigation. His practice includes insurance coverage analysis and litigation, insurance bad faith litigation, professional liability defense, employment litigation, business litigation, premises liability, and product liability.
Andrew's insurance practice includes advising insurers on third-party and first-party coverage issues, including commercial general liability policies, excess policies, auto policies, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, professional liability policies, municipal liability policies, law enforcement liability policies, and commercial and residential property policies. He frequently provides coverage opinions and litigates coverage issues in declaratory judgment actions. He has extensive experience with coverage issues involving construction defect and sexual abuse claims. Andrew also advises policyholders on coverage issues under Directors and Officers (D&O) and Errors and Omissions (E&O) policies. His experience includes drafting insurance policies. He is named in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© in the areas of Insurance Law, and Litigation - Insurance.
His professional liability practice includes defending engineers, architects, brokers, and other professionals. Andrew's employment practice includes representing employers and employees in Wage and Hour Act claims and Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act claims.
Andrew handles cases in Superior Courts throughout North Carolina and in each of the Federal District Courts in North Carolina. He also represents clients in appeals before the North Carolina Court of Appeals, North Carolina Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Andrew joined Young Moore and Henderson in September 2010 and was named a shareholder in 2016. He attended the International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy in 2018. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law, with honors, in May of 2010. During law school, Andrew was a staff writer for the North Carolina Journal of Law and Technology.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Partner
- Shareholder
Angela Farag Craddock is a partner at Young Moore, focusing her practice on helping businesses and institutional clients navigate civil litigation, state administrative litigation, and appeals. She leads the firm's Appellate Practice and is a member of the Transportation and Logistics, Workers' Compensation, and Insurance Regulation Practice groups. She also helped to spearhead formation of Young Moore's Diversity & Inclusion Committee as its inaugural Chair and has been a key contributor to recruiting efforts throughout her tenure with the firm.
Angela has developed a burgeoning appellate practice across several areas of civil, administrative, and regulatory practice. Because of her expertise, trial counsel routinely refer matters to Angela for handling throughout the appellate process. They also enlist her services to consult or collaborate in positioning and preserving key appellate issues at trial and in developing innovative procedural, briefing, and oral argument strategies for appeals. She is frequently called upon to prepare amicus curiae briefs for industry groups in important cases passing through our appellate courts. Active in the North Carolina Bar Association, Angela has served on its Appellate Rules Committee and was recently elected to serve as Chair of its Appellate Practice Section for the 2023-2024 term.
As a litigator, Angela is a member of Young Moore's Transportation and Logistics team and advises and represents clients in matters involving trucking accidents and litigation. She has assisted insurance companies servicing the trucking industry in resolving occupational compensation and occupational accident insurance claims and has extensive experience in representing employers and insurers in transportation and other industries through all stages of worker's compensation claims litigation before the North Carolina Industrial Commission and appellate courts.
Angela was voted into Business North Carolina's Legal Elite™ Appellate Practice Hall of Fame in 2023 and is recognized in Best Lawyers in America® and North Carolina Super Lawyers. She is also a recipient of the Westfield Golden Gavel Award in recognition of her outstanding achievement in appellate advocacy.
Angela lives in Wake Forest with her husband, Tyler. In her spare time she is a passionate Tar Heel fan, a country music enthusiast, and enjoys singing, guitar, and film.
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With an extensive trial résumé, Brian centers his practice on insurance coverage analysis and litigation, insurance bad faith and extra-contractual litigation, insurance regulatory matters including representation of the North Carolina Rate Bureau and the North Carolina Reinsurance Facility, the defense of transportation liability claims involving large commercial trucks and buses, medical negligence cases and products liability litigation. Brian has litigated cases to verdict in many state courts and all three federal districts in North Carolina. He has handled appeals in both state and federal appellate courts and is admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court. His trial experience also includes construction liability and premises liability cases. Brian is certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission to conduct mediated settlement conferences in Superior Court cases. He is available to conduct mediations in most North Carolina counties.
Brian has held important leadership positions within the Bar and is well-connected throughout the state. In particular, Brian is a past president of the Wake County Bar Association, the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys, the Capital City Lawyers Association, and has served on the North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and the International Society of Barristers..
Brian is listed in North Carolina Super Lawyers® (2010-2017, 2023, 2024), The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Litigation-Insurance (2018-2024), and in Business North Carolina's Legal Elite™ in the category of Litigation (2023). He is also recognized by the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals for excellence in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution and holds an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Brian's hobbies include traveling, college and professional sports and sailing.
Brittany is a civil litigator, with an emphasis on defending and advising clients in the health care and transportation industries. She also assists clients with navigating premises liability and business disputes. Brittany is recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America in the areas of Health Care Law and Transportation Law. She serves as a member of Young Moore's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Brittany earned her BA in political science from American University and her law degree magna cum laude from Campbell Law School. During law school, she served as a moot court competitor, contracts teaching scholar, research assistant for ethics and criminal law, and judicial extern at the North Carolina Supreme Court for Justice Paul Newby. After competing in five moot court competitions and winning a regional title, she was selected for membership in The Order of Barristers, the national society recognizing outstanding performance in the art of advocacy.
Outside the office, Brittany enjoys watching football, writing poetry, and spending time with her German Shepherds.
Chad McCullen concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, asset protection, business law, and commercial real estate matters. He is a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law and is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© and Business North Carolina's Legal Elite™.
In his estate practice, Chad advises clients on planning strategies and prepares a wide variety of documents ranging from basic wills to complex trusts to achieve each client's individual planning goals in the most tax efficient manner. Chad also represents fiduciaries with respect to trust and estate administration matters. He has significant experience in identifying and resolving issues created by closely-held and family owned business interests in the estate planning and administration context.
Chad is a native of Johnston County, North Carolina, and joined the firm in 2014 after practicing with an established eastern North Carolina firm for five years. He was voted a shareholder in 2016.
Charlie Mercer represents clients before state and federal courts and administrative boards and commissions. He serves as a lawyer and advisor to corporations, partnerships, and individuals on a variety of issues, including state and local tax issues and economic development matters.
A Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, Charlie is recognized by Best Lawyers in America in Tax Law and Commercial Litigation and by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Tax - North Carolina. Charlie combines his litigation and tax backgrounds to represent clients on state and local tax controversy matters, including property tax appeals.
He represents taxpayers on property tax appeals in counties throughout North Carolina. He represents taxpayers before county boards, the North Carolina Property Tax Commission, and the appellate courts.
Charlie has taught state and local tax law at Duke University School of Law, Campbell University School of Law, and University of Miami School of Law. While an Instructor in Law at New York University, Charlie taught Municipal Finance and Administration. He is an active seminar speaker, having made numerous seminar presentations on property tax and other state and local tax topics.
Charlie's experience as a former Chairman of the North Carolina Property Tax Commission, along with his service as special counsel to a United States Congressman, and his service as a member of The University of North Carolina Board of Governors, as well as other boards, provide him with a diverse background and the ability to provide sound, straightforward advice and to work with clients to develop strategies that can lead to efficient solutions.
Experience
Represents corporations and individuals in state and local tax cases involving ad valorem, corporate income, and sales and use taxation issues, representing such clients before administrative boards, commissions and courts
Christy represents insurance companies in bad faith and coverage litigation and advises them on first-party and third-party coverage matters. Christy also represents employers, electric membership corporations, and long-term care facilities in civil litigation and employment law matters. She is named in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America in the area of Insurance Law. Christy is recognized among Business North Carolina's Legal Elite™ in the Young Guns category (2022, 2023, 2024).
Before obtaining her law degree, Christy spent 13 years working as a sales engineer consulting with end users, engineers, and contractors to design, sell, and install power protection and precision cooling solutions for data centers and industrial applications. This experience provides Christy with unique insight into the responsibilities of professionals whose products and services support mission-critical business operations. By working closely with decision-makers at all levels of the end-user companies, Christy developed an appreciation for the challenges faced by business leaders making major strategic decisions.
Christy earned a BS in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned her law degree magna cum laude from Campbell Law School. While in law school, Christy interned in the Office of the Solicitor General of North Carolina and for The Honorable J. Douglas McCullough at the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Before joining Young Moore, she clerked for The Honorable Allegra Collins at the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She is active in several organizations in the community.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Shareholder
- Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates
Dana is a litigator, advisor and defender of the transportation, long term care and electric industries. As a litigation team member at Young Moore and Henderson since 1990, Dana has evolved her law practice from the defense of automobile cases for insurance companies to complex defense litigation for motor carriers, nursing homes, and rural electric cooperatives. Her day-to-day activities involve accident scene investigations, consultation with industry or medical experts, and analysis of fact-specific legal issues for her clients, including Schneider National, Inc., U.S. Xpress, Universal Health Care and Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange. Dana makes frequent appearances in court at the trial and appellate levels, trying cases and arguing motions in venues ranging from local courtrooms to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. In all these venues in every corner of North Carolina, Dana is proud to serve her clients.
Dana is an elected member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and a former President of the Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA) where she served a total of 10 years on its Board of Directors. Dana has an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Dana joined the firm in 1990 and was appointed a shareholder in 1995.
David has over 35 years of trial and litigation experience trying cases throughout the North Carolina state and federal courts. He focuses his practice on complex civil litigation, with special emphasis on the defense and representation of clients in trucking and transportation, product liability and business litigation. David represents numerous national clients across North Carolina. He has also successfully represented his clients at the appellate level before the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of North Carolina and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
David joined Young Moore after graduating from law school in 1984. He leads the firm's Trucking and Transportation Practice Group and served as the firm's Managing Partner from February 2017 through February 2023. David is an active member of ALFA International, an established global network of independent law firms whose mission is to provide high quality, cost-efficient legal services wherever clients need them. He is a past member of ALFA's board of directors and a past chair of its Transportation Practice Group. David is also active in various legal associations including the American College of Transportation Attorneys, the Propane Gas Defense Association, and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) where he is a past president of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Southeast Region (SEABOTA) and the Eastern North Carolina Chapter.
David holds an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He earned his undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary and received his JD from Wake Forest University School of Law.
David represents businesses, corporations, and individuals in all state and federal courts in North Carolina. His practice focuses on complex civil litigation, business litigation, insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, insurance defense, professional liability, and product liability. He has extensive experience handling electronic discovery and electronically stored information ("ESI"). David is recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America in the area of Insurance Law.
David joined Young Moore in September 2016. Before joining the firm, David served as a law clerk to Judge James A. Beaty, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.
David also previously served as an attorney at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. At the Brennan Center, he worked on election law cases across the country, including cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. David submitted public comments to state and federal government officials on election law matters and published reports on current issues in campaign finance. One of those reports was the subject of laudatory editorials in The New York Times and The Washington Post. David also testified before the New York Attorney General, West Virginia Legislature, and Seattle City Council on proposed election law changes.
David graduated cum laude from NYU School of Law where he was an Article Editor for the New York University Annual Survey of American Law. He earned his B.S. in Economics and Sociology, magna cum laude, from Duke University.
David is a native of Parkersburg, West Virginia. He lives with his wife in Raleigh.
Dawn serves as Young Moore's Managing Partner and is the first woman to lead the firm since its inception in 1954. She also co-leads the Employment/Workers' Compensation litigation team.
An employment lawyer with more than 25 years of experience, Dawn advises and represents clients on matters involving workers' compensation claims and other employment issues such as non-compete agreements, harassment and retaliation claims, ADA, FMLA and FSLA issues, employment agreement drafting and enforcement. She pragmatically assists her clients in resolving problems associated with government, workforce, or legal and policy changes. Dawn enjoys her work with employers, particularly understanding individual client needs, cultures and business. She understands that some situations require education and negotiation, while others merit a court battle.
Dawn helps employers solve problems involving:
Workers' compensation claims
Harassment and discrimination claims
Wage and hour issues
Handbook, policy and compliance
Non-compete and trade secrets
Employment agreements
Dawn regularly speaks at seminars for clients and other lawyers on workers' compensation and employment law topics and has served in a variety of leadership roles in the legal and business communities. She is a former Chair of ALFA International's Workers' Compensation Practice Group and a Past President of the Board of Directors of the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education. Dawn holds an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and she is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© and Business North Carolina's Legal Elite™.
Delaware Strong Families v. Attorney General of Delaware, 793 F.3d 304 (3d Cir. 2015) (amicus brief)
Donna Renfrow Rutala, B.S.N., J.D., practices in the areas of medical malpractice defense litigation and health law. In her work, Donna represents hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers in civil litigation as well as administrative proceedings. She also advises hospitals on health law and employment law issues.
Donna has trial experience in both the federal and state courts of North Carolina and has appeared before various administrative tribunals including the North Carolina Medical Board, North Carolina Board of Nursing, the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy, the Employment Security Commission, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Donna joined Young Moore and Henderson as a shareholder in 2007, after practicing a number of years with another law firm. While attending the evening law program at NCCU, Donna worked as a risk/claims manager for UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. While in that position, she was involved in analyzing, negotiating and resolving patient claims against the hospital system and provided education to hospital employees in the area of risk management. Donna's unique combination of experience in the health care setting enables her to provide an in-depth understanding of multiple problems faced by the health care industry. Donna is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America™ and has an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
She is married to William A. Rutala who is a professor in the Department of Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine and Director of the Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology. They reside in Chapel Hill and have two daughters, Melissa and Meredith. Her hobbies include international travel and photography.
Lainie focuses her practice on complex civil litigation involving transportation and general liability matters. She also has significant experience defending medical professionals and attorneys in malpractice matters. She has argued issues of first impression before the Pennsylvania Superior Court (Middle District) and has successfully defended general liability matters before a jury, receiving a non-suit on behalf of a hospital client. She has significant experience in ADR of vehicle, general liability, and medical negligence claims.
Lainie grew up in Western North Carolina, before attending law school in Pennsylvania, and started her career in the Philadelphia area. While in Pennsylvania, she served as a child advocate and guardian ad litem for the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Project in criminal and dependency matters. She also served as an arbitrator for the Montgomery County Arbitration Program and was an attorney advisor for a local high school Mock Trial team.
With 12 years of practice in Pennsylvania under her belt, she is happy to return "home" to North Carolina. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duquesne University School of Law.
Lainie resides in Wake County with her husband and four sons. She volunteers with local youth programs to encourage youth leadership and sportsmanship. She competes in distance running events and enjoys following the many successful UNC athletic programs.
Jay litigates throughout North Carolina in both state and federal court. His construction law practice is focused on the representation of general contractors, subcontractors and blasting companies in the construction and blasting industries. Jay is Immediate Past Chair of the Construction Section of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys. He is recognized in Business North Carolina's Legal Elite™ in the area of Construction (2016-2024) and in The Best Lawyers in America © in the area of Litigation-Construction (2020-2024).
His paper addressing claims avoidance for blasting companies was published in the Journal for the International Society of Explosive Engineers, a peer reviewed journal for the world's largest organization devoted to the blasting industry. Jay is a past presenter at the International Society of Explosive Engineers' Annual Meeting. He has also presented papers that he has authored at Continuing Legal Education classes for lawyers in North Carolina and to industry associations.
Jay's education law work is focused on the representation of educational institutions, boards of education, superintendents, teachers and coaches against federal and state-law claims. Jay was selected for membership in the North Carolina Council of School Attorneys, an industry group focused on the representation of North Carolina public schools. Jay's education practice takes him throughout the state North Carolina in his representation of numerous different school boards and their employees.
In Jay's commercial and business litigation practice, he defends his clients against all types of claims, such as wrongful death claims, premises liability claims, product liability claims, negligence claims, and a wide array of other types of legal claims in both federal and state court.
Jay's cargo and transportation practice centers on the defense of national and local transportation carriers who specialize in the interstate shipment and storage of household goods. These clients are defended by Jay in all federal and state courts in North Carolina.
Jay has successfully defended jury trials to defense verdicts for his clients in many different venues in our state. As part of his service to his clients, Jay has participated in planning and presenting legal educational programs at his clients' offices on topics of interest to his clients.
Jay graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1986. He obtained his law degree from the University of North Carolina in 1991, where he was selected for membership in The Order of Barristers. Following law school, Jay practiced commercial litigation for five years before joining Young Moore and Henderson, P.A. in 1996. At the firm, Jay is a shareholder and a member of the firm's Insurance Industry and Retail and Hospitality practice groups.
Jeff is an experienced workers' compensation litigator serving the healthcare, hospitality and retail, manufacturing, professional services, and transportation industries among others. Jeff represents employers, third-party administrators and insurers throughout all stages of litigation, including appeals and subrogation lien recovery.
Jeff also advises employers on matters involving employment discrimination and harassment, employee discipline and termination, workplace safety and OSHA violations, and personnel policies and procedures. With over 25 years of experience, Jeff's philosophy is to provide the highest quality client services while seeking to deliver the most satisfactory results in the most efficient manner available.
Jeff graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1995 and joined the firm that same year. He is a shareholder, a former member of the firm management committee, and co-leader of his litigation team. Jeff has an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© in Workers' Compensation Law-Employers (2019-2024).
In his spare time, Jeff is a passionate golfer, avid reader of historical novels and an enthusiastic Tar Heel sports fan. He and his wife, Kathleen, and their two sons live in Raleigh.
Jenifer focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, asset protection, business law, and commercial real estate.
Jenifer joined the firm in 2024 bringing more than 10 years of practice with her. Her previous experience includes estate planning matters as well as assisting clients with a variety of business and transactional matters including entity selection, formation, operation, and corporate governance. Jenifer also has experience drafting and negotiating a variety of commercial and business documents such as shareholders agreements, employment agreements, and stock and asset purchase agreements. Jenifer also has extensive experience handling civil litigation matters including complex business disputes and real estate disputes, among others. Her experience in civil litigation informs her transactional practice.
Jenifer is a native upstate New Yorker but has called North Carolina her home for over two decades. She earned her law degree cum laude from Campbell Law School. During law school, she served as a moot court competitor, earning an award for best oral advocate. She also served as a real property scholar and student editor for Webster's Real Estate Law in North Carolina, and as judicial extern to the Honorable Judge James E. Gates of the Eastern District of North Carolina and for the Honorable Justice Barbara Jackson of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Upon graduation she was inducted into the Order of Old Kivett, Campbell Law's honor society for outstanding advocacy. She earned her BA in Political Science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!).
Jenifer serves on a number of volunteer boards and is a member of the Board of Adjustment for the Town of Carrboro. Beyond her professional achievements, in her spare time Jenifer enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, cooking (and eating) international cuisine, cycling and practicing yoga.
John N. (Nick) Fountain is one of the most experienced attorneys in North Carolina handling professional licensure issues and occupational licensing boards. He has appeared before dozens of the numerous boards and commissions in Raleigh, including the Real Estate Commission, the Appraisal Board, the Banking Commission, the CPA Examiners, N.C. Medical Board, the Dental Board, the Psychology Board, Licensed Professional Counselors and others. He is General Counsel to the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors and to the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors. He prosecutes matters on behalf of the Board of Law Examiners. His experience includes cases with the Property Tax Commission, Purchase and Contract and Department of Motor Vehicles. He has assisted clients in more than 80 of the 100 courthouses in North Carolina.
In addition to licensing boards and administrative law matters, Nick has assisted clients in solving business acquisition and shareholder disputes, real estate disputes including boundaries, condemnation, zoning, and restrictive covenants, estate problems and will caveats. Nick is a N.C. Dispute Resolution Commission certified mediator in Superior Court and in the Office of Administrative Hearings. His varied practice and contacts with numerous lawyers and regulators have given him wide recognition and frequent use as a mediator, particularly in business and healthcare matters, including mediation of Certificate of Need (CON) and licensure. Nick has been involved in more than 40 reported decisions in the North Carolina Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, the Business Court, U.S. District Court and the Fourth Circuit. He has held an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell for more than thirty years.
Nick is part of the Business/Administrative practice teams within the firm and is a past member of our Practice Management Committee. He has served as President of the Wake County and 10th District Bar, on the Board of Governors of the North Carolina Bar Association, as a Bar Councilor and Advisor to the State Bar, and as president of the Raleigh Kiwanis Club. He has received multiple awards for Bar leadership and historic preservation. After graduating from Duke University and receiving his law degree from Wake Forest University, Nick was honored to have begun his practice with a clerkship with Judge (later Justice) David M. Britt.
With over forty years of experience in litigation, John's primary focus is on helping individuals and families who need his experience to navigate estate, trust or guardianship issues. He also works with businesses in evaluating contracts and handling commercial disputes. John's experience representing individuals and families includes helping them navigate the difficult issues relating to the death of a family member, disputes arising out of an estate plan or will contest, and issues relating to the guardianship or care of a parent or child. He has successfully assisted the children of elderly parents who are dealing with the effects of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. He has also helped families deal with the damaging impact that the breach of a fiduciary duty can cause. John's quiet demeanor and respect for all makes him perfectly suited for this type of work.
John's clients benefit from his innate ability to resolve difficult contract disputes in an efficient, effective manner. Whether it is a breach of contract problem or a dispute between business partners, he has the ability to negotiate wisely, keeping the client's best interest in mind. In cases where negotiation fails or becomes impossible, John is an aggressive litigator who represents his clients with zeal. His courtroom presence and knowledge of procedure provide him with the skills necessary to defend his clients thoroughly.
John is co-author of North Carolina Contract Law released in 2001 and North Carolina Contract Law, Second Edition, released in 2021. Published by LexisNexis and annually updated by its authors, this authoritative treatise analyzes more than two centuries of contract law and serves as an indispensable guide and resource for lawyers, judges, and law students.
John is an elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©, North Carolina Super Lawyers®, and Business North Carolina's Legal Elite.
Mr. Hutson is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs. Please click on "Publications & Presentations" link above to see a list of some of his presentations.
John N. Hutson, III is an associate at Young Moore and focuses his practice on estate and fiduciary litigation as well as occupational licensing boards and administrative law. Prior to joining the firm, he honed his legal skills at a local firm representing parties in a variety of cases involving medical malpractice, personal injury, and business litigation. His legal experience also includes serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Richard Dietz on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
John is a graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law and Clemson University. While earning his law degree, he contributed as a staff member to the Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy and served as a research assistant in the area of environmental law. He also participated in the university's Pro Bono Expungement Clinic, offering one-on-one counseling to individuals seeking guidance on the eligibility of having incidents removed from their criminal record.
Outside of Young Moore, John enjoys golf, tennis, reading, and watching ACC sports.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- of Counsel
- Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates
Joe is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and holds an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Joe has also served as a hiking guide for a company based out of Colorado offering biking and hiking tours.
A link to Joe's calendar showing his availability for mediations is below. Please email Joe or his assistant, Tiffany Phillips, to hold or schedule a date.
Lisa advises and represents clients in matters involving insurance law, civil litigation, and business law.
Originally from Bangkok, Thailand, Lisa brings a multifaceted background and global perspective to her legal practice, allowing her to connect with a diverse range of clients. Before becoming a lawyer, she worked in key roles within Fortune 500 companies where she honed her skills in global project management, marketing, and sales. Her practical experience and firsthand insights into the intricate workings of the corporate world uniquely equip her to navigate the complexities of her clients' challenges.
Lisa's affinity for rules and writing eventually led her to pursue a law degree, which she earned at the University of North Carolina School of Law. She also holds an M.B.A. from Duke University and a B.A. in Marketing from Thammasat University in Thailand.
Lisa is deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion. While attending Thammasat University, she founded Students in Free Enterprise, an organization that partnered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to train and license blind high school students and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to become part-time tour guides. Prior to attending law school, Lisa volunteered as a business plan writer, assisting refugee entrepreneurs in securing business loans to pursue their American dreams. Her philanthropic endeavors highlight her desire to use her skills and knowledge to effect positive change in the lives of those she serves.
Lisa resides in Durham with her husband and daughter.
Job Titles:
- Bus Dev & Marketing Manager
Lori's practice is principally focused on workers' compensation litigation. She advises and defends employers and insurers in the manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, hospitality and retail industries throughout all stages of litigation before the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Lori handles complex workers' compensation issues and strives to provide efficient and effective resolutions for her clients, whether that means negotiating with the other side or taking the case to a hearing. Lori is named in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Workers' Compensation Law - Employers.
Prior to beginning her practice, Lori graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina (UNC), where she graduated with highest distinction. She also received her law degree from the UNC School Of Law, where she won the Gressman-Pollitt Award for her skills in appellate oral advocacy. As a double Tar Heel, she enjoys all things Carolina, especially Carolina basketball. Lori lives in Raleigh with her husband and two sons.
For more than 30 years, Mickey Spivey's practice with Young Moore and Henderson has been in insurance law and regulation, and in business and commercial matters.
Through long-time representation of the North Carolina Rate Bureau and the North Carolina Reinsurance Facility, he has extensive experience in setting rates and loss costs and promulgating policy forms and rating manuals, as well as in the general operations of the voluntary and residual markets, for automobile, residential property and workers' compensation insurance in North Carolina. Mickey also has significant experience with the general representation of both a life and health insurance company and a property casualty insurance company.
Mickey works with business owners, assisting them with the selection and organization of the business entity, arrangements between the owners, purchase and sale of businesses and professional practices, purchase and leasing of real estate, and resolution of problems and disputes.
Mickey has been with Young Moore and Henderson since 1986, and he serves the firm in a number of management roles. He was named the Best Lawyers® 2021 Insurance Law "Lawyer of the Year" in the Raleigh area and has an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mickey is an avid fan of Tarheel sports.
Matt is a litigator at Young Moore. His practice focuses on matters involving insurance coverage and commercial litigation, including complex business disputes, employment, construction, products liability, and premises liability. Matt is recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law. He is also named in Business North Carolina's Legal Elite™ in the Young Gun's category (2024).
Matt graduated with high honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law and was inducted into the school's Order of the Coif chapter. In law school, Matt led the Broun National Trial Team as President and competed on the Holderness Moot Court Julius L. Chambers Civil Rights Appellate Advocacy Team. Matt also represented disadvantaged and marginalized clients with UNC's Civil Legal Assistance Clinic and volunteered over 150 hours of pro bono work during law school.
After law school, Matt clerked with the Honorable Cheri Beasley on the Supreme Court of North Carolina. He then served as a fellow in the North Carolina Solicitor General's Office, where he represented North Carolina in significant civil and criminal appeals pending in the Fourth Circuit and North Carolina appellate courts.
Matt grew up in the Triangle area but considers Chapel Hill to be his second home-like any Double Tarheel would. Matt enjoys hiking, disc golf, and Carolina basketball.
Matthew Gray represents and advises insurers, healthcare facilities, corporations, and individuals. His practice includes complex insurance coverage analysis and counseling, bad faith litigation, employment counseling and litigation, long-term care claims, and administrative law. Matt represents his clients in the trial and appellate divisions of the state and federal courts throughout North Carolina. Currently, Matt is assisting clients with employment matters related to COVID-19 and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act including issues surrounding emergency paid sick leave, FMLA, and government issued orders for essential and non-essential businesses. He is also assisting clients with the analysis of insurance coverage issues related to COVID-19.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Counsel
- of Counsel
Mike Strickland serves as Of Counsel to the firm's insurance regulatory practice group. His experience includes representing clients in the areas of insurance coverage, insurance regulatory matters, reinsurance and business litigation and appearing regularly before the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of North Carolina. Mike has 30 years of experience representing the North Carolina Rate Bureau, a statutory organization responsible for rates, loss costs and policy forms for automobile, property and workers' compensation insurance in North Carolina and the North Carolina Reinsurance Facility, a statutory organization providing automobile liability coverage for risks that cannot obtain coverage in the voluntary insurance market.
Mike's entire legal career has been with Young Moore and Henderson, where he served as managing partner of the firm from 1994 until February of 2017. He has an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Mike and his wife Libby are the proud parents of two daughters and two grandchildren. His hobbies include golf, college athletics and trips to the North Carolina mountains.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Member of Young Moore 's Transportation
Rachel is a member of Young Moore's Transportation and Logistics team and advises and represents clients in matters involving trucking accidents and litigation. Rachel also represents clients in the area of healthcare compliance.
Rachel earned a J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law where she served as an Executive Editor of the Wake Forest Journal of Law and Policy and participated in the Appellate Advocacy Clinic. While attending law school, she interned at the North Carolina Court of Appeals for The Honorable Judge Hunter Murphy and worked as a summer clerk at Young Moore. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Elon University with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Philosophy, Criminal Justice Studies, and Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies.
A resident of Raleigh, Rachel lives with her husband Zane and her beloved Siberian Huskies, Zara and Rain. She is a classically trained opera singer and enjoys fly fishing, hiking, scuba diving, Pilates, and reading fantasy novels.
Reed is a litigation attorney and focuses his practice primarily on state and local tax (SALT) controversies, including property tax, sales and use tax and other excise taxes, corporate and individual income tax. He represents clients in a variety of industries including retail, manufacturing, life sciences, and healthcare in matters involving tax strategy, administrative challenges and appeals, and contested cases before the North Carolina Property Tax Commission and North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings. Reed also represents clients in the appeal of such cases before the North Carolina Business Court, the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of North Carolina. His appellate practice has included appeals of matters within the Second, Fourth, and Tenth U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals and to the United States Supreme Court. He has spoken and published articles on state and local tax controversy issues regionally and nationally.
In addition to his state and local tax practice, Reed represents clients in matters involving eminent domain and condemnation law, economic development, and administrative and business litigation.
Active in the business and legal communities, Reed has served in various leadership positions within the American Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association, and the local and North Carolina Jaycees. He is a former adjunct tax faculty member of the University of Miami School of Law, having co-taught the State and Local Tax intersession course for eight years.