PARKER POE ADAMS & BERNSTEIN - Key Persons
Grant Whitney is a member of the firm's Real Estate & Commercial Development practice group. He has extensive experience representing utilities, municipalities, banks, automobile dealerships, health care providers, developers, homebuilders, title insurance companies, business and nonprofit corporations, franchisees of fast food restaurant chains, and individuals.
In addition, Grant is an approved attorney for a number of nationally based title insurance companies.
Todd Sprinkle's practice includes all aspects of civil litigation, both state and federal, at the trial and appellate levels. Todd focuses on business litigation, financial services litigation, real property dispute resolution, trade secrets, and alternative dispute resolution.
commercial litigation experience includes cases involving breach of contract, trade secrets theft, software implementation issues, and various business disputes. Todd advises clients through complex litigation, such as corporate dissolutions and ownership disputes. He has extensive experience representing Fortune 500 companies and automotive dealers on both the plaintiff and defendant sides. He also represents financial institutions on the plaintiff and defense sides with various litigation issues. He is experienced in recovering secured property and other collateral for lenders and lienholders.
In addition, Todd represents clients before federal and state courts in trade secrets and restrictive covenant disputes. He advises both employers and individual employees of large and mid-size corporations related to the misappropriation or misuse of trade secrets and other employment-related disputes such as non-compete agreements.
In his real estate litigation practice, Todd represents national commercial real estate companies, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and lenders in all aspects of commercial disputes, such as landlord-tenant disputes, replevin actions, special assets, and real property disputes. He also represents national home builders and commercial landlords.
Adam Setzer is a litigator who helps corporate clients resolve business disputes, navigate class actions, and defend unfair trade practices claims. He has represented Fortune 500 companies and a range of other clients in state and federal courts. He has experience with large, complex cases, including those involving product liability and mass torts. He is skilled at working through technical scientific and medical issues and explaining their bottom-line significance in a case.
Prior to joining Parker Poe, Adam worked for one of the 50 largest law firms in the country. He earned his law degree from Wake Forest, where he was a member of the Wake Forest Law Review's editorial staff and served on the executive council for the moot court. He received his undergraduate degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Adrian Dukes is a litigator with experience representing clients in a variety of complex legal issues, including wrongful death catastrophic injury claims, business and employment disputes, and other high-exposure claims. Adrian also represents clients in cases involving construction defects, products liability, trucking litigation, premises liability, and commercial disputes.
In his construction litigation practice, Adrian provides preventative counseling and advice on construction issues, including defective construction and warranty obligations, alleged design defects, building codes, and other regulations.
Committed to helping his clients resolve legal disputes quickly and efficiently, Adrian represents clients in his litigation practice in federal and state courts. Also, he is experienced in arbitration hearings and alternative dispute resolution meetings.
Alan Dexter has more than 36 years of experience representing real estate developers, owners, and lenders. He is recognized for designing practical solutions to complex real estate and finance transactions.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Manufacturing & Distribution
Al Guarnieri has more than 30 years of experience in international business, site selection, economic development, and mergers and acquisitions. He represents a range of U.S. and foreign corporations and has particular experience with manufacturing and distribution companies.
Al assists companies with their investments and expansions in the United States, outbound investments and structuring, and domestic and cross-border M&A. He is the director of the Charlotte Chapter of the American Council on Germany and serves on the leadership team of the German American Chamber of Commerce's North Carolina Chapter. He also frequently speaks on international business issues.
Alexandria Hill focuses her practice on business litigation. She is part of a team that represents clients before state and federal courts, governmental agencies, and national and international arbitration panels in the Southeast and around the world.
Alexandria earned her law degree from Wake Forest University. She served as the chapter parliamentarian for the Black Law Student Association. She was a member of the Domestic Violence Awareness Coalition, a member of the Pro Bono Expungement Clinic, and served as a spader for the Wake Forest Law Review.
Outside of work, Alexandria is a self-proclaimed amateur foodie who enjoys attending food festivals and cooking.
Alonzo Llorens has substantial experience in corporate law and represents clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. His legal career started with the federal government, as he worked as an attorney in the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Honors Program and later with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in its Division of Corporation Finance. Today, he focuses his corporate practice on capital markets and finance, mergers and acquisitions, securities compliance, corporate governance, minority business enterprise (MBE) certification, and structuring and navigating compliance with MBE transactions.
Alonzo also has substantial experience in the sports and entertainment industry, including advising athletes, actors, film production companies, authors, and sports leagues on corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, and other legal needs.
Alonzo is a frequent speaker on numerous topics, including corporate finance, venture capital, film financing, crowdfunding, and MBE transactions. He is also an author. His first book was a novel entitled, The Mirror, which is a political thriller. His second book, The MBE's Guide to Raising Capital, is a financial guide explaining the various stages of the capital raising process and the steps minority business enterprises should consider taking in order to successfully pursue such an endeavor. Alonzo has also written for various publications, including a chapter for Thomson Reuters' Inside The Minds series entitled "Private Equity and Venture Capital Trends in a Turbulent Economy." He co-authored volume 83 of the Bureau of National Affairs' Corporate Practice Series entitled "Shareholder Proposals." He has also has written columns on topics relating to business transactions for Diversity and The Bar Magazine.
Alonzo earned his law degree from Howard University School of Law, where he was managing editor of the Howard Law Journal. He earned his bachelor's degree in international trade and finance from Louisiana State University (LSU).
Amanda Hayes leads Parker Poe's Health Care Practice Group. She counsels clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and other business matters, with a particular focus on the health care industry. She regularly serves as lead counsel on acquisitions and divestitures, guiding the client through deal structuring, due diligence, drafting, negotiation, and closing. In addition to health care, her approximately 15 years of experience with mergers and acquisitions includes a variety of industries, such as life sciences, manufacturing, retail, automotive, contract research, environmental remediation, engineering, and construction supply.
Beyond mergers and acquisitions, Amanda also advises health care clients in structuring business relationships to comply with regulatory requirements. This counseling includes organizational structuring, corporate governance, buy-sell arrangements, compensation plans, material contract review and negotiation, and other matters.
Amanda regularly advises clients in the following areas:
Asset and stock acquisitions and sales
Preparation for sales of businesses
Joint ventures and strategic alliances
The federal Anti-Kickback Statute and state law prohibitions on payment of remuneration in return for referrals of health care business
The federal Stark Law, including structuring relationships to meet Stark Law exceptions for "in-office ancillary services," leasing arrangements, management and personal services arrangements, and others
Physician compensation models for compliance with Stark and other applicable laws
Compliance plans
Privacy, security, and electronic exchange of health information in compliance with the federal HIPAA and HITECH statutes
Corporate representation, including formation, corporate maintenance, shareholders' agreements, and other matters
Commercial contracts
Amanda Williams defends employers on a range of employment issues involving claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, and wage and hour disputes. When assisting clients in navigating legal issues that touch on both state and federal employment laws, Amanda works closely with her clients to analyze and explain the legal and factual issues arising from each situation and to plan a strategy that helps her clients most efficiently and effectively achieve their goals.
Amanda Kitchen Short focuses her practice on environmental and real estate law. She advises clients on various environmental issues, including site remediation, corporate compliance, enforcement, and permitting.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Office Relationship Partner
- Partner / Greenville Office Development Partner
- Technology
Amy Allen Hinson is a registered U.S. patent attorney who counsels clients on developing broad protections for their intellectual property both nationally and internationally. She serves as a strategic business partner to clients in a variety of industries and represents them in obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights as well as defending against threats of intellectual property infringement.
In particular, Amy has deep experience prosecuting patent applications in the U.S. and helping clients secure patent rights abroad. She also regularly assists clients with branding initiatives that include U.S. and global trademark registration and enforcement. Amy handles patent post-grant reexamination and review proceedings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. She also counsels clients on copyright protection and registration.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Sports & Entertainment
Andrew Dana concentrates his practice in the areas of tax, business, and sports and entertainment. A wide range of individuals and businesses turn to him for experienced legal counsel.
Andrew frequently represents international and domestic family offices on tax matters and investment structures. He has advised domestic family offices with corporate acquisitions. He has counseled individuals and families, American and foreign, on estate planning. He has also assisted with business and financial matters during divorce proceedings.
In addition, Andrew represents professional athletes on contractual negotiations, tax implications, reputation management, and litigation. His sports and entertainment clients include athletes, teams, and businesses in NASCAR, the NBA, the NFL, the MLS, and a variety of esports leagues.
Andrew also advises on a range of business issues. Examples of this part of his practice include working with minority shareholders to pursue breaches of fiduciary duties against controlling shareholders, performing forensic analysis on embezzlement allegations, litigation management, and negotiating buyouts between business partners.
Andrew Lopez focuses on commercial lending, real estate, bankruptcy, and corporate law. He represents financial institutions and borrowers in a variety of transactions, including construction loans, term loans, lines of credit, acquisition and development loans, and asset-based loans.
Andrew has also represented financial institutions in matters involving corporate bankruptcy proceedings, creditors' rights, restructuring, and insolvency. That included negotiating workout solutions designed to avoid bankruptcy or foreclosure, such as loan modifications and forbearance agreements. He has also represented financial institutions in civil litigation arising out of mortgage-related disputes and other complex civil matters. He is knowledgeable about lending laws and regulations, mortgage banking, foreclosures, REO, default servicing, and compliance functions.
Andrew is actively involved with the Mecklenburg County Bar Association and the Bruce Irons Camp Fund, which provides year-round mentoring and enrichment activities for public school students whose families have limited financial resources. In addition, he volunteers with the Council for Children's Rights, where he engages in pro bono legal representation of children in custody disputes.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Financial Restructuring & Insolvency
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- Member of the Administrative Team
- Charleston Office Administrator
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- Partner
- Member of Policy & Planning Committee
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
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- Vice President of Planning and Finance, 2016 - Present Board of Directors, 2014 - Present
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- Member of the Administrative Team
- Columbia Office Administrator
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
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- Manager of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
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- Member of the Administrative Team
- Raleigh Office Administrator
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- Member of the Administrative Team
- Atlanta Office Administrator
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- Partner
- Office Development Partner
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Member of the Management Team
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- Member of the Administrative Team
- Director of HR Operations & Charlotte Office Administrator
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
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- Partner
- Development Services
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- Partner
- Professional Negligence & Product Liability Defense
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- Partner
- Construction, Development & Condemnation
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
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- Partner
- Employment & Benefits
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
- Office Relationship Partner
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- Partner
- Energy & Environmental
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- Partner
- Office Relationship Partner
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- Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer
- Member of the Management Team
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- Director of Human Resources
- Member of the Management Team
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- Member of the Administrative Team
- Greenville & Spartanburg Office Administrator
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- Manager of Attorney Recruitment
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- Associate General Counsel
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- Member of the Policy & Planning Committee
- Partner
- Member of Policy & Planning Committee
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- Partner
- Member of Policy & Planning Committee
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- Partner
- Office Development Partner
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- Controller
- Member of the Administrative Team
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Office Development Partner
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- Member of the Policy & Planning Committee
- Partner
- Member of Policy & Planning Committee
- Office Development Partner
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
Job Titles:
- Member of the Policy & Planning Committee
- Partner
- Member of Policy & Planning Committee
- Office Development Partner
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of Policy & Planning Committee
- Office Development Partner
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
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- Partner
- Manufacturing & Distribution
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- Partner
- Financial Services
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- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Management Team
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- Member of the Management Team
- Chief Talent, Diversity & Inclusion Officer
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- Chief Information Officer
- Member of the Management Team
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- Partner
- Education
- Member of Policy & Planning Committee
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- Partner
- Office Development Partner
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- Charleston Office Administrator
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- Partner
- Banking & Capital Markets
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- Partner
- Office Development Partner
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- Partner
- Real Estate & Commercial Development
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- Managing Partner
- Member of the Board of Directors
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- Partner
- Intellectual Property