Charlotte, NC – Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP is pleased to announce that nine 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.
Atlanta, Georgia
Elizabeth Story was named "Lawyer of the Year" for eminent domain and condemnation law. She guides property and business owners through all phases of the eminent domain proceedings, from pre-take acquisitions to special master hearings, mediations, and jury trials. Her clients include a wide range of landowners and large and small businesses across the state.
Charleston, South Carolina
Elizabeth Applegate Dieck was named "Lawyer of the Year" for environmental litigation. Elizabeth is the former director of environmental affairs for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). She helps clients navigate the complex web of environmental permitting and compliance, including bringing and defending challenges to permitting and enforcement decisions.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Tom Griffin was named "Lawyer of the Year" for environmental law. It is the fifth time Tom has been voted the top attorney in either environmental law or litigation. He has helped clients navigate a variety of environmental hurdles that threaten their business transactions, including related to PFAS and emerging compounds. He also serves as Parker Poe's managing partner.
Chip Holmes was named "Lawyer of the Year" for health care litigation and product liability litigation on behalf of defendants. It is the 10th 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.
Shalanna Pirtle was named "Lawyer of the Year" in labor and employment litigation. Shalanna defends employers in litigation under all of the state and federal anti-discrimination laws, as well as employment contract disputes, wrongful discharge claims, and wage and hour issues. She also is a trusted mediator and serves as Parker Poe's chief talent, diversity and inclusion officer.
Columbia, South Carolina
Walt Cartin was named "Lawyer of the Year" for health care law. Walt leads Parker Poe's Health Care Industry Team. His clients include a diverse range of health care providers. In addition to providing general corporate and operations counsel, he routinely represents health care clients in both litigation and transactions, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions.
Ray Jones was named "Lawyer of the Year" for economic development law for the second time in the past three years. 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, financial institutions, public housing authorities, and large to midsize corporations.
Greenville, South Carolina
Tim St. Clair was named "Lawyer of the Year" for intellectual property litigation and trademark law. It is the fourth time in the past five years Tim has been voted the top attorney in a practice area related to intellectual property. He leads Parker Poe's Intellectual Property Group and focuses exclusively on the protection, commercialization, and litigation of intellectual property.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Christopher Thomas was named "Lawyer of the Year" for trademark law for the second time in the past three years. Chris concentrates his practice on intellectual property rights, including counseling clients on trademark adoption, search and clearance, prosecution, opposition, maintenance, enforcement, and licensing. He is a North Carolina State Bar board-certified specialist in trademark law.
Other Recognition
In addition, 105 Parker Poe attorneys were recognized by Best Lawyers for 2024. You can find the full list and learn more about Best Lawyers' rankings here. You can also find a list of 31 Parker Poe attorneys that Best Lawyers named "Ones to Watch" here.
About Parker Poe
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has more than 275 lawyers in eight offices in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington, DC. 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.