Beaufort, NC

A. Charles Ellis

Charles’ practice experience encompasses federal and state court litigation in various areas, including claims for wrongful death and serious personal injury. He has also litigated numerous cases involving complex insurance coverage issues, products liability, and professional malpractice. Charles is a frequent lecturer and has written extensively on a wide range of litigation topics, including “The Nuts and Bolts of Coverage Under the Homeowner Policy,” “Depositions . . . Advanced Civil Procedure,” and “Insurance Coverage for Intentional Acts and Punitive Damages.”

William S. Durr

Bill’s practice experience encompasses civil litigation in both the state and federal courts. He has represented clients in a broad variety of complex construction, business, and commercial disputes. His civil litigation experience includes depositions, pre-trial and dispositive motions, mediations, arbitrations, jury trials, and appeals. Other areas of his litigation practice include insurance coverage disputes, personal injury, agribusiness litigation, and representation of professional athletes and other high net worth individuals in a variety of family law matters. Prior to joining the firm, Bill practiced civil litigation in Binghamton, New York. He also presided over numerous jury trials in his capacity as the Acting Village Justice and Village Justice for the Village of Johnson City, New York.

Lynwood P. Evans

Lynwood leads the Litigation practice. His experience encompasses a wide variety of civil litigation in both state and federal courts. He has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation, including depositions, hearings, and mediations, as well as arbitrations and appeals, and he has tried more than 30 cases to jury verdict. Lynwood also counsels individuals and businesses who are currently involved or could potentially become involved, in litigation. He also provides national pre-suit negotiation and litigation management services.

Jeremy M. Wilson

Jeremy leads the Personal Injury and Wrongful Death practice. He has extensive experience litigating claims for wrongful death, serious personal injury, and a broad range of civil litigation before state and federal courts, including cases involving vehicle accidents, professional malpractice, premises liability, products liability, and class actions, among other areas. He also has litigated numerous cases involving complex insurance coverage issues and “bad faith” claims. In addition, Jeremy represents clients in business litigation cases, having represented numerous entities (from small area businesses, to financial institutions, to large corporations) in matters including contract and intellectual property disputes. He also has extensive experience in other areas of litigation, such as trusts and estates and eminent domain cases. Jeremy has represented clients in numerous jury and bench trials, and has extensive experience and training in trial advocacy. He also represents clients in all other phases of litigation, including arbitrations, mediations, hearings, depositions, and appeals before the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Hayley R. Wells

Hayley’s practice primarily focuses on alcoholic beverage law, labor and employment law, and civil litigation. As head of the firm’s Alcoholic Beverage law Practice Group, she regularly advises brewery and other craft alcoholic beverage clients in various aspects of the law, including permitting, negotiation, preparation and termination of distribution agreements, defense of ALE enforcement actions, labeling compliance, interpretative guidance, music licensing, liability waivers, festival questions, and personnel matters. Hayley also regularly advises individual and corporate clients in matters of covenants not to compete, employment discrimination, discipline and termination, harassment, wrongful discharge, wage and hour matters, personnel policies and procedures, and preparation of employee handbooks and employment agreements. Additionally, she represents both corporate and individual clients in all aspects related to litigation including hearings, depositions, discovery, mediation, arbitration, and trial. Her experience ranges from commercial litigation to personal injury matters.

Stevenson L. Weeks

Steve handles a wide variety of litigation in state and federal court in eastern North Carolina. His practice ranges from personal injury, wrongful death, real property litigation, contract disputes to admiralty and maritime claims. Steve has extensive experience in the admiralty and maritime area including vessel collisions, personal injuries to seamen and non-seamen, maritime liens, preferred ship mortgages, salvage as well as treasure salvage. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 2001, has held an AV peer review rating since 1992 and has been selected to appear in the 2009 edition of North Carolina Super Lawyers.

Joseph Thomas Knott, III

Joe found his calling in the Federal and State courtrooms of North Carolina over 40 years ago. He has worked as a trial attorney ever since. He is familiar with many of the insurance professionals, defense lawyers, and trial judges that handle these cases in our state. 'We only accept cases we think are meritorious and then prosecute those cases with vigor and passion born of a clear conscience.' 'Seeking justice in an unjust world' is Joe’s professional motto. For the plaintiff, truth is our only asset. 'Telling the truth with argument and evidence to twelve people in a courtroom who want to do the right thing is what I do.' Joe began his legal career as a trial lawyer in the United States Department of Justice under President Ronald Reagan. There, he gained experience defending the United States against federal tort claims arising from personal injury and medical malpractice, as well as prosecuting criminal cases. In more than 40 years of practice, Joe has tried medical malpractice, personal injury, and first degree murder cases to verdict before a jury. 'I stopped counting at 100-and that was a long time ago.'