Kill Devil Hills, NC

Dennis C. Rose

Dennis C. Rose retired on December 31, 2023, after 30 years of practicing law. He remains active in the community and in touch with the firm. He began his legal career as a defense attorney in Wilmington, NC, and moved to the Outer Banks in 1993, developing a general practice in criminal and civil cases. He focused on civil trial practice, resolving contract disputes, employment matters, construction disputes, and assisting personal injury clients. In 1995, he co-founded Rose & Harrison with M. Peebles Harrison. He holds a Bachelor of Science from James Madison University (1988) and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi (1992). Dennis is admitted to practice law in North Carolina and Virginia and is a Certified Superior Court Mediator in North Carolina.

Lucia M. Mercurio

Lucia M. Mercurio is dedicated to helping people and companies navigate complex litigation. She began her law practice in 1989 in New London, Connecticut, honing her skills as a trial lawyer in various litigation matters. After 20 years of practice, she took a hiatus in 2009. She joined Rose Harrison Gilreath & Powers in 2020 as a legal assistant and was admitted to practice in North Carolina on November 18, 2022. Lucia received her B.A., magna cum laude, in English and Spanish from Fairfield University and graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut (retired status) and North Carolina, and has argued before the Supreme Courts of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

M. Peebles Harrison

M. Peebles Harrison is transitioning away from the practice of law but remains associated with the firm as “of counsel,” assisting with legal matters primarily in employment law, wage and hour claims, corporate law, asset purchases, business acquisition and sales, and real estate. He graduated summa cum laude from Hampden-Sydney College in 1989 and from The Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1992. He began his career in employment and labor law in Richmond, Virginia, before moving to the Outer Banks in 1995 to practice with Dennis Rose. His diverse practice has included domestic, collections, real estate, corporate, employment, and estate administration law. He is admitted to practice in North Carolina and Virginia, including before the United States Supreme Court and various federal district and circuit courts.

James R. Gilreath, Jr.

James R. Gilreath, Jr. leads the firm's real estate, estate administration (probate), and estate planning teams. He manages the real estate team, assisting with Outer Banks real estate transactions, and the estate administration division, handling complex contested estates and guardianships. A third-generation lawyer, he received his B.A. in Geology/Environmental Science from Washington and Lee University in 1994 and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1997. He began his career as a prosecutor in South Carolina before joining the firm in 2000. He is admitted to practice in North Carolina and South Carolina, including before the United States Supreme Court and various federal and state courts.

David B. Powers

David B. Powers focuses his practice on assisting small businesses with corporate, contract, employment, and collections matters. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 2002 with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Spanish. After gaining experience in small business operations, he pursued legal education at Regent University, graduating in 2013. He joined the firm as a full-time attorney after passing the North Carolina bar exam in 2013. He is admitted to practice law in North Carolina, the United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina, and the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Paulette S Benz

Paulette believes in practicing law with a heart and with an interest to represent the entire person during times of stress and uncertainty. Paulette has practiced extensively in Eastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks, as well as in the civil and criminal courts of the First Judicial District encompassing 7 eastern counties including Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties. Her specialty is Family Law. She is licensed to practice in the State of North Carolina, and the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Paulette received her undergraduate degree from East Carolina University with a BS in Sociology and a concentration in Marriage and Family in 1999. She was a volunteer crisis counselor for the REAL Crisis Center in Greenville. Ms Benz received her law degree from North Carolina Central University where she was a member of the law journal. Paulette grew up in New York and moved to the beautiful Outer Banks in 1990. She is married and has two children. She loves to spend time with family and friends at the beach, paddle boarding and kayaking in the sound.

Chris Seawell became associated with Rose Harrison Gilreath & Powers, P.C. as Of Counsel on January 1, 2020, as he winds down his law practice with plans to retire. He has 48 years of service to clients and community non-profits throughout the Outer Banks and northeastern North Carolina. Chris has been a mentor and friend to many lawyers in Dare County and the First District Bar, and his practice areas align with those of Rose Harrison Gilreath & Powers.