My clients are individuals and small businesses. They include:

• tech startups
• social entrepreneurs / triple bottom line businesses
• medical professionals
• nonprofits
• retail businesses
• consultants
• executives
• homeowners
• workers experiencing employment disputes

Some representative small business clients:

Here are some recent examples of work I've done.

Small Business Law

• Assisted a mobile applications developer in amending and restating its operating agreement, preparing equity agreements for new employees, and preparing employment agreements and non-disclosure agreements.
• Drafted data licensing agreement for international personal services company.
• Drafted and reviewed sales, licensing and employment agreements for a fitness equipment company.
• Successfully defended employer in claim for money owed in Wake County, NC court, obtaining dismissal of all claims.
• Created business entities (LLCs and S-corps) for a variety of small businesses.
• Created one of the first benefit corporations in the state of Virginia (July 2011).

Employment Law

• Successfully represented Alamance County, NC employee with regard to gender discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and retaliation claims, reaching a confidential settlement.
• Successfully represented Pitt County, NC employee with regard to racial discrimination and retaliation claims, reaching a confidential settlement.
• Represented probationary teacher in employment negotiations with Wake County, NC school board.
• Represented employees in wage and hour suit against Wake County, NC employer.
• Represented executive of a New Hanover County, NC nonprofit organization in dispute with board of directors.
• Advised biomedical industry professional regarding severance agreement negotiations.
• Won unemployment benefits for a wide variety of terminated employees in appeals hearings before the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. For more details on my unemployment appeals practice, visit my North Carolina Unemployment Appeals Lawyer page.

Entertainment Law

• Represented nationally known hip-hop music group in negotiation of a recording contract with an independent label and production agreements with outside producers.
• Represented filmmakers in a business dispute regarding the terms of a North Carolina limited liability company ("LLC") operating agreement.
• Filed trademark application for singer and entertainer.

Intellectual Property: Copyright/Trademark/Domain Name

• Successfully represented a defendant in a BitTorrent copyright infringement claim filed by an overseas adult entertainment company. After defendant's motions to sever and to proceed anonymously were granted, plaintiff accepted significantly reduced settlement.
• Advised a health and wellness entrepreneur on domestic and international trademark issues.
• Advised on trademark issues and filed trademark applications for a niche clothing business with a significant Web presence.
• Advised on trademark issues and filed federal trademark registration applications for a Charlotte, NC marketing company.
• Drafted cease and desist letter and successfully stopped unauthorized marketing practices by an Internet competitor of an fitness equipment company.
• Assisted an SEO entrepreneur in resolving Uniform Domain Name Resolution Procedure initiated by a giant of the tech industry.
• Advised a medical professional regarding trademark and domain name issues.
• Prepared and filed federal trademark registrations for a variety of businesses, including a Charlotte, NC marketing company and a Raleigh, NC data hosting company.

Consumer Law

• Negotiated a settlement regarding property title issues between a homebuyer and a developer, avoiding litigation and foreclosure proceedings.
• Advised a North Carolina homeowner regarding options in dispute with a home mortgage lender, including short sale, deed in lieu, and foreclosure prevention programs.

Criminal Law

• Successfully represented defendant on charges of assault by pointing a gun, obtaining acquittal at trial.
• Successfully represented client in Chapter 50C order of protection hearing.
• Defended individuals facing a variety of misdemeanor charges, including driving while impaired, assault with a deadly weapon, marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and embezzlement.