Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP announces six new partners
January 17, 2017
Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP announced that attorneys J. Bennett Crites III, Elizabeth Sims Hedrick, Robert S. “Trey” Ingram III, Frankie T. Jones Jr., Brian G. Morrison, and Colin J. Tarrant have been elected to the firm’s partnership effective January 1, 2017. The new additions bring the firm’s number of partners to more than 100 across seven offices throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
“Congratulations to these talented lawyers at this significant milestone in their careers,” said Julie Theall Earp, managing partner. “They have consistently demonstrated the excellence this firm requires to achieve the status of partner, which makes them sought out and trusted by our clients. Their election to the partnership is a reflection of the continuation of the Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP standard of exceptional client service.”
Charleston, S.C.
Crites is a member of the firm’s litigation group advising businesses and individuals on complex legal issues. His practice focuses on transportation and commercial trucking law, products liability, professional liability, and retail and hospitality where he is experienced in litigating cases from minor injury to wrongful death and catastrophic injury. He was selected for inclusion in South Carolina Super Lawyers for personal injury general – defense (2015, 2016) and as a Rising Star (2012-2014). Additionally, he was also listed to Super Lawyers Business Edition for personal injury defense (2015). Crites graduated from The Citadel and the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Greensboro, N.C.
Jones primarily practices in the areas of real estate, land use and business law. Jones has been recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as a Legal Elite in real estate (2017) and corporate law (2014), by North Carolina Super Lawyers magazine as a Rising Star (2012, 2016), by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly as an Emerging Leader (2011) and by the Triad Business Journal as one of the 40 Leaders Under Forty (2010). He served and continues to serve on various alumni and community boards including the Davidson College Board of Visitors, the University of Virginia Law Alumni Council, the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority Board of Directors, the Greensboro ABC Board, and was recently elected as chairman of the Guilford County Planning Board. He earned his undergraduate degree from Davidson College and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Greenville, S.C.
Ingram focuses his law practice on commercial real estate, primarily representing developers with legal needs related to the acquisition, development, restrictive covenants, zoning and local government matters, leasing and sale of real property. He’s also very passionate about foster care and adoption law in South Carolina and was named recipient of the 2016 American Bar Association’s Child Advocacy Award. Ingram was listed to Legal Elite for real estate (2015, 2016) and 35 Best and Brightest (2015) by Greenville Business Magazine. Additionally, he has been recognized by South Carolina Super Lawyers as a Rising Star (2015, 2016) and by The Greenville News as a 30 Emerging Leaders (2016). Ingram is a licensed foster parent, mentors through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate, is a Together for Adoption board member and is very active in service with Fostering Great Ideas’ Speak Up: Voices for Foster Care Reform. He is a graduate of Leadership Greenville Class 41. He earned his undergraduate degree from Charleston Southern University and his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Raleigh, N.C.
Hedrick is a litigator who focuses primarily on real estate litigation and health care litigation. She represents clients in a variety of disputes, including business disputes, malpractice claims, landlord-tenant litigation, and administrative law matters. She was selected to Business North Carolina‘s Legal Elite for litigation (2016) and as a Young Gun (2017). She is active in the community, serving as Secretary of the board of directors for Artsplosure and is a former member of the executive leadership team of the American Heart Association’s Triangle Go Red for Women and a current member of its Circle of Red. She is also the President Elect of the Eastern District of North Carolina Federal Bar Association. Hedrick is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Wilmington, N.C.
Morrison is a member of the firm’s business, estate planning and tax practice groups. He primarily represents individuals and business owners with business succession planning, corporate compliance, estate and tax planning, probate administration and IRS audit defense.
He was named to Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, Tax and Estate Planning (2017). In addition, Morrison is a member of the estate planning and fiduciary law, and tax sections of the North Carolina Bar Association. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Western Michigan University Cooley School of Law, and the University of Florida Levin School of Law.
Tarrant focuses his practice on business and commercial litigation, real estate development and land use. Having a unique blend of litigation, real estate, and land use experience, he concentrates his practice on representing clients in complex business, financial, employment, real estate and land use litigation. He was named to Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, Young Guns (2015), and participated in North Carolina Bar Association’s Leadership Academy (2013) and Leadership Wilmington (2012). He is an alternate-member of the New Hanover County Board of Adjustment, a member of the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Board, and chair of the executive board of Wilmington Downtown, Inc. (WDI), which focuses on economic development issues in Wilmington’s downtown. He graduated from North Carolina State University and New England School of Law.
About Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP
Clients of Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP receive creative, cost-effective legal services that align with their goals. With seven offices and more than 160 attorneys across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, the firm’s core practice areas are focused on litigation, business law, health care, real estate, labor and employment, and tax.
Focused on excellence and responsive client service, additional practice teams include intellectual property, tax, banking and finance, antitrust, business torts, financial services litigation, appellate, land use and zoning, economic development, and transportation.
For more information about the firm and its attorneys, visit www.smithmoorelaw.com.
