Wake County Family Lawyers

Matthew Burkert was raised in Durham, North Carolina, and still resides in the same area he grew up in. He is a graduate of East Carolina University, where he received a bachelor’s degree majoring in Criminal Justice in 2008. Matt then attended North Carolina Central University School of Law, earning his Juris Doctor degree in 2012. He passed the North Carolina Bar Exam in February, 2013, becoming a licensed attorney in the State. Matt joined the Constantinou Law Group, PA as a law clerk while in law school in 2010. He remained at the firm after passing the bar, becoming...

In 2012, Sharon Thompson became Of Counsel to NicholsonPham. She has been in private practice since 1976 and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas of family law, including all aspects of adoption and family formation through assisted reproduction and surrogacy; estate planning, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney and probate administration; and LGBT legal issues. In 2010, Sharon became the first female attorney in North Carolina to be accepted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. A significant portion of Sharon’s practice has been devoted to providing advice and services to LGBT...

I help people who are facing felony and misdemeanor criminal and traffic charges and driver’s license revocations. I also represent people on a wide array of family law issues such as Separation and Divorce, Child Custody and Support, and Alimony and Equitable Distribution, and I assist landlords and tenants with residential and commercial leasing disputes. I have been a criminal defense attorney since the beginning of my career. I worked as an Assistant Public Defender in both Gaston and Durham Counties, before I decided to move to private practice and left the Public Defender’s office to...

Foil Law Offices is a law firm specializing in family and juvenile law, serving Durham, Orange, Alamance, and Chatham counties since 1976. Foil Law Offices has offices in Durham and Hillsborough North Carolina. The attorneys at Foil Law Offices practice law relating to marriage, divorce, alimony, child custody (including grandparent custody) and support, equitable distribution, enforcement of support, domestic violence, legitimation, and adoption. Foil Law Offices has successfully represented clients at the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Annie Edmond is licensed to practice law in Florida and North Carolina. She is committed to the idea that no one should be lost in the shuffle of justice and continuously strives to advocate for her clients. Ms. Edmond is continuously involved in the community by assisting in pro bono efforts through Legal Aid, Justice Mattes and Wills for Heroes. Ms. Edmond received her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School and her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Florida. While in law school, she was an active member of the Public Interest Law Organization,...

I love practicing law. Guiding clients through the stress and upheaval of divorce, a custody battle or the aftermath of a death in the family is position of trust that I take seriously. Drafting an amicable separation agreement, or completing an adoption efficiently with as little drama as possible is equally important. I have been a NC Certified Family Law Specialist since 2009. My law firm handles divorce, custody, child support, alimony, property division, grandparents' rights, domestic violence, tort claims and personal injury, prenuptial and separation agreements, estate planning and administration in Chatham, Orange and Durham counties.

I am an experienced and dedicated attorney serving Alamance and Guilford Counties. My practice areas include criminal defense representation for DWI, Traffic Matters, Felonies and Misdemeanors. Additionally, I represent clients with Divorce, Separation, Child Custody and Support, Domestic Violence, and 50 B/C law matters.

I received a B.A. in History from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 1998. My J.D. was earned from Campbell University in 2006. Following Law School, I was an Assistant District Attorney in Alamance County, North Carolina for four years. I then opened my own law firm.

At Brad Buchanan Attorney...

John G. Miskey IV is a board certified specialist in Family Law and leads the Firm’s Family Law department. He has maintained an interest in Family Law, families and policy throughout his educational and professional career.

Mr. Miskey’s character and work ethic was forged in his childhood. His first job was delivering daily newspapers through the snow-filled neighborhoods of Buffalo, NY. Very close with his family, he chose to attend local schools for his education. Mr. Miskey graduated summa cum laude from Niagara University and obtained his Juris Doctor degree from The State University of New York at Buffalo with...

Derrick Hensley is a Child Welfare, Family, and Immigration lawyer who manages a small law firm in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Derrick founded his own firm in order to ensure he could take cases that make a real difference for his clients, and to ensure that his practice always observed the highest principles of the legal profession. Derrick is dedicated zealously advocating for his clients and to fostering an open, communicative attorney-client relationship based on trust and honesty.

Derrick's firm has practices in several fields of law, focusing on the intersections between them, including international family law, humanitarian and family immigration, and...

D. Cole Phelps manages our office in the northeastern part of the state. Attorney Phelps is a native of Washington County, and he returned to his home community to serve and give back. After winning his first primary election with over 62% of the votes, he later became the youngest county commissioner at the time of his election to serve in any of North Carolina’s 100 counties. During his first term of office, he was selected by his fellow board members as vice chairman and then chairman. Currently, he is serving his second term of office as a member of...

Barri Hilton Payne was born in High Point, North Carolina and grew up in Davidson County. She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she majored in Religious studies and Sociology. Barri practiced for the last twelve years as a founding partner in the firm Brock, Payne & Meece, P.A. before opening her own solo law and mediation practice in 2013. Barri was involved with the Holderness Moot Court while in law school at UNC and earned her law degree in 1999. She has practiced in Durham, North Carolina since that time and concentrates her practice on...

Ellis Family Law, PLLC was founded in 2002 by board certified attorney Gray Ellis with the singular goal to provide the very best legal representation to North Carolinians facing challenging family law issues. Since that time, the firm has successfully represented hundreds of husbands, wives, children, grandparents, and other family members in courts across the state. Our work has not gone unnoticed as the firm has earned awards from both national and local organizations such as Super Lawyers, North Carolina’s Legal Elite, and Best of Durham.

I came to Harnett County in 1987 to attend Campbell University, and it has been my home ever since. Raised just south of Fayetteville, with five years spent working in Raleigh with citizens from across North Carolina, and having worked for projects across our nation, it is a true pleasure to return home and serve my neighbors and our community. The mission of Carver Law Firm, PLLC, is to insure you receive competent representation.

Sara Barlowe is an associate attorney at Bagwell Holt Smith where she practices in the Firm’s Family Law department. Sara joined the Firm in July of 2020 shortly after relocating to the Research Triangle area from Astoria, Queens with her family and their two cats. While in New York, Sara worked as an Assistant District Attorney with the Bronx District Attorney’s office where she focused primarily on domestic violence and special victims cases with the exception of a year-long stint in the office’s Special Investigations Division where she handled long-term wiretap investigations. Sara received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Benjamin...

Lawrence founded Tickle Law Office in 2013 after graduating from Campbell University School of Law and passing the North Carolina State Bar. Lawrence earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from East Carolina University in 2010 as well as his Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Public Administration from Liberty University in 2015. Lawrence served in the United States Marine Corps after high school where he learned the essential leadership and management skills necessary to be successful as a zealous advocate for his clients. A native of Reidsville, NC, Lawrence now calls Franklin County home. He prides himself...

Ms. McCray loves the practice of law and enjoys helping people. She was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina and attended South Carolina College (the University of South Carolina's honors college) receiving undergraduate degrees in English and Psychology. Ms. McCray graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in Columbia, South Carolina. During law school, she clerked for Judge C. Tolbert Goolsby at S.C. Court of Appeals and interned one summer in Raleigh for the North Carolina Family Policy Council where she gained intimate knowledge of the legislative process in North Carolina. During her third year, she clerked...

For more than a decade, attorney Autumn Osbourne has provided skilled representation to North Carolina families in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. She is Board Certified by the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization - a distinction held by less than 2% of all family law practitioners in the state - and has been recognized for her work by independent attorney rating organizations including but not limited to Thomson Reuters' and Avvo. However, for Autumn, the practice of law involves more than zealously advocating on behalf of clients and adhering to the profession's rules of ethics. "I feel every family...

I have practiced law for 29 years and have over that time handled thousands of cases in court. My practice focus is Family Law cases involving child custody, grandparent and third-party custody, divorce, alimony and property distribution.

As a small dedicated law firm, we represent clients involved in marital disputes. Our knowledge of the law allows us to aggressively represent you when you need someone on your side. We represent people who need help in the following Domestic/Family Law areas: family and domestic law including; child custody, support, alimony, divorce, and property distribution.

Kelly was born and raised in North Carolina, and currently lives in Hillsborough, North Carolina with her wife and daughter. Kelly has worked with the seriously mentally ill, at risk youth, troubled families, domestic violence aggressors and victims and as an intake counselor for a four county area in NC. She has extensive training as a mediator As an attorney, she has represented defendants with serious felony offenses through negotiated pleas or jury trials to verdict. She has represented a wide variety of clients in negotiated and litigated family law matters and believes that negotiation should always be pursued...

Attorney Rebecca Poole brings a powerful combination of skill, passion, and advanced training to the practice of law. Certified by both the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization and Center for Cooperative Parenting, Rebecca has established a reputation for excellence – and results – in the areas of mediation, arbitration, litigation, and the collaborative divorce process. She also assists the firm’s clients in developing comprehensive estate plans that ensure family members and financial affairs are protected and preserved. Over the course of her legal career, Rebecca has maintained an unwavering commitment to achieving client goals, even when faced with challenging...

A natural born problem solver, attorney Hugh Bailey is an accomplished trial attorney with a proven record of successful results on behalf of clients. His practice includes advocating for clients in a wide variety of matters affecting the family unit, including divorce, child custody and support, spousal support, equitable distribution, domestic violence, and pre and post nuptial agreements. Hugh’s effectiveness in and out of the courtroom is derived in part from both a broad and deep background in high-stakes cases involving individuals, businesses, and government entities. However, it is Hugh’s approach and commitment to helping people that serves as a cornerstone...

Former Prosecutor for 11th Judicial District where I handled thousands of criminal case for State of North Carolina. Went into private practice in 1998 and opened my own law from in 2004. My main focus is Criminal Defense, Domestic/Family Law, Traffic, License Restoration, and Personal Injury. Pride myself on providing excellent service to my clients and forging long term trusted relationships with my peers, judges and law enforcement.

With an engineering degree and MBA, I started my career as an in-house consultant in the aerospace industry. After a few years I transitioned to engineering and consulting positions in other industries. Eventually I returned to college for a law degree and have been a courtroom lawyer for more than 20 years.

Attorney Justin Nichols practices family, personal injury, and criminal law in Chatham, Orange, Durham, and Wake Counties. He joined Averett Family Law in 2012, after practicing in the fields of personal injury defense, workers’ compensation, and complex construction litigation.

Justin has extensive experience in the courtroom litigating cases, as well as helping clients negotiate out-of-court settlements. He has handled cases before state administrative agencies, the state superior and district courts, the North Carolina Justin Nichols Associate Attorney Pittsboro Siler City Court of Appeals, and the federal district court.

Justin graduated cum laude from Campbell University School of Law in Raleigh, North Carolina,...

Amanda Knight represents clients in a wide range of family law matters including divorce, child custody and support, domestic violence, spousal support, and equitable distribution proceedings. She also provides trusted counsel to clients throughout the estate planning process. A graduate of North Carolina Central University School of Law, Amanda brings a passion and commitment to achieving client goals, while maintaining civility and professionalism in the practice of law. “Changes in the family, especially ones involving legal proceedings, are always challenging. Our job as attorneys is to take as much of the burden off our clients as possible, and also reassure them that...

Deborah Huynh practices family and criminal law in the Graham area. As her client, you’ll find she’s an approachable and trustworthy ally. In the courtroom, she fiercely seeks justice. When you need effective representation, contact Ms. Huynh, a genuine advocate who truly cares for her clients.