Godwin Lawyers

James Moore is a true Wilmington native. His parents, who own a construction company, have been building in the area for decades. A graduate of Hoggard High School, James decided to stay close to home and attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

While an undergraduate, James kindled a passion for law by taking a part-time job at Shipman & Wright as an office clerk. After earning his degree in business administration in 2003, James became a paralegal at the firm, and two years later entered Campbell University School of Law where he received numerous awards and honors.

Upon graduation, James...

I am a native of Pitt County, North Carolina. After completing college I was commissioned in the US Navy and served as an Assistant Supply Officer during three deployments aboard the USS Independence (CV-62). I have an interest in politics, the law, history, the Episcopal Church and in Eastern North Carolina.

I am an experienced attorney dedicated to assisting individuals with your family law cases, according to your means and in such a way as to minimize the conflict and stress experienced by your family.

Mr. Osegueda has has nearly 15 years of civil law experience in North Carolina. His practice includes personal injury matters such as trucking cases, car wrecks, premise liability, and family law. Mr. Osegueda is also is bilingual in Spanish. Please visit our website at www.Aglinett.com to learn how Mr. Osegueda can assist you with your legal matters.

I am a trial and appellate lawyer based in North Carolina but licensed in NC, VA, and WV. I enjoy taking on different types of challenging cases. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 336-282-8848.

Todd M. Hess: Professional Engineer. Certified Financial Planner. Patent Attorney. NC Intellectual Property Mediator.

Todd Hess primarily concentrates his law practice in the North Carolina and South Carolina markets in all areas of intellectual property. He is additionally licensed to practice law in Georgia, and in federal court with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

He brings over a decade of intellectual property experience to Barnwell Whaley, particularly in counseling start ups in the pharmaceutical and specialty chemical industries as well as the craft brewing industry.

Benita N. Jones is originally from eastern North Carolina. She attended magnet schools in Raleigh and graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University, where she graduated magna cum laude, and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC. Ms. Jones is admitted to practice law in North Carolina and Virginia and before the United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina. Her practice includes representation of public schools and other educational institutions. She is a...

Who am I? I am a lawyer who has been practicing for almost 24 years. For that entire period of time, I have only handled personal injury cases, nothing else. I understand that the important things in life are not things at all...but integrity, values and loved ones..family and friends alike. I do not represent corporations and I sure don’t represent insurance companies. I represent ordinary people. Why? Well, when I was about 22 years old, I was working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico as a roustabout and later a part-time roughneck on a drilling floor. I...

Jeff is a highly dedicated and accomplished lawyer with a wealth of experience in various areas of law, particularly focusing on tax, estate planning, and administration. His expertise and genuine passion for charitable planning make him a sought-after advisor for families looking to structure their initiatives using trusts. Jeff's educational background showcases his commitment to excellence. He holds an Estate Planning Certificate and an LL.M in tax from the prestigious Georgetown University Law Center, which have equipped him with a deep understanding of the intricate legal nuances involved in estate planning. Combining his advanced education with practical experience, Jeff is well-equipped...

Kevin E. Heckart was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1961. After graduating from Wentworth Military Academy he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in the Spring of 1979. Kevin then continued to serve in the USMCR achieving the rank of Corporal while attending Drake University (B.A. – 1983). Before graduating from college, Kevin was accepted into the PLC program for prospective Marine Officers, completed the training and was Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in May, 1983.
After college Kevin attended Drake Law School (J.D. – 1985) and, upon graduation, the Basic School for Marine Officers in Quantico, Virginia and further...

My name is Ben Busch. I am an attorney concentrating on foreclosure defense and debt resolution. I also offer general practice services in real estate, domestic and personal injury law. I primarily service Orange, Durham and Wake counties. I designed my fees to offer you affordable access to attorney that will protect your legal rights and obtain results for you. Thank you for considering me to be your attorney.

Michael Paul grew up in a Navy family who lived all over the country, returning to their home base of San Diego every two years. He graduated cum laude from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and then earned his Juris Doctor degree from the National Law Center at George Washington University. As early as law school, he was involved in estate planning, working in clinics to assist low income families with their wills and probate administration. After graduation, Michael joined Reid & Priest, (a large DC law firm) as a corporate litigator and compliance...

Mr. Wilson is a member of the Durham County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers. He serves as a board member of the Large Law Firm Management Section of the North Carolina Bar Association. He is admitted to practice before the following courts: All North Carolina State Courts United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina United States District Court for...

Chris is an Estate Planning, Probate, Guardianship, and Employment Lawyer with years of experience helping people in Durham, Wake, and surrounding counties in North Carolina.

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,...

*Education* Ric received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Honors Program at the School of Engineering at North Carolina State University in Raleigh (1973). He received his Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1977). *Specialized Training* Ric has augmented his training in advocacy and mediation. In 1996 he was certified to conduct mediated settlement conferences in Superior Court Civil actions. In 1999 he was certified to conduct mediation of equitable distribution and other family financial cases in District Court actions. In 1999 he also completed a professional intensive training program by the National Institute for...

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.

I help people charged with traffic tickets, driving while license revoked, driving while impaired, drug charges and other criminal matters protect their rights! The reason I'm so passionate about what I do is because I know how hard it is to fight the system. As a child, I watched my mother fight for and win her freedom, after being arrested for a crime she didn't commit. Her courage is what inspired me to come back to Louisburg, where I was born and raised, to practice law. Prior to starting my own law firm, I served as an Assistant District...

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...

Kelly L. Greene was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. Kelly attended high school at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia. He attended Wake Forest University where he earned a B.A. in English in 1996. He attended law school at Campbell University and received a J.D. in 1999. Kelly was admitted to the North Carolina State Bar in 1999. Kelly is a member of the Craven County Bar Association, serving as its President in 2003-2004. He is a member of the United States Eastern District of North Carolina, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Bar Association, and North Carolina Advocates for...

North Carolina board certified specialist in Real Property Law- Residential, Business, Commercial and Industrial Transactions

In-house general counsel for local development company, also providing outside general counsel services for builders, contractors, developers, equipment & material suppliers, livestock traders, real estate firms, real estate investors, restauranteurs and homeowners associations, among others. Advising clients involved in business, construction, development, real estate and investment deals and disputes, and negotiating, drafting and reviewing business transactional documents and agreements, including, but not limited to: Business organization documents, individualized new construction purchase contracts and builder warranties; employment contracts, independent contractor and subcontractor agreements, letters of intent, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, non-compete agreements, business purchase agreements, membership interest purchase agreements, stockholder agreements,...

Phyllis (PJ) Lile-King is a lawyer in Greensboro, North Carolina, licensed for 25 years and engaged in a civil rights practice, including police misconduct and discrimination cases. She has lectured and written in the areas of discrimination, medical malpractice and drug overdose cases. PJ is on the faculty at Duke Law School. For several years, PJ's practice included medical malpractice, wrongful death and drug overdose cases. She grew up in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and graduated from Georgetown College with a B.A. and the University of Virginia School of Law with a J.D. PJ clerked for the Honorable Pierce Lively...

Attorney Van Apeldoorn majored in Trust and Wealth Management Pre-Law at Campbell University and graduated in 2018. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she stayed to attend Campbell Law School and was active in several organizations, including the Christian Legal Society, Women in Law, and the Re-Entry Project. During law school, she was an Honor Court Justice, interned at the Craven County District Attorney’s office for two summers, and also had an externship with Judge Flanagan at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. After graduating from law school, Attorney Van Apeldoorn passed the bar exam...

I began my legal career in private practice in Eastern North Carolina, where I represented both individuals and businesses in various areas including civil litigation, family law, fiduciary litigation, and criminal defense. I later moved my practice to Raleigh, North Carolina, and took on the role of a Post-Conviction Attorney with North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services, Inc. Subsequently, I served as an Assistant Public Defender at the Guilford County Public Defender’s Office in Greensboro, North Carolina. In this capacity, I represented clients in both District and Superior Courts, focusing on providing client-centered criminal trial-level defense. In May 2018, I was appointed as...

Drew Brown founded this law firm in 2006. He believes strongly that his first and foremost role as an attorney is to advocate for his clients. At age 42, he is already an experienced trial lawyer who has appeared on behalf of clients in contested hearings in over 50 different courthouses throughout the Carolinas. In an era where cases often settle before litigation or at mediation, Drew Brown has repeatedly taken personal injury and business disputes to trial. Brown distastes wasted legal time in hourly matters as he believes reducing the attorney fee burden on the client can be as...

Tyler Brooks represents clients throughout the United States in cases involving free speech, religious liberty, and individual rights. He also represents clients in complex business litigation, employment disputes, and bankruptcy matters, as well as in business transactions and estate planning. Before starting his own practice, Tyler worked for six years, first as an associate attorney and then partner, at a civil litigation firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he primarily represented railroads and other clients in the transportation industry. Much of this work focused on wrongful death and serious personal injury cases as well as employment law,...

Clients often ask me about the "boutique" nature of my practice which I have limited to immigration matters only. There are several reasons why my practice is limited to only immigration matters.

First, all areas of law have become complicated. Government regulations, constantly revised administrative guidelines and rules, and many court cases impact any area of law practice. I think it is difficult to be a "general practice" lawyer in 21st century America. I am not comfortable "shooting from the hip" in my legal practice. Rather than be a "jack of all trades" I'd rather...

Thomas W. Smothers offers the necessary expertise to negotiate with the State regarding your charges. When prosecutors are forced to deal with our firm, they realize that we have what it takes to go to trial. Keeping this in mind, Attorney Smothers is always able to negotiate from a position of strength.