Ocracoke Lawyers

Jim Lupton is an accomplished Criminal Defense attorney and formerly a successful local prosecutor. He is the only private criminal defense attorney in Carteret County both certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a State Criminal Law Specialist and recognized as an AV Preeminent Peer Rated Lawyer by Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. Jim is knowledgeable, confident, well-respected, hardworking and above all, always dedicated to protecting his clients by listening to them, being available for them, and aggressively fighting for them. He has been admitted to practice in U.S. District...

Joe Kennedy is a former prosecutor, and now a dedicated Criminal Defense Attorney. As a prosecutor, he handled tens of thousands of cases and gained valuable experience and insight. Joe is dedicated to providing exceptional legal representation for clients facing criminal charges. Joe received a B.A. from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 2000. He obtained his J.D. from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in 2006. Joe is member of the North Carolina Bar Association, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, Carteret County Bar, and District 3-B Bar. He has received multiple honors including an AV Preeminent Rating...

Mr. Kellis focuses his practice on litigation. No matter is too small. No matter too big. Mr. Kellis litigates criminal matters, traffic/ DWI cases, injury claims, worker’s compensation, estate administration and many other legal matters. Formerly, he was certified with the NFLPA as an NFL agent. He is the President of the Carteret County Republican Men’s club and a member of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute. Tommy is also an USCG Captain. In his free time he enjoys fishing, boating and all things involving being on the water. He also enjoys spending time with his children and wife at our...

John E. Nobles, III focuses his practice on criminal defense. Like his partner Jim Lupton, he handles everything from traffic violations to serious felonies, including homicides. John is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill. Prior to Law School, John served in the United States Marine Corps as a Force Reconnaissance Platoon Commander. He served three combat tours for our country. After being Honorably Discharged as a Captain, John attended Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law. John has defended numerous clients and understands the importance and seriousness of an accusation. He strives to get the best possible...

Robert D. Rouse III, known as “Robin” by friends and family, is a Pitt County native who has served the needs of citizens throughout Eastern North Carolina since 1973. Robin’s personal injury practice consists of automobile, motorcycle, bus, tractor trailer, and logging truck collisions involving serious, catastrophic injuries or death. He has also successfully handled numerous punitive damage claims against drunk or grossly negligent drivers. Additionally, Robin frequently represents clients against large insurance companies in the denial of claims resulting from fire losses, death benefits or medical care, faulty construction, and unfair and deceptive trade practices. Robin also serves as...

Joel Hancock is a native of Carteret County, NC. He was born and raised on Harkers Island by Susan and Joel Hancock, Sr.

Joel focuses exclusively on helping those who have been accused of criminal charges such as traffic infractions, DWI, misdemeanors, and felonies in Carteret County, NC.

In May of 2018, after five years of representing thousands of clients charged with everything from simple seat belt tickets to serious felonies, Joel opened Hancock Law Firm in Beaufort, NC, so he could devote 100% of his time at work to providing elite representation to his clients, and devote 100% of...

Roger Crowe has been a Criminal Defense Attorney for 27 years. He has represented tens of thousands of clients. His reputation as a trial Attorney is exceeded only by his devotion to his Family and Community. Recently, The NATIONAL TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, named him to the "Top 100 Criminal Trial Lawyers in North Carolina." Roger was born in Dunn, North Carolina. He attended NC State University where he double majored in Business and Economics. He attends services at First United Methodist Church in Morehead City. Roger has been married for 34 years and has 2 Children. He enjoys fishing...

Justin has been defending criminal defendants in Carteret County since 2013. Prior to moving to Carteret County, Justin and his wife, Erin, practiced law in Guilford and Davidson County. Justin completed his undergraduate studies at Duke University, and after working in the business world for several years, Justin attended law school at Elon University. After receiving his law license, Justin opened and gradually expanded his own practice, ultimately culminating in the formation of Enecks & Enecks after Justin and Erin married in 2013.

Harvell and Collins, PA is a highly rated and strategic combination of lawyers committed to providing comprehensive legal advice and personalized service in Morehead City, Beaufort, New Bern and Jacksonville, North Carolina. Partner, Cecil S. Harvell is AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated in Estates and Trusts, General Practice, and Aged and Aging. Partner, Wesley A. Collins, is also AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated. The law firm is committed to excellence in the practice of law while maintaining the highest ethical standards, diversity and individuality in its lawyers.

Carolyn Barnett Brady grew up in Henderson, NC and graduated from Vance Senior High School in 1977. She attended Davidson College and obtained a B.A. degree in 1981. She worked as a paralegal at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, LLP in New York, NY before returning to North Carolina to attend Wake Forest University School of Law. While at Wake Forest, she participated on the Jessup International Law Moot Court Team. In 1985 she graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law and accepted employment at Alston & Bird, LLP in Atlanta, GA. In 1988...

Matt Godwin grew up in Tarboro, graduating from Tarboro High School in 1997 and from North Carolina State University in 2001. In 2002, Matt enrolled in the School of Law at North Carolina Central University. Following his second year at Central, he worked as a legal intern at the Carteret County District Attorney's office. During Matt's third year of law school, he also interned at the North Carolina Attorney General's Office. Upon graduation and admission to the North Carolina State Bar in 2005, Matt worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Wake County. During his tenure at the...

“We are a better State Bar because of people like Deborah Moy who want to be attorneys.”
Superior Court Judge Michael L. Robinson - Vice President, NC Bar Association; Councilor, NC State Bar

A self-professed “Air Force brat,” Deborah Moy was born in the Philippines and spent her childhood living in Gainesville, FL (Go Gators!); Dayton, OH (Go Reds!); Fairfax, VA (Go ‘Skins!); and Greensboro, NC. Deborah’s maternal grandmother, Eva Jones, was a tobacco sharecropper in Eastern NC, who raised nine children on her own. She credits Grandma Jones for instilling in her the importance of strength, hope, and humility, and for...

I graduated from Elon University School of Law's charter class in 2009. I was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in August, 2009. In the beginning of my legal career, I practiced in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I focused primarily on guardianship and litigation discovery. After awhile in Charlotte, I became a partner at Enecks, Watson, & Evans, PLLC, in Greensboro, North Carolina. At Enecks, Watson, & Evans, my focus was primarily on family law, including divorce, custody, spousal support, property division, and domestic violence. I also practiced criminal law and estate law. In...

Harvell and Collins, PA is a highly rated and strategic combination of lawyers committed to providing comprehensive legal advice and personalized service in Morehead City, Beaufort, New Bern and Jacksonville, North Carolina. Partner, Cecil S. Harvell is AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated in Estates and Trusts, General Practice, and Aged and Aging. Partner, Wesley A. Collins, is also AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated. The law firm is committed to excellence in the practice of law while maintaining the highest ethical standards, diversity and individuality in its lawyers.

Letha Sgritta McDowell is a highly accomplished attorney and shareholder at McDowell Law Group, specializing in various areas of elder law, including estate planning, special needs planning, estate and trust administration, asset protection planning, long-term care planning, personal injury settlement consulting, guardianships & conservatorships, and tax law. Her expertise ranges from assisting clients with complex estate planning for high-net-worth individuals with assets over $75 million to developing simple plans for families with limited assets. Ms. McDowell has a distinguished professional background. She served as the President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a notable position within the field....

Sherrod Seward, Esq., is a renowned attorney and business strategist based in South Florida. As the principal of Sherrod Sports Visas, he has secured O and P visas for elite clients, including boxing champions Canelo Alvarez and Tyson Fury, NFL players, NASCAR teams, and One Championship fighters. His work extends to current partnerships with several world champions, solidifying his reputation in sports immigration law. Sherrod also brings extensive experience in trade finance, having served as a broker for export trade credit and political risk insurance with International Risk Consultants Inc., the largest specialty brokerage in the U.S. He played a...

The Houser Law Firm, P.C. is a Professional Corporation and full service, General Practice law firm located in Jacksonville, that serves Onslow Jones and surrounding counties in Southeastern North Carolina. We know that in these tough economic times, saving money wherever possible is important to most people. Our philosophy has always been to provide our clients with prompt, courteous and professional legal services at an affordable fee. While we never compromise on our legal professionalism, we do strive to manage our cost and expenses so that we can offer high quality legal services at fees that are...

Gilbert Carey is an attorney and certified public accountant with the McDowell Law Group. He practices in the areas of Taxation, Tax Resolution and Controversy and Estate Planning, solving tax, business, and legal challenges for individuals, privately held businesses and their owners. He has an Avvo rating of 10 (Superb) and has been recognized as a Top Lawyer of Coastal Virginia by Coastal Virginia Magazine. Mr. Carey regularly advises clients on tax matters and represents clients in tax disputes with the IRS, state tax agencies and in U.S. Tax Court. He provides income tax planning and compliance advice to individuals, trusts,...

Laurie Biggs' practice focuses on business and consumer bankruptcy, including chapter 7, chapter 11, chapter 12, and chapter 13 cases. Ms. Biggs primarily represents small business owners, individuals, and those in the agricultural sector who need help addressing their debts or exploring their legal options. Ms. Biggs has been certified as a specialist in business and consumer bankruptcy by the North Carolina State Bar. With almost twenty years of experience helping clients navigate their financial difficulties, Ms. Biggs In addition to bankruptcy cases, Ms. Biggs also practices in the area of out of court financial restructuring, business disputes, civil...

The son of a government official, Andy grew up in various parts of the country, including Ohio, Colorado, and Texas. He attended the College of William and Mary and graduated in 1988 with a B.A. with honors in Government. Andy then went to the University of Richmond Law School, obtaining his J.D. in 1991. While in law school, he won the moot court competition, the trial competition (twice), and the writing competition. After passing the Virginia bar exam in 1991, Andy worked in one of the largest law firms in the country in its Norfolk office, primarily defending large...

In joining Hardison & Cochran in 2008, Joel Jackson Hardison made a transition from defending insurance companies in Workers Compensation cases to representing injured and disabled workers. He applies the insights he gained from representing insurance companies to assist the injured workers he represents. There is little doubt about which type of practice he prefers. Hardison received a B.A. degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina in 1999 and a J.D. from the UNC School of Law in 2004. He was a member of the law school’s Holderness Moot Court team and was named to the Dean’s List. He launched his...

EDWIN HARDY has been practicing law for over 31 years. With more than 30 years experience at bankruptcy, he has over 3000 bankruptcies successfully filed to help people. He is a former member of the N.C. General Assembly as a State Representative in the N.C. House of Representatives where he served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He has served on the N.C. Courts Commission and the Governor's Crime Commission. He is a past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Beaufort Regional Health Systems which operated Beaufort County Medical Center. He has also served as President of the Beaufort...

John started his legal career in the trenches as a Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps Lieutenant with the United States Navy. He graduated from Naval Justice School in 1991, boarded the Guided Missile Cruiser (USS CHOSIN) in Hawaii, and finally reported to his permanent duty station at the Naval Legal Service Office in Yokosuka, Japan. As a Navy defense attorney for three years, John battled in court, day after day, for the wrongly accused. It was there that he developed and honed his advocacy skills for the injured, for whom he now goes to battle everyday in the...

Leah was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina in 1967. Leah practices law in the following areas: workers’ compensation, personal injury litigation, trials in state and federal courts and arbitrations.
She is a Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist through the North Carolina State Bar and a frequent lecturer at the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers.

For more than 37 years, Gene Riddle has been fighting for the rights of the injured. As the founder and Managing Partner of Riddle & Brantley, LLP, Gene has earned a reputation of excellence within the legal community and is a valued leader at our law firm. Under Gene's leadership, Riddle & Brantley has recovered over $600 million in compensation for clients since 2000 alone. Today, Gene believes honesty, integrity and willingness to work hard are the bedrock principles of a good attorney. That is what he and the other lawyers at Riddle & Brantley provide to their injured clients. Gene...

Ken was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961 and served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps from 1986 through 1990, where he was a member of the JAG Corps. Ken practices law in the following areas: workers’ compensation, personal injury litigation, wrongful death, bankruptcy, and trials in state and federal courts and arbitrations.

He is a Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist through the North Carolina State Bar and was recently appointed to a three-year term on the North Carolina Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section Council. Mr. King is also a member and frequent lecturer at the Workers’ Compensation...

Aden Wilkie, managing partner of the Wilkie Law Firm, represents members of the various branches of the U. S. military throughout the United States. He also represents criminal defendants throughout southeastern North Carolina. Before starting the Wilkie Law Firm, Aden served 22 years in the United States Marine Corps. While in the Marines, Aden was known for his unwavering integrity and tenacious personality that translated into many successes both in and outside the courtroom. He has extensive experience in representing clients in a wide variety of military and federal matters. Aden has the experience to understand that while some cases may call...

Steven Matthew Laird has been licensed to practice law in North Carolina since August 2009. Mr. Laird's practice areas include criminal and civil litigation. Mr. Laird has experience defending Class C and lower felonies and defends all classes of misdemeanors, DWIs, probation violations and all other traffic offenses. He has also done court appointed work In Onslow and Pender Counties since he started practicing law. His court appointed work includes Class B1 and lower felony cases, all classes of misdemeanors, DWIs, probation violations (misdemeanor and felony), juvenile delinquency, domestic violence cases, and misdemeanor appeals. Mr. Laird handles cases in...

Tim is a Trial Lawyer that you can trust when you or a family member has been injured. He has dedicated his career to representing individuals and families facing the uncertainty of how to navigate the process of filing and successfully pursuing a claim against the at-fault party and their insurance company when an injury occurs. Tim is grateful to be able to work with the professional staff and attorneys who make up the Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, P.C. as they demonstrate daily their commitment to excellence in law. The firm has locations in multiple...

Angela was born in Connersville, Indiana in 1970. She was admitted to the North Carolina bar in 2000. Angela practices law in the following areas: workers’ compensation and personal injury. She attended Ball State University (B.S., 1993); Thomas M. Cooley Law School (J.D., 1999) Memberships/Associations: North Carolina State Bar Association; Onslow County Bar Association; North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers and North Carolina Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section.