Sylva Lawyers

Paul Mengert II is a graduate of Elon University School of Law. During his eight-plus years of practice, Paul has accrued significant experience as a litigator and has handled all aspects of family law cases, including custody and divorce. Paul has a keen eye for big picture problem solving and a genuine desire to help his clients achieve their goals. Attorney Mengert is a native of Greensboro. As a young man, Paul achieved the highest rank in Scouting, the Eagle Scout Award. Paul has experience in acting, singing, and debate. While at Elon, Paul excelled at national-level mock trial competitions as...

Public Welfare and Poverty Law

Jon graduated from the University of Kansas in 1965, and Columbia University School of Law in 1968. Before joining the firm, he clerked for the Honorable Richard T. Rives of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and practiced with Carter, Ledyard and Milburn in New York City. He has taught at the law schools of Duke, UNC, and Wake Forest and is co-author of the practice volume of Larson's Employment Discrimination. Jon has served as President of the District Bar, Chair of the Dispute Resolution Section, Association's Labor and Employment Section and Appellate Rules Committee of the North...

Hank graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1963 and from UNC Law School in 1966, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. Before entering private practice, he served as law clerk to the Honorable J. Braxton Craven, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and worked as an attorney in Region 11 of the National Labor Relations Board. He has served on legislative study commissions and as Chair of the Workers' Rights Section of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, Co-Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association's Workers' Compensation Committee, and...

Matthew Myers and his father Lee Myers started practicing law together in 2006 and formed the Charlotte-based Myers Law Firm, PLLC on January 1, 2007. Matt is a life-long North Carolinian. He grew up in Matthews, North Carolina, attended public schools in North Carolina from elementary through law school, and currently lives in Charlotte. Matt’s wife, Allison, is also a Charlotte native. The two have two children. When not spending quality time with the family, Matt enjoys listening to music, reading, hiking, mountain biking, and running. Matt is a member of the North Carolina Bar and is also...

I represent individuals in all types of employment disputes, including discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower actions, severance negotiations, equal pay violations, sexual harassment and assault, non-compete contracts, labor rights, wage and hour violations, leaves of absence, workplace safety, and executive compensation matters.

I have won trial victories for clients in federal jury trials, state court trials, and arbitration. I have fought employers who discriminated against clients based on their race, gender, age, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, and military service. I have fought back against retaliation based on our clients’ reports of unsafe working conditions, nuclear safety threats, and illegal overtime...

Marjorie Brown is a solo practitioner with Elder Law & Estate Planning Solutions of the Piedmont providing Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Elder Law and Veteran’s Aid and Attendance for the residents of the Piedmont area of North Carolina.

There are many issues that we face as we and our family members face aging, potential illness and death. There are many questions that you have to ensure that your family is cared for. There are also many issues which could potentially impair the ones you love that you do not know to ask about. Ms. Brown has the knowledge,...

Stephen David Koehler earned his Bachelor of Science in English and Computer Science degree from State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1987 and his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1991. Mr. Koehler joined the firm in 2012 after owning his own firm since 1999. Mr. Koehler is admitted to practice in the State Courts of North Carolina, and in North Carolina's Middle and Western United States District Courts. Mr. Koehler has handled and tried cases in almost every area of business and tort litigation. Mr. Koehler has handled major cases involving General Civil...

I am a graduate of DePaul University College of Law. After law school, I moved to Colorado and worked as a public defender for several years. Through this experience, I gained extensive advocacy skills and learned to effectively fight for my clients’ rights. In 2006, I relocated to Washington, D.C. to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Board of Veterans Appeals (Board). During this time, I developed a passion for helping Veterans. Working for the VA, I learned how to effectively navigate through the VA process, fully develop claims and get positive results for Veterans....

I am a licensed attorney in North Carolina. I graduated from Gardner-Webb University in 2014 and graduated from Liberty University School of Law in 2019. I was born and raised right here in North Carolina, and am passionate about the people of North Carolina and the needs they have. Myself, along with my two partners, started Fidelity Law Group, and our main practice areas include general business law, intellectual property law, employment law, criminal defense law, and family law. For me, I am the most passionate about criminal defense work as well as family law, but would be glad to...

Attorney Margaret E. Ford, a North Carolina native, grew up in Concord and is now a resident of the Charlotte area. Mrs. Ford joined the firm in 2020 with a dedication to advocate for injured clients and a passion for tort-related claims. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and her Juris Doctorate from Elon University School of Law. During her time in law school, Mrs. Ford was a member of the Moot Court Board where she established practical legal skills.

Prior to joining our firm, Mrs. Ford worked as a personal injury...

Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to advocate for, provide services to, and learn from industry leading companies such as IMG, Roush Racing, Alston & Bird, LLP, DEWALT, Office Depot, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, Waste Management, Newell Rubbermaid and many others. What I learned is that in any industry and with each client – advocacy and accessibility are the imperative. It’s the culmination of these life and professional experiences that allows me to offer our clients that same focus on being an accessible advocate for their legal needs. I invite you to learn more about how...

Providence Wills and Trusts is an Estate Planning Law Firm located in Weddington, North Carolina. The managing attorney, Zachary Setzer, graduated cum laude from Washington and Lee University School of Law where he was Lead Articles Editor of the Washington and Lee Law Review and received the James C.C. Treadway Law Scholarship. Before attending law school, Zachary graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Religious Studies and a B.A. in Political Science. Being a solo practice, Zachary takes pride in having the opportunity to work with every client personally,...

Serge Semirog holds degrees in Finance and Economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he graduated cum laude. His law degree Mr. Semirog earned at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he was a member of the Hastings Business Law Journal. Mr. Semirog’s experience includes work at the Hampden County Superior Court in Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as at several medium sized firms in California and Massachusetts. Mr. Semirog also worked at the Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) where he drafted legislative proposals for the Massachusetts State Assembly. For his work...

I am a seasoned personal injury attorney with over 18 years of litigation experience. I was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago and pursued my undergraduate education at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in English. My academic journey then led me back to my hometown of Chicago, where I earned my law degree from DePaul College of Law. During my time at DePaul, my legal acumen shone as I contributed to the Moot Court Appellate team, showcasing my skills on a national stage. My path to personal injury law was set in motion during...

Dr. Ted Greve, a doctor and a lawyer, founded the Law Office of Ted A. Greve in 1993, which turned into Ted A. Greve & Associates, P.A. in 1995. Ted A. Greve & Associates, P.A. has turned into one of the most reputable North and South Carolina personal injury law firms with offices located in Gastonia, Charlotte, Durham, Raleigh, Monroe, Shelby, and Rock Hill, South Carolina. Dr. Ted has also expanded operations into neighboring Georgia opening offices in Augusta and Atlanta. Dr. Ted is a platinum member of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina. He has been happily married for...

William Vásquez is a native of Queens, NY. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 2000-2007. He is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and received the Joint Service Achievement Medal for his work as a Spanish linguist for the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2005. William graduated from Campbell University in 2007 with a degree in computer science. He earned his J.D. in 2011 from the North Carolina Central University School of Law. His practice areas include immigration law and criminal defense cases. He is licensed and in good standing with the State Bar of North Carolina and...

Mr. Jennings joined the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin in 2006 and practices in the Firm's Workers' Compensation Department. He received his J.D. with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law, and graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina State University, where he received his B.S. in Animal Science. Since obtaining his law degree, Mr. Jennings has practiced in the area of workers' compensation, and is now representing workers having suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of a work accident. "After working in insurance defense as an attorney for workers' compensation insurance carriers, I sought to make an...

Brandon is an attorney focused on representing technology and media clients in business, intellectual property, content clearance, privacy, commercial contracts, employment and internet regulatory matters. Why? Because of a passion for creativity and technology. Brandon is a so-so visual artist, a lousy programmer and a pretty-okay film editor, but he is a great lawyer. He keeps an old comic by Barbara Smaller that features a little boy in a cowboy outfit telling his father “Well if I can’t be a cowboy, I’ll be a lawyer for cowboys.” The creative and innovative clients Brandon serves are his cowboys.

Brandon volunteers as general...

Mr. Whiteman has represented clients in civil lawsuits and arbitrations for over three decades. The main focus of his practice is the representation of individuals in disputes with securities brokers and disability insurance companies.

Mr. Whiteman is admitted to practice before the federal and state courts in North Carolina, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Whiteman holds a peer review rating of “AV” from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest available ranking in the areas of attorney competence and ethics.

Mr. Whiteman carefully evaluates potential cases based on their legal and factual merit, and welcomes all potential...

Adam focuses primarily on business/corporate and construction law. As at partner of Felton Banks, PLLC, Adam understands the importance of quality, affordable legal advice. Felton Banks is structured to be the first stop for a small business's legal needs. In 2011, Adam, a lifelong North Carolinian, joined the North Carolina National Guard. He spent a short time as an engineering officer, and was then selected to serve as a North Carolina National Guard Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, focusing specifically on soldier defense.

Jackie Bedard’s estate and long term care planning practice is focused on guiding clients through the complicated, often confusing, maze of balancing family protection, long-term care planning, wealth preservation, and cherished family values in the planning process.

Jackie determined early on that traditional estate planning has primarily focused on what happens upon death, but a far more pressing concern for many families today is—what happens if you don’t die suddenly, but instead need long term care for several months or years? A comprehensive estate and long term care plan should address both of these concerns.

Jackie is a member of WealthCounsel...

Attorney Kristi Haddock was born and raised in Cary, North Carolina. A true hometown attorney, she knows how much central North Carolina has changed over the past 30 years. Kristi recognizes the issues her clients face in growing cities that lack good public transportation. For that reason, Attorney Haddock is committed to helping her clients restore their license.

Prior to starting her own firm, Kristi worked as a criminal defense attorney for four years and enjoyed successfully defending a wide variety of misdemeanors, felonies, and traffic offenses both in and around Wake County. Kristi also successfully represented clients at numerous...

I grew up Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where I lived most of my life. I moved to North Carolina to be closer to family and have lived here 13 years. In 2009, I began private practice concentrating in the areas of debt resolution/negotiation, estate planning and probate.

Mr. Jeremy Cotten is a native of Fuquay-Varina in Wake County, North Carolina. He attended primary education in Fuquay and has many family members from the area.

After completing his high school education, he was drafted in the 2nd Round (58th overall pick) of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft and signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played for five seasons in the Pirates organization as third and first baseman. He was a Baseball America Top Prospect in 1998; his career stats are available here. He then returned to North Carolina to obtain his BA in Trust and...

Shaunis Mercer co-owns Peaceful Law with her husband, where together they champion amicable resolutions in family law and comprehensive estate planning. With nearly two decades of legal expertise, Shaunis is passionate about helping her clients achieve clear and peaceful agreements—be it prenuptial, separation, or custody—that protect and honor their family. Her holistic approach to estate planning ensures that her clients' legacies reflect their values and aspirations for generations to come. In addition to her role at Peaceful Law, Shaunis is a respected consultant for other law firm owners. She shares her insights on business growth, client relations, and the delivery of...

I'm Bill Ramos, a husband, father, grandfather, disabled USMC vet, small business owner, and attorney. I understand the need to protect those we love. As a husband, father, and grandfather, I understand how important it is to protect and provide for those we love. As a disabled Marine Corp veteran, I understand how the unexpected can happen in an instant, and change your life forever. As an attorney, I apply all I've learned personally and professionally to serve the needs of my clients. In all these ways, I've been there, I understand.

Having practiced at both an international law firm and as in-house counsel at a large publicly traded company, Rich McAvoy has a history of providing superior litigation and other legal services to some of the most discerning clients. By engaging the Law Office of Richard McAvoy, PLLC, you or your business can receive the same quality representation that the world's largest corporations receive, but at a fraction of the cost, right here in Apex, North Carolina.

Relevant Experience
-Represented Fortune 50 client in state and federal court litigation at both the trial court and appellate court level
-Negotiated $70 million investment in...

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...

William “Bill” Hudson has been engaged in the practice of estate planning, wills and trust law, and probate since 1972. He has not only represented married couples with children in the “traditional” long-term, one-spouse marriage, but has also represented the more legally complex, “blended” families (the new “normal”) with multiple marriages and children from each one. He has served unmarried couples and individuals from different cultural traditions, members of the LGBT community, business owners, farmers, ranchers and other land owners, artists and clients who had eight-figure wealth as well as those who had virtually no assets but big problems....

Narendra graduated from Harvard University, summa cum laude, in 1998, and from the New York University School of Law, magna cum laude, in 2005. Prior to attending law school, Narendra was a computer programmer for several companies in Silicon Valley, including Network Appliance, Inc. In law school, he served on the NYU Review of Law and Social Change as a Staff Member and a Managing Editor. After graduation, he was a law clerk to the Honorable A. Wallace Tashima of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and to the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan of the United...

Attorney Val Cesanelli handles family law cases for our firm, with a focus on child custody cases and matters arising out of the process of separation and divorce, such as separation agreements and questions of spousal and child support. Val also handles other family related cases, such as paternity actions, legitimations, name changes and changes in birth certificates, as well as provides drafting services of powers of attorneys and simple wills.

Val is as much a litigator as she is a counselor at law for her clients. As a mother of three children and three stepchildren, Val is both professionally and...