Vandemere Lawyers

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...

Hayes was born and raised in Eastern North Carolina and graduated from James Kenan High School in 1998. Hayes attended Hampden-Sydney College in Central Virginia where he met his future wife Emily. A graduate of Campbell University School of Law, Hayes was active in the Honor Court and was elected Cheif Justice of the Honor Court his 3L year. Hayes and Emily reside in Duplin County with their son Miller. In his spare time Hayes can be found running the backroads of Duplin County. He also enjoys fishing and hunting.

Mr. Brantley is a co-founder and Partner at the law offices of Riddle & Brantley, LLP. With a proven track record obtained from representing thousands of clients throughout North Carolina, Christopher is a board-certified North Carolina State Bar Specialist in Workers’ Compensation law that is also a recipient of the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum award. An honor provided to less than 1% of all trial lawyers in the United States that recognizes his achievement of obtaining a trial verdict, award or settlement in excess of $1 million or more.

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.

Everett Lupton is a trial lawyer practicing in state and federal courts in both Virginia and North Carolina. He has tried more than a hundred jury trials to verdict, tried even more bench trials, and represented clients in many arbitrations and mediations. Mr. Lupton is primarily a personal injury attorney who has represented injured persons in motor vehicle collisions, tractor trailer crashes, serious slip and fall injuries, mauling by animals, and other types of bodily injury claims. Furthermore, he has represented injured railroad workers in FELA (Federal Employee Liability Act) claims and cases, as well as representing injured maritime workers...

Laura was born and raised in Jacksonville, NC. In 2011, she graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She continued her education at Thomas M. Cooley Law School and graduated with a Juris Doctorate in 2013.

Laura enjoys writing, reading and engaging in community service. Laura joined the King Law Firm in 2014 and practices in the areas of workers’ compensation, personal injury litigation, and social security disability.

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...

With a focus on personal injury litigation, Ms. Schertzinger is a member of the American Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association, and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and is a valued member of the legal team at the law offices of Riddle & Brantley.

David B. Collins, Jr. grew up all over North and South Carolina, mostly in Charlotte and Myrtle Beach. He attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Biology in 1986. In 1993 Mr. Collins graduated with a Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from the University of South Carolina at Columbia and was admitted to practice law in North Carolina and South Carolina and Federal Courts.

Mr. Collins has been licensed to practice law in both North and South Carolina since 1993. In 1995, he moved to the Wilmington...

After 15 years with other firms, I started my own law practice in 2004. I am a disability lawyer practicing before the N.C. Industrial Commission and the Social Security Administration.

David Gross graduated from Lakeview High School in St. Clair Shores, Michigan in 1992 where he was on the football and swimming team. David graduated Summa Cum Laude from Mount Olive College in Mount Olive, N.C. with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. David attended the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill where he was a member of the International Law Journal. After serving in both the Air and Army National Guard, David became a Rocky Mount N.C. Police Officer in 1998. David Gross performed all aspects of law enforcement including writing traffic citations,...

Whitney Hosey focuses her practice on commercial and residential real estate, estate and trust planning, and communication and privacy law. At Wake Forest, Whitney served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law, and has published numerous articles with the Journal.

Whitney earned her B.A. in History and Government from the University of Virginia. After graduating, she worked as an advertising executive in New York City where she managed advertising campaigns for Lowes Home Improvement and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. Whitney is a devoted UVA fan and enjoys reading.

I have my Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami, and my Juris Doctor from Thomas Cooley Law School where I was on the Dean's List, Honor Roll, and made the Law Review. I am a veteran from the United States Army. I worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company as a Senior Claims Adjuster handling Workers' Compensation, automobile and motorcycle accidents, and other insurance claims.

L. Bryan Smith’s primary practice areas are family law, criminal defense, and personal injury. He is proud of his dedication and responsiveness to clients. Bryan attended Francis Marion College in Florence, South Carolina, earning a degree in political science. He then matriculated to Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law for his juris doctor which he earned cum laude. After law school, Bryan was the founding member of a local law firm until he joined The Law Group as a partner.

Christian was born and raised in Indiana and attended Indiana University in Bloomington where he received a degree in Philosophy and Political Science. During college, Christian worked as a wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in the summers. Christian then attended the University of Montana School of Law in Missoula. While attending law school, Christian interned with Justice Goff of the Indiana Supreme Court and the Federal Defenders of Montana. It was both of these experiences that inspired Christian’s passion for criminal defense. Upon receiving his J.D., he moved to Wilmington and began...

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,...

Personal Injury Attorney? Check. Criminal Lawyer? Check. Military Lawyer? Check. A trial lawyer for over 40 years, Mr. Slaughter has vast experience in personal injury law, civil law, and criminal trial practice. He began his legal career in 1979 as a prosecutor in the office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Norfolk, Virginia. He rose to the position of Chief Deputy before entering the private practice of law in North Carolina in 1989. Following about 15 years of trial work in private practice, he returned to the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office in 2004 as the Chief Deputy prosecutor and later served as the interim...

Joseph P. Tunstall is a trial lawyer through and through, having been successful in numerous personal injury, auto accident, Social Security, and workers’ comp cases, many of them before a jury. He has handled cases at both the federal and state levels, including the Supreme Court of North Carolina. Joe has tried close to 100 jury trials to verdict always representing the injured and never corporations or insurance companies in Eastern North Carolina. If you ask other lawyers who handle personal injury they know Joe tries his clients’ cases to juries. He is on the Board of Governors for the...

Robert was born and raised in Jacksonville, NC. In 2011, he graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Arts in History. Robert continued his education at Thomas M. Cooley Law School and graduated with a Juris Doctorate in 2013. Robert enjoys history and remaining active in community service. Robert joined the King Law Firm in 2014 and practices in the areas of workers’ compensation, personal injury litigation, and social security disability.

Graduated UNC-Chapel Hill with BS degree in Industrial Relations in 1974; Graduated in Charter Class of Campbell University School of Law in 1979; Assistant District Attorney 4th Judicial District 1979-84. Private Practice of Law 1984-present. Primary Area of Practice: Criminal Defense; DWI; Driver's License Restoration. Licensed Real Estate Broker since 1974.

Over the years, Mr. Thomas has earned a reputation for being one of the best military defense attorneys in the country because of his successes litigating and trying some of the most highly publicized military cases. Mr. Thomas focuses on defending clients at court-martials, as well as, administrative separation hearings in the military justice system. Mr. Thomas also represents clients facing state and federal criminal charges in North Carolina. What sets Mr. Thomas apart is that he has experience from every angle in the courtroom and the ability to try any case that comes across his desk. Before starting his...

Jennifer R. Pope has been an attorney in Jacksonville, North Carolina since 1988. She grew up in Jacksonville, and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar, graduating with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology in 1985. She went on to attend Law School at UNC Chapel Hill, and graduated in 1988. Jennifer started her legal career with Ellis, Hooper, Warlick, Waters and Morgan, in general practice until 1992, when she joined Frank Pope and her brother, Gordon Robinson, Jr., in the firm of Robinson, Pope and Pope. In 1997, Jennifer decided to concentrate...

Gregory Kornegay, an attorney based in Wilmington, NC, provides legal representation for Bankruptcy, Social Security Disability, Veteran’s Disability, Criminal Defense, DWI and Accidents/Injuries. With 24 years of law experience, handling many different types of cases from death penalty to small claims, Greg offers a personal service to his clients. Understand the client, understand the problem, calculate the risk – move forward.

In 1981 Keith established this law firm in Elizabeth City, which still serves all of Northeastern North Carolina. From 1973 - 1981 served as Assistant District Attorney for the First Judicial District, covering seven counties.