Thirty-Three Manning Fulton Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024

Five Named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2024 

Manning, Fulton & Skinner, P.A. (Manning Fulton) continues its rich legacy of accomplished lawyers with thirty-three attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® 2024.

The firm’s roster of Best Lawyers® recognized attorneys grows year over year,  adding new attorneys and practice areas consistently. Manning Fulton has twenty-four attorneys who have received the honor multiple times, ranging from 5 to 20 years of recognition.

“I am delighted to, once again, see the expertise of my colleagues recognized by such a prominent publication,” said Manning Fulton’s Managing Partner, Judd Welborn. “A growing number of Manning Fulton attorneys continue to be honored for their commitment to our clients. For almost 70 years, Manning Fulton has earned a reputation for providing accessible and sophisticated partner-level talent across the firm’s full breadth of practice areas.”

Of the 2024 recipients, four attorneys are recognized for the first time and twelve others add additional fields of expertise.

Manning Fulton also adds yet another “Lawyer of the Year” to its ranks as Steve Byrd was awarded the title for his work with Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) in the Raleigh-Durham market. Steve was also named “Lawyer of the Year” last year in the areas of Tax Law and Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law.

The Best Lawyers in America® is a global publication released in over 75 countries. This peer review-based publication has evaluated over 10 million lawyers in over 145 practice areas.

The following attorneys were recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® 2024:

**Eugene F. Dauchert, Jr. – Business Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Health Care Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law

**Randolph M. Fletcher – Business Organizations, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Real Estate Law

**Charles L. Steel IV – Corporate Law, Tax Litigation and Controversy, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates

**Reich L. Welborn – Business Organizations, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Real Estate Law

Joseph B. Bass – Real Estate Law

***Stephen T. Byrd – Business Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates

Alison R. Cayton – Real Estate Law

**William S. Cherry III – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Insurance Law, Insurance Litigation, Real Estate Litigation, and Labor and Employment Litigation

**Sandra Martin Clark – Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates [5]

**James H. Clarke – Corporate Law, Healthcare Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law

John C. Dorsey – Corporate Law, Employee Benefits Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates

Jessica L. Elliott – Real Estate Law

William B. Gwyn, Jr. – Business Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Commercial Finance Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law

John A. Hardin – Government Relations Practice

Michael S. Harrell – Commercial Litigation and Family Law

Deborah L. Hildebran-Bachofen – Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates

Thomas I. Lyon – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Corporate Law

Barry D. Mann – Real Estate Law

**Michael T. Medford – Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Antitrust Litigation, Insurance Litigation, Labor and Employment Litigation, and Tax Litigation and Controversy

**Kevin A. Prakke– Business Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Securities Regulation

Natalie M. Rice – Commercial Litigation

**Robert S. Shields, Jr. – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Medical Malpractice Law, and Professional Malpractice Law

Douglas J. Short – Real Estate Law

William C. Smith, Jr. – Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Construction Litigation

**Ritchie W. Taylor – Business Organizations, Corporate Law, Franchise Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Jennifer L. Weaver – Business Organizations, Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Judson A. Welborn – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Franchise Law, Construction Litigation, Land Use and Zoning Litigation, and Real Estate Litigation

J. Gray Wilson- Appellate Practice, Construction Law, Construction Litigation, and Real Estate Litigation

*First time recognition in Best Lawyers®
**Best Lawyers® new area of expertise (new area bolded)
***Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year”

In addition to this, five more Manning Fulton attorneys were named to the edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. They are:

*J. Patrick Bailey, Jr. – Real Estate Law

*Angela C. Baldwin – Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law

*Chris N. Bobby – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Tax Law

*B. Zack Taylor, Jr. – Real Estate Law

Jessica B. Vickers – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, and Labor and Employment Litigation

These awards are recognitions given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for “outstanding professional excellence in private practice.”

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About Manning Fulton

Manning Fulton was founded in 1955 by Howard Manning and Charles Fulton and is one of the longest-lasting law partnerships in North Carolina. In its nearly seven decades faithfully serving the Triangle and Eastern North Carolina, Manning Fulton has grown with its clients and this remarkable state. Today, more than 40 attorneys, averaging more than 20 years’ experience in their respective fields, provide the full suite of legal services to businesses and individuals throughout North Carolina. The firm’s attorneys are uniquely committed to first-rate, accessible, no-nonsense expertise and the development of a lasting relationship with every client. Put simply, we focus on what matters.

For more information, please visit https://www.manningfulton.com/.

About Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers® is the oldest and most respected attorney ranking service in the world. For more than 40 years, Best Lawyers® has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the attorneys best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers® lists are published in leading local, regional, and national publications across the globe.

For more information, please visit https://www.bestlawyers.com/.

Media Contact: April E. Bruns

bruns@manningfulton.com

919-510-9277