Super Lawyers has named 17 Manning Fulton attorneys North Carolina “Super Lawyers” and 6 “Rising Stars” for 2026. An annual publication by Thomson Reuters, Super Lawyers identifies outstanding lawyers in all 50 states from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.
The following attorneys were recognized in their respective practice area this year:
Super Lawyers
- Joseph B. Bass, Real Estate
- Stephen T. Byrd, Estate & Probate
- Alison R. Cayton, Real Estate
- William S. Cherry III, Business Litigation
- Sandra Martin Clark, Estate & Probate
- William B. Gwyn Jr., Business/Corporate
- Deborah L. Hildebran-Bachofen, Estate & Probate
- Thomas I. Lyon, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Barry D. Mann, Real Estate
- Michael T. Medford, Business Litigation
- Kevin A. Prakke, Securities & Corporate Finance
- Douglas J. Short, Real Estate
- William C. Smith, Jr., Civil Litigation Defense
- Ritchie W. Taylor, Franchise/Dealership
- Jessica B. Vickers, Business Litigation
- Jennifer L. Weaver, Business/Corporate
- Judson A. Welborn, Business Litigation
Rising Stars
- J. Patrick Bailey, Real Estate
- Angela C. Baldwin, Estate & Probate
- Chris N. Bobby, Business/Corporate
- Lawrence Graham, Jr., Civil Litigation Defense
- Matthew P. Muntean, Business/Corporate
- B. Zachary Taylor, Real Estate
About Manning Fulton
Founded in 1955, Manning Fulton is one of North Carolina’s most established law firms, proudly serving clients across the Triangle and eastern North Carolina for seven decades. With over 30 attorneys with a wide range of specialties and experience, the firm provides a full range of legal services to businesses and individuals throughout the state. Manning Fulton remains dedicated to providing its clients with accessible, high-quality legal expertise, fostering long-term relationships built on trust and results.
About Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a rigorous, multiphase rating process in which peer nominations and evaluations are combined with third party research and only recognizes the top 5% of attorneys to the list each year. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis. The Rising Stars selection process is the Super Lawyers selection process except that candidates must be either 40 years old or younger or in practice for ten years or less, and the selection process does not include peer evaluation by practice area. For more about the standards for inclusion in Super Lawyers, please visit superlawyers.com.
