I provide representation to parents and other caregivers in child welfare cases, including frequent representation of non-parent caregivers in DSS-involved court cases (abuse, neglect, and dependency, as well as other proceedings). As a former DSS child welfare attorney, I am very familiar with the law and the correct agency process that should apply in these cases, understand how county agencies and juvenile courts function, and have seen firsthand, in a wide variety of circumstances, the difficulties faced by non-parent caregivers who find themselves in the midst of agency and/or court processes without any reliable legal advice. In addition to representation in Juvenile Court, I participate in the firm's adoption practice in a number of capacities including court appearances in contested adoption cases and other special proceedings related to pending or completed adoptions.

While developing my current private child welfare practice, during my tenure at OCR I collaborated with firm principal Chris Osborn on a variety of case types, including: commercial litigation and arbitration, personal injury/tort litigation, real property and estate litigation, child custody and child support cases, and non-litigation (collaborative or negotiation-based) representation in estate and child custody matters.

From May 2014 through May 2017 I represented Mecklenburg County DSS, Youth and Family Services, in abuse, neglect, and dependency matters including management of the trial caseload for one of four courtrooms in Mecklenburg Juvenile Dependency Court for 18 months, and a year as appellate counsel, defending decisions of the court in adjudications of abuse and neglect and/or terminations of parental rights and other permanency decisions.From March 2013 through May 2014 I served as in-house counsel for Mecklenburg County’s local management entity/managed care organization (Local Management Entity/Prepaid In-Patient Health Plan "LME/PIHP") under North Carolina’s 1915(b)-(c) Medicaid waiver, and other state and county programs. The LME/PIHP was responsible for managing a closed network of behavioral healthcare providers serving consumers in Mecklenburg County (including Mecklenburg county-of-origin Medicaid enrollees) using federal, state, and county monies. Responsibilities included advising the Director, Chief Counsel, Department and Division Directors, managers, and staff regarding all aspects of state and federal regulatory compliance; contract drafting, review, interpretation and administration; policy development and implementation; and development of inter-departmental communications and processes; advising regarding service provider and consumer issues and associated investigations, risk management, and litigation; facilitating communication with service providers, consumers, vendors, and governmental agencies (including NCDHHS/DMA, SBI, and AG’s Office); and assisting with close out of MeckLINK matters including record retention, contract compliance, consumer appeals run-out, coordination with Cardinal Innovations regarding open cases and issues, and advising new Behavioral Health Division on various matters.

Representation of national bank client in collateral litigation arising from both judicial and non-judicial residential mortgage foreclosure actions in NH, ME, NJ, MA, and IL. Responsibilities included fact investigation; strategy and analysis; coordination of representation with foreclosure counsel and local counsel; research of procedural and substantive law of applicable jurisdictions; drafting of motions, memoranda of law, client case mapping forms, and other internal reports; communication with in-house counsel, parties-in-interest, opposing counsel, and bank mortgage resolution staff.

Representation of clients in a broad range of civil litigation matters (primarily civil defense) including breach of contract, business tort claims, non-competition agreements, estate litigation, general negligence (personal injury and property damage), appeals, insurance defense.

Responsible for legal analysis, research, and drafting of orders and opinions in complex business cases involving novel questions of North Carolina law, including new statutory interpretation, state regulatory issues, municipal law, business tort claims, fiduciary law, constitutional issues, and estate matters.

Legal analysis, research, and drafting for sole practitioner in real property, contract, fiduciary, insurance, and employment litigation matters.

Researched and drafted various litigation documents for federal prosecutor’s office including: pretrial memoranda and motions filed in the federal Western District Court; indictments; and internal prosecution memoranda in matters including narcotics and immigration violations, white-collar crime, official corruption, document servitude, sentencing, and supervised release violations; appeared in United States District Court representing the United States in pretrial criminal proceedings; substantially drafted the Government’s brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Researched and drafted internal memoranda in key business areas including nuclear plant ownership agreements, OSHA multi-employer liability, easements and trespass, contracts, employment, and federal and state energy regulation; conducted analysis and drafted summary of annual resource plan in preparation for N.C. Utilities Commission hearings; drafted court documents in small-claims litigation matters.

Conducted analysis and research and provided legal recommendations to the Court regarding pending civil and criminal matters including Title VII employment discrimination, computer fraud and abuse, civil RICO, breach of contract, business tort claims, and Fourth Amendment challenges; drafted bench briefs, oral orders, and written orders of the Court.

Co-developer of concept and branding for successful family-owned upscale children’s toy and clothing store; primary responsibilities for buying (all product categories); hiring, training, and supervision; financial planning and analysis; earned loyalty of highly educated, savvy clientele through strong emphasis on personal service, thorough product knowledge and careful trend-watching. Consulted with primary German toy supplier Habermaass Corporation (HABA-USA) regarding product development for U.S. market. Maintained active involvement in product quality and safety dialogue with various suppliers in both apparel and toy categories.