In Memoriam C.H. Pope, Jr.
January 31, 2026
Ward and Smith, P.A. mourns the passing of C.H. Pope, Jr., a beloved colleague and cornerstone of our firm for nearly five decades.
C.H. joined Ward and Smith in 1973, just a few years after the firm’s founding, and dedicated his entire legal career to serving clients from the firm’s New Bern office until his retirement in 2022. Over the course of those 49 years, he became one of the most respected real estate attorneys in North Carolina.
A “double Tarheel,” C.H. graduated with a B.S. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1968 and earned his J.D. there, with high honors, in 1972. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a research assistant to Associate Justice (later Chief Justice) Susie Sharp at the North Carolina Supreme Court.
As leader of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group, C.H. guided countless clients through the complexities of real estate acquisition, financing, leasing, construction, and development. He was known for his experience in navigating governmental approvals, zoning, and subdivision matters, and his counsel extended into areas including tax-deferred exchanges, construction contracts and disputes, timber and logging, agricultural law, and wetlands issues. His breadth of knowledge made him a trusted advisor not only in real estate but across the broader landscape of business and land use in North Carolina.
C.H.’s excellence was recognized consistently by his peers throughout his career. He was named Best Lawyers in America® “Lawyer of the Year” for Real Estate Law and was included in Best Lawyers in America® continuously beginning in 1995. He was also repeatedly selected for Business North Carolina’s “Legal Elite” in the Real Estate category, honors that reflected the high esteem in which he was held by fellow attorneys across the state.
Brad Evans, Ward and Smith’s Co-Managing Director, noted, “More than his professional achievements, C.H. embodied the values that define Ward and Smith. He was a devoted teammate, a generous mentor, and a model of the trust, service, and collaboration that are at the heart of our firm’s culture. His steady presence and wise counsel shaped not only the careers of the attorneys who worked alongside him, but the character of the firm itself.”
We extend our deepest sympathies to C.H.’s family and loved ones. His legacy at Ward and Smith, and in the communities he served, will endure for generations.
In Memoriam Angela Andrews Nelson
On August 9, 2021, our team suffered a terrible loss. Angela Nelson, an Accounting Support Specialist, passed away peacefully at her New Bern home.
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend and valued colleague. Angie was a hard worker and a great teammate. She and her positivity will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time,” stated Devon Williams, Ward and Smith’s Co-Managing Director.
Angie had been with the firm since 2017.
