News + Insights

Ward and Smith, P.A. commercial real estate attorney and Asheville native Joanne Badr recently graduated from the Leadership Asheville program.  Badr joins the ranks…

With some limited exceptions (the author is an attorney after all), every litigation case has two phases and crucial steps: liability and damages.  The…

The federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (“DTSA”), an amendment to the Theft of Trade Secrets Act, became effective May 12, 2016.  The DTSA provides…

After almost a year of speculation and concern, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) today, May 18, 2016, issued its long-awaited Final Rule on…

Many people use a revocable trust as part of their estate plan because of its probate avoidance and privacy benefits after death.  In addition,…

Recently, in In re Ballard, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued an opinion that provides a blueprint for a lender to pocket a…