25 Ward and Smith Attorneys Shine in 2025 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists

Ward and Smith is thrilled to announce that 25 of its attorneys have earned spots on the prestigious North Carolina Super Lawyers and North Carolina Rising Stars lists for 2025.

These accolades celebrate their exceptional skill, dedication, and achievements across a wide range of legal disciplines, reinforcing the firm’s reputation for delivering top-notch legal services.

This year, 13 Ward and Smith attorneys have been named to the 2025 Super Lawyers list, an honor reserved for only the top 5% of practicing attorneys in North Carolina. Two of our attorneys have made it to the prestigious Top 100: North Carolina Super Lawyers List. In addition, 12 more attorneys have been recognized as 2025 Rising Stars, a distinction awarded to no more than 2.5% of the state’s lawyers who are under 40 or have been practicing for less than 10 years.

The attorneys selected for inclusion in the 2025 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists are:

Asheville


Clint Cogburn 2025 Rising Star	Lance Martin 2025 Super Lawyer

Greenville


Charles Ellis 2025 Super Lawyer	Brad Evans 2025 Super Lawyer (Top 100)	Lynwood Evans 2025 Super Lawyer

Paul Fanning 2025 Super Lawyer (Top 100)	Peter von Stein 2025 Rising Star

New Bern


Angela Doughty 2025 Super Lawyer	Greg Peacock 2025 Super Lawyer

Raleigh


Payton Collier Bullard 2025 Rising Star	Whitney Campbell Christensen 2025 Rising Star	Art DeBaugh 2025 Super Lawyer	Justin Hill 2025 Rising Star

X. Lightfoot 2025 Rising Star	Taylor Marks 2025 Rising Star	Emily Massey 2025 Rising Star	Gavin Parsons 2025 Super Lawyer

Tyler Russell 2025 Rising Star	Mayukh Sircar 2025 Rising Star	Jordan Spanner 2025 Rising Star

Wilmington


Christina Cress 2025 Rising Star	John Martin 2025 Super Lawyer	Will Oden 2025 Super Lawyer

Ryal Tayloe 2025 Super Lawyer	Jeremy Wilson 2025 Super Lawyer

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. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis. North Carolina lawyers who receive the highest point totals during this selection process are further recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers Top Lists. Visit Super Lawyers for additional information about the recognition methodology.