Ward and Smith, P.A. received Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 rankings in the 2017 Edition of U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms."
Firms included in the 2017 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.
The 2017 rankings are based on the highest number of participating firms and highest number of client ballots on record. To be eligible for a ranking, a firm must have a lawyer listed in The Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the top four percent of practicing attorneys in the U.S.
Firms with offices in the identified "metropolitan areas" and with the highest overall scores are included on the metropolitan area lists. For ranking purposes, U.S. News and Best Lawyers® incorporated Greenville into the Raleigh metropolitan area and New Bern into the Wilmington metropolitan area. Ward and Smith's metropolitan area offices include Asheville, Raleigh, and Wilmington. Rankings for these cities include:
Metropolitan Tier 1
Asheville
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation - Land Use & Zoning
Raleigh
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation
Employment Law - Management
Labor Law - Management
Litigation - Bankruptcy
Litigation - Construction
Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Trusts & Estates Law
Wilmington-NC
Commercial Litigation
Corporate Law
Health Care Law
International Trade and Finance Law
Land Use & Zoning Law
Litigation - Construction
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation - Trusts & Estates
Real Estate Law
Metropolitan Tier 2
Asheville
Land Use & Zoning Law
Raleigh
Banking and Finance Law
Corporate Law
Tax Law
Technology Law
Wilmington-NC
Construction Law
Litigation - Labor & Employment
Litigation - Real Estate
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Trusts & Estates Law
Metropolitan Tier 3
Asheville
Family Law
Raleigh
Arbitration
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Family Law
Mediation
Venture Capital Law
Workers' Compensation Law – Employers