News + Insights

Year in Review: A Letter from Our Co-Managing Directors

More than nine months ago, our community experienced a shut-down that was without equal, and we all began to fight a virus no one fully understood. When we discussed putting together a "Year in Review" to tell the Ward an…

COVID-19 Paid Leave in 2021: The Impact of New Federal Relief Bill on Employers

Written By Emily G. Massey, Grant B. Osborne, and Hayley R. Wells

"The future ain't what it used to be."  – Yogi Berra Governing can be a fickle affair. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 ("FFCRA"), the first paid-leave of absence law to be enacted on a nati…

Flexibility in the Face of COVID-19: When Culture and Technology Align

Written By Angela P. Doughty, CIPP-US

We didn't know what we would be asked to do during the pandemic, or how flexible we would all need to become to continue work during this unusual year. Here are just a few examples of how Ward and Smith has aligned our te…

Grant Osborne Recognized as a 2020 "Go To Thought Leader" by the National Law Review

The National Law Review (NLR) recognizes labor and employment attorney Grant Osborne as a 2020 "Go To Thought Leader." It's an honor reserved for less than 1% of the publication's 15,000 authors across var…

Media Mention: NASBP's Blog Features Article by Bill Durr

The National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) is sharing insights from Ward and Smith's 2020 Construction Conference with its members.  The organization recently republished an article written by attorney…

COVID-19 and the Construction Industry: Must Know Information for Executives

Written By William S. Durr

During Ward and Smith’s recent virtual "Construction Conference," six of my partners and I covered a range of emerging legal issues — most related to the pandemic — that are important for construction com…

Media Mention: Amy Wooten Featured in NC Lawyers Weekly Article

NC Lawyers Weekly recently highlighted Amy Wooten's unconventional start at Ward and Smith's Raleigh office.  "Instead of welcoming Amy Wooten with coffee and pastries and showing her to her new office on her fir…

How to Maintain a Positive Company Culture During COVID-19

Written By William A. Oden, III

Culture eats strategy for breakfast, or so we've been told by Mr. Drucker and others.  Coincidentally, I wholeheartedly agree.  So, how does leadership maintain, let alone improve, its company culture in the fac…

Understanding Who (Might) Have Lost and Won: The 2020 Election Results Directly Impact How We Respond to COVID-19

Written By Whitney Campbell Christensen and James W. Norment

Our efforts to keep you knowledgeable about legal issues related to the pandemic has become one of our most important services to our clients.  COVID-19 challenges all of us.  Our businesses, our families, and o…

Ken Gray and Xavier Lightfoot to Speak at SEACAA Pre-Conference Event

Labor and employment attorneys Ken Gray and Xavier Lightfoot will kickoff a pre-conference day event during the Southeastern Association of Community Action Agencies' (SEACAA) annual symposium. This virtual one-day sessio…

The Impact of COVID-19 on M&A Transactions

Written By C. Joseph DelPapa and Michael E. Kohagen

As the impact of COVID-19 on financial markets continues to play out, so does its effect on M&A transactions. Many deals have been cancelled or are on hold as parties struggle with valuation, availability of financing…

Get Ready to Golf for a Great Cause

Golfers will hit the links this weekend for the 20th Annual CarolinaEast Cup Fundraising Golf Tournament, hosted by the Pamlico Community College Foundation.  This popular event usually takes place in May but was del…

Media Mention: Business Adaptability During COVID-19

COVID-19 continues to significantly impact businesses, but there are ways companies can emerge from the current crisis stronger. The Wilmington Business Journal recently asked corporate and securities attorney K…

Register Now for Our Virtual Health Care Breakfast and Learn on October 27

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped many industries. The health care industry is no exception. We want to help physicians and health care providers navigate this ever-changing landscape, virtually.  Join us on Tuesday…

Ward and Smith Sponsors 2020 IMPACT Event to End Domestic Violence

The COVID-19 pandemic has canceled many events, but some are still happening -- virtually.   The Center for Family Violence Prevention in Greenville will hold its 3rd annual Domestic Violence IMPACT Event online…

Webinar: Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place - Employer Predicaments in a COVID-19 Environment

On September 17, Ward and Smith's labor and employment attorneys hosted a webinar, addressing issues employers are facing during the current pandemic.  The "Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Employer Predic…

Media Mention: Tyler Russell on What it Means to "Lead Well" and "Be Authentic"

Attorney Tyler Russell is sharing his thoughts on what it means to "lead well" and "be authentic." His comments appeared in an article spotlighting members of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) Leadership Academy.&…

"Don't Tread on Me": Customers' Religious Objections to Mandated Use of Face Masks in the Era of COVID-19

Written By Grant B. Osborne

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged businesses and employers in ways that few thought possible just six months ago. Untold millions have lost jobs, and vast numbers of businesses have been forced to close in an attempt t…

COVID-19 Update: Reopening Your Business, House Bill 118, and Executive Order 163

Written By Michael E. Kohagen and James W. Norment

In a series of Executive Orders, the most recent of which is Executive Order 163 dated September 1, 2020, Governor Roy Cooper implemented a "Safer at Home Phase 2.5" COVID-19 response plan.   While certain businesses…

Register Now for the "Employer Predicaments in a COVID-19 Environment" Webinar

Furloughs or layoffs? To test or not to test? Work from home or return to the office? These are some of the many quandaries employers face as they manage COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions for the weeks and months to c…

On Demand: Paul Fanning Featured in Free Bankruptcy Course for Small Businesses

Creditors' rights attorney Paul Fanning is sharing his insights with business owners facing the possibility of bankruptcy for the first time due to COVID-19.  He is one of 16 presenters in the "Bankruptcy and Sm…

Save the Date for Ward and Smith's 2020 Construction Conference - Virtual Edition

Ward and Smith's premier event for construction industry executives and professionals is going virtual. The 2020 Construction Conference will be held online on Thursday, October 8 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. In light of the …

Media Mention: Eric Remington Discusses Eviction Moratoriums with NC Lawyers Weekly

A wave of evictions is expected in North Carolina now that the statewide moratorium is expired.  North Carolina Lawyers Weekly recently interviewed several attorneys, including Ward and Smith litigator Eric Remi…

Tyler Russell Receives Triangle Business Journal's 2020 "40 Under 40 Leadership Award"

The Triangle Business Journal (TBJ) recently selected Tyler Russell as a "40 Under 40 Leadership Award" recipient for 2020.  The honor recognizes outstanding professionals under the age of 40 for their cont…

Hayley Wells Joins Asheville Brewers Alliance's COVID-19 Legal Roundtable as a Panelist

Attorney Hayley Wells will be a panelist for a virtual COVID-19 Legal Roundtable, hosted by the Asheville Brewers Alliance ("ABA"). The virtual forum is for breweries who still have lingering questions and concerns r…

Adam Beaudoin and James Todd to Speak at the 2020 CAI-NC Annual Conference & Expo

Community associations attorney Adam Beaudoin and James Todd will speak at this year's Annual Conference & Expo, hosted by the Community Associations Institute of North Carolina ("CAI-NC"). The two-day virtual event s…

ECU's Director of Athletics to Speak at July's Greenville-Pitt County Chamber Virtual Power Luncheon

East Carolina University's Director of Athletics, Jon Gilbert, is the main course at this month's Greenville-Pitt County Chamber Power Luncheon.  The virtual forum will focus on how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to…

Media Mention: Evan Musselwhite Featured in Kiplinger Magazine

 The COVID-19 pandemic put a lot of events on hold or canceled them altogether.  So if you had plans to travel, attend a concert, or get married, what can you do to get your money back? Attorney Evan Musselwhite…

Media Mention: Xavier Lightfoot and Will Oden Featured in "Business North Carolina"

"How do I get my workers back to the workplace?" It's a common question frequently asked by employers to our labor and employment attorneys. And recently, attorneys Xavier Lightfoot and Will Oden addressed that speci…

Media Mention: Emily Massey's "New Normal" Article featured in HR Professionals Magazine

Labor and employment attorney Emily Massey wrote an article explaining some of the challenges employers may encounter when allowing employees to work from home.  HR Professionals Magazine published Emily's artic…

Webinar: Protecting Yourself Against EEOC, OSHA, and Workers' Compensation Claims in the COVID-19 Era

On June 25, labor and employment attorneys Ken Gray and Will Oden answered employers' most pressing questions about liability issues related to re-opening and employees returning to work.  During the hour-long Q&…

Media Mention: Ward and Smith's "New Way of Work" Featured in the Wilmington Business Journal

COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed how many industries do business. This new normal was the focus of an article recently published by the Wilmington Business Journal. "A New Way of Work" highlights how different busine…

COVID-19 Update from Ward and Smith

An employee at the New Bern office of Ward and Smith has tested positive for the coronavirus. We immediately notified the employees who came into close contact with the impacted person, and per our policy, those people wi…

COVID Quarantine + Surge in eCommerce = … ADA Discrimination Claims?!

Written By Angela P. Doughty, CIPP-US

While much about COVID-19 and its long-term impact on businesses and the economy is unknown, its effect of a worldwide increase in a reliance on digital means to engage in business transactions is undeniable and unlikely t…

Liability Waivers and Questionnaires in the Time of COVID-19

Written By William A. Oden, III

As businesses begin to re-open and re-engage their workforce, and in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is worth exploring requiring your employees (and in certain circumstances, customers) to execute a liability w…

COVID-19 Eviction Moratoriums: Need-To-Know Information for NC Landlords and Tenants

Written By Juliana S. Inman and Eric J. Remington

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020.  The CARES Act provided immediate economic assistance for American worke…

Reopening After COVID-19: What Business Owners Should Know

Written By James R. Todd and Allen N. Trask, III

Back to business doesn't mean back to normal. As COVID-19 lockdown restrictions begin to ease, business owners are grappling with new challenges and are being forced to make tough decisions in an environment of great unce…

How Outdoor Sports and Recreation Operations Can Protect Themselves in a Post COVID-19 Environment

Written By Kristin D. Mitcham

There is a world history of pandemics that, at one point or another, crippled civilizations or dynasties.  In America's more recent history, our country has experienced the Spanish Flu (1918 – 1920), the Asian F…

Don't Dive Right In! Strategies for Opening Community Pools in the Wake of COVID-19

Written By Eric J. Remington and Amy H. Wooten

Ed. Note: On May 21, The NC Department of Health and Human Services issued Interim Guidance for Public Pools and Spas. See our coverage of this most recent guidance here.  State and local governme…

Local Government Laws Updated to Deal with COVID-19 and States of Emergency

Written By James R. Todd

On Monday, May 4 Governor Roy Cooper signed two COVID-19 relief bills into law: House Bill 1043 and Senate Bill 704.  The laws cover a variety of stimulus, tax, and legislative issues, but they also seek to provide im…

Pitt Community College Foundation Changes Format of Spring Fundraiser Due to COVID-19 Outbreak

Every year, the Pitt Community College Foundation (PCC) holds a fundraiser to benefit student scholarships, programs, and educational activities.  Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the nonprofit has changed the format of…

Ward and Smith Launches COVID-19 Response Team for Client Questions, Concerns

In order to efficiently address the vast and rapidly changing effects COVID-19 will continue to have on our clients and their needs, Ward and Smith has formed a COVID-19 Response Team.   The members of the Team …

7 Guidelines for Parents Sharing Custody of Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Written By Lauren Taylor Arnette Quinn

With the Governor's proclamation to close schools and restaurants to dine-in customers, now, more than ever, our children are a primary focus during these trying times.  All parents are faced with the challenges of e…

Ward and Smith's Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

To our clients and friends: Ward and Smith, like so many other businesses in our community, is doing our part to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) while ensuring that all of your legal needs will continue to b…