25 Ward Smith Attorneys Recognized as 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars

Ward and Smith recently announced that 25 of its attorneys were recognized in the 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Among them, 15 attorneys were named North Carolina Super Lawyers, which included two selected to the Top 100 North Carolina Super Lawyers list, and 10 attorneys were acknowledged as North Carolina Rising Stars.

Super Lawyers conducts a thorough, multi-phase selection process each year to evaluate attorneys across the state. This process includes peer nominations, independent research, and peer evaluations. Only a small percentage of attorneys in North Carolina make it onto the Super Lawyers list, while the Rising Stars designation is specifically for attorneys who are either 40 years old or younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less.

Here are the attorneys selected for inclusion in the 2026 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists:

In Asheville:

– Clint H. Cogburn (Rising Stars, Land Use/Zoning)
– Zachary F. Lamb (Super Lawyers, Estate & Probate)
– Lance P. Martin (Super Lawyers, Top 100, Bankruptcy: Business)

In Greenville:

– A. Charles Ellis (Super Lawyers, Personal Injury: General – Plaintiff)
– E. Bradley Evans (Super Lawyers, Business Litigation)
– Lynwood P. Evans (Super Lawyers, Personal Injury: General – Plaintiff)
– Paul A. Fanning (Super Lawyers, Top 100, Creditor Debtor Rights)

In New Bern:

– Angela P. Doughty, CIPP/US, AIGP, FIP (Super Lawyers, Intellectual Property)
– Gregory T. Peacock (Super Lawyers, Estate & Probate)

In Raleigh:

– Whitney Campbell Christensen (Rising Stars, Government Relations)
– Arthur J. DeBaugh (Super Lawyers, Intellectual Property)
– Justin T. Hill (Rising Stars, Employment & Labor)
– X. Lightfoot (Rising Stars, Employment & Labor)
– Emily G. Massey (Rising Stars, Employment & Labor)
– Jane Francis Nowell (Rising Stars, Business/Corporate)
– Gavin B. Parsons (Super Lawyers, Business Litigation)