News

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) represented ATCO in a transaction recently honored with the Charlotte Business Journal’s Heavy Hitters Commercial Real Estate Award in the “Top Mixed-Use Development” category, for Camp North End Phase 2.

During National Pro Bono Week, Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) is proud to announce a partnership with KIND’s (Kids in Need of Defense) Labor Exploitation Prevention Programs (LEPP) to provide research, support, and advice to address child labor abuses.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) was ranked number 34 of 54 largest Charlotte-area-based private companies, ranked by 2023 revenue, among the Charlotte Business Journal’s Charlotte's largest private companies list.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Associate, Aishaah Reed Foster, has been presented with the Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Pro Bono Hero Award.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Financial Services Member Sonny Ha and Corporate Member Carolyn Meade have been named to The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers In America. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) represented Catalyst Capital Partners, a leading multi family real estate development and investment firm in the Southeast, and Chicago based Origin Investments during their recent closing on an Asheville development site, announcing plans for their new joint venture: Catalyst Biltmore Village, located at 115 Fairview Road, in proximity to the renowned Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that it has achieved “Mansfield Certification Plus” designation. Mansfield’s year-long certification process is designed to ensure fair and equal opportunities for qualified legal talent to advance into leadership.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that members of the firm’s Bankruptcy, Corporate, and Financial Services teams were recognized for their advisory role in GigaCloud Technology’s acquisition of Noble House Home Furnishings, which won The M&A Advisor’s Cross Border Deal of the Year Award in the $50-100 million category.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Member Edward O'Keefe served as a panelist for the SIFMA Charlotte C&L Regional Seminar on September 23.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm has elevated P. Barrett Morris as head of the firm’s Derivatives team. Barrett joined Hawsons in 2022 and brings his in-house legal experience from both a swap dealer and a large regional bank to guide clients on OTC and exchange trades swaps, options, futures and other derivatives.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Head of Employment and Labor Wood Lay named to The Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers.

This year, as we remember the anniversary of September 11, Hawsons was proud to once again sponsor and partner with the North Carolina Bar Foundation (NCBF), Bank of America, McGuireWoods and Bradley to assist local first responders with preparing estate planning documents for the Wills for Heroes event held at the Bank of America Urban Garden on September 11.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that members John A. Fagg, Jr., Valecia M. McDowell, James “Jim” P. McLoughlin, Jr., and Frank E. Schall were named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America list.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Environmental Member Lesley A. Firestone was selected as a Charleston Regional Business Journal 2024 Women of Influence Award winner. Honorees will be formally recognized during a ceremony on Oct. 24 and in a special section of the publication.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Employment and Labor Counsel, Amy Puckett, has been welcomed to Wake Forest Law’s New Law Board of Visitors. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Wealth & Estate Planning Associate, Michaela Cronin, has been selected for inclusion to the Charleston Metro Chambers of Commerce’s incoming Leadership Charleston Class of 2025.

Hawsons Head of Environmental, Mary Katherine Stukes, served as a speaker for the ULI Triangle Brownfields & Cocktails event on August 27. Mary Katherine spoke alongside Rob Steward (Hoffman & Associates), Steve Hart (Hart & Hickman), and Jon Morris (Beacon Development).  Hawsons also co-hosted the event with Hart & Hickman, PC.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) advised Fenecon during the recent establishment of their first North American operation with headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville County, which will generate 68 new jobs.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm’s human resources team, led by Chief People Officer Stephanie L. Dixon, has been awarded the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2024 Best in HR Awards, which celebrates excellence in human resources work for local employees.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm has renewed its commitment for the Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Certification process, a year-long undertaking designed to ensure that qualified legal talent has transparent, fair, and equal opportunities to be considered for advancement into leadership.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Litigation attorney Jules W. Carter was honored as LPL Financial LLC’s 2024 Diversity Champion Award winner in a ceremony at the company’s San Diego office on August 14.

Hawsons Head of Employment and Labor Wood Lay was profiled by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly (NCLW) for being named to the Employment Law Power List 2024. In this profile, Wood provides insight to his early years, his commitment to fostering social mobility, and his passion for his practice.

Moore and Van Allen Attorneys Ed Ivey and Barrett Morris discuss updates regarding (i) Pre-Hedging, (ii) a recent CFTC enforcement action indicates that YouTube is not tracking everything we do and also has an interesting dissent and (iii) a few notes on Synthetic Risk Transfers, PIKs and Synthetic PIKs. 

The National Law Review featured Moore & Van Allen’s Patent practice group on being ranked in top categories in 2024 Patent Bots Patent Quality Rankings in their August 2024 legal news roundup article titled, “August 2024 Legal Industry News Updates: Law Firm Hiring and Expansion, Industry Awards and Recognition, DEI and Women in Law.” To view the article please click here.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Intellectual Property Kate Cole and Intellectual Property Counsel Sam Merritt were recognized in IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists 2024. The IAM Strategy 300 recognizes individuals who are leaders in development and implementation of strategies that maximize the value of IP portfolios and who were identified by market sources for their skill sets and insights into patent matters.

Hawsons is pleased to announce that Member Holly S. Bannerman was named to the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers list.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© lists 107 Hawsons attorneys who were highly recommended by their peers. This includes eight firm attorneys were named Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year.” In addition, 49 Hawsons attorneys were selected to the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Financial Services Member Katie McConnell was profiled in the ALM Law article series “How I Made Partner”. Katie emphasized that “with a good attitude, high quality of work and focus on client services, you will set yourself up for success.” She also provides advice to other associates, shares challenges she faced, and more topics.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) represented Enlightenment Capital in connection with their platform investment in Cincinnati-based Cryptic Vector, which provides electronic warfare, cyber security, and secure radio frequency communications services to the Department of Defense. Enlightenment Capital was represented on this transaction by Hawsons Corporate Members Rob Rust and Cowden Rayburn, Corporate Counsel Gene Cheval, Corporate Associate Jacob Newton, Financial Services Member Lauren Nelson and Financial Services Associate Jordan Lowery.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Associate Katherine McDiarmid and Employment & Labor Associate Taylor Boyles have been appointed to the 60th Annual Festival in the Park Board of Directors. They will both be a part of the 2024 Exhibitor & Artists Relations Committee. Additionally, Litigation Counsel Courtney Duncil has served as a Board of Directors member since 2022.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Privacy & Data Security Suzanne Gainey, Intellectual Property Counsel Sam Merritt, and Co-head of Commercial & Technology Transactions Todd Taylor served as panelists for the ACC Charlotte - Association of Corporate Counsel CLE titled, “How the Courts Interpret Indemnities & Liability Limitations” which was held on August 7.

Hawsons Accounting Assistant Controller Greg Patterson is a recent graduate of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Emerging Business Leaders (EBL) Class 12 program. The EBL program is a 7-month immersive leadership program designed to enhance leadership capabilities, facilitate relationship building across companies and industries, and provide opportunities for participants to increase their engagement in the Charlotte community.

Mary Katherine Stukes, Hawsons Head of Environmental, has been elected as the incoming chair of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) Environment, Energy & Natural Resources (EENR) Section Council as of July 1.  

Moore & Van Allen’s (Hawsons) Head of Wealth and Estate Planning Member Chris Jones has been recognized in the 2024 Chambers High Net Worth Guide for Private Wealth Law.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm’s Patent practice group ranked in the top percentile in numerous categories in the 2024 Patent Bots Patent Quality Rankings. The fifth annual rankings, which are broken down by technology centers, list Hawsons as a top 10 firm within the fields of networking, multiplexing, cable, and security.

Hawsons Member Sarah Byrne was quoted in the USA Today Special Edition article titled, “Driving Down Suffering: DHS partners with Lyft to combat human trafficking.”

Daisy Birtalan, Hawsons Director of the German Desk, attended the 10th SelectUSA Investment Summit, with record levels of participation from over 5,000 attendees from 96 international markets and 56 states and territories, all gathering to take advantage of in-person networking and informative programming on key industry topics affecting the FDI community.  A notable highlight of this year's Summit was CEO of Austria’s Greiner Packaging, who joined high-level representatives for a panel discussion on Women in Manufacturing. In conjunction with the Summit, Ambassador Petra Schneebauer hosted a ReFocus Austria networking reception for the Austrian Delegation at the Austrian Residence, which provided an excellent platform for interaction and collaboration between the Austrian delegation and key federal and state officials as a sign of Strengthening Austrian-American Economic Ties, held in Washington, DC.

Tanisha Palvia, Hawsons Litigation Member, was quoted in the Business North Carolina Newsletter regarding the expansion of the South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA) with its 31st chapter launching in North Carolina last week. Palvia co-founded SABA North Carolina and will serve as the group’s first President. Having a SABA Chapter in North Carolina “expands our sense of community not just in our personal lives, but also in our professional lives,” Palvia says. SABA North Carolina is an inclusive non-profit organization focused on establishing and fostering a professional community for South Asian legal professionals across North Carolina and has both in-person events in Charlotte and the Triangle and virtual events to help reach members across the state.

Hal Levinson, Hawsons Corporate Member, has been appointed to The Leon Levine Foundation Board of Directors. Established in 1980, The Leon Levine Foundation supports programs and organizations that improve the human condition through investments in education, healthcare, human services and Jewish values. Based in Charlotte, N.C., the Foundation invests in nonprofits across North Carolina and South Carolina with strong leadership, a track record of success, and a plan for financial sustainability. Through its investments, the Foundation intends to create pathways to self-sufficiency, champion strategies for permanent change, and facilitate opportunities for growth.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the following nine firm attorneys were named to the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Member Sarah Byrne served as a guest speaker for the U.S. State Department's International Focus International Visitor Leadership Program meeting, which took place on June 27. The U.S. State Department International Visitor Leadership Program hosted individuals from throughout the world who are honored by the United States Secretary of State for their fight against human trafficking. These individuals joined Sarah to learn more about legal resources for fighting human trafficking.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) was named a recommended Intellectual Property firm in Managing Intellectual Property’s edition of IP Stars, a legal directory that provides state-by-state analysis of the nation’s IP market. The following Intellectual Property Members were recognized as “IP Stars":

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Joseph “Joe” A. Fernandez, co-head of the firm’s Corporate group, was ranked as a recommended lawyer in the Energy - Power/Electricity category in the 2024 Who’s Who Legal (WWL) energy guide, WWL: Energy.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) has been recognized by IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, a unique guide that identifies the top patent professionals in key jurisdictions around the globe. Hawsons Members Kate Cole, Michele Glessner, Jeffrey Gray, Chris Knors, Dick Lupo, Kevin Ransom, Bruce Rose, Nick Russell, Peter Stewart, Todd Taylor, Mark Wilson, and Jacob Zambrzycki were listed as recommended attorneys in their respective practice areas.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Litigation Member Tanisha Palvia was named a South Asian Bar Association (SABA) North America Rising Star Award winner for 2024.

The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) has appointed Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring Zach Smith to the Steering Committee for ABI’s “40 Under 40” 2024 awards program.  The Steering Committee is comprised of twenty-two bankruptcy professionals and judges from around the country, who will select the honorees of ABI’s 2024 “40 Under 40” awards. The ABI “40 Under 40” award ceremony is held annually at ABI’s Winter Leadership Conference in December.   For more information about ABI and the “40 Under 40” program, click here.

Hawsons celebrated its longstanding commitment to public service by hosting the 23rd Annual Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award luncheon presentation on June 13. This annual event serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our employees and community partners who are making significant service contributions.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) was proud to be among the list of sponsors for the Women’s Private Credit Summit at The St. Regis Chicago held June 11-13. Hawsons Financial Services Members Natalie Hilmandolar and Katie McConnell attended the event along with over 200 attendees. 

Walter Price, Hawsons Managing Director & Head of Public Affairs, served as moderator of the Sports Betting Panel Discussion for the Piedmont Club at Charlotte Country Club on June 11. The panelists included representatives from firm clients, Jake Burns, Tepper Sports & Entertainment, Jacob Gallagher, Charlotte Hornets, and Adam Sperling, Quail Hollow Club. They discussed the group’s perspective about what is happening in the sports gaming arena in North Carolina, as well as how their respective organizations are engaging with fans, operators, and other key stakeholders.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that five firm practice areas and 22 Hawsons attorneys were nationally recognized in The Legal 500 United States 2024 industry referral guide.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Commercial Real Estate Member Richard I. Simons has been named by GlobeSt. as one of CRE’s Aspiring Leaders of 2024. This recognition celebrates top young professionals, under the age of 40, within the commercial real estate industry. This marks Simons’ second GlobeSt. award in the past year.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Chambers and Partners has ranked the firm nationally in Banking & Finance and Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Compliance) and has ranked 11 Hawsons practice areas and 36 firm attorneys in the Carolinas. Additionally, Edward P. O’Keefe, and Neil T. Bloomfield have been ranked as national leaders in Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Compliance) in its prestigious Chambers USA legal industry referral guide for 2024.

Sonny Ha, Hawsons Financial Services Associate, and John Fagg, Co-head of Litigation and White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations, served as panelists for the CLDC 2024 panel discussion of “Navigating Life as an Attorney” which took place on May 29. Sonny and John joined others on discussing differences between in-house counsel and law firm work pace, tips for seeking feedback, and how to navigate nerves and challenges as a summer clerk. Hawsons Manager of New Associate Recruiting Olivia Hasty served as the program moderator.

The Hawsons Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association (APALA) Business Resource Group held an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration in the Charlotte office on May 22. Attendees enjoyed Asian cuisine while participating in Asian Pacific American trivia led by Mindless Minutia Trivia. Congrats to our trivia winners!

Congratulations to the following 30 Moore & Van Allen attorneys who have completed 50 or more hours of pro bono legal services in 2023 and are members of the 2023 NC Pro Bono Honor Society.

The Law360 article, “Law360 Names Attorneys Who Moved Up The Firm Ranks In Q1,” published on May 23 highlights those Hawsons attorneys who were elected as new members in the first quarter of 2024. Law360 reveals the list of attorneys whose commitment to legal excellence earned them highly coveted spots in the law firm leadership ranks.

Earlier in the month, Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) hosted the ACC Professional Development: Building Your Brand as a Trusted Advisor program. Suzanne Gainey, Hawsons Co-head of Privacy & Data Security, served as moderator and JoAnn Carlton, Intellectual Property Counsel, joined as one of the featured panelists.

Tracey Easton, Hawsons Commercial Real Estate Senior Counsel, was profiled for the most recent National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL) Newsletter Member Spotlight section. Tracey discusses how NABL conferences and webinars helped her career and provides advice for new professionals.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) listed at number 131 on the “Law360 400,” Law360’s annual ranking of the 400 largest law firms in the nation for 2023. The Law360 400 features the largest U.S.-based law firms and international firms with a U.S. component as measured by domestic attorney headcount.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the Daily Report and Law.com have named Hawsons as a 2024 Southeastern Legal Awards finalist in the Diversity Initiative category for the firm’s ongoing commitment to and extensive work in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). 

Madison Blevins, Hawsons Bankruptcy ＆ Financial Restructuring Associate, was profiled for the May/June Mecklenburg County Bar article, “The Mentorship Alliance: Building Connections and Fostering Growth in the Legal Community” to answer why she chose to join the Mentorship Alliance and what has been the most rewarding part of their experience.

Valecia McDowell, Co-head of White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations & Co-head of DEI Advice, Audits & Assessments, was awarded the Duke University School of Law’s 2024 Charles S. Rhyne Award for Professional Achievement. The Charles S. Rhyne award was established in 1994 to recognize graduates whose careers exemplify the highest standards of professionalism, personal integrity, and commitment to education or community service.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm and two Hawsons attorneys have been named finalists for the 2024 Women in Business Law Americas Awards.

John Fagg, Co-head of Moore & Van Allen's White Collar Defense, Regulatory Defense, & Investigations practice, spoke at the Atlanta Bar Association’s White Collar Crime CLE program on May 3. Following his recent trial successes, Mr. Fagg was asked to join a panel that discussed strategies for defeating the Department of Justice in federal criminal trials.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Litigation Mark Nebrig served as a guest speaker for the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) 2024 Annual Conference which was held in Tampa, FL earlier this week. He was joined by Lars Golumbic to provide a Litigation Update that highlighted Arbitration Updates, DOL and IRS Regulatory Actions, and ESOP Litigation: Recent Case Decisions. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Member Edward O’Keefe was among those honored by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly as the 2024 class of Leaders in the Law on April 25. The event recognized the Leaders, whose accomplishments include outstanding contributions to the practice of law in North Carolina, significant achievements through the practice of law, leadership in improving the justice system, acting as role models and mentors, and making essential contributions to North Carolina’s legal community, the community at large or both.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Privacy & Data Security Karin McGinnis receives Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP) certification credential from the IAPP. With the expansion of AI technology, there is a need for professionals in all industries to understand and execute responsible AI governance. The AIGP credential demonstrates that an individual can ensure safety and trust in the development and deployment of ethical AI and ongoing management of AI systems.  Karin is part of the first initial group to complete the exam and obtain the certification. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Member Sarah Byrne graduated from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Citizens Academy. The HSI Citizens Academy strives to enhance public awareness of HSI and its critical national security and public safety missions by instructing nominated community members on topics ranging from drug and financial crimes investigations, child exploitation and human trafficking, to cryptocurrency, and firearms and tactics.  Charlotte law enforcement agencies should be commended for their exceptional community outreach, and most of all, for the bravery and sacrifice demonstrated on April 29, 2024. 

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that GlobeSt. has named Commercial Real Estate Senior Counsel Tracey C. Easton a “2024 Woman of Influence” in the CRE Legal Counsel category.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Financial Restructuring Member Luis Lluberas led a multi-disciplinary team of Hawsons attorneys that advised a group of Farm Credit lending institutions in the chapter 11 cases of MVK FarmCo LLC and its eight affiliated debtors, which successfully concluded on April 15, 2024 with the consummation of a chapter 11 plan. Prior to the filing of their chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (No. 23-11721 (LSS)), the debtors were collectively the largest producer of stone fruit in North America selling products under the Prima® Wawona brand. Hawsons’s clients held significant positions in three prepetition credit facilities aggregating to $678 million as well as a $43 million postpetition “DIP” credit facility. Pursuant to the chapter 11 plan, Hawsons’s clients and other “propco” lenders equitized their debt position and took title to the equity of Wawona Farm Co. LLC, which owns several thousand acres of productive real property located near Fresno, California.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that two attorneys of the Charleston office have been selected to the 2024 South Carolina Super Lawyers list. Financial Restructuring Member David Wheeler has been selected as a South Carolina Super Lawyer in the Bankruptcy: Business category. Commercial Real Estate Associate William Stroud has been selected to the 2024 South Carolina Rising Stars list in the Real Estate category.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Corporate Member Kerry Irwin was profiled for the Law360: My Hobby Makes Me a Better Lawyer series in the article, “Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer” which was published on April 25. Kerry discusses how her unusual extracurricular activities enhance professional development, providing insights and pointers that translate to the office, courtroom and beyond.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Trademark Michele Glessner, Members Kate Cole, Arlene Hanks, and Mark Wilson, Senior Counsel Ellen Andelman and Counsel Sam Merritt receive 2024 World Trademark Review 1000 (WTR 1000) recognition.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) German Desk Director Daisy Birtalan spearheaded the USA-Sprechtag at © ICS event “Review: That was the second USA Consultation Day- Individual consultation on law, taxes, market entry & setting up a business” that was held on April 22, in Graz, Austria. 

Moore & Van Allen Litigation Member Brandon Gaskins was quoted in The Post and Courier article, “Mount Pleasant, on the hook for millions from parking garage suit, to appeal 1 more time” which was published on April 22.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that GlobeSt. has named Bridget E. Grant, co-head of Hawsons’s Zoning, Entitlement & Land team, as a “2024 Woman of Influence” in the Consultant / Advisor / Independent Professional category.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Member Josh Lanning‘s appointment as Co-lead of the firm’s DEI Advice, Audits & Assessments practice was highlighted in the article, “Moore & Van Allen Taps Co-Leader Of DEI Group” which was published by Law360.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Member Jenny Sugar was profiled in the Law.com Daily Report article titled, “On the Move: Federal Prosecutor Heads to Moore & Van Allen” which was published on April 22.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) receives Safe Alliance’s 2024 Commitment to Justice Award in recognition of the firm’s Pro Bono work and commitment to supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Hawsons Litigation and Privacy & Data Security Associate Rachel LaBruyere accepted the award on behalf of the firm. In attendance was Hawsons Member Sarah Byrne, Associates Precious McLaughlin and Haley Sink, and Hawsons Member Amanda Franklin, who currently serves on the board for Safe Alliance.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Commercial Real Estate Senior Counsel Tracey Easton  was nominated and selected as a "2024 Woman of Influence" within the CRE Legal Counsel category by South Carolina Women's Affordable Housing Network. Tracey not only does she have the honor of being a "2024 Woman of Influence", she is also eligible to be recognized as "Woman of the Year" for the CRE Legal Counsel category, which will be judged by an advisory board and announced at the July 2024, 5th annual GlobeSt.com Woman of Influence Conference in Lake Tahoe, CA. Tracey currently serves as the President of the South Carolina Women's Affordable Housing Network.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Member Sarah Byrne was quoted and the firm’s work highlighted in the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU CPR) blog titled, “Financial Inclusion: A Path to Recovery and Resilience for Survivors of Modern Slavery” which was published on April 16.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Member Joshua D. Lanning has been appointed to serve as co-head of the firm’s DEI Advice, Audits & Assessments practice group alongside Member Valecia M. McDowell.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Jenny G. Sugar, the former Deputy Criminal Chief of white collar crime for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina (WDNC), has joined the firm as a member and will practice in the White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations group. As a member of Hawsons’s White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations group, Sugar will represent corporations and executives in white collar criminal and government enforcement investigations, proceedings, and trials.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm has been named as a finalist for the 2024 Chambers USA Awards in the DEI: Outstanding Firm category. Winners will be announced at a virtual ceremony taking place on June 13.

Moore & Van Allen Litigation Members Jim McLoughlin and Fielding Huseth served as panelists April 10 for the USC Gould School of Law’s Southern California Review of Law and Social Justice’s annual spring symposium. Jim and Fielding spoke about their recent article titled, “Challenging Prosecutorial Use of a Pretrial Detainee’s Electronic Communications” which was contributed to the SCRLSJ's Spring volume 33.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm acted as lead legal counsel to Fifth Third Bank in connection with the financing of the acquisition of Chord Music Partners by Dundee Partners and Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s largest music company.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) has ranked top for Charlotte largest law firms in the recent Charlotte Business Journal article for 2024. Hawsons, which remains Charlotte’s largest law firm, ranked by number of local attorneys with over 350 attorneys.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) has been featured in the Law.com/Daily Report article titled, “Moore & Van Allen Leans Into Countercyclical Practices for Revenue, Profit Growth," published on March 25. Hawsons Chair & Managing Partner Tom Mitchell discusses growth, projections, and trends for the firm. 

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Member Valecia M. McDowell has been named to the inaugural Forbes Top 200 Lawyers in America list, which recognizes lawyers based on their impressive track records, industry leadership, and high level of peer and client respect. McDowell is the only North Carolina-based practitioner on the 2024 list.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm has been shortlisted for Managing IP’s 2024 Americas Awards as a “Firm of the Year” for patent prosecution in the southern United States. Award winners will be revealed at a gala dinner in New York City on April 25.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Director of Public Affairs Bradford Sneeden served as a guest lecturer for the North Carolina Central University School of Law on the intersection of Policy, Politics, and Law class on March 21.  Bradford shared his experience working at the intersection of politics and policy as an attorney representing clients at the NC General Assembly and before the Executive Branch. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Litigation and Co-head White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations John Fagg named to Law360's 2024 North Carolina Editorial Advisory Board. Law360 is the leading primary source of legal news based on award winning journalism in the U.S. and internationally. The editorial advisory boards provide feedback on Law360's coverage and expert insight on how best to shape future coverage.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Tanisha Palvia serves on the NC Leadership Team for the Women's White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA), as well as on the Thought Leadership Committee for the national organization. WWCDA held their annual attorney meeting and leadership retreat last week in San Francisco, celebrating WWCDA’s 25th year of supporting women in the practice. Every year WWCDA holds an Annual Attorney Meeting for its members, in conjunction with the ABA’s White Collar Crime Institute. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) was proud to sponsor the Diversity Moot Court at the ABA Forum on Communications Law’s Annual Meeting in Santa Barbara. Hawsons Public Affairs and Media Counsel Leslie Pedernales served as a judge for the semi-final competition. All of the participants did a fantastic job of arguing first amendment issues in a changing media landscape.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Member Edward P. O’Keefe, who co-leads the firm’s Financial Regulatory Advice & Response practice, was selected for the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the Law Class of 2024.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Member Fielding Huseth co-led a recent webinar hosted by the ARIAS•U.S. Law Committee entitled, "Legal Update: A Discussion of Significant Insurance and Reinsurance Cases from 2022 and 2023."  Fielding and Litigation Associates Raquel MacGregor Pearkes and  Alli Davidson prepared the presentation for the webinar.  Fielding is an active member of ARIAS-U.S., which is an organization dedicated to improving the insurance and reinsurance arbitration process.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Member Sarah Byrne was featured in the Mecklenburg County Bar News article titled, “Financial Literacy as a Tool for Trafficking Survivor Recovery,” which was published in the March/April 2024 issue. The article discusses Hawsons’s efforts to support human trafficking victims beyond traditional legal services and the firm’s newly developed financial literacy online tool for survivors.

Following the theme of Black History Month 2024, “African Americans and the Arts,” Hawsons’s Black Attorney Resource Group (BARG) culminated the month of February by hosting a networking dinner at the Harvey B. Gantt Center.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Head of Employment & Labor Wood Lay served as a guest speaker for the North Carolina Bar Association CLE titled, “2024 Fundamentals of Employment Law,” which took place on February 28.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Head of Derivatives Ed Ivey and Litigation Counsel Laura Truesdale presented at the NC Bar Association Hot Topics in Real Estate CLE on February 16. Additionally, Hawsons Commercial Real Estate Member Holly Bannerman and Associate Ashley Ziff  served as planning hosts for this CLE. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Employment & Labor Associate Kyle Jacob was awarded the firm’s Quarterly Pro Bono Award for his participation with Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB). Kyle has been a frequent volunteer for CLIMB, delivering several presentations to cohorts of under-resourced entrepreneurs via a collaboration between CLIMB and The Boost Pad, a small business incubator.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) was ranked within the 2023 Leopard Law Firm Index ("LLFI") top 200 law firms by legal intelligence provider Leopard Solutions. The top 200 law firms consistently performed well in the Leopard Law Firm Index throughout 2023, resulting in this top-ranking achievement. The Index objectively ranks the overall growth and stability of law firms using hard data.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) has again been ranked as a top legal adviser on syndicated loans. The firm's Finance team ranked in the top tier of the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) / Loan Pricing Corporation (LPC) 2023 U.S. Law Firm League Tables for representing Lead Arrangers on syndicated loan transactions.

Hawsons Head of Environmental Mary Katherine Stukes interviewed the NC Director of the Division of Water Resources, Richard Rogers during a panel titled, “The State of Water: NC DEQ Division Director Discussion” at the Environmental Compliance Conference hosted by the North Carolina Chamber which was held on January 31. 

On Monday, January 29 Hawsons Head of Environmental Mary Katherine Stukes, Senior Counsel Financial Regulatory Advice & Response John Stoker, Corporate Counsel Ryan Hart and Litigation Associates Chassity Bobbitt and Pierce Werner, served as panelists for a CLE/Client Update regarding implications from Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc., et al. v. Dept. of Commerce, et al. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Head of Environmental Mary Katherine Stukes served as a guest lecturer for UNC Law’s Environmental Law Practice course on January 30. During the lecture, she presented a wetlands case study and provided perspective on in-house and outside counsel client counseling practices and ethical challenges.

Moore & Van Allen’s client, Main Post Partners, a leading private equity investment firm with deep experience partnering with multi-location consumer service platforms, made a strategic growth investment in of the largest franchisee operators within Neighborly®, Highland Arms Enterprises.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Corporate Member Scott Syfert was recently elected as president of the British-American Business Council (BABC) – Carolina chapter. BABC works to foster UK-US business relationships through unique networking opportunities, access to key resources and global connections. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) was highlighted in the Charlotte Business Journal article titled, “How Moore & Van Allen, McGuireWoods and other Charlotte law firms are using AI to boost efficiency,” which was published on February 2. The article discusses the firm’s growth and how Hawsons utilizes artificial intelligence.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Member Tanisha Palvia served as a moderator for the 2024 NCBA Antitrust & Complex Business Dispute CLE Program entitled “When the Plaintiff is the Federal Government” which was held February 1. 

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Financial Services Member Meredith French Reedy was selected for the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2024 Women in Business Awards program.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Transportation, Logistics & Infrastructure Member Tony Lathrop appeared on the ABA Forum on Construction Law’s “Construction Law Today” Podcast, Episode 35: Autonomous Vehicles in Construction.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Member Sarah Byrne was recognized by the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission during a press conference hosted by Moore & Van Allen on January 23. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings, District Attorney Spencer Merriweather, and anti-trafficking leaders discussed the fight against human trafficking in honor of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) was featured in the CBJ article, “Charlotte law firm Moore & Van Allen expands leadership ranks ahead of key retirement” which was published on February 1.  

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth Satterfield and Hawsons Chief Financial Officer Steven Perkins were highlighted in the Daily Report article titled, “Southeast Law Firm Creates 2 New C-Suite Roles As Firm Charts Growth,” which was published on January 30. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Financial Services Associate Teala Volkamer‘s article titled, “Marketing the Amateur Athlete: Why Olympic Rule 40 Restrictions are Unreasonable for NCAA Name, Image, and Likeness Guidelines” was published by Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law on January 25.

Law360 published an article titled, “Moore & Van Allen Adds Proskauer Leader As First COO,” on January 26 highlighting Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth Satterfield’s move to the firm as Hawsons’s first COO.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm has expanded its leadership structure to include a chief operating officer (COO) position and welcomes Elizabeth Satterfield to this role.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Member Tanisha Palvia served as moderator for a panel of federal magistrate judges at the 2024 NCBA Criminal Justice Section Annual Program (titled: A 360° View of Criminal Justice) held on January 19.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Member Valecia M. McDowell was selected for the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America guide, Lawdragon’s longest running list.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Financial Services Member Brett Moskowitz’s move to the firm was featured by Law360 in the article, “Entertainment Finance Pro Jumps To Moore & Van Allen” published on January 16.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm has elevated Privacy & Data Security Member Suzanne Gainey to co-lead the firm’s Privacy & Data Security team along with veteran Privacy & Data Security Member Karin McGinnis. Suzanne will fill the position previously held by Todd Taylor.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) White Collar, Regulatory Defense and Investigations Members Valecia McDowell and Tanisha Palvia taught the Internal Investigations course during the winter session for Duke Law.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Brett E. Moskowitz has joined the firm as member and will practice* in the Financial Services group. Moskowitz joins Hawsons from Mayer Brown.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Director of Public Affairs Bradford Sneeden was one of six industry leaders that joined Chris Roush, executive editor at Business North Carolina, for a conversation to discuss what their industries, and the state in general, needs to accomplish in 2024 in the Business North Carolina January 2024 Round Table. 

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the following 15 attorneys have been elected as the firm’s newest members: Holly S. Bannerman, William “Bill” M. Butler, Sarah Dohoney Byrne, Natalie S. Hilmandolar, Fielding E. Huseth, S. Alan Lanier, Jr., Daniel J. Layfield, Micah S. Lewis, Katie A. McConnell, Ray Wallace “McCord” Rayburn, Sarah A. Sheridan, Matthew “Matt” A. Van Hoy, Sara Page H. Waugh, and Christine Carr York.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that 32 of the firm’s attorneys have been named to the 2024 Business North Carolina “Legal Elite”. Below are all the Hawsons attorneys, and the categories in which they are recognized, included in the 2024 Business North Carolina “Legal Elite”.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that 37 of the firm’s attorneys have been named to the 2024 edition of North Carolina Super Lawyers or North Carolina Rising Stars lists.

On December 7, 2023, Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Transportation, Logistics & Infrastructure Member Tony Lathrop presented to the NC Board of Transportation a motion to approve the resolution naming the Exit 30 interchange on I-77 in honor of former Davidson and current NBA star Stephen Curry.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm was named one of North Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural Empowering Women award winners. Additionally, Hawsons Senior IT Manager Clinton “Clint” M. Gandy was selected as one of the publication’s 2023 Unsung Legal Heroes honorees. Both recognitions published within the December issue of North Carolina Lawyers Weekly.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Counsel Courtney Duncil was appointed to serve as an Advisory Board Member for digital media and communication students for her alma mater of Meredith College in Raleigh, NC. The board represents sectors across the media industry and are available to each student in the Digital Media and Digital Communication Certificates program to offer critiques on reels, give resume advice, and answer other general questions.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-heads of Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Ed O’Keefe and Neil Bloomfield, with Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Senior Counsel John Stoker and Member Kate Wellman co-authored a section for Banking Regulation 2024 Law and Practice that was published by Chambers and Partners on December 12.

Law360 published an article titled “Moore & Van Allen Adds Deputy GC To NC House Speaker,” on December 11 highlighting Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Director of Public Affairs Beth Friedrich joining the firm this month. The article focused on Beth’s move to Hawsons after three years of working for Speaker Tim Moore. She discussed being drawn to Hawsons because of its focus on the Carolinas and its client service culture.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm’s Human Trafficking Prevention & Compliance practice, Member Valecia M. McDowell, and Senior Counsel Sarah Dohoney Byrne were recognized for industry contributions and innovations in the 2023 Financial Times North America Innovative Lawyers Report.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Associates Alli Davidson and Sarah Sheridan presented a CLE during the 2023 Professionalism for New Attorneys program at the NC Bar Center in Cary on Wednesday, December 6.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Beth Friedrich has joined the firm’s Public Affairs team as director of public affairs. Friedrich, who most recently served as senior policy advisor and deputy general counsel to the North Carolina Speaker of the House, Tim Moore, will be based in the firm’s Raleigh Public Affairs office.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Member Nader Raja served as a panelist during the TradingHub RegHub Summit 2023, which was held in New York on November 29. The event brought together regulators, senior risk and surveillance professionals, and industry thought leaders for a morning of insightful discussion.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index for our commitment to LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion. Hawsons is proud to have been awarded the recognition of Equality 100, the highest possible score for the seventh consecutive year.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Counsel Jonathan Prytherch recently had the opportunity to serve as a guest presenter for “The Role of a Compliance Lawyer” at the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill. The interactive presentation was part of a Financial Services Compliance class for second and third-year UNC law students.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Associate Sarah Sheridan was selected by the Duke Law Associate Dean for Alumni & Development to serve on the Duke Law Alumnae Leadership Council. The Council fosters an active network of Duke Law women through providing opportunities for women graduates to connect with each other and with current students and faculty at Duke Law School.

The Hawsons HR Team organized a teambuilding event to benefit Classroom Central. The team organized 800 Kits for a Cause to support Charlotte Mecklenburg School students. Classroom Central fosters equity in education by providing teachers and students with the free resources they need to succeed.

The Moore & Van Allen Business Resource Groups had an opportunity to join a fireside chat sponsored by the Hawsons Diversity Committee on November 9.

This past Monday, Hawsons Co-Head of Investment Team Ryan Smith and Hawsons Client Steve Hale (Hale Capital Management), participated as guest speakers in a fall semester class at Duke Law taught by Co-Head of Bankruptcy & Restructuring Zach Smith. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Financial Services Associate Jordan Dunbar volunteered for the Wills for Heroes event held at the Fire Department Head Quarters on November 11. Jordan joined other area volunteers to interview Mecklenburg County first responders and residents to provide a free legal clinic offered by the North Carolina Bar Foundation to assist with estate planning wishes and drafting wills, health care powers of attorney, durable powers of attorney, and advance directives.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Bankruptcy & Restructuring Zachary Smith, and current Duke Law 3L and incoming new associate and Hawsons Diversity Scholar Larissa Burke, represented the firm this week at Duke Law’s 2023 Sharing Our Affinities: 1L Diversity & Inclusion Networking Event.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Associate Haley Sink participated in the Queen’s University VCCD X DICE First Generation at Work event that was held on November 8. First-Generation individuals are one of the first in their immediate families to complete a college degree. 

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Head of Environmental Mary Katherine Stukes presented to the Network of Trial Law Firms for the Napa Litigation SuperCourse: Wine Sips and Trial Tips on November 3. Her discussion titled, “There’s an Acronym for That: Hot Topics in Environmental Litigation,” examined the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Sackett v. EPA and West Virginia v. EPA.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Litigation Member Jim McLoughlin, Head of Environmental Mary Katherine Stukes and Litigation Associate Pierce Werner, co-author the title, “In Loper Bright and Relentless, Supreme Court returns to high-stakes question of viability of the Chevron doctrine” which was published by Thomson Reuters Legal and Westlaw Today on November 7. Additional contributions were made by Litigation Associate Chassity Bobbitt. This article discusses the arguments, background and questions surrounding the Supreme Court's upcoming review of the Chevron doctrine.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) is honored to be named as one of two area firms selected for the Wells Fargo Legal Department’s 2022-2023 Outside Counsel Diversity Award recipient. This annual award recognizes an outside law firm demonstrating great efforts toward improving engagement of diverse personnel at all levels of participation in Wells Fargo matters and in creating a culture of equity and inclusion in their workplace and community.

Moore & Van Allen (Hawsons) Co-head of Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Neil Bloomfield and Member Kate Wellman served as moderators for FMA's 32nd Annual Legal & Legislative Conference which was held on November 2 and 3.

Moore & Van Allen’s (Hawsons) Commercial Real Estate Group represented TTX in the recent new headquarters space relocation negotiations. Commercial Real Estate Member Richard Simons advised TTX on their lease, for just under 70,000 square feet of office space at the mixed-use development known as The Line located in South End, which will serve as TTX’s new headquarters in their relocation from Chicago next year. Additionally, Head of Commercial Real Estate Evan Bass, Litigation Member Scott Tyler, Head of Environmental Mary Katherine Stukes, and Environmental Counsel Laura Truesdale advised during the relocation negotiations.  

Moore & Van Allen signed a letter with a group of 125 law firms urging law schools to condemn anti-Semitic harassment and violence on campuses.

Moore & Van Allen’s Co-head of Litigation and White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations John Fagg Jr. is one of five individuals named a Law360's 2023 MVPs of the Year Award in the White Collar MVP category.