Best Lawyers® Recognizes 29 Firm Attorneys

We are pleased to announce that the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America^®recognizes 29 Bell, Davis, & Pitt attorneys including 6 Bell, Davis & Pitt attorneys named "Lawyers of the Year."*

The "Lawyers of the Year" award recognizes the attorney with the highest overall peer feedback for a practice area in a specific region. The attorneys who received the "Lawyers of the Year" designation for their respective practice areas are:

• Jones P. Byrd, Jr. | Criminal Defense: General Practice
• William K. Davis | Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Construction
• Alan M. Ruley | Litigation - Insurance
• Amy K. Smith | Elder Law
• Robin J. Stinson | Family Law
• Charlot F. Wood | Employment Law - Individuals

A total of 29 attorneys from the firm have been named to the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® list. The Bell, Davis & Pitt attorneys recognized along with the relevant practice area(s), are:

Charlotte, NC

• Ward B. Davis (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2013)

• Appellate Practice

• Commercial Litigation

• Litigation - Construction

• Litigation - Insurance

• Joshua B. Durham (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2019)

• Commercial Litigation

• Litigation - Intellectual Property

• Lacey Moore Duskin (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025)

• Litigation - Construction

• Marc E. Gustafson (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2018)

• Commercial Litigation

• Employment Law - Individuals

• Litigation - Labor and Employment

• Jeremy Sugg (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2024)

• Commercial Litigation

Winston-Salem, NC

• Frank M. Bell, Jr. (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1989)

• Real Estate Law

• Daniel C. Bruton (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010)

• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

• Commercial Litigation

• Litigation - Bankruptcy

• Kris Bryant (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2024)

• Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

• Jones P. Byrd, Jr. (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2024)

• Criminal Defense: General Practice

• Criminal Defense: White-Collar

• D. Anderson Carmen (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2009)

• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

• Construction Law

• Litigation - Construction

• John A. Cocklereece, Jr. (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2011)

• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

• Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

• Corporate Law

• Litigation and Controversy - Tax

• Tax Law

• Trusts and Estates

• Galen G. Craun III (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2015)

• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

• Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

• Corporate Law

• Tax Law

• William K. Davis (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1993)

• Bet-the-Company Litigation

• Commercial Litigation

• Litigation - Banking and Finance

• Litigation - Construction

• Litigation - Insurance

• Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants

• Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

• Adam T. Duke (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025)

• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

• Commercial Transactions / UCC Law

• Real Estate Law

• Andrew Freeman (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2020)

• Commercial Litigation

• Litigation - Banking and Finance

• Litigation - Intellectual Property

• Bradley Friesen (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021)

• Commercial Litigation

• Litigation - Insurance

• Litigation - Land Use and Zoning

• Litigation - Real Estate

• Clara Ignich (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025)

• Collaborative Law: Family Law

• Family Law

• Family Law Arbitration

• James M. Iseman Jr. (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2015)

• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

• Corporate Law

• Tax Law

• Trusts and Estates

• Mark A. Jones (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2017)

• Criminal Defense: White-Collar

• Mallory M. Oates (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021)

• Real Estate Law

• Michael D. Phillips (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2024)

• Litigation - Banking and Finance

• Litigation - Health Care

• Walter W. Pitt, Jr. (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1995)

• Administrative / Regulatory Law

• Banking and Finance Law

• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

• Real Estate Law

• Stephen D. Poe (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010)

• Banking and Finance Law

• Corporate Law

• Financial Services Regulation Law

• Litigation - Banking and Finance

• Real Estate Law

• Elizabeth M. Repetti (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012)

• Banking and Finance Law

• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

• Litigation - Bankruptcy

• Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law

• Alan M. Ruley (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2006)

• Bet-the-Company Litigation

• Commercial Litigation

• Litigation - Banking and Finance

• Litigation - Insurance

• Litigation - Intellectual Property

• Amy K. Smith (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2007)

• Elder Law

• Tax Law

• Trusts and Estates

• Robin J. Stinson (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2007)

• Family Law

• Family Law Arbitration

• Family Law Mediation

• Kevin G. Williams (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010)

• Bet-the-Company Litigation

• Commercial Litigation

• Litigation - Banking and Finance

• Litigation - Construction

• Litigation - Insurance

• Litigation - Intellectual Property

• Litigation - Trusts and Estates

• Charlot F. Wood (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2008)

• Commercial Litigation

• Employment Law - Individuals

• Employment Law - Management

• Litigation - Labor and Employment

• Workers' Compensation Law - Employers

To learn more about the above attorneys visit the "Our Team" page HERE.

*Recognition for Best Lawyers is based entirely by peer review by leading lawyers. The Best Lawyers methodology includes a nomination process, peer-review voting, analysis of feedback, and an eligibility check.