Best Lawyers® 2027 Recognizes 28 Firm Attorneys

We are pleased to announce that the 2027 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® recognizes 28 Bell, Davis, & Pitt attorneys, including 3 Bell, Davis & Pitt attorneys named "Lawyers of the Year" and 3 attorneys named “Ones To Watch.” *

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:

Triad

• Jones P. Byrd, Jr. | Criminal Defense: General Practice

• Bradley Friesen | Litigation - Real Estate

• Alan M. Ruley | Litigation - Insurance

A total of 26 attorneys from the firm have been named to the 2027 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 Davis (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2019)

• Appellate Practice
• Commercial Litigation
• Litigation - Construction
• Litigation - Insurance
• Mediation

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

• Mediation

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)

• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

• Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

• Corporate 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

• Collaborative Law: Civil

• Construction Law

• Litigation - Construction

• Mediation

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)

• Banking and Finance Law

• 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 - Labor and Employment

• 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

• Litigation - Health Care

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

• Corporate Law

• 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

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

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

“Ones to Watch” highlights attorneys who are early in their careers (typically 5–10 years of practice) and are already demonstrating outstanding professional excellence in their practice areas. Unlike the traditional "Best Lawyers" list, this recognition focuses on emerging talent and is based on peer review, meaning other lawyers and clients have acknowledged their skill, professionalism, and impact. Being named a “One to Watch” signals that these attorneys are making a significant mark in their field and are poised for future leadership within the legal community. The attorneys who received the "Ones To Watch" designation for their respective practice areas are:

Winston-Salem, NC

Ashley DiMuzio Froeschle (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2026)

• Criminal Defense: General Practice

Carson D. Schneider (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2026)

• Appellate Practice

Travis Woolen (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2026)

• Tax Law
• Trusts and Estates 

To learn more about each attorney, 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.