Essex Richards attorney Kristen Finlon

Business North Carolina Names 11 Essex Richards Attorneys Among 2022 Legal Elite

Essex Richards, P.A. is pleased to announced that Business North Carolina magazine has named 11 firm attorneys to its 2022 list of “Legal Elite.”

In addition to those named to Legal Elite this year, 4 Essex Richards attorneys have previously been named to the Hall of Fame including: retired partner Lou Lesesne (Employment, 2007), Rob Blair (Family Law, 2016), Heather Culp (Bankruptcy, 2017), and John Woodman (Bankruptcy, 2021). An attorney is included in the Legal Elite Hall of Fame when he or she receives the greatest number of votes from attorneys statewide in a practice area.  Those included in the Hall of Fame are no longer eligible to receive the award annually.

The complete list of the 2022 Essex Richards Legal Elite include the following:

Appellate
Norris Adams

Bankruptcy
David DiMatteo

Business
Stephen H. Morris

Jon Windham

Construction
John Daniel

Employment
Kristen Finlon

Family
Lauren V. Lewis

Intellectual
Jonathan Buchan

Natalie D. Potter

Real Estate
John Maheras

Young Guns
Caitlin Walton

Hall of Fame

Lou Lesesne (Employment, 2007), retired

Rob Blair (Family Law, 2016)

Heather Culp (Bankruptcy, 2017)

John Woodman (Bankruptcy, 2021)

“Legal Elite” attorneys are selected through ballots sent to more than 20,000 attorneys who are active members of the North Carolina State Bar. Members of the Bar are asked to select the best lawyer in each field. Lawyers may not select themselves and can only vote for members of their own firms if they also chose someone outside their firms in the same category. With more weight given to outside votes, fewer than 3 percent of the state’s lawyers were named to the list this year.