Our Staff

Shelby was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1980. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and graduated from Barrington High School in 1988 and from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1992 earning a Bachelor of Science degree.

She worked for 8 years with the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Court in the estates division as a deputy Clerk.  She has worked with estate administration for over 16 years and also has several years of corporate experience.

When she is not working, her new passion is to travel. Her last big trips were to Paris, Italy, and Spain.

Heather moved to Charlotte in 2006 to experience a city with more diversity, and joined Essex Richards in 2014.  She has worked in the legal profession for over 20 years. Heather assists with commercial leasing, litigation, and intellectual property matters.

When not in the office, Heather enjoys a variety of activities including crafting, cooking, and spending time with her family. 

Cindy grew up in Charlotte and has worked in law firms for over 45 years, mainly in the area of bankruptcy. She is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal, and has been with Essex Richards since 2014, and assists in the filings of Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies. She takes great pride in seeing cases through completion.

According to Cindy, “It is important that I enjoy what I do, and working with the people at Essex Richards makes that possible.” Away from work, she loves spending time with her family, watching movies, playing games, and hosting family meals.

Tracy grew up in South Carolina and graduated from The University of South Carolina in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Cognate in Criminal Justice. After earning her Bachelor’s degree, she continued her education at Greenville Technical College where she gained a degree in Paralegal Associated Applied Science.

Tracy has been working as a paralegal since 2016 and recently relocated from Greenville, South Carolina, for a change in scenery and to experience a more diverse community.

Outside of the office, Tracy loves to travel, wine taste, read, watch science and history documentaries, and enjoy outdoor activities including rock climbing, ziplining, rafting, and tubing! She is very close with her family and loves spending time with her nieces and nephews.

Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Lucia received her Bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University with an emphasis in Justice Systems Policy and Planning. Lucia first worked in the courthouse in Tucson but moved to private legal practice when she relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband.

When Lucia is not in the office, she loves spending time with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys music, sports, movies, traveling, and visiting with her family back home.

Becky was born and raised in North Carolina and has lived in Charlotte since 2000. She graduated from Gaston College with an Associate Degree in Paralegal Technology. She is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal and has worked in family law since 1997.  She has been with Essex Richards since 2012, and has worked with Rob Blair for over 20 years. Becky works primarily with Rob Blair, Bree Laughrun, and Lauren Lewis.

Outside of the office, Becky loves spending time with her family. She enjoys the outdoors whether it be at the beach or the mountains. Becky has been a Tar Heel fan since birth and loves watching and playing sports! She is also involved with her church and dedicates time to volunteering through community outreach and serving on various committees.

Barb is responsible for managing all aspects of firm marketing, branding, communications and business development, including event management, web site development, social media, advertising, client development, and attorney coaching.

Barb grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from Virginia Tech’s Business School in 2003. Her experience in sales, marketing and business development spans over a decade.

Her career began in real estate sales and marketing, which gave her a first taste of the passion she has for helping people achieve their goals. She began working in the legal industry in 2008, for an AM Law 200 firm, where she was able to apply her sales know-how to coaching lawyers in developing business. In 2012, she was hired as the Director of Marketing for a Charlotte-based law firm, where she was responsible for creating, implementing, and directing the firm’s marketing and business development initiatives. Barb now shares this experience with us, and notes that “thinking creatively and working with people to grow their business is what she loves about what she does.”

Barb spends her time away from the office with her two young children, Will and Leighton, and her husband, Josh. She also enjoys writing her personal blog, doing Pilates and yoga, and cooking for her family.

Cathy has been with Essex Richards since 2004. She visited North Carolina in 2003 and instantly fell in love with everything the state has to offer. The next year, she decided to make Charlotte her home.

Her passions are her family, friends, and church. She also enjoys volunteering and spear-heads the firm’s team for Easterseals UPC’s annual 5K, which is a national fundraising event that raises money to support individuals with disabilities and special needs. One of Cathy’s favorite memories made in Charlotte was jumping out of an airplane to celebrate her birthday.