James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A.

JMD is proud to be recognized by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly as one of the best women-led law firms in the state.?Catherine Barnes has served as managing partner of the firm since 2014, at which time she was one of the first female managing partners of a mid-size firm in the state.?Now, more than half of JMD’s forty-seven attorneys are women and are represented in each of JMD’s practice groups.?JMD women are also community leaders, serving in various capacities in the state and local Bar Associations, non-profit Boards, and more.?

JMD is proud to celebrate the induction of Ed Hinson into the NCBA Legal Practice Hall of Fame. Ed has been a legend in our firm and in Charlotte for decades. We are pleased that recognition is now statewide.? ? Ed has practiced law in Charlotte for 47 years. He was a prosecutor in the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s office for the first 4 years. Since 1981, he has practiced at JMD.? ? Ed does everything from felony criminal defense to professional regulatory defense to complex civil business litigation. He practices in state and federal court and numerous regulatory courts.? ? He served as a NC State Bar Councilor for 9 years. He chaired the Ethics Committee and served on the Executive Committee of the State Bar. He served on the Judicial Standards Commission for 9 years. He is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. His civic involvement is too much to print. ???????????? Ed is a role model for all of us at JMD.

Alexandra Bachman has been selected for inclusion in the 2025 Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch list. Recognition is given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers and are selected by their peers for outstanding professional excellence. Congratulations, Alexandra! #jmdlaw #bestlawyers #OnesToWatch #charlottelawfirm #ArtOfAdvocacy. #cltlawfirm

Congratulations to the JMD attorneys included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for outstanding professional excellence. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Included in the 2025 Best Lawyers list are: Mickey Aberman (Business Organizations, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law), Heath Alexander (Business Organizations, Corporate Law), Catherine Barnes (Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Real Estate Law), John Beddow (Corporate Law, Real Estate Law), John R. Brickley (Commercial Litigation, Construction Law), John Buric (Commercial Litigation), Rich Fennell (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Bankruptcy Litigation, Construction Litigation, Labor and Employment Litigation, Land Use and Zoning Litigation, Securities Litigation), Alex Heroy (Medical Malpractice Law-Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs), Ed Hinson (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar), Jennifer Houti (Commercial Litigation), Fred B. Monroe (Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Litigation-Trusts and Estates), Preston Odom III (Appellate Practice), and Adam Ross (Commercial Litigation, Insurance Litigation, Sports Law). #jmdlaw #charlottelawyer #bestlawyers #ArtOfAdvocacy #charlottelawfirm #cltlawyer #criminallaw #constructionlaw #realestatelaw #corporatelaw #litigation

Congratulations to the 15 JMD family law attorneys included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Recognition by Best Lawyers for outstanding professional excellence is based entirely on peer review. The JMD 2025 Best Lawyers in family law include: Sarah Brady, Jon Burns, Kavita Desai, Jonathan Feit, Katie Henry, Beth Hondros, David Kern, G. Russell Kornegay, III, Lauren Leader, Caroline Mitchell, Gena Graham, John Paul Tsahakis, Neya Warren, Haley White, and Caroline (Carrie) Weyandt. #jmdlaw #bestlawyers #familylaw #charlottelawfirm #ArtOfAdvocacy #charlottefamilylawyer #cltlaw

Family Law Partner Lauren Leader was invited by the National Bar Institute to speak with other lawyers at a NC Family Law Continuing Legal Education Seminar, which occurred this week. Lauren presented, “Custody, Visitation, and Support: A Practical Guide.”

Welcome to James R. “Jay” Pennacchia, the newest member of our family law team.?Jay earned his Bachelor of Arts in History at the Pennsylvania State University.?After graduating from Penn State,?Jay moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where he earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law.?Jay focuses his practice in all areas of family law.??

JMD is a proud supporter and sponsor of the Council for Children’s Rights. This week a group of JMD attorneys attended the Spring Luncheon benefiting the Council for Children’s Rights, which raised money to support the Council’s efforts to advocate for children in Mecklenburg County in a variety of areas. Charlotte is lucky to have such an impactful organization for the local children, and JMD is grateful for the opportunity to support such a great cause. #jmdlawfirm #CFCR #councilforchildrensrights #charlottelawfirm #charlottelawyer

James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A. is pleased to announce that Haley Lohr and Kate Foody have joined our firm. Haley graduated from North Carolina State University, with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources, Policy and Administration. She received her Juris Doctor from Elon University School of Law. Throughout her time in law school Haley competed in multiple moot court competitions and was a member of the Elon Law Review. She also spent a summer interning for the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and a summer interning for the North Carolina Business Court. Haley focuses her practice on civil litigation of all types. Kate graduated from Clemson University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Philosophy. She received her Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law, graduating in 2020. While in law school, Kate worked with the Children’s Law Center through the Child Advocacy Clinic, assisting advocates on high conflict custody cases. She also was a member of the Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law and the Domestic Violence Coalition. She continues to include her passion of helping victims of domestic violence as a volunteer attorney with Safe Alliance. Kate focuses her practice on family law and divorce matters, including child custody, child support, spousal support, equitable distribution, domestic violence, and marital contracts. Learn more about Haley and Kate at www.jmdlaw.com

Each year Business North Carolina sends ballot notices to every member of the N.C. State Bar and asks, “Whom would you rate as the best lawyers in their fields?” Congratulations to Catherine Barnes, Kavita Desai, Jonathan Feit, Alex Heroy, David M. Kern, Gena Graham Morris, Preston Odom III, Adam Ross, and John Paul Tsahakis, the nine JMD attorneys named to the 2024 Legal Elite. #jmdlawfirm #jmdlaw #legalelite #familylaw #charlottelawfirm #businessnorthcarolina #legalelite2024 #businesslaw #litigationlaw #charlottelawyer