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For runners like Tom, preparation is essential. He didn’t cut corners when he trained for the Boston Marathon, and he doesn’t skimp on preparing his cases, either. Throughout his 17 years of courtroom representation in matters of equipment leasing and financing, construction, and business law, Tom’s clients have valued his ability to intuitively grasp the complex issues they face and to move cases big and small along efficiently. He’s a hound for accuracy and detail – his tried and true method for keeping clients out of difficult positions. He is doggedly systematic and meticulous in his approach.

In the field of equipment leasing, Tom represents both national and local companies as well as lending sources seeking to enforce their rights pursuant to a lease. He assists in the recovery of outstanding debt and recovery of equipment, and he represents creditors in bankruptcy court. Tom is committed to staying abreast of the issues in this field through membership in both the National Equipment Finance Association (NEFA), the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), and the North Carolina Creditors Bar Association (NCCBA).

Tom’s experience in the construction industry includes representing general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers of labor and material, protecting their rights to payment on construction projects.

Additionally, Tom serves businesses in all stages of commercial litigation. He helps companies settle business disputes without the need for a trial by representing them in mediation and arbitration.

Clients appreciate Tom’s ability to communicate a straightforward strategy for next steps at every important milestone along the way. Part of the satisfaction they derive from partnering with him comes from the fact that they’re never in the dark about the status of their cases.

Maybe it’s because of all the time he spends in nature, or listening to Springsteen, or driving in his Jeep CJ where he says he’s “just a man and his thoughts,” but Tom has a grounded wisdom and humility about him that reassures those who leave their cases in his hands. With his sincere, patient, and personable manner, he easily develops a rapport with clients while he steers them through challenging legal issues. He has a knack for helping clients focus on what is important in their cases and to concentrate on making good business decisions. It’s this characteristic levelheadedness and pragmatism that benefits his clients, as he guides them towards smart, frustration-free business decisions to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

My Credentials

Admissions

  • North Carolina State Bar
  • U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Middle, Western District of North Carolina
  • Massachusetts State and Federal Courts
  • District of Columbia

Education

  • J.D., the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, 1995
  • B.A., Economics, University of Pittsburgh, 1991

Professional Affiliations

  • Wake County Bar Association
  • North Carolina Creditors Bar Association, Committee Member
  • Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, Member
  • National Equipment Finance Association (NEFA), Operations & Programming Committee Member
  • Primerus Law Society; Business Law Institute, Commercial Law Group

Civic Involvement

  • Ronald McDonald House – Resource Development Committee, 2018
  • Leadership Raleigh, Class of 2011
  • Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; Board of Advisors
  • Pitt Alumni Association, Life Member

Published Articles

  • Important Opinions, Contract, Enforceability –Sunday Statute, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, vol.31, no.9, October 2002
  • Enforceability of Sunday Statues, Law Journal Network’s Equipment Leasing Newsletter, December 2002
  • Practical Advice During the Residential Real Estate Crisis, Legal Insights, May 2008
  • E-Discovery: A New Wrinkle In Litigation, Legal Insights, May 2007

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