2006 Legal Elite
How elite is it? Less than 3% of the state’s lawyers made it. Profiles of those getting the most votes in each category are listed on the links below.
Legal Elite Methodology
The Legal Elite is chosen not by Business North Carolina editors but by the state’s lawyers. Every year, BNC mails ballots to every member of the State Bar living in North Carolina — asking each a simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? Voters are not allowed to vote for themselves. They may select members of their firms only if they pick out-of-firm lawyers in the same categories, with the latter votes weighted more heavily. Past winners become members of the Legal Elite Hall of Fame and are ineligible to win again.
Each ballot has a unique number corresponding to the State Bar list. Lawyers may submit only one ballot; when votes are counted each lawyer is checked off the master list to prevent duplicate voting. All ballots are tallied, with the top winners in each category making the list. Letters are sent to each lawyer to confirm their firm affiliation and practice location in NC. The listing has been published annually since 2001.