Greg Merritt
Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby PA | New Bern
“I prefer action films like Jason Bourne, James Bond and Mission: Impossible because they contain nonstop excitement and thrills. They are choreographed with just enough realistic stunts and intrigue to make one believe the majority of events in the movie could actually occur.”
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Vita: 48; born in Anderson, S.C.; bachelor’s from UNC Chapel Hill and law degree from Campbell University; married with two sons.
Why he chose to specialize in this field: I wanted to practice in a smaller firm in a community setting. My senior partner, Tom Harris, is a great trial lawyer but has been an even better mentor guiding me into the defense of health care providers.
Memorable case: We had a tragic case involving a pediatric patient who lost all four extremities due to an overwhelming infection. We were ultimately able to assist the family and wonderful child with hopefully a lifetime of services and care to improve their quality of life.
What he’d be if not a lawyer: Likely a salesman of some sort.
Favorite place: Topsail Beach.
Hero: U.S. District Judge Malcolm Howard. I had the privilege of clerking for Judge Howard, and he is the real deal, a great American.
Recent reading: Spy the Lie by Philip Houston, Michael Floyd and Susan Carnicero.
Netflix obsession: British police dramas.
Passions: My family, boating and grilling.
Don’t ask him to: Feed my wife’s feral cat.
2017 Litigation winners:
Greg Merritt, Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby PA, New Bern; David N. Allen, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Charlotte; Fred Barbour, Cloninger, Barbour, Searson, Jones & Cash PLLC, Asheville; Allison J. Becker, Yates, McLamb & Weyher LLP, Raleigh; John T. Benjamin Jr., The Law Office of John T. Benjamin Jr. PA, Raleigh; Stephen M. Bennett, Helms Robison & Lee PA, Monroe; Jonathan A. Berkelhammer, Ellis & Winters LLP, Greensboro; Drew Brown, Benson, Brown & Faucher PLLC, Greensboro; Kelly Street Brown, Young Moore and Henderson PA, Raleigh; Matthew W. Buckmiller, Stubbs & Perdue PA, Raleigh; Colleen L. Byers, Bell, Davis & Pitt PA, Winston-Salem; William E. Cannon Jr., Cannon Law PC, Waynesville; Andrew S. Chamberlin, Ellis & Winters LLP, Greensboro; Edward G. “Woody” Connette, Essex Richards PA, Charlotte; C. David Creech, Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby PA, New Bern; Meredith Cushing, McAngus Goudelock & Courie LLC, Charlotte; Eric M. David, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Raleigh; Michael D. DeFrank, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh; F. William “Will” Devore IV, Devore, Acton & Stafford PA, Charlotte; Alan W. Duncan, Turning Point Litigation, Greensboro; Andrew H. “Drew” Erteschik, Poyner Spruill LLP, Raleigh; Douglas W. Ey Jr., McGuireWoods LLP, Charlotte; Stephen D. Feldman, Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh; Russ Ferguson, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice LLP, Charlotte; Andrew L. Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Litigation, Winston-Salem; J. Scott Flowers, Hutchens Law Firm, Fayetteville; Robert W. Fuller, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; Ross Fulton, Rayburn Cooper & Durham PA, Charlotte; Kenneth M. Gondek, Crumley Roberts, Greensboro; Chris Graebe, Graebe Hanna & Sullivan PLLC, Raleigh; Phillip A. Harris Jr., Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, Raleigh; James M. Hash, Everett Gaskins Hancock LLP, Raleigh; Gary S. Hemric, James, McElroy and Diehl PA, Charlotte; John P. Higgins, Additon, Higgins & Pendleton PA, Charlotte; Adam S. Hocutt, Dozier Miller Law Group, Charlotte; Gregory G. Holland, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Greensboro; Justin D. Howard, McGuireWoods LLP, Raleigh; John N. Hutson Jr., Howard, Stallings, From, Hutson, Atkins, Angell & Davis PA, Raleigh; Philip R. Isley, Blanchard, Miller, Lewis & Isley PA, Raleigh; J. Christopher Jackson, Morningstar Law Group, Raleigh; Patrick M. Kane, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Charlotte/Greensboro; Lori R. Keeton, Lincoln Derr PLLC, Charlotte; Henry L. “Hal” Kitchin Jr., McGuireWoods LLP, Wilmington; Mark Kutny, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin PLLC, Charlotte; Matthew Nis Leerberg, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Raleigh; E. Hardy Lewis, Blanchard, Miller, Lewis & Isley PA, Raleigh; Sara R. Lincoln, Lincoln Derr PLLC, Charlotte; John M. McCabe, Law Offices of John M. McCabe PA, Cary; Joseph P. McGuire, McGuire, Wood & Bissette PA, Asheville; Andrew K. McVey, Murchison, Taylor & Gibson PLLC, Wilmington; Pressly M. Millen, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice LLP, Raleigh; Jason A. Miller, Miller & Monroe PLLC, Raleigh; Jeffrey R. Monroe, Miller & Monroe PLLC, Raleigh; Joseph W. Moss Jr., Erwin, Bishop, Capitano & Moss PA, Charlotte; Allison Van Laningham Mullins, Turning Point Litigation, Greensboro; Joe Nanney, Meynardie & Nanney PLLC, Raleigh; John C. Nipp, Additon, Higgins & Pendleton PA, Charlotte; John D. Noor, Roberts & Stevens PA, Asheville; Leslie C. Packer, Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh; Alan Parry, Parry Tyndall White, Chapel Hill; Stephen W. Petersen, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Raleigh; Lonnie M. Player Jr., Law Offices of Lonnie M. Player Jr. PLLC, Fayetteville; Joel R. Rhine, Rhine Law Firm PC, Wilmington; Samuel A. Slater, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh; Jeffrey S. Southerland, Tuggle Duggins PA, Greensboro; Joseph H. “Joe” Stallings, Howard, Stallings, From, Hutson, Atkins, Angell & Davis PA, Raleigh; Wyatt S. Stevens, Roberts & Stevens PA, Asheville; Samuel G. “Bo” Thompson Jr., Yates, McLamb & Weyher LLP, Raleigh; Scott M. Tyler, Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte; Judson A. Welborn, Manning, Fulton & Skinner PA, Raleigh; Martin L. “Marty” White, Johnston, Allison & Hord PA, Charlotte; Kevin G. Williams, Bell, Davis & Pitt PA, Winston-Salem; David C. Wright III, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte