Legal Elite – Real Estate 2015

I grew up in the small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, which has very strict development ordinances that I believe ultimately enhanced and preserved its charm and attractiveness. Because my artistic skills are lacking and I enjoy working with others in a collaborative manner, commercial real-estate development was an easy and natural choice. It allows me to work with other folks in creating something beautiful and tangible based on a win-win philosophy.

Vita: 50; born in Shreveport, La.; bachelor’s and law degrees from UNC Chapel Hill; husband and two children.

Passions: Family, friends, tennis, travel, photography and, when I’m very lucky, horseback riding.

Where she’d live if she had to practice somewhere else: Sullivan’s Island, S.C.

What she’d be if not a lawyer: A photographer.

Favorite place: Outdoors, enjoying time with family, friends and the beauty of nature.

Hero: My father. In 2009, he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and told he was too old to receive a lung transplant, the only treatment that would prolong his life. In 2011, he received a lung transplant and has since had surgery to replace his aortic heart valve and five bypasses. He is still with us and has a zest for life. He embraces the fun of learning and connects with people of all ages and walks of life, including teenagers. He even texts and uses Facetime.

Recent reading: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Don’t ask her to: Touch a spider. I’m a wimp!

WINNER: Holly H. Alderman, Schell Bray PLLC, Chapel Hill; Charles N. Anderson Jr., Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh; Jonathan W. Anderson, The Law Office of Jonathan W. Anderson PLLC, Raleigh; E. Cordell Avery, Everett & Hite LLP, Greenville; Francis C. Bagbey, Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP, Raleigh; Susan Strayhorn Barbour, McGuire, Wood & Bissette PA, Asheville; Jeffrey A. Benson, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, Raleigh; Joseph S. Bower, White & Allen PA, Kinston; Annika M. Brock, McGuire, Wood & Bissette PA, Asheville; Brian W. Byrd, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Greensboro; Barbara R. Christy, Schell Bray PLLC, Greensboro; Robby Collins, Collins and Collins Law Offices PLLC, Wilmington; Joseph B. Dempster, Poyner Spruill LLP, Raleigh; Matthew Doyle, Doyle & Wallace PLLC, Charlotte; David R. Fricke, Poyner Spruill LLP, Raleigh; Jeffrey W. Glenney, Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte; Nancy M. Guyton, Morgan & Carter PLLC, Wilmington; Jonathan R. Hankin, L.A. Page Law Firm PLLC, Charlotte; Brett T. Hanna, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Raleigh; Benjamin H. Hervey, Hervey & Hervey PA, Cary; David L. Hillman, Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh; Susan K. Irvin, Davidson; Jeffrey J. Johnson, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh; Jeffrey P. Keeter, Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed LLP, Wilmington; William B. “Buddy” Kirk, Kirk Palmer & Thigpen PA, Charlotte; J. Craig Kiser, Dominion Freight Line Inc., Thomasville; Gregory L. Kunkleman, Wishart Norris PA, Charlotte; Michael V. Lee, Lee Law Firm PLLC, Wilmington; John C. Livingston, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, Raleigh; David G. Martin, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, Wilmington; William Matthews Jr., Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice LLP, Charlotte; Anna McLamb, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Raleigh; John Covington Overfield, Coltrane & Overfield PLLC, Greensboro; James K. Pendergrass Jr., Pendergrass Law Firm PLLC, Raleigh; C.H. Pope Jr., Ward and Smith PA, New Bern; Robert J. Ramseur Jr., Ragsdale Liggett PLLC, Raleigh; L. Holden Reaves, Reaves Law PLLC, Fayetteville; Rebecca J. Reinhardt, Roberts & Stevens PA, Asheville; Suzanne Schaffer, Milazzo Schaffer Webb Law PLLC, Charlotte; Nellie Shipley, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice LLP, Raleigh; James B. Snow III, Hogue Hill LLP, Wilmington; Charles T. Steele Jr., Pittman & Steele PLLC, Burlington; Gary W. Swindell, Swindell & Bond PLLC, Charlotte; Christopher J. Vaughn, Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro; Elizabeth W. Voltz, Weatherspoon & Voltz LLP, Raleigh; David E. Wagner, K&L Gates LLP, Raleigh; William H. Weatherspoon Jr., Weatherspoon & Voltz LLP, Raleigh; A. Grant Whitney Jr., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Charlotte.