News Archive

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of the Data Privacy group, Karin McGinnis will serve as a speaker for the North Carolina Bar Association’s annual CLE “SolarWinds of Change and Other Challenges for the Privacy and Data Security Practitioner” taking place via webinar on October 28. Karin will speak specifically on the topic titled, “AI in the USA.” This topic will cover legal developments on artificial intelligence in the United States, including case law, FTC guidance, legislative developments, and the application of state comprehensive privacy laws. With insight from technical expert Roy Iverson of Fortalice Solutions, attendees will gain a better understanding of what AI is and why it has lawmakers concerned.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Senior Counsel Sarah Byrne shared her insights during the recent Ending Human Trafficking Podcast episode 261: Legal Advocacy with Sarah Byrne. Hosted by Dr. Sandie Morgan, Sarah discussed the need for trauma-informed legal services for survivors of human trafficking and their complex legal needs.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of ESOP Transactions Danny Johnson will serve as a panelist for the virtual Smart Business Dealmakers Conference: The New Normal in M&A being held on Oct 28. Danny joins a panel of ESOP-owned company leaders, PE firm leaders, and M&A advisors as they share case studies, best practices, and insight on how to ply ESOPS in both buy-side and sell-side transactions for the segment titled, “ESOP in M&A Transactions.” 

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Luis M. Lluberas has been named to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s (ABI) 2021 “40 Under 40” Class, which recognizes 40 top industry professionals under the age of 40.

MVA Financial Regulatory Advice and Response Associate Jules Carter will serve as speaker for the Lorman webinar titled, “Employee Basics of Anti-Money Laundering Requirements Under the Bank Secrecy Act” which will take place on October 29.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Associate Jim Manning served as the guest speaker for the University of South Carolina’s virtual initiation ceremony of the Pi Mu Epsilon mathematics honor society on September 28.  During his lecture, titled “Thinking Like a Lawyer,” Jim outlined some problem-solving techniques he learned from math and law.  He shared that critical thinking skills necessary to succeed as an attorney are similar to those he developed in math.  Ultimately, Jim argued that a strong background in mathematics will serve one well in any field and encouraged attendees to pursue their intellectual interests regardless of the subject.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) is pleased to announce that it has been ranked as a “highly recommended” firm for dispute resolution and a “recommended” firm for labor & employment in North Carolina in the 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation. This is the 13th consecutive year in which MVA has earned Benchmark recognitions.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that the firm was ranked by The American Lawyer in its 2021 Am Law Global 200 which ranks the world’s largest law firms by gross revenue.

Moore & Van Allen and its Public Service Committee are proud to share this short video celebrating the commitment of our attorneys and staff to volunteerism and pro bono work. To learn more about the firm’s most recent service investments please download our 2021 Annual Service Report.

MVA is pleased to announce the arrival of Matthew “Matt” S. Morgan, who has joined the firm as counsel in the firm’s Financial Services and Special Situations groups. Morgan is a seasoned lawyer, able to draw upon his experience with both international finance and restructuring transactions at law firms and at both buy-side and sell-side financial institutions in London.

MVA celebrated its longstanding commitment to public service by hosting the 20th annual Sally and Bill Van Allen Public Service Award presentation on September 15. The annual event recognized the achievements of firm employees and community partners who make significant service contributions. This year’s event also included a celebration of Mrs. Sally Van Allen who is set to celebrate her 100th birthday in October.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce the arrival of Tiffany E. Payne as counsel in the Litigation Group, based in the firm’s Charleston office.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Jonathan M. Prytherch has joined the firm as counsel in the Financial Regulatory Advice & Response group. Mr. Prytherch’s practice focuses on securities regulatory and enforcement matters involving broker-dealers and their registered representatives. He previously served as in-house counsel at a large broker-dealer and has over 19 years of securities regulatory experience.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of Data Privacy Karin McGinnis, Litigation Senior Counsel Tandy Mathis, and Litigation Associate Bill Butler served as panelist for the ACC 2021 Privacy & Data Security Update which took place on September 14. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of the Environmental practice, Peter McGrath represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the recent coal-fired power plants violation suit. The final judgement was highlighted in the recent Law360 article titled, “UNC Dodges Enviro Groups' Coal Emissions Suit” that was published on September 1.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Senior Counsel Sarah Byrne served as a presenter for the National Survivor Law Collective webinar “Trauma-Informed Legal Representation of Human Trafficking Survivors” which took place on September 10.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) has once again been recognized in the tenth edition of IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, a unique guide that identifies the top patent professionals in key jurisdictions around the globe. MVA members Jeffrey Gray, Chris Knors, Dick Lupo, Kevin Ransom, Todd Taylor, and Mark Wilson were listed as recommended attorneys in their respective practice areas.

Leading national, regional and local law firms have joined forces to create the Carolinas Social Impact Initiative, an effort to foster a more inclusive community and reduce systemic barriers to social and economic mobility in the Carolinas. Today they are also announcing their first program, the Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB), which will provide volunteer legal services to low-income entrepreneurs and small businesses in the Charlotte area.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of ESOP Transactions Member Mike Zeller served as a panelist for the St. Louis Smart Business Dealmakers Conference webinar titled, “How Jim Sramek Came To Sell Midwest Equipment Company To His Employees” which was held on August 27. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Counsel Courtney Duncil, Intellectual Property Associate Anup Iyer, and Financial Services Associate Graves Upchurch has been selected to participate in the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte/Mecklenburg (ASC) Cultural Leadership Training Program for 2021-2022. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Member and Head of the firm’s Bankruptcy & Restructuring practice Zach Smith has been appointed as the 2021-22 Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship (CLDC) Co-chair.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Member and Head of Bankruptcy & Restructuring practice Zach Smith has been appointed to chair the Juilliard School’s forthcoming alumni chapter of the Carolinas. The Chapter will focus on (i) identifying opportunities and facilitating alumni involvement in Carolinas-based performing arts programs and education, including youth programs; (ii) building connections between alumni and leading performing arts and academic institutions in the Carolinas; and (iii) serving as a link between Carolinas-based alumni and the Juilliard School in New York.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that 96 attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022. Additionally, eight firm attorneys were selected for Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” recognitions and 32 attorneys were among Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch.”

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) has again been ranked as a top legal adviser on syndicated loans. The firm's Finance team ranked in the top tier of Refinitiv Loan Pricing Corporation’s (LPC) first half of 2021 U.S. Law Firm League Tables for representing Lead Arrangers on syndicated loan transactions.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Services Associate Sonny Ha is one of the newest members to join the Education Working Group of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA). The mission of the Education Working Group is to identify areas in which the LFAA can most effectively and impactfully contribute to the removal of systemic racial barriers and inequities in the American educational system, and to build a community of experts and advocates who work collaboratively and strategically to achieve those goals.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that seven firm attorneys were selected among 2021 Legal Elite in Charleston Business Magazine, Columbia Business Monthly, and Greenville Business Magazine. The attorneys will be recognized in the August 1st issue of the respective publications.

Moore & Van Allen Member and Head of Bankruptcy & Restructuring practice Zach Smith, and Member Alan Pope, will be co-teaching a new course at Duke Law this fall semester titled “Corporate Restructuring and Chapter 11 Bankruptcy – In Practice”.

MVA Human Trafficking Pro Bono Project leader and National Survivor Law Collective co-founder Sarah Byrne recently contributed to the Avery Center-led report titled, “Legal Deserts Report - Accessing Legal Services for the Survivors of Sex Trafficking.” The Avery Center, formerly Free Our Girls, was founded in 2014 to address the gap in direct services for adults experiencing commercial sex trafficking across the United States. The National Survivor Law Collective formed in 2020 to establish the network of lawyers, agencies and firms that provide free legal services to survivors of human trafficking. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) is pleased to announce that the following individuals have been ranked in the 31st edition of IFLR1000 United States. MVA chairman Tom Mitchell was rated as “highly regarded” banking lawyer in North Carolina, and member Steve Hope was rated as “highly regarded” M&A lawyer in North Carolina. While member Carolyn Meade  was rated as “notable practitioner” M&A lawyer in North Carolina and cousel Ed Ivey was rated as “rising star” capital markets: derivatives and capital markets: structured finance and securitisation.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Restructuring Counsel Reid Dyer serves as an advisory board member for the 25th Annual American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop taking place in Palm Beach, Florida from July 29-August 1. This event is an annual educational and networking conference attended by bankruptcy practitioners from the southeast.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) moves up nine spots to be listed at number 137 on the “Law360 400,” Law360’s annual ranking of the 400 largest law firms in the nation for 2020. The list features the largest U.S.-based law firms as measured by U.S. attorney head count.

Moore & Van Allen’s (MVA) Private Wealth Law earned Band 3 recognition in the 2021 Chambers High Net Worth for Private Wealth Law directory. Additionally, Estate and Wealth Planning Member Chris Jones has been ranked Band 2.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Supervising Investigations Counsel Tania Archer has been appointed to the Mecklenburg County Bar (MCB) Board of Directors for 2021-2022. Each year, the MCB is led by a dedicated Board of Directors and a visionary President.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations Member Frank Schall has once again been recognized as a leading U.S. litigation attorney on Benchmark Litigation’s “40 & Under Hot List.” Frank has continually been named to Benchmark Litigation’s “40 & Under Hot List” since 2018.

The Mint Museum’s planned giving program, The Dwelle Society, is being renamed The Dwelle-McBryde Society in honor of Charlotte attorney Neill McBryde’s steadfast support of the museum.

Moore and Van Allen is proud to once again sponsor SIFMA’s C&L Virtual Forum, which takes place July 20-22, 2021. The C&L Society is the leading forum for compliance and legal professionals working in the financial services industry.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Employment & Labor Member John Zaloom was quoted in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) article titled, “Who Can Know About Employee Vaccination Status?” which was published July 6.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Member Nader Raja has been appointed to serve on the Mecklenburg County Bar (MCB) Diversity & Inclusion Committee as a member of the class of 2024 under the leadership of Knut Nodeland, Chair and Dana Lumsden, Vice-Chair by MCB President Fred DeVore, III.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that the firm represented Knoll America, Inc., a supplier of conveyor and filtration systems, in the establishment of its U.S. headquarters site in Gaston County, North Carolina.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Member Tom Myrick was a featured speaker at the UNC Tax Institute meeting held on June 11. This year’s topic was “NCDOR v. Kaestner Trust: A View From the Battlefield.” Tom shared behind the scenes strategies of representing the Trust over the eight years it traveled from the NC Office of Administrative Hearings, to the NC Complex Business Court, to the NC Court of Appeals, to the NC Supreme Court, and finally to the Supreme Court of the United States where judgment in favor of his client was affirmed 9-0.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) is proud to have continued our partnership with Heart Math Tutoring during the 2020-2021 school year. Over the last year, seven MVA tutors have impacted five schools, volunteered 71 hours with students who needed support building foundational math skills, and supported 11 elementary students with a mentor and increased confidence and enthusiasm in math. Thank you to the following individuals who have served as virtual tutors Stephen Hope, Stephanie Ward, Courtney Duncil, Cally Richter, and David Eades.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that the firm has been recognized in the 2021 edition of The Legal 500 United States. The firm was ranked in Tier 4 in the categories of “Commercial Lending” and “Energy Transactions: Conventional Power.”

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce Randal D. Shields and John A. Stoker are joining the firm as Senior Counsel in the firm’s Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Group. Previously, Shields served as Deputy General Counsel for PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. while Stoker served as Associate General Counsel at Wells Fargo & Company.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Sandra M. Lazorcheck has re-joined the firm as a member in its Financial Services group. She represents financial institutions, banks, business development companies, and alternative debt providers in a variety of financing transactions.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that the firm represented the Little Rock Community Development Corporation (CDC) in the development of a new affordable housing project in Uptown Charlotte. The CDC is working in partnership with Laurel Street to develop the new apartment community - Varick on 7th.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Member and Co-head of the Environmental group, Mary Katherine Stukes served as a speaker for the 2021 NCBA Environment, Energy, & Natural Resources Law Section CLE Program that was held on May 13. Mary Katherine spoke on a panel entitled, “Hot Topics” which included presentation on Methane, Waters of the United States, and the National Environmental Policy Act.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) supported an arts fundraising campaign of the Foundation For The Carolinas (FFTC) which has been highlighted in the recent Charlotte Business Journal article titled, “Charlotte's private arts campaign reaches 70% of $18M goal” published May 26.  Atrium Health, Bank of America, Barings, Centene Corporation, Duke Energy, Novant, PwC, Trane, and Truist Corporation also participated. The $18 million FFTC is raising for local arts organizations will match $18 million in City of Charlotte funding for a total of $36 million over three years.

The Moore & Van Allen website has been awarded a 2021 Vega Digital Award under the Website Design & Development- Law & Legal Services category. Designed and built by Firmseek, the new website was launched in early 2021.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Director of Communications & Media Relations Amy Murphy Curlis is one of this year’s recipients of The Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 Award. Every year since 2020, The Ledger has run its annual 40 Over 40 awards, which seek to honor those people in our community aged 40+ who are making Charlotte a better place. They’re businesspeople, nonprofit leaders, volunteers and others from all over the city who are improving Charlotte in many different ways.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring Member Ben Hawfield was honored as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) on May 12. The purpose of the Lifetime Achievement Award is to recognize a bankruptcy practitioner who has contributed to the betterment of the Bankruptcy Section, the profession, and who has set an aspiring example for those who follow.