Anthony "Tony" T. Lathrop

ADDING VALUE FOR CLIENTS

Tony Lathrop is a seasoned lawyer with extensive experience in land use, zoning and development, planning and condemnation law. Lathrop partners closely with his clients to handle their needs in ways that maximize value for their businesses. He uses his experience as an attorney, certified mediator, and appointed state and local official to develop strategies for obtaining optimal results in high-stakes matters and to advise his clients regarding strategies to meet their objectives and reduce future risk. 

Lathrop has experience representing a diverse portfolio of clients successfully in a broad range of land use and real estate matters, including administrative proceedings and related pre-litigation counseling and litigation involving municipal planning, zoning, entitlement and related land use and development regulations, His years leading the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Commission have provided Lathrop with a unique perspective and in-depth, inside knowledge of land use and zoning agency operations. Lathrop’s recent matters and experience include:

• Approximately 20 municipal eminent domain actions, representing the condemnor. 
• A trial and appeal representing a nonprofit development and finance company in contested rezoning application for multifamily housing development.
• Representing a commercial developer seeking to upzone property to erect an office complex.
• Representing a company in connection with municipal easements and rights of way for government public works and transportation projects.
• Processing and approving the new land use plan for Charlotte’s new Blue Line Transit system.
• Processing and making recommendations regarding zoning applications submitted to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department.
• Serving as Trustee of the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund.
• Chairing the Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Stakeholder Advisory Committee to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department in the process of rewriting the City’s zoning ordinance.
• Additional matters involving conditional use permits, government relations, vested rights, and deed restrictions.

RECOGNIZED LEADER IN LEGAL, Planning & transportation COMMUNITies

As a recognized leader within the legal, planning, and transportation communities of North Carolina and nationwide, Lathrop has developed relationships and credibility that add value for the firm’s clients. Lathrop was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper in March 2017 to serve a four-year term on the North Carolina Board of Transportation, where he serves as Chair of the Funding & Appropriation Strategies (FAST) Committee. He was a member of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Commission from 2011 to 2017, where he served as the Commission’s Chair from 2014 through 2017. He also chaired the Commission’s planning and zoning committees during his tenure and served as Chair of the Mecklenburg County Planning Coordinating Committee. Lathrop currently serves on the Knight Foundation Charlotte Advisory Committee. He serves as Chair of the Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Stakeholder Advisory Committee, which provides technical advice/input to the City’s Planning Department in the restructuring of its land use policies and zoning ordinance and provides a bridge for communicating with stakeholders about the progression of the project. And Lathrop also has served as Chair of The Network of Trial Law Firms, which is an organization of 7,000 attorneys in 25 separate and independent trial law firms practicing in over 140 offices throughout the United States and Canada.

In his nearly thirty years of service to the North Carolina legal community, Lathrop also has served as the President of the Mecklenburg County Bar (2006-2007), the Chair of the Merit Selection Panels for two U.S. Magistrate Judges in North Carolina's Western District (2003-2004), a member of the Advisory Committee on Local Patent Rules for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina (2010), an Aide to Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. (1983-1985), and an appointed member of Governor Hunt’s Crime Commission (1982-1985).   

PUBLICATIONS

• Regular contributor to Moore & Van Allen's Litigation Law Blog, addressing emerging topics pertinent to state and federal litigation, land use and related business practices
• Featured in “Charlotte zoning is a family tradition for commission chair,” DevelopCLT,August 18, 2016
• Quoted in “5 Tips For Better Communication With Clients,” Law360, April 22, 2016
• “Arbitration at a Crossroads: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to Initiate Regulation Following Its Study Scrutinizing Arbitration and Class Action Waivers,” @Law the NALS Magazine for Legal Professionals, Winter 2015-2016
• "D.R. Horton Déjà Vu: Will NLRB Be Forced To Respect Class Action Waivers For Employers Doing Business In 5th Circuit?”, Mondaq, October 1, 2015
• “Unanimous U.S. Supreme Court Gives FLSA Class Action Win to Employers Screening for Theft”, The Growth Company Newsletter, January/February 2015

Notable

• Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2010-2025; Workers' Compensation Law - Employers, 2010-2025
• North Carolina Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2006-2024
• Martindale-Hubbell, North Carolina Top Rated Lawyer
• Benchmark Litigation "Local Litigation Star," General Commercial, 2015-2025
• North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2021
• Advisory Member, NC FIRST (Future Investment Resources for Sustainable Transportation) Commission, 2019-present
• NCDOT’s Board of Transportation:
  • Member, 2017-present
  • Chair, Finance Committee (formerly the Funding & Appropriation Strategies (FAST) Committee), 2017-present
• Chair, Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance Advisory Committee, 2016-present
• Member, Knight Foundation Charlotte Advisory Board, 2016-present
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission:
  • Member, 2011-2017;
  • Chair, 2014-2017;
  • Vice Chair, 2013-2014;
  • Zoning Committee Chair, 2015-2017;
  • Planning Committee Chair, 2013-2016;
  • Zoning Ordinance Ad Hoc Committee Chair, 2015-2017
• Chair, Mecklenburg County Planning Coordinating Committee, 2014-2017
• Member, North Carolina Business Court Rules Advisory Committee, 2015
• Chairman, Network of Trial Law Firms, 2011
• President, Mecklenburg County Bar, 2006-2007

News

Insights

Affiliations

• Certified Mediator, N.C. Superior Courts, N.C. Industrial Commission
• Chair, Wildacres Leadership Initiative, which sponsors the Friday Fellows program, 2010-2011
• Certified Specialist, Workers Compensation Law, North Carolina State Bar (Former Member, Worker's Compensation Specialization Committee), 2000-2010
• Member, Advisory Committee on Local Patent Rules, WDNC, 2010
• Member, North Carolina Council of Bar Presidents, 2007-present
• Featured in a North Carolina Super Lawyers article entitled, "Setting the Bar", February, 2007
• Featured in The Charlotte Observer in an article entitled, "Mecklenburg County Bar: Next President Likes Low Profile", June, 2006
• North Carolina Bar Association: 
  • Chair, Workers Compensation Section, 2005-2006;  
  • Editor, Course and Scope Newsletter, 1999-2003
• Trustee, North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund, 2003-2006
• Chair, Merit Selection Panels for two U.S. Magistrate Judges in North Carolina's Western District, 2003-2004 
• Mecklenburg County Bar:
  • President, 2006-2007;
  • Chair, Bar Leadership Institute, 2001-2003
• First chair, Mecklenburg Bar Leadership Institute, 2001-2003  
• William C. Friday Fellow, 1999-2001
• President, General Counsel and Director, Second String Santas, Inc., a non-profit providing over 3,000 presents annually to children in Mecklenburg County, 1997-2001
• Aide, Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., 1983-1985
• Appointed by Governor Hunt to the Governor's Crime Commission, 1982-1985
• Recipient, Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor
• Former Member, Board of Visitors and Law and General Alumni Associations, UNC-Chapel Hill 
• American Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute
• North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys

Representative Experience

Litigation

• Representing and advising companies regarding COVID-19 related insurance claims involving business interruption, event cancellation and workers’ compensation
• A breach of shipping contract matter involving freight shippers, carriers, and brokers
• Representing a national real estate company in connection with municipal easements and rights of way for government public works and transportation projects
• Representing a nonprofit development and finance company in a contested rezoning application for multifamily housing development
• Representing a national fiber optic networking cloud connectivity provider in multiple contract and tort litigation matters

• Successfully representing plaintiff-appellee in obtaining affirmation of the trial court’s order finding that the plaintiff had properly pleaded and alleged a claim for piercing the corporate veil against the defendants, and in obtaining reversal of the N.C. Court of Appeals decision which dismissed the case against an individual defendant who was an officer of the corporate defendant. Saft America, Inc. v. Plainview Batteries, Inc.,659 S.E.2d 39 (N.C. App. 2008) and 673 S.E.2d 864 (N.C. 2009) (PER CURIAM)
• Vehicle and device products liability claims, defending international manufacturers of vehicles, aircraft, and medical devices, including catastrophic accident claims
• Successfully defending workers’ compensation asbestos claim; finding of no liability for defendant/client affirmed. Seagle v. Kent-Coffey Manufacturing et al., 155 N.C.App. 221, 573 S.E.2d 772, 2002 WL 31894972 (N.C. App. 2002)
• A coverage dispute over provisions of a contingent automobile liability insurance policy in connection with the vehicle leasing program of a Fortune 500 company
• A breach of a contract claim (sale of a $40 million manufacturing facility), representing a plaintiff Fortune 500 corporation
• A trademark infringement and breach of contract action involving competing cable television networks
• An insurance contract dispute regarding retroactive workers’ compensation insurance premiums
• A claim regarding a lapsed long-term care insurance policy
• State law police/municipal liability and §1983 claims in Federal court in which summary judgment decisions for defendants were affirmed by the Fourth Circuit. Kling v. City of Monroe, 86 Fed Appx. 662, 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 2093 (4th Cir. (NC) 2004); Nadelin v. City of Monroe, 166 F.3d 333, 1998 WL 802021 (4th Cir. (N.C.) 1998)

• Obtaining defense verdict for employer/steeplejack welding contractor in trial of Woodson wrongful death claim. McDaniel v. Price, 93 CVS 154 (Rutherford County, N.C. Superior Court)

Transportation

• Breach of shipping contract matter involving freight shippers, carriers, and brokers
• Representing and advising companies regarding COVID-19 related insurance claims involving business interruption, event cancellation and workers’ compensation
• Approximately 20 municipal eminent domain actions, representing both condemnors and property owners in a variety of matters, including transportation infrastructure projects
• Representing a national infrastructure and engineering firm in connection with municipal public affairs matters
• Representing a national fiber optic networking cloud connectivity provider in multiple contract and tort litigation matters
• Representing a national real estate company in connection with municipal easements and rights of way for government public works and transportation projects
• Vehicle and device products liability claims, defending international manufacturers of vehicles, aircraft, and medical devices, including catastrophic accident claims
• A coverage dispute over provisions of a contingent automobile liability insurance policy in connection with the vehicle leasing program of a Fortune 500 company
• A trademark infringement and breach of contract action involving competing cable television networks
• Representing a commercial developer seeking to upzone property to erect an office complex

Real Estate

Tony’s recent matters and experience include:

• Approximately 20 municipal eminent domain actions, representing both condemnors and property owners in a variety of matters, including transportation infrastructure projects
• A trial and appeal representing a nonprofit development and finance company in contested rezoning application for multifamily housing development
• Representing a commercial developer seeking to upzone property to erect an office complex
• Representing a national real estate company in connection with municipal easements and rights of way for government public works and transportation projects
• Processing and approving the new land use plan for Charlotte’s new Blue Line Light Rail Transit Corridor
• Processing and making recommendations regarding zoning applications submitted to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department
• Serving as Trustee of the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund
• Chairing the Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Stakeholder Advisory Committee to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department in the process of rewriting the City’s zoning ordinance
• Additional matters involving conditional use permits, government relations, vested rights, and deed restrictions

Speaking Engagements & Publications

Speaking Engagements

• Presenter, NC Board of Transportation motion, December 2023
• Panel Moderator, “Infrastructure Series: Transitional Part 1,” Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, October 2020
• Panelist, "A Conversation on Regional Mobility with Former Mayor Harvey Gantt," CONNECT Beyond, September 2020
• “NC 101,” Centralina Council of Governments Manager’s Call – Transportation Focus, June 2020
• Panelist, “Think Forum: Moving Post-COVID-19 – Regional transportation in Charlotte’s ‘new normal,’” HNTB, City of Charlotte & Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, May 2020
• Panel Moderator, Regional Collaboration Panel Discussion, CRAFT Executive Committee Meeting, February 2020
• Panelist, “The Future of Bus Rapid Transit,” UNC Clean Tech Summit,  February 2020
• Panel Moderator, “NC F1RST Commission: Reflections on Creating Change,” NC DOT Transportation Summit, January 2020
• NC FIRST Commission Update, Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce “Transportation Disruptors” Power Luncheon, December 2019
• Panel Moderator, “Funding and Pricing a Just Transition,” Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) Road to Change Conversation, November 2019
• NC FIRST Commission Update, Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization Board Meeting, November 2019
• NC Transportation Finance Overview,” Urban Transportation Planning Course Guest Lecture, UNC Department of City & Regional Planning, November 2019
• “The Landscape of Mobility is Changing,” Roadways to a Safer Future Seminar Guest Lecture, UNC Department of City & Regional Planning, November 2019
• “Municipal Lens: Connecting the Region,” Charlotte Regional Business Alliance 2019 Summit, Oct 2019
• Panel, “Anticipating the Disruption of Transportation Funding: A Call for Coordinated Regional Planning,” Triangle J Council of Governments Regional Summit, October 2019
• “Funding Surface Transportation in North Carolina,” Regional Transportation Alliance, Triangle Mobility Partnership Meeting, September 2019
• Panelist, “Understanding Industry Disruptors” Panel, Southern Transportation Civil Rights Executive Council (STCREC) Training Symposium, August 2019
• “Future Funding Opportunities & Challenges for North Carolina Transportation,” International Right of Way Association (IRWA) Summer Education Seminar, August 2019
• Transportation Luncheon on Disruptors, NC Go & Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, June 2019
• “NCDOT Update” and “The Future of Transportation Funding & Necessity for Coordinated Regional Planning,” 2019 North Carolina Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations Annual Transportation Conference, April 2019
• “The Future of Transportation Funding & Necessity for Coordinated Regional Planning,” Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) Meeting, April 2019
• “The Future of Transportation Funding & Regional Transportation Collaboration,” Charlotte Regional Alliance for Transportation (CRAFT) Technical Committee Meeting, March 2019
• Panel Moderator, “The Future of Transportation Funding & Necessity for Coordinated Regional Planning,” Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization & Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln Metropolitan Planning Organization 2^nd Annual Roundtable, March  2019
• “Transportation Storytelling & Participant Engagement” Segment Leader, Centralina Council of Governments Regional Conference, March 2019
• Moderator, “Preparing for a Changing Funding Landscape” Opening Session and “Creative Funding Solutions” Breakout, 2019 NC Transportation Summit, January 2019

Publications

• Regular contributor to Moore & Van Allen's Litigation Law Blog, addressing emerging topics pertinent to state and federal litigation, land use and related business practices
• “Pandemic Risk Insurance Act of 2020 introduced in Congress — a federal backstop for business interruption and event cancellation losses,” Westlaw, June 22, 2020
• Featured in “Charlotte zoning is a family tradition for commission chair,” DevelopCLT, August 18, 2016
• Quoted in “5 Tips For Better Communication With Clients,” Law360, April 22, 2016
• “Arbitration at a Crossroads: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to Initiate Regulation Following Its Study Scrutinizing Arbitration and Class Action Waivers,” @Law the NALS Magazine for Legal Professionals, Winter 2015-2016
• "D.R. Horton Déjà Vu: Will NLRB Be Forced To Respect Class Action Waivers For Employers Doing Business In 5th Circuit?” Mondaq, October 1, 2015