Tharrington Smith

Tharrington Smith, L.L.P. is a Raleigh-based law firm that currently employs 35 attorneys and 28 staff members who are experienced in state and federal courts at both trial and appellate levels. The firm’s core practice areas are family law, education law, criminal defense, civil litigation, and election law and redistricting. Tharrington Smith also offers legal services for any type of legal dispute, such as construction disputes, disciplinary proceedings, intellectual property issues, personal injury, and employment discrimination. The firm has helped countless individuals, companies and governmental entities successfully resolve their legal issues since 1964.




209 Fayetteville Street
P.O. Box 1151
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602

History

Harold Tharrington and Wade Smith, classmates at UNC-Chapel Hill, started their own law firm in 1964 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Soon they were joined by Wade's brother, Roger, and Wade Hargrove. The firm became Tharrington, Smith & Hargrove, and it specialized in family law, criminal defense, and media law.

By 1985, the firm had twelve lawyers and a new specialty, education law. When George Rogister joined the firm, he brought his client, the Wake County Board of Education, followed by the North Carolina School Boards Association, and the Boards for Edgecombe, Durham, Person, Hertford and numerous other North Carolina counties.

By the late 1980s the firm grew to more than 30 lawyers. The Smiths handled high-profile cases such as the defenses of Jeffrey MacDonald and Lieutenant Governor Jimmy Green. Hargrove built a strong communications practice, Tharrington's family law practice expanded to one of the best known in the state, and Rogister, who chaired the National Council of School Attorneys, established one of the premiere education law practices in the country.

The early 1990s were a time of transition for the firm. Harold Tharrington retired, but Carlyn Poole, Jaye Meyer and others continued to grow a family law practice that became one of the largest in North Carolina. Wade Hargrove moved to another firm with his communications practice. George Rogister died, but Ann Majestic and others built on his foundation to create one of the largest education law practices in the country.

Today Tharrington Smith has represented other high profile engagements such as serving as lead defense counsel for former Duke Lacrosse player Collin Finnerty in the Duke University Lacrosse case. Tharrington Smith continues to be the general counsel for Wake County Board of Education.

Practice Areas

Administrative Law
Alcoholic Beverage Control
Antitrust Litigation
Appeals
Aviation
Business
Class Actions
Commercial Litigation
Construction
Criminal Defense
Divorce and Family Law
Education Law
Elections Law
Redistricting
Employment
Legislation
Licensing Boards, Discipline
Litigation
Local Government
Mediation/Arbitration
Personal Injury
Special Education
Tax Audits and Investigations
Traffic Violations

Honors & Awards

Recent honors bestowed upon the firm and its attorneys include:

  • Tharrington Smith, L.L.P., was named a Top Tier Firm by US News & World Report / Best Lawyers®
  • Carlyn G. Poole was selected as “Raleigh Best Lawyers® Family Lawyer of the Year” for 2011 by Best Lawyers of America®.
  • Roger W. Smith, Sr., was selected as the “Raleigh Best Lawyers® Appellate Lawyer of the Year” for 2011 by Best Lawyers of America®.
  • Douglas Kingsbery was inducted into the Litigation Counsel of America in 2010.
  • Wade M. Smith was selected as Raleigh’s “Criminal Defense: Non-White Collar Lawyer of the Year” for 2010 by Best Lawyers of America®.
  • Lynn P. Burleson was selected as Raleigh’s “Family Lawyer of the Year” for 2009 by Best Lawyers of America®.

Twelve Tharrington Smith lawyers were selected for inclusion by North Carolina Super Lawyers® for 2011. Only five percent of lawyers in North Carolina receive this recognition.

  • Carlyn G. Poole—-one of Top 100 Lawyers and one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers.
  • Jaye Meyer—one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in North Carolina.

The following Tharrington Smith attorneys have been selected by North Carolina Super Lawyers magazine for 2011 in their respective practice areas:

  • F. Hill Allen -(Criminal Defense: White Collar)
  • Lynn P. Burleson - (Family Law)
  • Douglas E. Kingsbery - (Criminal Defense: White Collar)
  • Fred M. Morelock - (Family Law)
  • Roger W. Smith, Sr. - (Criminal Defense)
  • Alice C. Stubbs - (Family Law)

The following Tharrington Smith attorneys have been recognized as “Rising Stars” in North Carolina for 2011 by North Carolina Super Lawyers magazine:

  • Jill S. Jackson - (Family Law)
  • Steve Mansbery - (Family Law)
  • Kris Gardner - (Administrative Law)

The selections for Super Lawyers are made by Law & Politics, a division of Key Professional Media, Inc. of Minneapolis, MN. Visit Super Lawyers for more information on Super Lawyers’ selection process.

The following attorneys have been listed in Best Lawyers in America® for at least 25 years:

  • Roger W. Smith, Sr.- (Appellate Law, White-Collar Criminal Defense, Non-White-Collar Criminal Defense)
  • Wade M. Smith - (White-Collar Criminal Defense, Non-White-Collar Criminal Defense)

The following attorneys have been listed in Best Lawyers® for at least 10 years:

  • Lynn P. Burleson - (Family Law)
  • Carlyn G. Poole - (Family Law)

Other Tharrington Smith Attorneys included in the 2010 edition include:

  • Melissa Hill - (White-Collar Criminal Defense)
  • Douglas E. Kingsbery - (Commercial Litigation, White-Collar Criminal Defense, and Bet-The-Company Litigation)
  • Jaye Meyer - (Family Law)
  • Fred Morelock - (Family Law)
  • Alice Stubbs - (Family Law)

See The Best Lawyers in America’s® for selection methodology.