Family Law

• Guardianship
  Elder law is a diverse area of law that encompasses a wide range of legal issues that can directly affect the elderly. Such legal matters handled by an elder law attorney span from general powers of attorney and healthcare powers of attorney to advanced healthcare directives and various forms of guardianship.

Criminal Law

• Wrongful Death
• Fraud
  With years of experience handling both civil and criminal fraud charges, a healthcare lawyer at our Asheville law offices can provide a sound legal defense for providers accused of fraud and abuse.
• Forgery

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Carolyn Lloyd Coward is a principal with The Van Winkle Law Firm, where she focuses her practice on health care and labor and employment law. Combining her depth of health care industry knowledge with keen legal insight, she helps to ensure physicians, hospitals, long-term care facilities and other health-care entities comply with federal and state regulations, including HIPAA, fraud and abuse statutes and the Stark Law regarding physician self-referrals. In addition, she counsels health care providers and medical centers to structure business ventures and negotiate and develop employment and shareholder agreements in compliance with government and Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement regulations.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  No matter your business’s role in a merger and acquisition, The Van Winkle Law Firm is available to draft and file all necessary documents, discuss and negotiate terms of the deal, and ascertain all regulatory compliance.
• Business Formation
  Our experienced taxation attorneys can provide crucial legal advice on the possible tax consequences of business structures and operations. From the stages of business formation to developing tax strategies for ongoing business operations and even offering guidance on business mergers and acquisitions, our attorneys provide crucial legal advice on a range of tax-related matters.
• Business Disputes
  Throughout her career, Coward has represented health care providers in licensing and peer-review matters, reimbursement appeals and business disputes. She is a frequent speaker before legal and health care industry organizations as well as private businesses in North Carolina.
• Business Transactions
  Ryan W. Coffield is a Principal at Van Winkle, where he serves as the senior attorney in the firm’s business transactions practice. Ryan focuses his practice on complex mergers and acquisitions transactions and providing general corporate counsel to firm clients. His experience in the areas of corporate and pass-through taxation allows him to provide a valuable, unique perspective on his clients’ legal concerns. While at Van Winkle, Ryan has served as lead counsel on mergers, asset purchases, equity transactions, syndicated real estate offerings, private equity investments, and joint ventures. His work often includes designing tax-advantaged transaction structures, advising clients in the negotiation of deal documents, drafting private offering documents, making federal and state Reg D filings, and providing tax and secured lending opinions. Some of Ryan’s more notable transactions include...
• Trade Secrets
• Intellectual Property
  David Carter joined The Van Winkle Law Firm in 2012 to counsel and navigate businesses and individuals through the complexity of intellectual property law. With a concentration in patents, trademarks and copyright laws, Carter is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A highlight of his career was licensing a patent which he obtained for a client to over thirty companies in the telecommunications industry.
• Unfair Competition
  The intellectual property attorneys at The Van Winkle Law Firm have successfully and efficiently litigated cases involving trademarks and copyrights. We routinely deal with issues of trademark counterfeiting, trademark infringement, unfair competition, patent infringement, and copyright infringement. We also aid clients with trademark and copyright protection and registration matters, including representation in proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
• Antitrust

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
  Our labor and employment attorneys routinely represent employers against claims of discrimination and retaliation brought under Title VII, the ADEA, the ADA, the FMLA, and state-based wrongful discharge laws. Additionally, our firm provides seminars, on-site training, and personal counsel services to help employers integrate practices designed to mitigate and avoid discriminatory incidents in the workplace, including the following.
• Employment Discrimination
• Severance Agreement

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  I have worked with BJ Kilgore and Lindsay Thompson; both are very professional and attentive. I appreciate their promptness, willingness to go above and beyond, and their passion to take care of their clients. I would recommend these attorneys to anyone seeking help with a trust & estate or Real estate matters.
• Construction Litigation
  Construction defect matters often arise due to disputes between construction companies, developers or contractors and association board members. Whether the dispute was created by the contractor for the association or from the association against the contractor, these matters may quickly escalate to litigation. If the issue constitutes a building defect — such as a defective or unsound structure installed by a construction company — the association may file a request for damages reimbursement. Experienced counsel and comprehensive representation are among the essential factors required to protect the interests of property owners associations — our attorneys are committed to providing successful guidance to each client from the initial stages of a construction defect dispute through the final disposition.
• Real Estate Transactions
  The Van Winkle Law Firm has served my family and companies’ interests in dozens of real estate transactions over 35 years. I have always felt that I was represented by the very best professionals who always had by best interests in mind. They listen, communicate and execute with top notch service. Lindsay Parris Thompson does all of my transactions today with perfect execution! I can highly recommend Lindsay and the VW firm.
• Eminent Domain
  From issues related to condemnation and eminent domain to deed restrictions and zoning, The Van Winkle Law Firm has an accomplished record helping clients with all issues related to real estate litigation. Backed by years of experience and a thorough understanding of real estate law and regulation, our attorneys assert client interests every time.
• Land Use and Zoning
  With the rapid development of Western North Carolina, land use and zoning issues will continue to be a source of contention and potential risk to commercially viable projects, often diminishing the value of property held by businesses and individuals. The Van Winkle Law Firm represents developers, landowners, and local governments in traversing laws regulating housing, commerce, and industry. We focus on protecting the interests of all parties as the region’s regulatory landscape evolves. Our land use team partners with other practice groups within the firm — including business, commercial and residential real estate, dispute resolution, and taxation — to provide clients with comprehensive legal services that reflect this vital growth area.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
• Medical Malpractice
  Our healthcare attorneys are skilled litigators and frequently represent healthcare providers facing professional liability, medical malpractice charges, and accusations of negligence. We can help sort out insurance disputes as well.
• Disability Discrimination

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  The Van Winkle Law Firm is one of the most respected and established law firms in North Carolina. Since 1907, our firm has provided exceptional legal representation to North Carolina residents and businesses to meet their personal, commercial, business, and estate planning needs. We are fully committed to being more than just legal representatives. We pride ourselves on taking the time to understand the needs and goals of our clients, striving always to create strategies that will surpass their expectations. You can be confident that we will guide you through the legal challenges that you are facing and identifying opportunities for you to achieve success. We hold your confidence with highest esteem.
• Wills
  Estate law concerns the legal requirements that govern the creation of wills and trusts, among other matters. In addition to federal laws, every state has its own laws for estate planning. Regarding the laws in North Carolina, the estate attorneys at The Van Winkle Law Firm are well versed in all legal requirements concerning the management and distribution of assets for persons and institutions in the state.
• Trusts
  The Trusts, Estates, and Elder Law attorneys at The Van Winkle Law Firm understand that estate planning is an ongoing process that changes with our clients’ needs throughout their lifetimes. We work closely with clients throughout each of their life stages (both personal and business) to create customized and innovative solutions for their estate-planning needs. From protecting wealth to planning for disability and long-term care, our experienced and dedicated team of attorneys will work to protect your future. This dedication continues as our team continue to assist you with trust and estate administration matters. Additionally, we help clients resolve a wide array of disputes concerning trusts and estates. As a client of The Van Winkle Law Firm, you can safeguard your future, accomplish outstanding goals, and make life’s transitions easier for you as well as for your other loved ones.
• Power of Attorney
  Our business lawyers take the time to understand both your long-term and immediate goals and develop strategies that protect their interests and ensure the continuity of their business operations during a transition. We understand that North Carolina attorneys must be well-versed in many areas of the law when it comes to business succession planning.  We handle issues such as drafting and executing wills, power of attorney documents, trusts, tax planning, and asset protection plans. We offer comprehensive services designed to address any legal issue related to a business transition so that you can rest assured knowing that all aspects of your plan are being considered. Our North Carolina business law attorneys provide dedicated service that helps our clients navigate the complex legal landscape of business succession planning. Contact us today to get started with a comprehensive consultation.
• Probate
  The Van Winkle Law Firm has one of the largest Trust, Estates, and Elder Law teams in Western North Carolina. Some of our attorneys complement their law school educations with masters of law degrees in taxation. Our team is also staffed with a fellow of the prestigious American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel as well as board-certified specialists in Estate Planning and Probate Law.

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure
  Should a delinquent assessment result in a lien on the property in question, our firm can manage the required legal proceedings and file all accompanying paperwork to help ensure the best result for your case. Once our HOA attorneys receive a request for collection, they will provide the delinquent property owner with a letter of demand. If the delinquent assessment is not paid, we may file a claim of lien against the property, and if non-payment continues, we may commence a foreclosure proceeding depending on the client’s wishes.
• Tax Law
  Because many of our lawyers hold master’s degrees in taxation, The Van Winkle Law Firm is considered one of the region’s leading tax law practices. Our team of professionals counsel clients on various issues, helping them navigate the boundaries of ever-changing local, state, and federal laws and developing tax-efficient strategies that align with their personal and business goals. Our skills and experience have enabled us to successfully represent clients before all levels of the tax court.