Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Custody and Visitation
  After nearly 25 years in law practice, Steve Epstein decided to migrate into the area of family law, where he now regularly advises clients and represents them in litigation regarding separation and divorce, child custody and support, alimony and post-separation support, and equitable distribution. He began practicing family law in 2014, following his own personal 2-year odyssey through the family court justice system.  During that process, he felt a calling to help lead others through the tunnel from which he had just emerged.  He is a passionate advocate for the rights of his family law clients and the well-being of their children.  His goal is to help each client find their better tomorrow for themselves and their children.
• Spousal Support

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
• Wrongful Death
  Representing a national provider of insurance products and services for the trucking industry in numerous cases, including cases involving paraplegia and wrongful death
• Fraud
• Money Laundering
  Compliance (e.g., with the Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering laws, and state money transmission and payment laws)

Business and Corporate Law

• Mergers and Acquisitions
  Our clients are some of the top banks and financial institutions in the nation, the largest regional employers, and many of them are products of mergers and acquisitions in recent years.
• Business Disputes
  Civil and commercial litigation involving contract disputes, unfair and deceptive trade practices, fraud, real property disputes, and trade secrets claims
• Business Transactions
  As a full service business law firm, we make it a priority to understand our clients’ businesses and goals. Once settled in North Carolina, our attorneys can serve as outside counsel in any area of your business including employee benefits, business transactions, intellectual property and trade secret protection, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy, health law, litigation, and data privacy and information security.
• Limited Liability Companies
  Our services include preparation of testamentary documents and intervivos trusts; planning for succession and ownership in closely held businesses including S corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies; life insurance planning, including preparation of life insurance trusts and financing agreements; and planning for charitable giving, including use of charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts and private foundations.
• Construction Contracts
• Trade Secrets
• Intellectual Property
• Antitrust

Employment Law

• Employment Contract
  We work with individuals to ensure their executive compensation, employment agreement, or severance packages are properly documented and comply with relevant rules and statutes. ◀︎ Back to All Individuals & Families
• Employment Litigation
  Katie Cornetto (joined Friday, October 15th) focuses her practice exclusively on education law. She started her legal career counseling educators on education law and employment issues as the Director of Member Advocacy for the Professional Educators of North Carolina. Katie was later hired as lead in-house legal counsel to the NC State Board of Education and NC Department of Public Instruction. She received her B.A. in Political Science and Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Katie received her J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
• Non-compete Agreement
  Whether coming or going, employees – especially executives – hire Poyner Spruill to help them understand complicated employment and severance agreements. Deferred compensation or benefits, non-compete agreements, and other restrictive covenants and contract provisions depend on employment and tax laws that frequently change.
• Severance Agreement

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  We have extensive experience representing individuals, local businesses, national and international corporations, professionals, and financial institutions in all kinds of litigation that can impact a business, such as consumer class actions, trademark, trade dress, and copyright infringement litigation, disputes between buyers and sellers of businesses, disputes among owners of businesses, disputes involving banking, securities and accounting issues, the defense of class actions, real estate disputes, employment disputes, and environmental, zoning, and land use issues. We also have extensive white collar criminal defense, professional liability, and insurance defense and tort practices.
• Premises Liability
• Construction Litigation
  The construction industry is a vital part of our local and regional economy. In boom times, construction can be a very lucrative business and when the economy busts, it can be very challenging to weather. The industry can come with high stakes projects, long-term investments, and make-or-break commitments. From contract negotiations to employment challenges, clients come to us for their construction law needs.
• Real Estate Transactions
• Eminent Domain
  Acquiring private land for a public purpose is accomplished by governments through the law of eminent domain, which is commonly referred to as condemnation. We represent both local governments and landowners in these cases.
• Land Use and Zoning
  In recent years, land use and zoning issues have become increasingly complicated and contentious. Developers, land owners, and local governments come to Poyner Spruill for our vast experience with the full spectrum of land use and zoning matters. Whether it’s appearing before, or advising, an elected or appointed board or representing clients in state or federal court on a myriad zoning and land use disputes, we are known for representing clients in high stakes and contentious zoning matters. The wide variety of real estate projects and uses we handle includes mixed-use development, multi-family, retail, office, industrial, concrete and asphalt plants, mining, automotive dealerships, solid waste facilities, and religious institutions.

Immigration Law

• Family Immigration
  We are equally comfortable assisting with all family-based immigration needs, from K visas through permanent residence to naturalization, overstays, and North Carolina specific immigration concerns. Political and religious asylum cases are handled with compassion and experience for qualifying individuals.
• Investor Visas
  Meticulous preparation of EB-5 or permanent resident investor visas and first preference and national interest based permanent residence

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Representing South Carolina compounding pharmacy and its owner in multi-district personal injury and wrongful death litigation arising out of pharmacy’s distribution of contaminated sterile injectable medication

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  We represent a wide variety of estate planning clients including owners of closely held businesses, corporate executives, professionals, and individuals with special needs.
• Trusts

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  Representation of one of nation’s largest material suppliers in seeking to collect over $1 million from a customer in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy on a dozen multi-family projects including filing mechanic’s liens and lawsuits to perfect lien claims, preparation of administrative claim in Bankruptcy, and negotiation and settlement of claim
• Foreclosure
  Representation of banks and other lending institutions in defending lender liability claims, managing workouts, and pursuing collection, foreclosure, and claim and delivery actions
• Tax Law
  We have experience in both federal and state taxation, transactional tax planning, individual income and estate tax planning, tax controversies, planning for tax-exempt entities, and low income housing tax issues. We represent banks, real estate development companies, manufacturers, municipalities and state agencies issuing tax-exempt bonds, low income housing tax credit developers, large nonprofit entities including hospitals and foundations, as well as other types of businesses and individuals. Several of us also are certified public accountants or have graduate degrees in taxation.