Highlands Lawyers

I am Brian C. Malone, a forward-thinking and dedicated immigration attorney with a comprehensive background in various immigration law disciplines. I began pursuing a certificate in Immigration and Citizenship Law and Practice in 2014, which I earned in 2017. Since then, I have handled a diverse and unique set of immigration cases. I consistently go above and beyond in family-based cases, appeals, and representation before various court systems, USCIS, ICE, and CBP. I am committed to building partnerships based on trust, respect, and honesty, truly embodying a 'client-first' approach with a real-time case management portal that fosters transparency and efficient communication....

I'm an attorney practicing in Western North Carolina and licensed to practice in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas. I primarily focus on transactional law and estate planning. I'm originally from Georgia, but went to Wake Forest for Law School. While at Wake Forest, I was involved in the Moot Court, Public Interest Law Organization, Phi Alpha Delta, and the Federalist Society. My main practice areas are estate planning, business law, trademarks, and family law. I am a guardian ad litem in several of the counties here in Western North Carolina.

Boasting over 30 years of experience as an attorney in both North Carolina and Texas, Mike Wimer strives to deliver masterful and unparalleled civil litigation services. Mike prides himself on having the stamina, fortitude, and expertise to handle the most complex and challenging civil disputes in the areas of construction law, insurance claims, and business disputes.

As a partner attorney at my firm, Asheville Legal, I assist clients to resolve disputes primarily in the areas of business, construction, insurance, and real estate. I strive to deliver masterful litigation services, and I pride myself on outmaneuvering the opposition and in clear communication with my clients regarding costs and expectations. I live in Asheville, North Carolina with my wife and four children.

Andy Strauss is a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning & Probate Law. His North Carolina practice includes the full spectrum of complex estate planning, estate tax planning, and asset protection planning. He is a 1978 graduate of Georgetown University School of Law and a member of the North Carolina, Florida, and Pennsylvania State Bars. Andrew is married to Holly and has two daughters: Spencer and Courtney.

Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning & Probate Law

Patrick Twisdale is an attorney at Twisdale Law, PC with experience in patents, trademarks, and copyrights across Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Patrick provides strategic legal solutions for businesses, inventors, and entrepreneurs. His background includes roles with the USPTO and NC State University’s Office of Research Commercialization, giving him a deep understanding of IP law. From patent filings to trademark disputes, Patrick is committed to helping clients safeguard their intellectual property and navigate complex legal challenges.

• DACA - In 2012-2013 I successfully processed over 75 DACA applications in North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina. Each successful application resulted in my clients obtaining employment authorization leading to the acquisition of a Social Security number and a valid drivers license. These clients no longer live in the shadows of society. • BIA Appeal Success! With only a few hours before my client was scheduled to be deported, I filed an emergency motion with the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) to "stay" his deportation and have my client's matter "re-opened" based on new evidence and...

Bill Cannon is a native of Leesburg, Georgia and has been practicing law for more than 30 years. He focuses his practice in the area of civil litigation and has extensive experience in complex litigation. Bill enjoys working closely with his clients in finding innovative solutions to the challenges they face. He has a keen interest in professionalism and has been a speaker for orientations on professionalism at law schools. Bill is an author of a variety of professional articles and has made many presentations on professionalism in the practice of law and the importance of the justice system.

Agatha “Aggie” Guy is a native of Haywood County, North Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she graduated with a degree in Journalism. Aggie later earned a juris doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law and an LL.M in Tax with a concentration in Estate Planning from the University of Alabama. Aggie has extensive experience in estate planning and estate administration. She has worked with the Jackson County Area Agency on Aging for the past four years, helping area seniors with their estate plans and currently serves as the Public Administrator of Jackson County....

Chase is a native of Murphy, North Carolina and loves practicing in the Appalachian mountains. Chase has focused his work in trial advocacy, and spends a great deal of time on contracts, construction law, foreclosures, and other civil disputes. He has a talent for drafting contracts and leases, and he represents his clients in any litigation over those contracts and leases. At Wake Forest School of Law, Chase was the treasurer of the Public Interest Law Organization and an active member of the Inn of Court, a national ethics-based organization. Chase is a member of First Baptist...

I am a US Marine Core veteran committed to protecting your interests and providing excellent service.

Time spent as an insurance claims adjuster made me realize that people need advocates to fight for them, and to fight for what matters most. Being on both sides of the claims process now as a personal injury attorney has taught me valuable information about how insurance companies will try to get you to settle for less than what you deserve. Whether it’s a personal injury attorney you need, medical malpractice, wrongful death, auto accident, workers compensation, or a matter involving civil litigation, my mission to get you what you are owed under the eyes of the law and...

My name is Tom Curry. I'm a partner at my firm Davis Curry Law where we specialize in Family Law, Criminal, Trademark, and Business law. I've specialized personally in Trademark and startup law for the past years while also assisting with Family and other cases. As an entrepreneur I've worked with dozens of small and medium businesses on optimizing business structure, terms, contracts, and agreements. When not practicing, I love playing with anything with an engine.

Susan Waller Ramos is a graduate of Emory University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Spanish, and St. Mary’s University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Texas, and New Mexico (currently inactive), and began practicing immigration law in 2003. Ms. Ramos is fluent in Spanish and assists individuals, families, and employers in connection with assessing available U.S. immigration options. Ms. Ramos’ practice includes preparing and filing individual, family-based, and employment-based petitions, immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applications, and waivers of inadmissibility. She assists with complex consular processing...

Tyler Stull is an associate in the firm’s Brevard office, where he focuses his practice on commercial litigation, class action litigation and business torts. In addition, Mr. Stull handles labor and employment disputes on behalf of both individuals and businesses.

Mr. Stull began his career in 2013, where he worked for boutique firms handling commercial and employment litigation. Mr. Stull has served as lead counsel in both trials and arbitrations, and has broad experience in both the State and Federal Courts. Mr. Stull has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for the years 2016-2018.

Awards/Recognitions

Selected as Florida Super Lawyers® “Rising...

I have served as General Counsel to a Fortune 500 Company, Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc., and have practiced in both large and medium size law firms. I have also worked for and with State and Federal agencies in regulatory matters and litigation. As the in-house General Counsel for Carnival Cruise Lines, during its explosive growth period, I developed considerable expertise in all facets of corporate governance and management, including intellectual property, securities, anti-trust issues and every imaginable type of litigation and contractual matter. During this period major events, coordinated and directed through my Office, included Carnival's Initial Public Offering; the...

Larry J. Ford is an attorney with 47 years of experience whose practice provides legal services to business owners, families, individuals, and retired persons in the following areas: Asset Protection Planning, Business Planning, Corporations, Charitable Trusts, Estate Planning, Federal Tax Planning, Family Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, Living Trusts, Medicaid Planning, Real Estate, and Wills and Estates. Ford first practiced law in the Asheville/Hendersonville area, then was in the corporate business and legal arena in Charlotte, NC, prior to returning to Hayesville in 1991. In Charlotte, Ford served as Vice-President/Legal Counsel with two different title insurance companies, and as a...

Tim joined the Law Office of Nathan Earwood in 2021 and practices immigration, family law, and estate administration. He prides himself on zealously advocating for his clients and not backing down from a scrap. Tim seamlessly weaves through the nuances of immigration law and the complexities of family affairs. Tim lives in Canton with his wife Kelly and their three dogs: Bean, Leela, and Zapp.

Real Estate closings, For-Sale-By-Owner Closings

Experienced business law practitioner, dealing with transactions and litigation in Western North Carolina.

Whitney Staton was born in Hendersonville, NC in 1986 and grew up on an apple farm in Henderson County. Whitney graduated from East Henderson High School in 2004. After graduating high school, Whitney went to UNC-Charlotte where she graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in American Studies. Whitney then decided to pursue her law degree and attended Charlotte School of Law, where she was on the Dean's list and graduated in December of 2010. After graduation Whitney took the February 2011 North Carolina Bar Examination and passed the Bar. Whitney was...

David Gantt is an Asheville-based Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Legal Specialist serving western North Carolina. In addition to work comp, David practices in the areas of Social Security Disability, Personal Injury, and Wrongful Death law.

He holds a BA in Economics from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1978, and earned his Juris Doctor from Campbell University Law School in 1981. David was admitted to the bar for North Carolina and U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina in 1981. In 1984, he was admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, and U.S. District...

Dana Andrew LeJune was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1956 into a Cajun, rice sharecropping family. He graduated from French High School there in 1975. In 1976 he began his undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, and received his B.A. in History three years later. He taught Government and History at French High School through May, 1979, when he began law school.

Mr. LeJune attended South Texas College of Law and graduated with a J.D. in December, 1982, after having published a maritime law article in the August, 1982 South Texas Law Journal. He took the February, 1983...

Attorney Douglas A. Petho joined the firm in 1993. He is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in the Administration of Criminal Justice in 1988. He earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1991. Mr. Petho is a native of the Charlotte area.

Mr. Petho began his trial career as an Assistant District Attorney for the 1st Judicial District of North Carolina serving under the Hon. H.P. Williams. In that position, Mr. Petho was tasked with the prosecution of both misdemeanor and...

Rebekah Grafton is a former trial attorney for the Department of Homeland Security in their Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division. She is prepared to put years of experience litigating on behalf of the government to work for you. She is not only skilled in the complicated nuances of immigration law, but in her unique experience she has also become well-versed in the policies that guide the filing of applications. She has prepared and argued written motions and memoranda at both the Immigration Court level as well as at the Board of Immigration Appeals. Additionally, she has worked closely with USCIS...

Based in Asheville, NC, Lakota R. Denton is a Personal Injury Lawyer that has assisted many clients in North Carolina who have been injured through no fault of their own, or due to someone else’s negligence. He is committed to helping injured persons in his community, and assisting them through the complex legal process, so they can get their lives back on track. Lakota is a Cum Laude graduate of Western New England College of Law. After interning at Pellegrini Seeley Ryan and Blakesley in Massachusetts and the National Labor Relations Board in Hartford, Connecticut during Law School,...

Henry Teich is a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation, who has for over 40 years successfully represented workers with serious work injuries.

He is one of the founding partners of Grimes Teich Anderson LLP, a North Carolina and South Carolina Injury and Disability Firm with 8 offices in the two states. His goal is to make sure that his clients get the best medical treatment available under the circumstances and to protect them from insurance companies which may use oppressive tactics to limit or deny benefits that the injured worker is entitled to under the law.

He...

Jessica is dedicated to getting justice for those who've been sexually harassed, discriminated against, have Family and Medical Leave Act issues, or suffered retaliation at work. As a partner at Grimes Teich Anderson, Jessica focuses her practice on employment law, workers' compensation, and personal injury.

Since she became an attorney in 2001, Jessica has litigated cases in both state and federal court and before the North Carolina Industrial Commission, and she has an extensive background in appellate work before the North Carolina Supreme Court, North Carolina Court of Appeals, and North Carolina Industrial Commission.

She obtained a successful ruling from...

Attorney Scott Anderson has a passion for helping the injured and protecting their interests against insurance companies. Mr. Anderson has extensive trial, and strategic negotiation experience is personal injury, wrongful death, and workers compensation matters in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is licensed in both states and has handled matters in both states over the past 29 years. He is managing partner of Grimes Teich Anderson LLP, a North Carolina and South Carolina personal injury law firm with 8 offices in both states. Before becoming a personal injury attorney, he was an insurance defense lawyer, which gives...

Rod is a cannabis business law attorney. He represents legal cannabis businesses through-out the world and is editor and chief writer of the Kight On Cannabis law blog (www.kightoncannabis.com). Rod is the author of “Cannabis Business Law-What You Need to Know”, published by Aspatore Books in August 2015. Rod is on the advisory board for the American Journal of Endocannabinoid Medicine, for which he also writes a legal column. Rod is frequently quoted on cannabis matters by trade publications and major media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Time, Politico, and Business Insider. Additionally, Rod has been listed in MG...

I finished law school in 2005 and immediately opened my own firm in Raleigh, North Carolina. I began my practice taking criminal cases in North Carolina state courts, with matters ranging from simple speeding tickets up to high level felonies. My practice has been a success because I care deeply for my clients, I consistently get them fantastic results, and I create fee structures that people can actually afford. Over my career, I have taught several seminars to other attorneys on how to properly defend criminal and traffic cases, with a significant emphasis on teaching defense of...

Thomas Amburgey is a board-certified specialist in state criminal law. As a former prosecutor with the Office of the District Attorney for Buncombe County, he handled thousands of cases, ranging from minor offenses like speeding tickets to capital offenses like first-degree murder. That experience gives him an immeasurable advantage in the courtroom.

Because pleas are often made and charges can be dismissed, many criminal law attorneys only experience a handful of trials in their entire careers. Thomas has successfully completed hundreds of bench trials and dozens of jury trials from both sides of the aisle. Regardless of your charge, Thomas Amburgey...